Rose's Apple Pie

This recipe isn’t pulled straight from Rose’s handwritten notes—because, to be honest, I’m not sure if she ever actually wrote it down. But as her granddaughter, I watched her make apple pie every fall, and she taught me the essentials: a flaky crust, plenty of apples, and a drizzle of honey to bring out the sweetness. So while this recipe is based on my memory, that’s just as good—because if there’s one thing I learned from Rose, it’s that the best pies aren’t measured to perfection, they’re made with love (and maybe a little extra honey).

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Details:

• Serves 6–7
• Prep & cook time: 1 hour 30 minutes
• Oven: 425° degrees F

Ingredients:

For the crust:

• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup unsalted butter, chilled and cut into cubes
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 6–8 tbsp ice water

For the filling:

• 6–7 medium apples (a mix of tart and sweet varieties), peeled, cored, and sliced
• ½ cup unsalted butter
• 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup water
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• ¼ tsp nutmeg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ¼ cup honey (plus more for drizzling)

Directions:

Prepare the crust:

• In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt, and sugar. Cut in the chilled butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
• Gradually add ice water, one tablespoon at a time, mixing gently until the dough comes together.
• Divide the dough into two discs, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least one hour.

Prepare the filling:

• In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Stir in the flour to form a paste and cook for about one minute.
• Add water, granulated sugar, and brown sugar to the butter-flour mixture. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and let simmer for 3–5 minutes, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens slightly. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract.

Assemble the pie:

• Preheat the oven to 425°F.
• Roll out one disc of the chilled dough on a lightly floured surface to fit a 9-inch pie dish. Place the crust into the dish.
• Arrange the sliced apples evenly in the pie crust. Sprinkle cinnamon and nutmeg over the apples.
• Drizzle honey over the spiced apples, using as much or as little as desired to achieve your preferred sweetness.
• Pour the butter-sugar mixture evenly over the apples and honey.

Add the top crust:

• Roll out the second disc of dough and place it over the filling. Trim any excess dough and crimp the edges to seal.
• Cut a few small slits in the top crust to allow steam to escape.

Bake:

• Place the pie on the middle rack of the preheated oven. Bake for 15 minutes at 425°F.
• Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and continue baking for an additional 35–45 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbly.
• If the edges of the crust brown too quickly, cover them with foil to prevent burning.

Cool and serve:

• Allow the pie to cool on a wire rack for at least 2 hours before slicing to let the filling set.

Serve warm or at room temperature—whatever your patience allows—topped with a scoop of ice cream or a generous dollop of whipped cream (because why not make a good thing even better?).

Did your family have a legendary pie baker too? Whether it was apple, pecan, or something with Jell-O, we’d love to hear your baking memories in the comments below!