Winning Apple Pie Recipes
Farmers' Almanac readers elected Apple Pie as America's Dessert. Now check out our top three winning recipes for this tasty pie.
After our readers chose Apple Pie as the All-American Dessert, we then asked them to submit their favorite, original recipes for this traditional dessert. These three were chosen by a panel of judges as the best. Give them a try!
Winning Apple Pie Recipes 1st Place
Ingredients
Crust:
- 2 1/2 cups flour
- 1 tsp. level salt
- 1/2 lb. lard
- 4-6 tbsp. cold water
Filling
- 7 cups cut-up apples (I recommend Granny Smith or Jonathan apples)
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 rounded tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp cold water
- 1 stick butter
- 1 level tsp flour
Instructions
Crust
- Place flour and salt in a large mixing bowl.
- Cut small teaspoon-sized pieces of lard into the flour (about 5 pieces at a time), with a hand pastry cutter or fork.
- When all the lard is worked into flour (should have a crumble-like look) start adding cold water, 2 tablespoons at a time, until flour mixture pulls away from sides of the bowl.
- Separate dough into 2 equals parts, cover, and refrigerate while preparing apples.
- Note: This crust recipe is enough for two 9" apple pies, and the leftover dough can be frozen.
Filling
- In a large bowl, add apples, sugar, cinnamon, lemon juice and water. Stir well.
- Cut tiny pieces of butter into apples, using 2/3 of the stick.
- Sprinkle flour over apple mixture and stir and toss well. Cover and set aside.
Assembly
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Using 1/2 of dough mixture, separate into 2 equal pieces.
- Flour rolling surface and dough lightly, and roll out 1 crust for the bottom, and place in pie pan.
- Add apple mixture.
- Cut remaining butter into small pats and place on apples
- Roll out crust for top of pie. Place over apples. When the top crust is trimmed and pinched shut, cut several slits in it.
- Bake at 375ºF for about 70 minutes OR until crust is a light/medium golden brown.
Variations
- – About 5 minutes before pie is to come out of oven, lightly coat top crustwith melted butter and sprinkle with sugar. Return to oven for final 5minutes.– Once pie is completely cooled, prepare a powdered sugar drip glaze frosting (2/3 cup powdered sugar in 1 –2 tablespoons milk). Drizzle over top of cool apple pie.
Winning Apple Pie Recipes 2nd Place
Ingredients
Apple mixture
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 4 cups peeled, sliced apples (Jonathan apples are a good choice)
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
- 1 tbsp. cornstarch
- 1 tbsp. grated orange peel
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
- 1 tbsp. butter
Crust
- 1 cup Crisco or lard
- 1 tsp. salt
- 2 1/2 cups flour
- 1 egg
- 5 tbsp. cold water
- 1 tbsp. vinegar
Instructions
Apple Mixture
- Mix together sugar, apples, spices, and cornstarch. Let sit while preparing crust.
Crust
- Cut shortening into salt and flour.
- Mix egg, water, and vinegar until well blended.
- Add liquid to flour mixture.
Assembly
- Preheat oven to 400ºF
- Roll out 1/2 of dough and place in pan.
- Add apple mix, sprinkle with pecans and orange peel, and dot with butter.
- Add top crust.
- Bake in a preheated 400ºF oven for 15 minutes.
- Reduce heat to 350ºF and bake 45 minutes more.
Winning Apple Pie Recipes 3rd Place
Ingredients
Crust:
- 2 1/4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp. salt
- 3/4 cup shortening
- 5 tbsp. water
Filling:
- 5-6 cups pared, sliced tart apples
- 2 tbsp. flour
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
- 1 tbsp. lemon juice
- 2 tbsp. butter, cut into small pieces to top apple mixture
Instructions
Crust
- Combine flour, salt, and shortening.
- Slowly add water until dough is the desired consistency.
- Divide in half and roll on a floured surface. Makes two crusts.
Assembly
- Preheat oven to 450ºF
- Mix Filling ingredients together
- Turn into pastry-lined pan.
- Dot with small pieces of butter.
- Place top crust over filling, seal, flute, and vent.
- Bake at 450º for 10 minutes, then at 375º for 35 to 40 minutes.
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- Farmers' Almanac Staffhttps://www.farmersalmanac.com/author/fa-admin
- Farmers' Almanac Staffhttps://www.farmersalmanac.com/author/fa-admin
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