Southern Apple Pie from Scratch
Listen y’all the weather dropped to 65 when I take Jake and Lola out in the mornings so I knew with a crisp like that in the air, it was pie time and soon. When both boys came home last week needing to bring in apples for school for a project, I figured no better time like the present to make apple pie. I know that’s exactly why you’re here. If you’re from the northeast like I am originally (shhh don’t tell my husband, he thinks he has a perfect southern wife) then it’s probably been closer to apple pie season.
The kids have been back in school for almost two months now so it has definitely felt like fall here for quite some time and this pie was the perfect way to really solidify that. It made the house smell exactly like your grandma’s house.
Now, I can tell you right now, when the boys walked in from school it was hilarious. Oliver stood in the doorway and just took a deep breath. He told me, “mama, the house smells so good,” before walking over to the kitchen and finding this apple pie where I was told how beautiful it is. So this recipe is kid-approved. Here is proof!
Y’all I cannot even tell you how easy it was to tackle this recipe. I started the dough right when the boys were leaving for school. Yes, that means at 7 AM I was tackling pie dough. Don’t judge me.
Seriously, my food processor is a gift from God Himself because it makes the process so much easier. See what I did there
The key is to let it rest at least an hour but this dough will keep up to two days in your fridge! So there’s honestly no need to be a weirdo like me and make the dough at 7 AM.
Why I skip the shortening and
opt for more butter
Shortening is great for when you need something to hold a specific shape and I don’t really need my dough to do that. I need it to taste great. Adding more butter leaves my crust buttery and flakey and I personally think the shortening leaves your crust slightly greasy. I say if you’re used to making crust with shortening, try this way next time. The extra buttery goodness may just convert you!
The filling should take you no more than 5-10 minutes to make depending on how long it takes for you to peel your apples. Some recipes I’ve seen online call for butter in this but I promise, no butter required. You’ll be glad you skipped the butter.
And please when you make the lattice top, don’t actually weave the dough. I honestly lay the first set of strips down and then when I need to do the reverse side, I lay the first section and then just lift the opposite strips up. I’ve seen YouTubers actually weave their pie like we were in 5th grade art class. I promise you can skip it if you just lift up on side and lay the new piece down. Saves yourself a whole lot of time and energy. I also just use a pizza cutter to slice my dough and I’m not overly concerned they are the exact same size. We’ll just go on ahead and call it a rustic look
I promise you and the family will love it.
Glenn didn’t even want me sharing it with y’all unless I was putting it in a cookbook somewhere it was that good.
So enjoy it and tell me how it goes!
Be sure to tag @TheAshley.Price on
Instagram when you make your pie!
Mama's Apple Pie
Equipment
- pie plate
- food processor
Ingredients
Crust
- 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 cup unsalted butter super cold, cut into cubes
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp sugar
- 3/4 cup ice water must have ice in it
Filling
- 8-10 apples I prefer granny smith
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
Instructions
Crust
- Mix flour, sugar and salt into the food processor and pulse a few times until it's mixed.
- Add the butter, half a time and pulse several times each time. The butter should be about pea sized.
- SLOWLY add 1/4 cup of the ice water (without the ice) to the processor and pulse again. Add the water, a tablespoon at a time until the dough is barely able to hold together. Check after each tablespoon of water. If you add too much water, your dough is going to be tough.
- Empty your dough on a clean, dry surface. Dive the dough into two even piles and knead into a disc. Again, do not overwork the dough or you'll have a tough crust.
- Sprinkle with some dough and wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour or two days MAX.
- When you're ready to use the dough, take it out 5-10 minutes prior.
Pie Filling
- Skin your 8-10 apples and slice them. You want long pieces in your pie so every bite is delightful.
- Toss in a bowl with flour, sugar (brown and granulated), cinnamon and nutmeg.
Assembly & Baking
- Pre-heat your oven at 350°
- Roll your first disc out and cover a 9 inch pie plate completely
- Fill with your apple mixture
- Roll out your second disc
- I prefer a lattice top so cut into strips
- Place strips across the pie plate and then weave the strips in the other direction & press your strips into the crust of the bottom dough on the lip of the plate
- Trim the edges of the dough leaving a small portion hanging off the pie plate
- Egg wash time: mix an egg with a splash of water and brush on top of your pie
- Wrap your dish in foil but put the shiny side down *It acts as a heat blanket*
- Put your pie in the oven for 30 minutes with the foil on
- Remove the foil the last 10 minutes of the cooking process
- You know the pie is done when the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbly inside
