Homemade Apple Pie

There might actually not be anything better on the earth than a warm slice of homemade apple pie topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Am I right? Or am I RIGHT? 

When I was a little girl I was a cookie lover. Quite a few of my very first memories involve being in the kitchen with Dad to make oatmeal raisin chocolate chip cookies and with Mom to make Halloween sugar cookies. Which is funny because I never really liked those sugar cookies. I remember Mom rolling out that soft, delicious dough (the dough was yummers, it was the baked cookie that lost its appeal to me) and me stamping out as many spooky shapes as I could. But those things are fading because as I get older I’m finding that I enjoy a slice of pie more and more. Especially this homemade apple pie.

In my experience, you are either an apple pie lover or an apple pie hater. If you read about Cade’s apple pie you’ll learn that my mom HATED apple pie which is why I don’t have a recipe from her. But that seems to be common, a lot of people don’t like apple pie while others adore it. I’m an adorer. ADORER? Is that even a word?

What Do I Need to Make Homemade Apple Pie?

I think most people think apple pie is super complicated and involved, but it is really so simple and only takes a few simple ingredients. There are only 5 ingredients in the pie crust, and then for the filling, I love to use a blend of apples with some sugar, salt, spices and flour for thickening. It’s so easy! Anyone can do it! Here is what you will need…

Pie Crust: flour, butter, salt, sugar, and ice water

Pie Filling

• Apples: a blend of Honey Crisp, Granny Smith, and Golden Delicious
• Sugar
• Brown Sugar
• Kosher Salt
• Spices: Nutmeg, Cinnamon, and Cardamom
• Flour
• Milk
• Sprinkling Sugar (optional)

The measurements for all the ingredients can be found in the recipe card at the end of the post. I should also mention here that some people swear by adding a little lemon juice to apple pie filling. I feel like it messes with the pure apple flavor of the filling, but if you are fan of lemon in the filling, by all means

Mom’s Lemon Meringue Pie

My mom was famous for her Lemon Meringue Pie growing up. In fact, she still is!  It was often requested for parties or sick visits. (Really, I remember people asking my mom to bring this pie instead of chicken noodle soup when they were sick!)  I often forget how good it is until I make it-then I just can’t stop eating it!

This recipe starts with a flakey homemade pie crust that is filled with smooth and creamy lemon filling and topped with toasted meringue. It is totally irresistible!

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Brown Sugar Apple Dip

Ingredients for Brown Sugar Apple Dip

There are only 3 simple ingredients needed and it all comes together in just 5 minutes. Here is your ingredients list:

• Cream Cheese – the block style cream cheese is preferred, not the whipped spread, and it’s important that it’s at room temperature so it mixes easily with the sugar and vanilla
• Brown Sugar – adds all the sweetness and balances the tanginess of the cream cheese
• Vanilla – adds delicious flavor

The measurements for each of the ingredients can be found in the recipe card down below.

What Kind of Apples are the Best?

My favorite apple for dipping will forever and always be Honeycrisp apples. Braeburn, Envy, or Pink Lady apples are also super delicious. If you like your ap

Smoked Peach Crisp

Peaches, glorious peaches! Why can’t peach season last all year? I guess I wouldn’t crave it and love it as much as I do if they were available all the time. This smoked peach crisp on the Traeger is our new favorite!

As you all know, peach crisp is a huge deal at my house. There’s absolutely not one single summer that goes by that I don’t make a peach crisp to end our glorious summer. I don’t know if it’s the golden nectar of sweet peach juice with that cinnamon crisp and a scoop of cold and creamy ice cream or if it’s the nostalgia I feel for a peach dessert but either way I always feel like it’s officially summer when I eat it. And best of all, my kids do too. 

Isn’t there something magical about a whole family loving one specific recipe? It’s not just that it’s a tradition, it’s not even that it’s finally something everyone likes, there’s truly something sweet and memorable about eating that one recipe together that everyone swoons over. 

So friends, may your glowing summer nights be a little longer and a little happier this year with smoked peach crisp!

Ingredients for Smoked Peach Crisp

You’ll need some peaches of course, and then a few things for the filling and a whole bunch of goodness for the topping. Here are the ingredients you will need:

For the Filling:

• Peaches
• Butter
• Cinnamon
• Brown Sugar
• Cornstarch

For the Topping:

• Old-Fashioned Oats
• Brown Sugar
• Butter
• All- Purpose Flour
• Cinnamon
• Salt

The measurements for each ingredient can be found in the recipe card at the end of the post.

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Dutch Crumb Topping Mixed Berry Pie

Dutch crumb topping mixed berry pie is a mashup of our outrageous razzleberry pie and our dutch apple pie. It’s like a berry crisp but in pie form!

Because streusel topping is quite honestly one of the greatest things ever created, I felt there was no choice but to smash my two favorite pies into one. So, I used our triple berry pie filling with our Dutch apple pie topping and created my new favorite pie in all the land. My goodness, it is heaven!!!

When I was growing up I thought that pie was good, but I was 100% on board with cookies. I mean you could not make me happier than to show up with a plate full of cookies at my house, but man, it really is true that getting older changes what you crave. I cannot live without pie now!

Ingredients for Dutch Mixed Berry Pie

The ingredients list for this recipe is short and sweet. You’ll need lots of berries and the rest you will probably already have in house already! Here is your list:

• Pie Crust – flour, butter, salt, sugar and water
• Raspberries
• Blackberries
• Blueberries
• Sugar – these berries can be so tart so start with 1/2 cup and add more as needed 1 tablespoon at a time
• Cornaby’s Ultra Gel – my favorite way to thicken a pie, I’m listing a few substitutions down below if you don’t have ultra gel

For the Topping

• Flour – just plain ol’ all purpose flour
• Cinnamon – adds warm flavor
• Old Fashioned Oats – adds texture and structure to the streusel
• Brown Sugar – the stickiness of brown sugar helps the streusel to clump together better and adds so much richness
• Salt – enhances and balances the sweetness
• Unsalted Butter – makes the streusel stick together and adds richness