Winning Apple Pie Recipes: Three Award-Winning Apple Pies

Classic double-crust apple pie with the right balance of tartness and sweetness.

1st Place Apple Pie Recipe

Crust:

• 2½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
• 6-8 tablespoons ice water

Filling:

• 6 cups sliced apples (mix Granny Smith and Honeycrisp)
• ¾ cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons cold butter, cubed
• 1 egg beaten + 1 tablespoon coarse sugar for top

1. Make crust: cut butter into flour with salt until pea-sized lumps. Add water 1 tablespoon at a time until dough holds together. Divide in 2 disks, chill 1 hour.
2. Make filling: toss apples with sugar, flour, spices, lemon. Let sit 30 minutes.
3. Roll one disk to a 12-inch round; transfer to a 9-inch pie dish.
4. Add filling. Dot with cold butter.
5. Roll second disk; cut into strips for lattice (or use whole). Top pie.
6. Crimp edges. Brush with egg wash; sprinkle with coarse sugar.
7. Cut steam vents.
8. Bake at 425°F for 20 minutes, then 350°F for 35-45 minutes, until crust is deep golden and filling bubbles.
9. Cool at least 2 hours before slicing.

2nd Place Apple Pie Recipe

French-style apple pie with a custard layer beneath the apples.

Filling:

• 5 cups sliced apples
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• Custard: 1 cup heavy cream, 2 eggs, ½ cup sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla, pinch nutmeg

1. Make and chill crust as above. Roll single bottom crust into a 9-inch dish.
2. Toss apples with sugar, flour, cinnamon. Mound into the crust.
3. Whisk cream, eggs, sugar, vanilla, nutmeg. Pour over apples.
4. Bake at 375°F for 50-60 minutes until custard is set in the center and crust is golden.
5. Cool 2 hours. Best served at room temperature.

3rd Place Apple Pie Recipe

Brown butter caramel apple pie with deep, almost candy-like flavor.

Filling:

• 6 cups sliced apples
• ¾ cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ cup brown butter (melt 1 stick butter until milk solids brown)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• Pinch salt

1. Brown the butter: melt 1 stick butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Cook 5-7 minutes until milk solids at the bottom turn nutty-brown. Cool slightly.
2. Toss apples with brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, brown butter, vanilla, and salt.
3. Make and chill double crust. Fit bottom crust into pie pan.
4. Add filling. Top with second crust; crimp; vent.
5. Brush with egg wash and coarse sugar.
6. Bake at 425°F for 20 minutes, then 350°F for 35-45 minutes.
7. Cool 2 hours before slicing.

Cook by the Best Days Calendar

The Farmers’ Almanac Best Days calendar marks the most favorable days for canning, pickling, preserving, and baking, drawn from the moon’s signs and 200 years of almanac tradition.

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Tips for Award-Winning Apple Pie

• Apple mix matters. One variety is one-note. Two or three varieties (tart + sweet + firm) give complexity.
• Cold dough. Butter must stay cold through rolling. Chill the dough mid-roll if your kitchen is warm.
• Prebake or seal the bottom. Brush with egg white before adding filling to prevent soggy bottom.
• Cool fully. A pie sliced hot runs everywhere. 2 hours minimum for the filling to set.

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Farmers' Almanac Staff

This article was published by the Staff at FarmersAlmanac.com. Any questions? Contact us at questions@farmersalmananac.com.

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