Thanksgiving Apple Pie Recipe

November is one of my favorite months of the year. Not only is it my birthday month, but it is the time of the year where summer transforms into beautiful fall, fruits and veggies such as apples, cranberries, persimmons, Brussel sprouts, and squash are in season, and of course being able to spend quality time with family and friends on Thanksgiving Day.

This year I wanted help prepare a dish for Thanksgiving. However, the turkey along with the ham, mashed potatoes, stuffing, and so forth were already claimed by family and friends who argue their secret ingredients are the best. So, I decided to make dessert! Now don’t get me wrong, I LOVE pumpkin pie, especially Costco’s pumpkin pies. But this year, I decided to make use of the apples in season and bake an apple pie perfect for a Thanksgiving feast.

Below is the recipe for Elizabeth Blau’s Brown Bag Apple Pie from her cookbook, Honey Salt: A Culinary Scrapbook. Let me know how your apple pies turn out and please share with me if you have other pie recipes!

Brown Bag Apple Pie

Total time: 1 hr 30 min - 2 hr

Serves: 6

Ingredients:

Crust

• 3 lb. (1.5 kg) butter, cold & cut into cubes
  
• 2.5 lb. (1.85 kg) all-purpose flour
  
• 0.75 lb. (340 g) whole wheat flour
  
• 1 lb. (500 g) sugar
  
• 1.5 tbsp (22 ml) kosher salt
  
• 0.75 tsp (4 ml) ground nutmeg
  

*Feel free to substitute with a pre-made crust if you are on a time crunch or another crust recipe that works better for you!

Filling

• 2.5 lb. (1.25 kg) Granny Smith apples, peeled, diced - 1 inch (2.5 cm)
  
• 1.25 cups (300 ml) spiced sugar
  
• 0.5 lb. (250 g) frozen cranberries
  
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) cornstarch
  

Other

• 1 egg
  
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) heavy cream
  
• 6 ovenproof casserole dishes
  
• 6 brown bags

Directions:

• Prepare the egg wash by whisking 1 egg yolk with 1 tbsp (15 ml) of heavy cream.
  
• Prepare the dough by combining all of the crust ingredients together into a mixer/mixing bowl and blend until dough starts forming. Then, divide into 6 portions and press into 2-inch (5 cm) square logs. Refrigerate until firm (about 30 minutes or 15 minutes in the freezer).
  
• Preheat the oven to 350F (180C). In a large bowl, combine the apples and cranberries together. In a separate bowl, mix the cornstarch and spiced sugar, then add to the apples and cranberries.
• Remove the dough from the refrigerator and place onto a cutting board. Slice each roll of dough into 1/8 in. (3.2mm) thick slices.
• Gather your 6 individual ovenproof 8 oz. casserole dishes and line the bottom with the dough. Divide the apple and cranberry filling mixture evenly, and then place the remaining dough on top of each pies.
• Brush the tops with the egg wash before placing it into brown bags, folding the ends tightly (*Safety - make sure the brown bags are clear of the top and bottom of the oven).
  
• Bake for 20 minutes (45 minutes if frozen). Then, open the bags slightly to vent and rotate the pan. Continue baking for an additional 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.