12 Favorite Pie Recipes

Deluxe Dutch Apple Pie

There's a reason why this is called deluxe. It's loaded with sweet apples and brown sugar and then accented with sour cream. (We like to spike it up with cranberries or walnuts but those are optional.) Then of course, it's topped with a streusel topping. (And of course, a streusel topping makes for an easier pie.)

Ingredients

Deep dish pie shell for a nine-inch pie

8 cups peeled and sliced apples2/3 cup dried cranberries (optional)2/3 cup chopped walnuts (optional)1/2 cup sugar1/2 cup brown sugar1/4 cup all-purpose flour1/4 teaspoon nutmeg1 teaspoon cinnamon1/2 cup sour cream

Brown Sugar and Cinnamon Streusel

1 cup all-purpose flour1/2 cup brown sugar1/2 tablespoon cinnamon1/3 cup cold butter cut into small pieces

(Or use our Cinnamon Streusel Mix.)

Directions

1. Mix the sugars, flour, and spices in a large bowl. Add the apples, optional cranberries, optional nuts, and sour cream. Toss the fruit through the mixture with a spatula to coat.2. Spoon the fruit mixture into the pie shell.3. For the streusel, mix the all ingredients in a deep bowl. With a pastry knife, cut the butter through the mixture until it becomes coarse and granular. Spoon the streusel over the pie.4. Bake in a preheated oven at 375 degrees for 40 minutes or until the topping is browned and the pie is bubbly.5. Cool in the pan on a wire rack.

Serve with ice cream or whipped cream.

Royal Lemon Meringue Pie

A cool, tart lemon meringue pie on a hot summer day is so refreshing. There are lots of lemon meringue pie recipes but a royal lemon pie is a cut above. It’s made with cream instead of water and the lemon juice is tempered with a touch of orange juice so it is just a touch sweeter and not quite as tart. We think you will love it.

This recipe was designed for a nine-inch deep-dish pie and the meringue is piled high with five egg whites--not three or four.

Ingredients

1 nine-inch deep-dish pie shell

4 teaspoons lemon zest1 cup lemon juice1/2 cup orange juice1 cups granulated sugar dash of salt

1/3 cup cornstarch1 cup whipping cream3 large eggs, whisked5 large egg yolks

1/4 cup butter

5 large egg whites1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar1/2 cup granulated sugar, preferably superfine1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. Bake the pie shell at 450 degrees for about ten minutes or until it just starts to turn brown on the edges. It will help the pie shell keep its shape during baking if you line the shell with aluminum foil and then place beans, rice, or pie shell weights in the shell to hold the crust down.

2. Grate the zest from one large lemon or two small lemons. Avoid the white, pithy part of the peel for it is bitter. Add that to a saucepan with the lemon juice, orange juice, sugar, and salt. Stir and heat until it just starts to boil.

3. While the filling is beginning to heat, mix the cornstarch with the whipping cream, Add the eggs and egg yolks and mix until smooth.

4. Drizzle the hot lemon mixture into the egg mixture while stirring constantly. Return the combined mixture to the stove and heat until it thickens and starts to boil. Add the butter and stir until melted. Scrape the filling into the pie shell.

5. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 6. In a medium metal or ceramic bowl, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar

together. When soft peaks are formed, drizzle in the sugar while beating. Continue beating until stiff peaks are formed. Fold in the vanilla.

7. With a spatula, spread the meringue topping on the filling. Press the topping against the crust so that the meringue will adhere to the crust during baking.

8. Bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees or until the top is a golden brown. Let cool for an hour on the counter and then two hours in the refrigerator.

Baker's Note: Try using pie weights while baking your crust.

Mom’s Double-Crust Lemon Pie

As a kid, I remember a double-crust lemon pie. I loved lemon pie but wasn’t crazy about the meringue so this was my favorite pie. This pie brings back those fond memories. Try it and see if you don’t fall in love with this old-style lemon pie.

The secret of this pie is a buttery crust to complement the lemon custard. The recipe calls for all butter and no shortening in the crust.

