Homemade Apple Pie

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This is the most delicious Homemade Apple Pie I have ever had! It has a buttery crust, insanely flavorful spiced apple filling and is topped with a crunchy sweet streusel. It is a no-fuss recipe and perfect for even the beginner baker!

Old-fashioned apple pie in a pie plate.

This post is sponsored by Hidden Shelf Publishing! I am so excited to be partnering with the amazing people at Hidden Shelf Publishing. Their recently published book, a historical fiction titled Send Judah First is a very intriguing story. This apple pie recipe is adapted from the recipes in the back of the book.

โ€‹โ€‹โ€‹โ€‹โ€‹โ€‹โ€‹Their recently published book, a historical fiction titled Send Judah First is a very intriguing story. This homemade apple pie recipe is adapted from the recipes in the back of the book.

Love apples? Also check out my recipe for Cinnamon Rolls With Apple Pie Filling.

A Recipe That Tells A Story

I just love recipes that come with stories attached to them! This Homemade Apple Pie recipe is one of such recipes.

Apple Pie on table with apples and pie spoon

The book the recipe is adapted from, Send Judah First is about Yuda (Judah). Judah is a young girl who was stolen from her village in Ivory Coast, Africa by white slavers. She was taken to America where she lived as a slave for several years. Unlike many other slaves who worked in plantations, Judah was a cook.

She was taken to America where she lived as a slave for several years. Unlike many other slaves who worked in plantations, Judah was a cook.

She cooked from the heart. And she made some of the best meals! This Homemade Apple Pie is thought to be one of the recipes, Judah must have made for her “mastah”.

Pie spoon in apple pie

A Story That Had to Be Told

The author of Send Judah First, Brian C Johnson visited Belle Grove Plantation in the South several years ago and that was where he first heard the story of Judah, the main character in the book. Judah lived at Belle Grove for over 20 years. She was the head cook and she bore twelve children.

Unfortunately, however, in historical records, Judah is only mentioned twice. When Brian heard Judah’s story, he felt moved and haunted by it. So he went on to tell her story in order to bring to light such an important human.

Hands holding Send Judah First Book

And I must say Brian did a great job, you guys. I was utterly moved by the story. Reading Send Judah First was like watching a movie to me. Vivid pictures. Moving scenes. And sometimes I suffered heartbreaks with the characters in the book. It was so absorbing.

I could totally picture Judah’s life through this book. And it gave me great insight into African American history. I am forever changed, thanks to Send Judah First.

Slice of Apple Pie in Back, book in front

As I flipped through the recipes in the back of the book and made some pie crust and some apple pie, it felt like I was transported back in time.

This is such a rustic looking pie and I love it. I would imagine that in the slavery days, “aint nobody got time to make a lattice pie crust to place on some daggum apple pie!”

You guys, the broken English that is spoken by enslaved Africans in Send Judah First is so interesting to read! I have been thinking in that kind of English since I read the book!

Apple Pie on plate and some in pie dish

Send Judah first tells an important story about slavery. As an African, I was touched to read the stories of other Africans that were denied the chance to live in their countries.

I LOVE that the main character in the book is a cook and I was absorbed in reading about how she handled the kitchen, the details about the things she cooked and how she survived not as a weakling but as a strong woman.

Rolling out pie crust

The Homemade Apple Pie of Your Dreams

This homemade apple pie is:

  • Easy to make! I encourage you to try it even if you have never baked a pie before.
  • Sweet but with a nice balance of tartness from the apples.
  • Well-spiced. Freshly grated nutmeg is key here.
  • Buttery. The buttery crust and topping are to die for!

How To Make Homemade Apple Pie

Making Homemade Apple Pie is as easy as ABC.

A: Make the pie crustโ€‹โ€‹โ€‹โ€‹โ€‹โ€‹โ€‹.

All butter crust in baking pan with a fork pricking the crust

I use an all-butter pie crust here although the pie crust recipe in the book calls for lard. Lard is not easy to come by that’s why I didn’t use it. I wanted to share with you a pie crust recipe that is approachable.โ€‹โ€‹โ€‹โ€‹โ€‹โ€‹โ€‹

Pie crust ingredients
Pie crust ingredients in food processor

The ingredients for the crust are butter, flour, salt, and cold milk. You either mix the ingredients by hand or mix everything in a food processor.

Pie crust dough in food processor

The pie crust here makes enough dough for two pies. You could keep the other half for a second pie, use it to make a top crust if you want to skip the crumbly top OR use all the dough for one super thick crust.

Pie dough on a floured chopping board.

If you choose to make one thick crust with all the dough, increase the baking time so the pie crust cooks properly. The pie crust is done when it is a cool brown color. In this recipe, the pie crust is baked before the filling is added.

Also, this pie crust will fit either an 8-inch pan or a 9-inch pan. I tested the recipes with both pans and they both worked well. Just make sure you roll the crust out enough to completely cover whatever pan you use.

B: Make the filling.

Uncooked Apple Pie Filling in Bowl

I use a combination of tart and sweet apples here and that ensures that the pie filling is still tart but not overwhelmingly tart. It is a to-die-for pie filling and you do not need to precook it. Talk about easy!

