Nothing says traditional Thanksgiving like a homemade apple pie. I was lucky to have apples leftover from grandfather’s orchard. Everyone always has their own family recipe and opinion on what apples to use. Honestly use what is on sale or what you have and I can guarantee it will turn out amazing !

This recipe yields 6 to 8 slices

Filling Ingredients:
3 pounds of apples (peeled, cored, and sliced thin) ( I used a variety (Granny Smith, Red Delicious, and Johnny Gold)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar (not packed)
1/4 cup flour
1 TB Lemon juice
1 tsp of high quality Vietnamese cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground mace
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground allspice

Pie dough:

2 cup AP (aka all purpose) Flour
2/3 cup plus 2 TB shortening
1 tsp kosher salt
3-6 TB ice water

Topping:
1 tsp skim milk
1 tsp vanilla sugar

Crust Directions:
Mix flour and salt together. Add shortening and using hands cut shortening into flour mixture or use a pastry cutter but I prefer hands. Cut until dough has pea sized particles.

Start to add water in small amounts. Knead with hands until dough is no longer sticky or dry. Adding more shortening and water as needed. Start with first amount as listed above and increase to max amount as necessary.

Divide dough into 2 balls, one slightly larger then the other. Cover in plastic wrap. Place in refrigerator for 30 minutes.

In meantime peel, core and slice apples.

Add lemon juice, flour and spices toss until well incorporated.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and move oven rack to lowest 3rd of the oven.

By now your dough should be chilled. Use the larger dough ball for the bottom crust. Roll out in a circle shape on to lightly floured surface.

Roll dough onto rolling pin and center over a 9 inch pie dish and trim the overhang to 1/2 inch. Brush small amount of water on edges to seal top dough.

Add apple mixture to pie dough and create a mound in the center.

Roll out second dough ball and roll onto pin place over apples.

Trim over hang to 1 inch.

Fold the top crust edge under to bottom crust edge and press to seal.

Cut four slits in the top to allow the steam to escape.

With leftover dough trimmings, roll out dough and cut out leaf dough shapes and place over the pie if desired. The milk will help the cutouts stick to top crust.

Take milk and brush dough and sprinkle with vanilla sugar.

Place in oven on cookie sheet for 10 minutes. Decrease temperature to 375 degrees. And bake for an additional hour. Or until bubbles start to come out.

You may need to cover dough edges with a pie crust saver to prevent burning (check half way through).

Place on wire rack to cool completely before severing! WARNING your house will smell absolutely divine!