My Nana’s Apple Pie is the perfect nostalgic fall dessert! Pounds of thinly sliced and spiced apples wrapped in a tender, flaky crust, decorated for the season – this baby is just begging for a big scoop of ice cream!
Do you have that one family recipe that just sticks with you? Through single life and marriage and kids, you find yourself coming back to it every once in a while.
And you find those vivid, heart-tugging memories coming at ya as soon as the smells hit your nose. Or maybe even when you start to prep? And then that first bite…
No matter how many apple pie recipes I attempt to make “my own,” I always come back to this one.
JUST TAKE ME TO NANA’S APPLE PIE ALREADY!
If you’d rather skip my (pretty darn helpful) tips and tricks, essential cooking info, and similar recipe ideas – and get straight to this deliciously easy apple pie recipe, just scroll right on down to the bottom of the page where you can find the printable recipe card!
I really enjoyed my Tuesday this week.
After a 7-day stretch at work, I was beyond ready for my “weekend.”
I’ve committed myself to quite a few bloggy things since fall…fell, and a couple of days off are just the thing I need to get myself organized. So, as usual, lists were made (many many lists.) Groceries were shopped for after work Monday so I could plow through my editorial calendar without interruption.
I even fell asleep early-ish after (finally) watching Zootopia with the hubs and laughing at Twitter’s reaction to the Trump-Clinton debate. Sleep is my fave, but I love getting an early start on busy days.
But, as with all of my bullet-point planned days, nothing went as I anticipated.
I woke up when Mr. Crumby left for work at 6:15am and spent my first hour grooming our pooch. Not because I was feeling particularly ambitious (I had hoped to sleep at least another hour,) but because really he needed it. I won’t elaborate.
Afterwards, though, coffee was made, and I nibbled on an English muffin while peeling and butchering a few pounds of apples for this here pie.
My order of events for the day was adjusted again after (1) realizing I was out of tomato paste for our slow cooker chili dinner, (2) I was completely out of pecans that I desperately needed for some reason and now can’t remember why (but I definitely haven’t used them, yet, so…) and (3) I changed my mind about my recipe for this week’s Sunday Supper, and now needed ingredients for that, too.
Oh, and the pie. It was baked and almost cool enough to slice for photos…but ice cream. I forgot the ice cream. HOW did I forget the ice cream?
So, to the store I went. I weaved through as efficiently as possible, trying to duck away from people I knew (it happens when the people who worked there a few years ago when you did are still there.) 20 minutes later, I was home and back in action.
You know, blasting the Backstreet Boys Prime channel and dancing around with the dog.
And attempting to stay focused and productive.
And then, a bit later, getting the hell scared out of me by Mr. Crumby laughing at me from the sliding glass door while I rocked out to Lou Bega with a rubber spatula in my hand.
Overall, I call Tuesday a win. Mainly because I got to enjoy this very slice of my Nana’s apple pie.
It’s a bit fancier than hers were. She did decorate with a lattice-top, but she never bothered with those adorable little crust leaves and apples on the edges, and she skipped on the crunchy sugar on top.
This pie is delicious, no doubt. But sadly, mine will never taste as good as the ones she made. I can only imitate her recipes, but those beautiful, heart-tugging memories will make them all the sweeter.
LOOKING FOR MORE APPLE DESSERT RECIPES?
- Homemade Apple Pie Filling
- Apple Pecan Pie Breakfast Ring
- Slow Cooker Apple Gingerbread Crumble
- All-American Pie Shooters
- Double Caramel Apple Bundt Cake
- Caramel Apple Napoleons
HELPFUL KITCHEN TOOLS FOR MAKING NANA’S APPLE PIE:
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Nana's Apple Pie
Ingredients
- 1
double-batch Flaky Pie Crust or 2 9-inch refrigerated pie crusts - 4 pounds apples peeled, cored, and sliced as thin as possible (I used a mixture of Macintosh, Granny Smith, and Honeycrisp)
- ⅓ cup brown sugar packed
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
- Pinch kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter cold and diced
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 tablespoon coarse (turbinado) sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
- Place one pie crust round in the bottom of a 9-inch pie pan, carefully smoothing it in and trimming the edges if necessary.
- Carefully slice peeled apples thinly (using a mandolin, if possible). This pie uses extremely thin apples slices, and a mandolin makes the job much easier. Toss the sliced apples with sugar, spices, flour, salt, and lemon juice together in a large mixing bowl. Allow them to sit for 10 minutes.
- Drain the apples in a colander, saving 2 Tablespoons of the drained liquid. Gently transfer the apple filling into the crust, arranging it evenly. Dot the top with the diced butter.
- Roll out the other pie crust onto a lightly floured surface and cut 8 1-inch strips. Weave a lattice over the apples, gently pressing the ends of the strips into the edges of the crust. Use remaining dough to cut small leaf shapes and press into top edge, or simply crimp the edge.
- Beat egg and water in a small bowl, then brush pie with the egg wash. Sprinkle with turbinado sugar, then chill for 10 minutes in the fridge.
- Place the pie on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes, then cover the edge with aluminum foil to prevent crust from burning. Reduce the oven temperature to 375°F and bake 40-45 minutes until the crust is golden and the filling is bubbling inside the pie.
- Remove from the oven and cool completely before slicing. Serve with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream. Enjoy!
Nutrition
PIN THIS APPLE PIE RECIPE FOR LATER!
Carlee says
Sounds like a pretty successful day! My husband always jokes that no matter how many parts you buy for a home improvement project, you always have to go back to the store at least once. It’s just a rule. I feel like it’s the same way with blog recipes. I make my list and go to the store but mid-making I change my mind as to the direction I want it to go and need to go get whatever it takes to make the new vision! I think it is part of the fun some days! This pie looks absolutely wonderful. Recipes laden with good memories are the best!
Wendy Klik says
Our recipe replications can never taste as good because we aren’t able to add the love from those that made it for us as children.
Val - Corn, Beans, Pigs and Kids says
Your pie looks delicious! It is so much fun checking out everyone’s posts shared on #AppleWeek.
Foodie Finds Home says
Okay dude, so this looks freaking delicious. I myself am not going to attempt it, but I am putting in my request because you love me and want to make this for me when you see me in May…. La ti da. <3 Hahaha!