For the filling

1 1/2 cups sugar1/3 cups cornstarch1/3 cups cold water1 1/2 cups very hot water3 tablespoons butter 5 large egg yolks, whisked together with a forkzest from one large lemon2/3 cups lemon juice

For the crust

2 2/3 cup pastry flour2 tablespoons sugar1 teaspoon salt2 cups cold butter (1/2 pound)2/3 cup ice water

1. In saucepan, thoroughly combine the sugar and cornstarch.2. Gradually blend in the cold water.

3. Add the hot water and cook over medium heat, stirring with a whisk frequently until the mixture starts to turn translucent and then stir until constantly until mixture is bubbly. Continue cooking for one more minute. Stir in butter.

4. After the butter is melted, add the egg yolks while stirring. Add the lemon zest and lemon juice and stir until smooth. Cool in the refrigerator while you make the crust.

5. While the filling is cooling, make the crust. You will need a nine-inch deep-dish pie pan.

6. Measure the flour by spooning the flour into the measuring cups, not by scooping. Scooping packs the flour. Add the sugar and salt and stir together.

7. Cut the butter into chunks. Working quickly, cut the butter into the flour mixture using a pastry blender until the butter is the size of corn kernels.

8. Make a well in the flour mixture and add the ice water. Stir the water in with a fork and then remove the dough to a countertop and knead the mixture together with a folding motion. Work quickly so that the butter does not melt. You may need to dribble in some more water to get the right consistency. Chill the dough for at least fifteen minutes in the refrigerator.

To bake the pie

1. Cut the dough into two pieces, one slightly larger than the other (60%/40%). (Where cut, the dough should appear laminated in layers.) Refrigerate the smaller piece and roll the larger dough on lightly dusted countertop to form the bottom crust. Form the dough to the pie pan and refrigerate the pie pan while you form the top crust. Roll the top crust, remove the cooled filling to the pie pan, and lay on the top crust. Seal and decorate the edges and cut slits in the top for venting.

2. Bake at 400 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes or until the crust turns golden. (Because there is sugar in the crust, it should be slightly browner than most crusts.)

3. Cool on a wire rack and then refrigerate.

Traditional Pecan Pie

When I lived in the south, I found that the good Southerners had elevated pecan pie to an art form. Those Southern ladies could bake out-of-this-world pecan pies. This recipe should give you similar results.

Ingredients

3/4 cup brown sugar4 large eggs1 cup light corn syrup1 tablespoon vanilla extract4 tablespoons butter, melted

1 1/2 cups pecan halves

1 nine-inch pie shell

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

1. In a large bowl, beat the brown sugar and eggs together. Add the corn syrup, vanilla, and melted butter. After the filling is well-mixed, stir in the pecans. Pour the filling into the pie shell.

2. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until the pie tests done. Cool in the pan on a wire rack.

Baker’s note: Test for doneness in one of two ways. Jiggle the pie gently to see if the filling is still liquid. The center will still be slightly soft but the heat of the pecan pie will continue to cook the filling after the pie is removed from the oven. If you are notconfident in this method, insert a thin-bladed knife one inch from the center. If it comes out clean, your pecan pie is done.

Double Chocolate Cream Pie

A smooth, cool chocolate cream pie is always inviting. This one is tucked in a chocolate crust to make it doubly so.

This recipe presents an absolutely scrumptious chocolate filling that is rich but not too chocolaty. The crust is buttery and flaky. The whipped cream topping has some marshmallow filling for flavor and to stabilize the whipped cream.

Make this pie the day before. It takes six hours for the pie to set firm.

For the topping:

1 cup whipping cream for topping, divided1/3 cup miniature marshmallows or snipped large marshmallows2 tablespoons granulated sugar1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Note: If you want enough whipped topping to cover the pie, double the amounts listed above.

For the crust:

3 tablespoons cocoa1 1/2 cups pastry flour (or all-purpose flour if pastry flour is not available)1/2 teaspoon salt3 tablespoons sugar 2/3 cup cold butter (1 1/3 cubes)1/3 cup ice cold water

For the filling:

1/3 cup sugar4 tablespoons cornstarch1/4 teaspoons salt2 1/2 cups whole milk5 large egg yolks2/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips1/2 tablespoon vanilla 4 tablespoon butter (6 tablespoons if you are using nonfat milk)

Directions

For the topping

1. Place 1/4 cup of the whipping cream in a small saucepan. Add the marshmallows and heat, stirring often, until the marshmallows are melted.