The pie filling is made up of apples, sugar, freshly grated nutmeg, lemon juice, and cornstarch.

Ingredients for apple pie filling

Freshly grated nutmeg is key here for optimal flavor but if you can’t find whole nutmeg, use ground nutmeg. And don’t go easy on the nutmeg either. You need this spice to bless your pie.

C: Assemble the pie.

apple pie uncooked filling in baked crust

Place the filling into the pie crust then top with a simple mixture of flour, butter, and sugar.

Apple pie topped with flour sugar butter mixture

The topping looks rough at first and you might be unsure about it but as it bakes the butter melts and it forms this beautifully imperfect pie.

Rustic apple pie

So simple, yet so delicious. This is the homemade apple pie of your dreams!

Apple pie on plate with melting ice cream in back, back of book in front.

Apples are in season now so this is the perfect time to make some hearty apple pie and cozy up with a good book!

More Fall Recipes You Might Love

Rustic Apple Pie

Homemade Apple Pie

5 from 1 vote
This Homemade Apple Pie is simple, easy to make, bubbling with tender spiced apples. The perfect no-fuss recipe for beginner pie-makers!
Prep: 30 minutes
Cook: 1 hour
Total: 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings: 8 servings

Ingredients  

Easy Homemade Pie Crust

  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 cup cold unsalted butter
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup cold whole milk

Homemade Apple Pie Filling

  • 4 apples I used 2 granny smith apples and 2 Honeycrisp apples
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg I use a whole nutmeg which I grate with a Microplane grater
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice freshly squeezed

Homemade Apple Pie Topping

  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter cut into cubes
  • Pinch of salt

Instructions 

Make the Pie Crust

  • Lightly flour an 8-inch pie plate.
  • Combine the flour, salt and butter in a food processor (you can also do this by hand just place them in a bowl and rub in or mix with a pastry cutter). Pulse the flour, butter, and sugar for a few seconds until the mixture looks like fine breadcrumbs. Add the milk and pulse until the mixture combines to form a dough.
  • Cut the dough into two equal portions. Place each portion in a Ziploc bag and keep in the fridge for 10 minutes. While the dough is in the fridge, preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (180 degrees Celsius).
    Note: in the next step we will only be using one portion of the dough. Keep the second portion for another pie.
  • Generously flour a working surface then place the dough on top. Lightly flour the top of the dough then roll with a rolling pin into a circle that is about 1/8 inch thick. Be careful not to make the crust too thin.
  • Gently lift the dough and place it into the floured pie plate. Trim the excess dough around the edges. Pierce the corners and middle of the dough with a fork. Place in preheated oven and bake for 12-15 minutes until lightly brown. Remove the pie crust from oven and let it cool before adding the filling.

Make the Apple Pie Filling

  • Peel the apples, core them and slice into 1/4 inch thick slices.
  • Place the apples in a large bowl. Add the 2 tablespoons of flour, half cup of sugar and nutmeg. Add the apple juice then toss to ensure that all the ingredients coat the apples evenly.
  • Pour the apples into the baked pie crust.

Make the Apple Pie Topping

  • In a bowl, combine the 1/2 cup of flour, half cup of sugar, 8 tablespoons of butter (cut into cubes) and a pinch of salt. Mix to combine, with your hand or with a pastry cutter. The mixture will be slightly rough and that's okay.
  • Evenly distribute the mixture over the apples. Bake in a 350 Fahrenheit (180 degrees Celsius) oven for 1 hour.

Serving

  • Let the pie cool for about 10 minutes before cutting in.
  • You can top slices of apple pie with some vanilla ice cream, whipped cream or drizzle some caramel sauce on top. Yum!

Notes

1. Do not skip placing the pie dough into the fridge for 10 minutes before rolling it out. This ensures that the dough doesn’t break easily while rolling it out and also, it doesn’t shrink easily while baking.
2. You could use just tart apples (like granny smith apples) or a mixture of tart and sweet apples in this recipe like I did. When I tested the recipe, theย  pie was too sour with just tart apples. I LOVED the pies with a mix of granny smith and honeycrisp apples. But if you love tart pies, use only granny smith.
3. You could use storebought pie crust in this recipe if that makes it easier for you.
4. Use whole nutmeg instead of storebought ground nutmeg for the best flavor in this recipe. Simple grate the nutmeg with a microplane or small grater.
5. This recipe is adapted from the recipes in the back ofSend Judah First, a book that tells a moving story about an African slave who was a cook for over twenty years.

Nutrition

Calories: 613kcal | Carbohydrates: 74g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 62mg | Sodium: 410mg | Potassium: 261mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 37g | Vitamin A: 771IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 57mg | Iron: 2mg

Additional Info

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 613
Tried this recipe?Mention @preciouscore or tag #PreciousCore!

About Precious

Welcome to my core! I am Precious Nkeih, the recipe developer and writer right here on my blog, Precious Core. My goal is to show you insanely delicious recipes you can replicate in your kitchen. And I love to tell stories too. Hope you find recipes here that will make cooking easier for you! Check me out on YouTube at YouTube.com/PreciousKitchen.


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