Pies have a method to their madness and are pretty consistent in the ingredients. There is always the fruit, lemon juice, sugar, salt, flour and a spice. Really its that simple. The messy part is peeling and coring the fruit. I recommend investing in a good apple corer. I find the apples are still too thick for me so I slice them more thinly, but  the corer gets a good part of the job done.

Obviously you also need a crust. You can buy store bought crust (fresh or frozen), or make your your own. There is no shortage of pie crust recipes. You can use crust on the bottom and then a crust on top, or use a crumb topping. Whatever you decide will be delicious as the apples themselves are the main ingredient.

This is our Basic Apple Pie Recipe.

Ingredients

• Double pie crust of your choice, rolled
• 6 C peeled and cored apples
• juice of half lemon
• 3/4 C sugar
• 3 TBS flour
• 1/2 tsp table salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 2 TBS butter or margarine
• 1 egg, beaten and mixed with  TBS water.

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Place one piecrust in bottom of 9 inch pie glass plate, letting it hang off the sides.
3. When peeling apples, sprinkle with lemon juice to avoid browning and oxidation.
4. Mix apples with sugar, flour, salt, cinnamon, and nuttmeg. Pour evenly into pie crust. Top with dots of butter.
5. Top with second crust. Using a fork, close edges by going completely around pie crust edge and pressing down. Cut off the excess crust.
6. Using a knife, cut slats in the top crust.
7. Optional: Using excess pie doguh, roll out and using mini cookie cutters, cut leaves. Arrange on piecrust.
8. Brush egg wash onto crust.
9. Place in middle rack of oven for 1 hour. Crust should be golden brown and bubbly.
10. Tip: Place cookie sheet on rack below pie to catch drippings.

Ingredients

• 3 or 4 tart cooking apples, peeled and cored
• 1 stick butter, softened
• 3/4 C brown sugar
• 3/4 C quick cooking oatmeal
• 3/4 C flour
• 1 tsp cinnamon

Directions 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 9 inch square baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Arrange apples in baking dish.
3. Mix the butter with the sugar, oatmeal, flour, and cinnamon until well mixed. Mixture should be crumbly. Sprinkle over the apples.
4. Bake for 45 minutes until the crust is golden brown and the apples are soft and bubbly.
5. Excellent with ice cream!

I like these apple turnovers because I can make a lot and freeze them. Just pull them out of the freezer for dessert, brush with egg wash and bake. See our Guide on which apples to use in your recipes. Guests will think you were in the kitchen all day!

Ingredients

• 4 apples, peeled and cored
• juice of 1 lemon
• 2 TBS veg oil
• 1/2 C brown sugar
• 1/2 C sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 TBS raspberry preserves (or other jelly)
• 1 pkg mini puff pastry squares, defrosted

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Cut apples into chunks. Sprinkle with lemon juice
3. Heat large skillet, add oil. Pour in the apples and cook on medium heat, stirring often. Cook 10-15 minutes until apples are soft but still firm.
4. Remove from heat. Add sugars, cinnamon, salt and mix well. Add preserves and mix again.
5. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Place 1 TBS of filling in the center of each puff pastry square. Fold on diagonal to make a triangle. Place on tray.
6. Note: if using large squares, you need 2-3 TBS filling each.
7. Repeat until you have used all the filling. May be frozen at this point.
8. To bake: Brush with egg wash and bake on tray for 20 minutes, until golden brown and puffy.

Use this crumb topping on apple pies or just to make a crisp with your choice of fruit or berries!

Ingredients

• 1 stick butter, softened
• 1/2 C brown sugar
• 1 C flour
• 1 tsp cinnamon

Directions

1. Mix ingredients together until well blended and crumbly. Pour on top of fruit and bake!

I love this tart because it is elegant and easy. You can use any fruit, but I chose apples since they are in season.

Ingredients

• 3 apples, cored, halve and thinly sliced
• 1/2 C brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• juice of 1 lemon
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 pkg puff pastry, defrosted
• 4 TBS caramel sauce
• 1/4 C ground walnuts

Directions

1. Mix apples with brown sugar, cinnamon, lemon, and salt.
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cover baking sheet with parchment paper. Spray with cooking spray.
3. Open puff pastry and cut in half. Place on parchment paper.
4. Place apples on puff pastry. Start at one thin end and line them up so the apples overlap. Repeat with enough apples until you get to the other end of the puff pastry. Repeat with the second puff pastry.
5. Bake for 20-30 minutes.
6. Remove to serving platter. Before serving, heat caramel sauce and drizzle over tarts. Sprinkle with walnuts.