2. Pour the marshmallow mixture into a medium glass, ceramic, or steel bowl suitable for whipping the cream. Add the remainder of the whipping cream and refrigerate until well-chilled. Chill the mixer attachments that you will use for whipping.

3. To top the pie, whip the cream at medium speed until soft peaks form. Add the sugar and vanilla and continue beating until firm peaks form. Spread the topping on the pie as desired.

For the crust

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Make the pie crust by mixing the cocoa, flour, salt, and sugar in a medium bowl. Cut in the butter with a pastry blender until it is the size of peas.

2. Add the ice cold water all at once. Mix these ingredients with a fork just until they start to come together. Remove the dough to the counter and knead just a few times until the dough is coherent and can be rolled out.

3. Roll the dough out until it is less than 1/4-inch thick and larger than a pie pan. Place the dough in a nine-inch pie pan and shape the crust.

4. Fill the pie with pie weights and bake the shell for 8 minutes at 450 degrees then reduce the heat to 350 degrees and bake for another 25 minutes. (Baking times

will vary depending on the type of pie weights that you use. See how to use pie weights.)

For the filling

1. Mix the sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a medium sauce pan. Add the milk and egg yolks to the pan and. Stir the contents until smooth.

2. Heat over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the contents are bubbly and thick. Cook for another 30 seconds or so, stirring constantly.

3. Remove the pan from the stove and add the vanilla and butter. Set the filling aside to cool for fifteen minutes.

4. Pour the filling into the baked pie crust and smooth top. To prevent a crust on the top of the filling, cover the pie with plastic wrap and press the plastic against the filling.

5. Refrigerate the pie for at least six hours to set the filling,

Bakers Note: Make certain that the filling is cooked enough. Amylose is the primary thickener in starch. Eggs contain enzyme that will attack and destroy amylose. This enzyme in eggs is destroyed with high heat, nearly boiling. If this enzyme is not destroyed, the pie that looks perfect this evening will be a runny mess in the morning.

How to Make Chocolate & White Chocolate French Silk Pies

This recipe makes a delightful silk pie whether in chocolate or white chocolate. It is silky smooth and luscious and the filling sets firmly for nice cuts and picture perfect presentations.

1 nine-inch pie shell, baked and cooled

3 large eggs2/3 cup granulated sugar2 tablespoons water

10 ounces dark (semi-sweet) chocolate wafers or other quality coating or eating chocolate1/2 cup butter cut into pieces and softened

1 cup whipping cream1 teaspoon French vanilla flavor

1 cup whipping cream1/2 teaspoon French vanilla flavor1/3 cup granulated sugar

1. Add the eggs, sugar, and water to a large sauce pan. Cook the egg and sugar mixture over low to medium low heat while beating constantly with an electric mixture. Continue cooking and beating until the mixture reaches 160 degrees being careful not to scorch the eggs. Remove from heat.

2. Immediately mix the butter into the hot egg mixture with the electric mixer until smooth. As soon as the butter is melted and while the mixture is still hot, add the chocolate wafers. Continue beating until it is completely mixed together and cooled to room temperature.

3. Whip the first measure of whipping cream in your stand-type mixer with the whip attachment until stiff peaks form. Add the French vanilla flavor.

4. Change from the whip attachment to the paddle attachment. Scrape the chocolate mixture into the bowl with the whipped cream. Turn the mixer onto the slow speed setting and gently fold the chocolate mixture into the whipped cream. Mix for less than a minute, until the chocolate is mixed into the whipped cream. Scrape the filling into the prepared pie pan. Set aside and let chill.

5. When you are about ready to serve, whip the second measure of whipping cream. As the cream is whipping and after the peaks start to form, drizzle in the sugar and add the flavor. Beat until stiff peaks form. Spread the whipped cream over the pie filling.

