There’s no denying it — autumn goes perfectly hand-in-hand with delicious, homemade pies. So in the spirit of the season, I gave this simple recipe a try; Now it’s your turn. Awe your friends with your pie prowess, and who knows? Maybe take it home with you for Thanksgiving break to impress your family and dazzle your friends.
My recipe is loosely based off of the recipe for “Cinnamon Crumble Apple Pie” from Epicurious, but I tweaked it ever so slightly to suit what I had on hand.
Here’s what I used:
_For the crust:_
Keebler’s Ready Made Shortbread Pie Crust (You can always make your own, or go frozen, but I was limited due to my lack of rolling pin and decent freezer — dorm life, yo).
One egg yolk, to brush the bottom and sides of the crust with before baking.
_For the filling:_
About 4 to 5 (roughly 2.5 lbs.) small McIntosh apples, peeled and sliced. Slices should be about ¼ inch thick, but they can vary.
2/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons butter, melted
_For the topping:_
2/3 cup flour
1/3 cup sugar
3 tablespoons golden brown sugar, packed
1/4 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons chilled butter, cut in ½ inch cubes
Pecan chips (optional)
_For the crust:_
Slather the bottom and sides of the crust with egg yolk and pop it in the oven for about 5 minutes on 350 degrees. Then pull it back out and let it cool while you prepare the rest.
_For the filling:_
Combine all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Add the melted butter in, and mix the ingredients into a sort of syrupy paste before adding the apples, then be sure to coat the apples thoroughly with the paste.
_For the topping:_
In a bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt, brown sugar and cinnamon. Add in your butter cubes. Chop and stir (I used a fork, but fingers work just as well) the butter into the mixture until the whole thing resembles coarse, lumpy sand.
Side Note: I added pecan chips here as well. The pecans cook faster than the rest, so they develop a toasted flavor. If you want a more traditional-tasting apple pie, then I’d leave the pecans out.
_For the pie:_
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Pour the filling into the ready-made crust, spreading it out evenly. Next, gently pour your crumble topping over the filling, covering it completely. Use your hands if you need to.
Place the pie on a cookie sheet and put it in the oven. After about 10 minutes, turn the heat down to 350 degrees and continue baking for 45 to 55 minutes.
Let the pie cool for 45 minutes to an hour before attempting to serve.