Apple Cobbler was one of my mom's favorites, partly because she could prepare it in advance and freeze it. That way, when people dropped by for afternoon coffee, she could pull it out of the freezer, cook it and serve a hot, freshly baked dessert. Renee originally gave this recipe to her daughters and nieces.  This version, however, includes the adjustments that have been made by my sister Joyce. 

Ingredients Cobbler

• 6-7 tart apples, peeled, cored and sliced
• lemon juice
• ¾ C sugar 
• 2 TBS flour
• 1 tsp. Cinnamon 
• ¼ tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. Vanilla
• 1 TBS softened margarine

Topping

• ½ cup flour
• ½ cup sugar
• ½ tsp. baking powder   
• ¼ tsp. salt
• 2 TBS margarine 
• 1 egg slightly beaten

Directions

1. Lightly spray a deep 3-qt. baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Mix sugar, cinnamon, flour and salt for the cobbler mixture in one bowl. Use a bowl for the cobbler mixture that is large enough to allow you to mix all the apples together with the dry ingredients.
3. Separately, mix the topping ingredients together and set aside. 
4. Peel the apples and sprinkle with lemon juice to prevent the apples from oxidizing and turning brown.  Then, as you core each apple, add to the cinnamon sugar mixture and mix, covering the apple pieces.
5. Add the vanilla and melted margarine.  Mix well and pour into the baking dish.
6. To prepare topping, add the melted margarine and egg to the dry ingredients.  You may need to add a little water.  Mix quickly and well – to a pancake batter consistency.  Pour or drizzle on top of apples.  Not every apple has to be covered. Can be covered and frozen at this point.
7. Bake at 350 degrees F for 40 – 45 minutes, uncovered. Check often. Cobbler is done when it’s bubbly and when the topping is just starting to brown.  The aroma will fill the kitchen.
8. Note: if cooking frozen, place it in the oven frozen. Do no defrost. Increase cooking time by 10 minutes.

Ingredients

•  
• 1 1/2 C sugar 
• 3 eggs 
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 3 C flour 
• 1 tsp. Salt   
• 1 tsp. Cinnamon
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 C raisins
• 1 ½ C oil 
• 2 grated carrots
• 1 C chopped walnuts
• 3 C apples, peeled and sliced

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 ¢ª F.  Using a tube pan, spray with cooking spray.
2. Beat eggs into sugar, one at a time.
3. Sift dry ingredients together.
4. Alternating, add oil and dry ingredients to sugar mixture.
5. Add carrots and nuts. Fold in apples.
6. Pour batter in pan.  Bake 45 minutes.  Cake is done when toothpick inserted comes out clean.
7. Allow cake to cool. Glaze if desired.

Apple Craisin Couscous

• 3 TBS olive oil
• 2 pkgs toasted  Israeli couscous
• 4 C vegetable broth
• 3 TBS chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 1/2 TBS chopped mint
• 1 tsp basil leaves
• 1 medium green apple, diced
• 1 cup dried craisins

Salad Dressing

• 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 TBS brown sugar
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp white pepper
• 1/3 cup olive oil

Directions

1. In a 3 qt saucepan, heat the olive oil on medium-high heat. Add the couscous to toast, stirring occasionally until slightly browned.
2. Add the broth and bring to a boil. Simmer for 10 to12 minutes or until the liquid has evaporated. Cover and let sit 5 minutes.
3. Mix the ingredients for the salad dressing.
4. Pour the cooked couscous to a large bowl and let cool slightly.
5. Add the parsley, mint, basil, apple, and craisins.
6. Pour dressing on the couscous.
7. Serve warm

Dressing

• 3 TBS apple cider vinegar
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 2 TBS honey
• 1 tsp black pepper

Salad

• 1 medium cabbage, cored, finely shredded
• 2 large carrots, peeled, julienne
• 2 ribs celery finely chopped
• ½ onion, finely chopped
• 4 gala apples, peeled and cored

Directions

1. Mix dressing ingredients together.
2. In a large bowl, combine the salad ingredients. Apples may be cut julienne or shredded.
3. Pour in the dressing on the cabbage mixture and toss until well blended.
4. Refrigerate 30 minutes before serving.