Grandma’s Apple Pie – Grandma’s apple pie is a tradition at every get together our family has from Thanksgiving and Christmas to The Fourth of July! It is also one of the things she made every time we went over for the weekend even on non-holidays for my spoiled :) brother (just kidding Kevy, you know I love you)! I have no idea how old this pie recipe actually is but Grandma has told me she has been making it this way for 60 years, so it’s at least that old. It is a simple version of apple pie. One that really shows off how beautiful good apples can be. So, it is important to use high quality apples because they are definitely the main flavor component – as they should be. When I make my apple pie, I use organic apples. I think it makes a huge difference in the end flavor. I also use several different varieties to get a nice range of flavor and texture. Grandma uses McIntosh or Jonathan almost exclusively. I am going to give you Grandma’s recipe exactly how she makes it and am going to follow with the healthier version that I make for my children now. I hope you love them both! Happy Cooking!
Ingredients for Grandma’s Traditional Apple Pie
Grandma’s Pie Crust
Ingredients
1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons AP flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
7 Tablespoon lard (like Crisco)
3 Tablespoon cold water
Instructions for Crust
*I do this whole process in my food processor. Instead of mash, mash, mash in step 3, you pulse, pulse, pulse :D!
1. Place flour and salt into a medium mixing bowl, stir to combine.
2. Add the lard a spoon at a time. 
3. Use a fork to mash the lard into the flour (cut the lard into the flour), to do this you pretty much just mash the chunks of lard with the fork and then coat them with flour and then mash again and coat again until you end up with something that resembles corn meal with little baby pea size chunks of lard covered in flour in it.
4. Add the cold water and stir, your dough should come together and form a ball – if it doesn’t come together into one happy clump, add another Tablespoon of water and that should do it. Generally though, you won’t have to.
5. Place your dough onto a floured surface and roll it out to 1/4 inch thick.
6. Put it into your pie pan and make it pretty, then dock it (that means poke some holes in it with a fork).
7. Put your crust to the side for now.
Ingredients for Filling
5 1/2 -6 cups apples, peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick (Grandma’s written recipe says 4 cups, but this is one of those recipes that if you haven’t made it with Grandma, it doesn’t come out the same – so 5 1/2 – 6 cups)
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3 Tablespoons AP flour
Instructions for Filling
1. In a small bowl, add the sugar, cinnamon, and flour and stir to combine.
2. Place the apples in a large bowl and pour the flour mixture on top.
3. Toss the apples to coat with the flour mixture.
4. Set apples to the side.
Ingredients for the Crumb Topping
1 cup AP flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
Instructions for the Crumb Topping
*Again, this can be done in the food processor using pulse.
1. Place your flour into a small mixing bowl.
2. Add the brown sugar and stir to combine.
3. Add the butter into the bowl in slices.
4. Mash the butter in with a fork (cut the butter into the flour) until it has that cornmeal/baby pea texture like the crust.
5. Set your crum topping to the side.
Assemble and Bake Your Pie
1. Pre-heat your oven to 350°F.
2. Pour your apples into the crust, spread them out to make them even (they should be higher then the crust edge, they’ll cook down).
3. Carefully pour the crumb topping over the apples, try to keep it as even as possible.
4. Bake at 350°F for 45-50 minutes.
Please enjoy this video tutorial (note that I “spice it up” a bit in the video)!
And now, my healthier version :D!
Pie Crust
Ingredients for “Poured” Pie Crust
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon splenda
1/4 cup olive oil (you can also use canola if you’re worried about the taste)
1/4 cup milk
Instructions for the “Poured” Crust
1. Mix the flour, salt, and splenda together in a bowl.
2. Add the oil and stir until well combined.
3. Add the milk and stir until combined (the crust should come together into a ball).
4. Place crust into an 8″ pie pan and use the palm of your hand to spread across the bottom.
5. Work the crust up the sides of the pan (try to keep it all even).
6.Once you have it all spread, dock it (poke some holes in it with a fork).
7. Add your filling.
*there is a “how to” video of the poured pie crust on my Quiche Lorraine recipe
**This is not Grandma’s crust!!!
Ingredients for Filling
5 1/2 – 6 cups apples, peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick (I use a variety such as 2 Granny Smith, 1 Gala, 1 McIntosh, 1 Fuji, I always include the Granny Smith, but the others I change up so feel free to use your favorite)
1/4 cup Splenda
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3 Tablespoon AP flour, you can replace this with 2 Tablespoons of Tapioca Flour, but it does affect the flavor a little.
Instructions for Filling
1. In a small bowl, add the Splenda, brown sugar, cinnamon, and flour and stir to combine.
2. Place the apples in a large bowl and pour the flour mixture on top.
3. Toss the apples to coat with the flour mixture.
4. Set apples to the side.
Ingredients for the Crumb Topping
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
Instructions for the Crumb Topping
*I do this whole process in my food processor. Instead of mash, mash, mash in step four, you pulse, pulse, pulse :D!
1. Place your flour and oats into a small mixing bowl.
2. Add the brown sugar and stir to combine.
3. Add the butter into the bowl in slices.
4. Mash the butter in with a fork (cut the butter into the flour) until it has that cornmeal/baby pea texture like the crust.
5. Set to the side.
Assemble and Bake Your Pie
1. Pre-heat your oven to 350°F.
2. Pour your apples into the crust, spread them out to make them even (they should be higher then the crust edge, they’ll cook down).
3. Carefully pour the crumb topping over the apples, try to keep it as even as possible.
4. Bake at 350°F for 45-50 minutes.
Hi :), my name's Alicia!
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