What warms our hearts more sweetly than “mother, home, and apple pie.”
With that in mind, and a few extra apples on hand, I made my first apple pie of the season this past weekend. The expression, “easy as pie,” is an apt one for this recipe. Just get’ch a store-bought crust, peel and slice up some apples, and add a few spices and butter. Ta-da! You have a dessert in no time.

Peel and slice
But when making an apple pie there’s always several questions that come to mind? My daughter-in-law, Lisa, made this apple pie, which is far more artistic than most of mine.
Apple Pie Q&A
- Should I make or buy the crust? I used to make a fully-larded pie crust. It was flakey and fabulous. Then I used the frozen, fluted, base that comes in a aluminum tin. I gave that up and was about to return to handmade crust. Then I came upon Pillsbury’s roll out dough that suits me fine and requires just enough handling to make me think I’m making the dough from scratch.
- What kind of apples should I use? If you Google that question, you’ll find that various varieties are touted for their texture and taste. I always go with the green Granny type. Often I throw in about half Braeburn or Pink Lady. It’s hard to go wrong here, though the extra sweet apples such as Red Delicious are not as desirable.
- Should I use a top crust or lattice work? Lattice is always fun, though my latticing doesn’t always come out evenly. I tend to use the lattice on peach or berry pies and the flat crust on apple. But I’ve seen some wide lattice work used on apple pies that’s quite attractive.
- How many slices should I allow per serving? Six if your family or guests are a ravenous crew with a sweet tooth—or if you’ve shorted them on the entrée. Seven slices works well, especially if you add a dollop of whipped cream or ice cream. People on diets might settle for one, or more, slivers. It’s a tough call, so why not make two pies just in case.