Apple pie has long been a favorite of my husband's, so a few years ago, I convinced his father (a lifelong New Englander) to share his legendary recipe with me.
Over the years, I've made this apple pie recipe so many times - on multiple occasions each fall - and now want to share it with you.
My father-in-law sadly passed away last year, but we had a few good years with him here in Maine prior to that. He was a wonderful baker and I made sure to always bake with him when he came to visit.
There is one tip that I learned from him when making pie crust. I use apple cider vinegar in the crust for a flakier crust.
I also serve my apple pie alongside a thick slick of Cheddar cheese now - another thing I learned from him - making it a true New England dessert! I had never heard of eating cheese with apple pie, but clearly it's a "thing" as evidenced in this old Pillsbury Pie Crust ad.
Another tip I learned from my father-in-law was a surefire method to be sure I have enough apples for my pie. He taught me to peel, core and slice the apples right into the pie dish. When the sliced apples are piled in a high mound in the dish, I'm ready to put my pie together.
My father-in-law always preferred using Cortland apples in his pies. It's a bit of a personal decision, but you want a fairly sturdy apple that will hold up to baking and not turn to mush. So Cortland are perfect.
We are so very lucky to have an orchard right in our town where we can buy all different types of local varieties of apples each fall! To me, that's the beginning of fall - when I arrive home with a bag full of apples!
I use all different types of apples in my pies. The last pie I made with the Honeycrisp variety. I love using a blend of two or three different apple varieties, so experiment with the type of apples you like or you can easily find where you live.
I used a bit less sugar than normally called for this time since the apples are naturally so sweet, so feel free to adjust the amount of sugar, depending on the type of apples you use.
My go-to recipe for pie crust anytime I bake a pie is this Pate Brisee recipe from Martha Stewart. It's super quick and easy to make and always results in a wonderfully light and flaky crust, especially when you add a capful of apple cider vinegar with the ice water.
Traditional New England Apple Pie
10-12 baking apples (about 6 cups), peeled, cored and sliced thin
Juice from one lemon
1/3 cup white sugar, plus 1 tablespoon reserved
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 tablespoon butter, cut into quarters
1 egg, lightly beaten
Thick slices of sharp Cheddar cheese on the side
Preheat oven to 400 degrees and position the oven rack in the bottom 1/3 of the oven.
With a wooden spoon, gently toss the apple slices with the lemon juice, 1/3 cup white sugar, brown sugar and spices in a large bowl. Set aside.
Roll out bottom crust and fit into a 9-inch pie plate. Pour the filling into the crust, mounding it slightly in the center, then dot with butter pats. Roll out the top crust and drape over the top. Fold over and crimp the edges, then brush with the beaten egg.
Cut vents in the top crust to let the steam escape, then sprinkle with the reserved Tablespoon of sugar.
Bake the pie for 60 minutes, covering the edges with foil if necessary to prevent over-browning, until the filling is bubbly and the crust is golden brown.
Remove from the oven and let the pie cool, then serve with a slice of sharp Cheddar cheese for the authentic New England experience! Or you can go with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. I promise, your pie will be delicious either way!
Scroll down for lattice top instructions and printable recipe card.
Lattice Top Apple Pie
