
.
When fall finally arrives (not sure it’s here yet), it’s time to bake again — and by November, it’s time to think of baking for Thanksgiving and Christmas. If I am anything in life, I am a pie baker. I’m not a county fair blue ribbon winner, but I’m something better — I’m the person folks like to see walking into their house or the church potluck with a pie basket on her arm. It wasn’t always that way, but pie baking is a progressive art or one that is a lifelong undertaking. I began with pies that didn’t taste badly, but were pale and puny at best and were luckily called out by older, experienced pie bakers in the mid-70’s. (“You could have left that in the oven a while longer.”) Even now, hundreds and hundreds of pies later, there’s the occasional crust that won’t hold together, for example, and gets ceremoniously dumped straight into the garbage can. It doesn’t faze me anymore, but pies continue to be educational as long as you’re willing to bake them. If you don’t bake one for a while and then assume you’ll be fine, that pie may or may not bake into something worth eating with a scoop of good vanilla ice cream.
Jump to Recipe..
There’s not a brand-new pie recipe for the holidays each and every year around here, but my heart grows by leaps and bounds when there is. Just somehow lifts me up to know I’ve dreamed and then created something that makes a holiday new and luscious all over again. It’s not bad to see my husband happy as any camper sitting at the table eating pie either. Since he’s the first guinea pig, that is. And since he’s The Pie Guy. Lately I kept thinking about a combo apple-pecan pie and I first thought I’d try something like the Pumpkin-Pecan Pie you sometimes see around this time of year. Regular old pumpkin filling in the bottom and pecan pie filling on top. The more I thought about it, the more too oo-ey goo-ey that sounded. It might have been ok, but a simpler, spicier pecan top crust appealed more. Pecans like my sister and I make at Christmas for snacks or gifts. Surely that could be done. In fact, there was a Bon Appétit pumpkin pie topped with nearly the same idea. If it was good enough for BA, it was good enough for me. And you. In fact, if spices sounded great in the pecans, I’d also layer them in both the apple filling and — what the heck — the crust. Truth is, this pie will leave your mouth with a warm tingly buzz — in other words, smacky-happy.

above and below: Using baking apples unpeeled will more likely result in apples that hold their shape after baking so your pie sits up tall and proud, not slouched and soft. I like Pink Lady apples for this or Granny Smith. Cooling the pie completely before cutting is a necessity for a beautiful slice.

ll
The recipe flew around in my body for a few weeks before I bought ingredients, began baking, and put it down on paper. Here’s how it went…
Making the dough in the food processor. I’m lazy. Use your own recipe, but add the spices I’ve used. Of course a store-bought crust will work if that sounds good. Click or tap on the images below to view them without captions or in more slideshow form.












NOTE: Some bakers prefer to roll dough between sheets of plastic wrap or waxed paper.
Making the apple filling, pecan topping, and baking:








Apple-Pecan Pie
Ingredients
- Chilled pastry for one 9-inch pie-See NOTES for recipe, use your own, or purchase.
- 6 cups unpeeled thinly sliced apples (I like Pink Lady or Granny Smith.)
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup all-purpose unbleached flour
- Pinch kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon each freshly ground nutmeg and ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
- 2 tablespoons cold salted butter cut into small pieces
- Pecan topping- See NOTES for recipe.
Instructions
- PREHEAT OVEN to 425 degrees F. Set rack at center.
- MIX APPLE FILLING/SPOON INTO PASTRY/COVER WITH FOIL: In a large bowl, gently stir together the apples, sugar, flour, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, and cardamom. Spoon evenly into the pastry-lined pie plate. Dot with butter. Cover with a sprayed or buttered doubled square piece of aluminum that just fits the top of the pie. Place pie on rimmed baking sheet.
- BAKE PIE for 35-45 minutes or until apples are tender or nearly tender. Remove from oven and set on a dry potholder on the counter if using a Pyrex pan. (Pyrex may shatter if you place it on stove grates or a cold/wet counter.)
- ADD PECAN TOPPING carefully and evenly to the apple mixture using a spoon or slotted spoon, being sure to first let excess egg mixture drip back into the bowl. The pecans should be just coated, not dripping. Turn the pecans right-side up so your pie is pretty.
- BAKE PIE again for 10-15 more minutes or until crust and pecans are browned and apples are tender when pierced with a small, sharp knife.
- COOL PIE on a rack – for at least 2 hours. (Use a potholder on the rack if baking in Pyrex.) Store loosely wrapped at room temperature 2 days or 4-5 days in the refrigerator. Freeze well-wrapped for 6 months only if you must.
Notes
NOTE: This recipe is still being tested a time or two. I’ll amend it as needed and, if you make it and find it needs a tweak — I’d love to hear from you in comments or otherwise.
UPDATE–First test in: My dear niece Sharijoy’s friend Chris made the pie using a store-bought Pillsbury crust that he sprinkled with the spices I include in my dough. Both Sharijoy and Chris thought it was pretty tasty. Here’s the pic!

Pie and Wine Pairings Done Right/WINE FOLLY
TIPS:
PIE HELPS:
Better pie dough directions than mine/EPICURIOUS
How to Make a Perfect Pie/WILLIAMSSONOMA
Blueberry Pie and a Lesson in Pie Baking/DORIEGREENSPAN
CHANGE IT UP:
- When I have time, I’ll be doing this! Try baking this pie with a mixture of apples and pears and fresh cranberries.
- You can skip a spice or two if you don’t have them, but do then ramp up your available spices or use substitutes like allspice or finely ground black pepper. (Better yet, borrow from a neighbor.) This pie should leave a warm imprint in the back of your mouth after eating.
- Using purchased pastry? Dust the rolled out dough evenly with some of the spices from my dough recipe.
- No pastry for you? This pie might work without a bottom crust, as will many pies. If you try it, let me know.
- TOPPING: If serving with whipped cream, consider adding a little Scotch or whiskey to the cream as you whip it. After adding it to the pie slice, sprinkle with a little cinnamon or freshly ground nutmeg.
REDUCING WASTE:
- By making your own pastry (and anything else you do “from scratch”), you cut down on driving, fuel, packaging, electricity, and recycling needs. You also are more self-sufficient. You can pass down/over the skill to someone else.
- PIE DOUGH COOKIES! Extra pieces of dough can be fried in a small skillet of oil and tossed in a small bowl of mixed sugar and cinnamon for “pie dough cookies.” I’ve never tried it, but other bakers say you can also bake them. (See video above.)
- Don’t peel your apples; you’ll just throw away the peels. They hold their shape better in the pie with the peels and you get more nutrition as well as fiber.
- Extra pecans? Make Alyce and Helen’s Spicy Nuts using all pecans or a mixture of nuts.
- Buy spices in small containers to avoid them becoming stale. If you buy whole spices and grind them, they’ll last longer. (Example: nutmeg)
- 5 Ways to Keep Brown Sugar Soft/KITCHN
below: “The Babies” got groomed this week.
LEFT-Rosie (Labradoodle, age 7). CENTER- Tucker (Golden, is 12 this week). RIGHT: Pie in pantry safe from Rosie!



LIFE GOES ON:
Thanks for spending time in my kitchen with me. I’m grateful!
Be well and cook on,
Alyce
Pingback: HAM AND BROCCOLI QUICHE: Cleaning out the Christmas Kitchen | More Time at the Table
Pingback: Lemon Meringue Pie for Gene’s 91st Birthday | More Time at the Table