Fresh Apple Cinnamon Pie

What can you do when you have been confined to the house for several days? Why…you can bake a pie of course! Apple pie is my absolute favorite pie and I bake one for Thanksgiving every year. While perusing my favorite cookbooks, I came across this recipe in an old Betty Crocker cookbook originally published way back in 1969.

Confession, yes I am a foodie nerd. I actually enjoy going through old cookbooks. I have a girlfriend (who shall remain nameless, to protect her innocence); she’s a cookbook foodie nerd just like me. Sometimes we actually get together to read through cookbooks, salivating over new recipes to try. Yes we are soulmates! Love that girl!

So when I came across this classic fresh apple pie recipe I knew I had to make it. While I was checking to see if I had all the ingredients to bake it, I came across a little blip in the instructions about flavored pastry. Wait…what? Flavored pastry? What’s that all about?

Flavored Pastry: Stir in one of the following into the Pastry for 8 or 9 inch One-Crust Pie. Double the amount for 8 or 9 inch Two-Crust Pie.

Flavorings that can be added to the crust; shredded cheddar cheese, lemon or orange zest, or ground cinnamon.

Lightbulb moment! 💡 Add cinnamon to the pastry crust…oh ya! Why had I never thought to do this before? Is there anything that pairs better with apple pie than cinnamon? Ok, Vanilla ice cream is at the top of the list, oh, and whipped cream is up there too, but you have to admit that apples go with cinnamon, like butter goes with bread, and wine goes with cheese, right?

This smells so good while it’s baking. The aroma has magical powers that lured my teenage son from his room. He actually came out of his room, down the stairs, away from his computer to ask what I was making because it smelled so good. Truly a miracle!!!

My mouth is watering as I type, my house smells so good right now! Let’s get this pie going in your oven too!

To start you will need to make the pie crust. Trust me, it’s really easy to do. Please don’t cheat and whip out a refrigerated pie crust! If you want that extra cinnamony deliciousness in the crust you will have to make the crust from scratch.

To begin, gather together the ingredients to make the crust; flour, shortening, salt, water and cinnamon.

In a large bowl combine the shortening, salt and flour.

Use a pastry cutter break up the shortening until you have a crumbled mixture that looks like the picture below.

Add cinnamon and water, continue to combine.

Once the dough starts to come away from the sides of the bowl use your hands to form the dough into a ball.

Place the dough on a floured surface and divide it in 1/2.

Roll out one 1/2 of the dough so that it is large enough to line a pie plate and place it in the pie pan.

Wrap extra 1/2 of dough in plastic wrap and place it in the fridge while you make the filling.

Peel 5-6 medium apples.

Remove core, and cut into thin slices.

Place sliced apples in a large bowl and add flour, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and vanilla extract. Stir to combine.

Place apple slices in pie pan. Remove dough from the fridge and roll out 2nd half on a lightly floured surface. Place the dough on top of the sliced apples.

Trim off excess dough and using a fork, press edges together.

Use a cookie cutter and cut out shapes with any remaining pie dough and place on the top of the pie. Cut 3-4 slits in the top crust to allow steam to escape while the pie is baking.

Brush the top of the pie with a little milk.

Then sprinkle the top with a little cane sugar.

Line a baking sheet with foil and place the pie on the baking sheet. This will make clean up a breeze if any juices from the pie bubble up and overflow. Place a pie ring along the outer edge of the pie. You can cover the edges of the pie with foil if you don’t have a pie ring.

Bake in a 425 degree oven for 40-50 minutes. Pie will turn golden brown and the filling will start to bubble up through the slits in the top of the pie.

Remove from the oven and allow pie to cool down to room temperature before serving.

Enjoy a slice or two or three of this apple, cinnamony goodness. No judgement!

What’s your favorite kind of pie? I’m betting apple will move to the top of the list once you give this one a try!