For the white chocolate variation:

There shouldn’t be any difference in the performance of white and dark chocolate in these pies but as we have continued to experiment and make more of them, we have found that white chocolate does not consistently set up as firm as does the dark chocolate. So we have started adding a 1/4-ounce packet of unflavored gelatin when we use white chocolate. Add the sugar to the pan and stir the gelatin into the sugar before adding the eggs and beginning to cook.

With that exception, make the pie exactly as above substituting white chocolate wafersfor the dark chocolate wafers and a Madagascar or Indonesian vanilla for the French vanilla.

You may wish to spread sliced strawberries or sliced peaches over the filling after it is set and then covering all or part of the pie with whipped cream.

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

A strawberry rhubarb pie is a classic. The tartness of the rhubarb complements the sweetness of the strawberries perfectly.

Rhubarb has to be cooked for a pie. In this recipe, the fresh strawberries are added after cooking so that the fresh taste of the strawberries is not lost.

Ingredients

1 baked nine-inch pie shell

3 cups rhubarb cut into one-inch pieces1 cup granulated sugar1/4 cup watera few drops of red food coloring (optional)

2 large egg yolks1/4 cup whipping cream3 tablespoons cornstarch

1 1/2 cups strawberries, hulled and sliced

Directions

1. Combine the rhubarb pieces, sugar, and water in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat until the mixture begins to simmer, stirring often. Turn the heat to low and continue simmering until the rhubarb is soft. Add the red food coloring if desired.

2. While the rhubarb is cooking, mix the egg yolks, cream, and cornstarch together with a whisk until the mixture is smooth. Once the rhubarb is cooked, stir in the cream mixture. Bring the mixture back to a simmer and cook until thick and bubbly, about two minutes over low heat.

3. Pour the rhubarb mixture into a bowl. Add the prepared strawberries. Let stand until the mixture cools almost to room temperature, stir to mix the fruit together, and add to the baked pie shell. Chill in the refrigerator. Garnish with whipped cream.

Fresh Strawberry Pie

This is an easier fresh strawberry pie to make. Since the strawberries are not cooked, the succulent goodness of the berries stands out.

There are three components to this pie plus optional whipped cream for garnish. They are the crust, the berries, and the glace.

We recommend that you purchase two pounds of berries. That’s more than you’ll need but then you’ll want only the very best berries for this pie plus a few to snack on.

The crust:

Buy a nine-inch pie crust from the store. Preheat your oven to 450 degrees. Prick the surface of the pie crust with the tines of a fork to allow for steam to escape and avoid bubbles in the crust. Bake the crust for eight to ten minutes or until it just starts to brown.

The berries:

Wash and hull the strawberries. Do not allow the strawberries to sit in water since they will absorb water and make the pie runny.

Select uniform ripe berries and slice them until you have two cups of sliced strawberries. Set them aside.

With a fork or a potato masher, mash enough of the remaining strawberries to make about one cup of pulp.

The glace:

You’ll need the following ingredients plus the one cup of mashed berries.

1 cup granulated sugar3 tablespoons cornstarch1/2 cup water1 tablespoon buttera few drops of red food coloring (optional)

Combine the sugar, cornstarch, crushed strawberries, and water in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat until the mixture begins to boil, stirring often. Cook for two more minutes until the sauce becomes thick and translucent. Stir in the butter. Add the red food coloring if desired. Set it aside to cool.

To assemble your pie:

Spread the strawberry slices in the baked pie shell. Pour the cooled glaze over the berries. Refrigerate the pie until it is well-chilled. Garnish with whipped cream and serve.

Harvest Peach Pie

This makes a great peach pie. The spices and the vanilla will remind you of peach cobbler. The slurry, with the spices, is a rich translucent caramel color which contrasts nicely with the golden peach slices.

Occasionally, we teach pie-making classes. Attendees always are surprised when we slip the whole pies from pans to platters to cut and serve them. (That way, you don’t mar your nonstick surfaces cutting the pies.) You can do that with a nice pie pan with a good nonstick surface.

