Best Apple Pie-EVER!

Oftentimes, apple pie is all we hear about around the holidays. Everyone has their preference, but generally, apple pie takes the cake. If you’re looking for an apple pie recipe that is sure to leave them wanting more and wondering at what point you became Julia Childs…we have got the recipe for you.

This recipe has been passed down for generations within our family and no other pie can compare. Even non-pie eaters love this pie.

If you’re a historian and love a bit of history to go with your new discoveries, the originator of this recipe grew up in an orphanage when her father could no longer care for her. She was responsible for the cooking and eventually the baking for all the other kids and her skills in the kitchen brought a mischievous young man to keep swiping treats. That young man became her husband. That young couple then lived by the railroad tracks and over time began feeding the vagabonds and homeless that came through on the trains from their backdoor.

Over 90 years later, I share this recipe with you in the hopes that you will share it with those you love and those you know nothing about knowing that it’s sweetness originates from so much more than apples and spices.

Recipe for Two-Crust Pie:

• Flour
• 1 tsp. salt
• 2/3c. Crisco
• 1/4c. water

1. Mix the salt with the flour in a bowl. Cut the Crisco in with a knife and mix with a pastry blender until the pieces are the size of peas.
2. Adding one tablespoon of water at a time, fluff the dough with a fork until moistened and push to the side. Continue until all dough has been fluffed. Gather dough together with fingers so it cleans bowl and press into a ball.
3. Divide in half. Leave one in the bowl and cover with plastic wrap.
4. Turn the other onto a lightly floured surface and roll into a circle larger than your pie plate. Transfer to the plate by wrapping the dough around the rolling pin and placing into the pie plate.

For Apple Pie Filling:

• 3/4c. Sugar
• 1 tsp. Cinnamon
• 1 tsp. nutmeg
• 1 T Flour
• 1/3c. Red Hot candies
• 6-7c. peeled, cored, and sliced apples – any is fine, we typically use Gala or Fuji.

1. Mix the sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and flour together in a large bowl. Set aside.
2. Prepare the apples by coring, peeling, and slicing.
3. Add the apples to the sugar mix and mix well.
4. Add the majority of the red hots, saving some to sprinkle on top. Mix well.
5. Add the filling mix to the prepared crust.
6. Add the last few red hots to the top of the filling to ensure an even melting of the candy.
7. Repeat pie crust steps above for the top of the pie and cover.
8. Pinch the top and bottom pie crusts together and cut slits in the top for steam to escape, or use a fork to poke holes.
9. Bake at 425 for 50-60 minutes.

Enjoy!