Food & Wine

‘Easy As Pie’ Apple Pie Recipe

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Make sure to pile the apples high was when they cook, they will lose some of their volume. Build the apples like a mound so the middle is slightly higher than the edges.

I created this apple pie about nine years ago and since then have adjusted the recipe, perfecting it with each version. It canonized about three years ago, reaching what I consider to be perfection. Since you may be craving for  something other than pumpkin pie right about now, I thought I’d share it.

You’ll love this recipe if you:

  • don’t want to spend hours laboring over a “home-made” apple pie
  • love apples and hate to see the taste cluttered by too much sugar-sweetness

So here it is…

Loni’s “Easy as Pie”
Apple Pie Recipe

Ingredients:

  • 6-7 medium/large granny smith apples. You can use with types of apples, but I like the balance of tartness and sweetness that granny smith apples provide.
  • 2 tablespoons of brown sugar.
  • 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon of salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (I just eyeball this)
  • 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter
  • 2 tablespoons of cream or half-and-half
  • 2 ready made pie-crusts. You can make your own crusts and I have in the past. I found for the level of effort and the results, it just wasn’t worth it. I like using Trader Joe’s pie crusts as I find it has a great homemade taste. The filling on the other hand is a different story, great gains are achieved by insourcing.

The finished result will be a 9 inch pie. I always use my favorite and only Emile Henry red pie dish.

I’ve included instructions and photos on the following pages. Warning, hunger may ensue!

You first want to prepare the apples by peeling and corking them.

Use about 6-7 Granny Smith Apples. Cut them into 6 pieces each before peeling and corking them.
Use about 6-7 Granny Smith Apples. Cut them into 6 pieces each before peeling and corking them.
I like using a sharp paring knife to cut out the cork and apple skin.
I like using a sharp paring knife to cut out the cork and apple skin.
Cut the apple into thin slices and toss them into a mixing bowl. Add the brown sugar, cinnamon. In a small bowl mix the flour and salt together. Sprinkle mixture over apples. Gentle mix until apples are all covered.
Cut the apple into thin slices and toss them into a mixing bowl. Add the brown sugar, cinnamon. In a small bowl mix the flour and salt together. Sprinkle mixture over apples. Gentley mix until apples are all covered.
Take one of the pie crusts and cover the bottom of your favorite pie dish. Make sure to press the crust into the edges of the dish.
Take one of the pie crusts and cover the bottom of your favorite pie dish. Make sure to press the crust into the edges of the dish.
One of the secrets to a fantastic tasting apple pie is the texture of the filling when you bit into a piece. You want to lay the thin pieces of apple in circles so that all the pieces of apple lie flat. This will not only give a nice texture, but look wonderful when you cut a slice.
One of the secrets to a fantastic tasting apple pie is the texture of the filling when you bit into a piece. You want to lay the thin pieces of apple in circles so that all the pieces of apple lie flat. This will not only give a nice texture, but look wonderful when you cut a slice.
Make sure to pile the apples high was when they cook, they will lose some of their volume. Build the apples like a mound so the middle is slightly higher than the edges.
Make sure to pile the apples high was when they cook, they will lose some of their volume. Build the apples like a mound so the middle is slightly higher than the edges. Cut the butter into small chunks and sprinkle on top.
Slice the second crust into ribbons for the design of the top crust.
Slice the second crust into ribbons for the design of the top crust.
Take every second ribbon and place it on top of the apple pie.
Take every second ribbon and place it on top of the apple pie.
Take the remaining ribbons and weave it over and under the vertical ribbons. If you ever made placemats when you were a child, you probably used a similar technique.
Take the remaining ribbons and weave it over and under the vertical ribbons. If you ever made placemats when you were a child, you probably used a similar technique.
The easiest way to weave is to actually flip every second ribbon up, then lay the horizontal ribbon across. After this, lay the vertical ribbons back on the pie and flip the alternate ribbons up.
The easiest way to weave is to actually flip every second ribbon up, then lay the horizontal ribbon across. After this, lay the vertical ribbons back on the pie and flip the alternate ribbons up.
Voila! The finished pie ready for the oven.
Voila! The finished pie ready for the oven. Brush the cream/half-and-half over the top of the crust.
Put in oven for 20 minutes at 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Then cover the top of the pie with foil and reduce the temperature to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and bake for another hour. Cool before serving. I like it with a nice scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Put in oven for 20 minutes at 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Then cover the top of the pie with foil and reduce the temperature to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and bake for another hour. Cool before serving. I like it with a nice scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Enjoy!

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Loni Stark

Loni Stark is an artist at Atelier Stark, psychology researcher, and technologist whose work explores the intersection of identity, creativity, and technology. Through StarkMind, she investigates human-AI collaboration and the emerging dynamics of agentic systems, research that informs both her academic work and creative practice. A self-professed foodie and adventure travel enthusiast, she collaborates on visual storytelling projects with Clinton Stark for Stark Insider. Her insights are shaped by her role at Adobe, influencing her explorations into the human-tech relationship. It's been said her laugh can still be heard from San Jose up to the Golden Gate Bridge—unless sushi, her culinary Kryptonite, has momentarily silenced her.

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