3 cups fresh peaches, peeled and sliced 1/2 inch thick (from about 6 peaches)3/4 cup granulated sugar1/2 teaspoon cinnamon1/4 teaspoon allspice1/2 cup Original Clearjel (see note)2/3 cup cold water3 tablespoons lemon juice1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)pie crust mix or recipe to make a double crust1 tablespoon melted butter1 tablespoon turbinado sugar

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

1. Combine the sugar, cinnamon, allspice, and Clearjel in a medium saucepan. Mix well. Add the water and lemon juice. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a whisk, until it thickens and just begins to

bubble. Take it off the heat immediately. Do not overcook. The slurry will thicken more when baking. Add the peach slices and vanilla and stir.

2. Form the pie shell. Add the filling to the pie shell. Add the top and crimp the edges or make a lattice top. Brush the butter over the crust and sprinkle with the turbinado sugar. Unless you are using a lattice top, cut slits in the crust to allow the steam to escape.

3. Place a pie shield over the crust edges to avoid over-cooking the edges of the pie crust. Bake for 45 minutes or until the crust is lightly browned and the filling is bubbly.

Baker’s note:

This recipe was developed in the test kitchen at The Prepared Pantry. Our testers declared this a very good peach pie recipe, maybe the best ever. There was some debate over whether it was sweet enough. If you would like a sweeter pie, use one cup sugar. The lemon juice in the recipe makes the pie a little tart—but the testers liked the tartness.

Clearjel is a starch product produced by National Starch Company. It produces a clearer, more jelly-like filling than does cornstarch. Clearjel can be purchased at The Prepared Pantry and other online retailers. Cornstarch may be substituted.

We started this recipe with 1/4 cup Clearjel to 2/3 cup water plus the lemon juice. The pie filling was too runny. One-half cup made a nice firm filling that, once cooled, sliced nicely without running.

Coconut Cream Pie in a Coconut Crust

This is a pie for coconut lovers with coconut in the crust, the filling, and the topping. If there is such a thing as too much coconut, make the pie and save the coconut crust for a banana cream pie, a peach pie, a pineapple pie, or . . . .

For the crust:

1 cup shredded coconut3 tablespoons sugar 1 1/4 cup just-add-water pie crust mix3 tablespoons cold water1 teaspoon butter rum flavor3 tablespoons sugar

1. Mix the coconut and sugar with the pie crust mix. Add the water to the flavor and then stir both in. Stir with a fork to form a dough ball.

2. Roll out the dough and form the crust in a standard nine-inch pie pan. Form a decorated edge that also acts as a dam to reduce spills. (See picture for a recommended edge.)

3. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line the pie shell with parchment paper and lay pie weights over the lining. Bake for twelve minutes. Remove the paper and weights and bake for another ten minutes or until it just starts to brown. Remove the pie crust and let it cool.

For the filling:

2/3 cups sugara pinch of salt1/4 cup cornstarch2 3/4 cup milk3 egg yolks3 tablespoons butter2 teaspoons Madagascar or Indonesian vanilla1 1/2 cups shredded coconut

1. Place the sugar, salt, and cornstarch in a medium saucepan and stir together. Add the milk and egg yolks and whisk together.

2. Cook and stir over low heat until the mixture comes to a boil and then one minute longer.

3. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter and vanilla. Stir in the coconut.

4. Let the filling cool for 15 minutes. Spread the filling in the baked pie shell.

While the filling is cooling, toast an additional 1 1/4 cup of coconut by spreading it onto a baking sheet and putting it in the oven at 400 degrees. Stir it often until it browns to the desired amount, eight minutes or less. Sprinkle the toasted coconut over the pie filling. Chill before serving. Top with a dollop of whipped cream.

The World's Quickest Banana Cream Pie

Bavarian Cream is used for the filling in this pie. You can purchase premade fillings or make your own from scratch—the recipe is included. You may also use other fillings for your pie.

Bavarian cream is also used as a filling in pastries and donuts, between cake layers, in crepes, and in many other applications.

Cream pies are made in pre-baked crusts. The filling is added after baking.

What you’ll need

A pie crust mix to make a single nine-inch crust 2 or 3 ripe bananas A premade cream filling (We recommend a Bavarian cream filling.) Whipped cream topping

Step 1: Add water to the pie crust mix, mix together, and roll out. Transfer the pie crust from the counter to the pan, lay out, and line the pan. Trim and finish the edges.

Step 2: Prick the pie crust on the bottom and sides to allow steam to escape from the crust. To keep the crust from bubbling, place a pie chain weight on the crust or use another weight system.

Step 3: Bake the crust for ten minutes in a hot oven, 425 degrees, or until it starts to brown. Let cool for at least ten minutes.

Step 4: Slice the bananas and lay them across the bottom of the pie. Cover the pie with cream filling. Garnish with whipped cream topping. We even sprinkled on some coconut crunches.

To make your own Bavarian cream

1 packet unflavored gelatin, about one tablespoon 3 tablespoons milk 1/4 cup sugar 5 large egg yolks 1 1/4 cups whipped cream

1 tablespoon good quality vanilla extract 1 1/4 cups whipped cream (second measure)

1. Place the milk in a small bowl. Sprinkle the gelatin into the milk and set aside. 2. Whisk the sugar and egg yolks together. 3. Heat the cream until it just starts to simmer. Do not boil. Slowly whisk the hot

cream into the egg mixture to temper the eggs.4. Cook the mixture in a double boiler or over simmering water, stirring, until it starts

to thicken and simmer. Remove the cream mixture from heat and stir in the milk and gelatin mixture. Add the vanilla.

5. Pour the cream mixture into a bowl and place bowl in an ice bath and stir until the mixture cools to room temperature.

6. Whip the second measure of whipped cream. Fold in the whipped cream. Refrigerate until you are ready to use the Bavarian Cream.

Sweet Potato Pie with Pecan Streusel (in a Gingersnap Crust)

I’m more of a baker than a cook so I don’t use a lot of fresh ginger. But the ginger in this recipe, along with the butter rum flavor, just makes a wonderful pie. Of course, the pecan streusel certainly helps.

This is an outstanding pie. While it certainly works for holiday dinners as an alternative to pumpkin pies, this should not be relegated to holidays. We think this will be one of your favorite pies, something to turn to whenever fresh fruit is not in season.

What you’ll need:

Three medium-large yams or sweet potatoes Fresh ginger Pecan pieces butter rum flavor Just-add-water pie crust mix A deep-dish, nine-inch pie pan A pie crust shield A pastry blender or knife

For the crust

1 1/2 tablespoon freshly ground ginger1/2 teaspoon cinnamon3 tablespoons sugar

1 1/2 cup just-add-water pie crust mix2 to 3 tablespoons cold water

1. Mix the ginger, sugar, and cinnamon with one-fourth cup of the pie crust mix. Stir well to distribute the ginger. (The key to this crust is getting the fresh ginger evenly distributed in the crust.) Stir this mixture into the remaining pie crust mix until it is well distributed. (You may also use a food processor to mix the ingredients.)

2. Add the water. Stir with a fork to form a dough ball.3. Roll out the dough and form the crust in a deep dish pie pan. Form a decorate

edge that also acts as a dam to reduce spills. (See picture for a recommended edge.)

For the filling

2 cups cooked and mashed sweet potatoes3 large eggs3/4 cup sugar1 cup heavy cream1/2 teaspoon salt1 teaspoon fresh ginger1 teaspoon cinnamon2 teaspoons butter rum flavor

In your stand-type mixer with the whip attachment, beat the sweet potatoes until well mashed. Add the other filling ingredients and mix until combined.

For the streusel

3/4 cup pecan pieces1/2 cup all purpose flour1/2 cup brown sugar1/2 teaspoon cinnamon1/3 cup butter

In a medium bowl, combine the pecan pieces, flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon. With a pastry knife, cut in the butter until the pieces are no larger than peas. Set aside.

To assemble and bake the pie.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

1. Pour the filling into the unbaked pie shell. Spoon the streusel over the top.2. Place a pie shield over the edges of the crust or form a shield from strips of

aluminum foil.3. Bake for 15 minutes at 400 degrees. Reduce the heat and continue baking at

350 degrees for another 40 minutes or until done. Baking times will vary depending on the oven. As it bakes, streusel top will look wet and soft. When done, all but the very center will be set and the interior of the pie will register 170 degrees with an insta-read thermometer when done. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack.

Serve with whipped cream.