Spiced Apple Pie

Name: Spiced Apple Pie
Prep time: 50 min
Total time: 3 h
Yield: 8 serving(s)
Ingredients: 3 c. all-purpose flour, plus more if needed; 1 tsp. kosher salt; 1 1/2 sticks cold salted butter, cut into pieces; 3/4 c. cold vegetable shortening, cut into pieces; 1 large egg, lightly beaten; 5 tbsp. ice water, plus more if needed; 1 tbsp. distilled white vinegar; 2 tbsp. coarse sugar, for topping; 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon, for topping; 1/4 tsp. chipotle chile powder, for topping; Heavy cream, for brushing; 6 tbsp. salted butter, cut into pieces; 3 lb. Granny Smith apples, peeled and thickly sliced; Juice of 1 lemon; 1/3 c. packed light brown sugar; 1/3 c. granulated sugar; 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour; 1 tsp. ground cinnamon; 1/4 tsp. kosher salt

Chipotle chile powder gives this classic dish a subtle kick.

By Lauren Miyashiro; Recipe by Ree DrummondUpdated: Oct 11, 2021

4 Ratings

spiced apple pie for thanksgiving dessert

Ralph Smith

Yields:

8 serving(s)

Prep Time:

50 mins

Total Time:

3 hrs

Jump to recipe

Apple pie at Thanksgiving is all but given, so why not shake things up and serve a variation of the quintessential dessert? Guests will be blown away once they take a bite of this spiced apple pie with a chipotle kick! The filling in this recipe gets precooked on the stovetop before going into the crust, which allows the apples to get caramelized and jammy and prevents a soggy bottom. For an extra-flaky homemade crust, Ree uses both butter and shortening and chills the dough twice—once before rolling it out and again after assembling the pie (but before baking). It's a process that takes a bit of extra time and care but is well worth it in the end.

What spices go well with apples?

Warm spices like cinnamon, allspice, ginger, cardamom, and nutmeg pair well with sweet and tart apples. Because of the dusting of crispy cinnamon sugar mixed with chili powder, the filling in this recipe is kept rather simple with just ground cinnamon.

Why do you put vinegar in pie crust?

Adding vinegar to pie crust is often said to yield more tender results. It also helps to prevent oxidation which can turn unbaked pie dough grey and is slightly more difficult to work with, even when refrigerated. Don't worry, its sour flavor is undetectable.

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Ingredients

For the crust:

3 cups
all-purpose flour, plus more if needed
1 tsp.
kosher salt
1 1/2
sticks cold salted butter, cut into pieces
3/4 cup
cold vegetable shortening, cut into pieces
1
large egg, lightly beaten
5 Tbsp.
ice water, plus more if needed
1 Tbsp.
distilled white vinegar
2 Tbsp.
coarse sugar, for topping
1/2 tsp.
ground cinnamon, for topping
1/4 tsp.
chipotle chile powder, for topping
Heavy cream, for brushing

For the filling:

6 Tbsp.
salted butter, cut into pieces
3 lb.
Granny Smith apples, peeled and thickly sliced
Juice of 1 lemon
1/3 cup
packed light brown sugar
1/3 cup
granulated sugar
2 Tbsp.
all-purpose flour
1 tsp.
ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp.
kosher salt

Directions

1. Step 1For the crust: Put the flour and salt in a large bowl. Work in the butter and shortening with a pastry cutter until it resembles tiny pebbles. Add the egg. Stir in the water and vinegar until just combined, adding a little more flour if the dough is too wet or a little more water if it’s too crumbly. Divide the dough in half; flatten into disks. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
2. Step 2For the filling: Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the apples and lemon juice, then sprinkle in the sugars and cook, tossing, until the apples start softening, 5 minutes. Increase the heat to get the juices bubbling; cook until glazed, about 1 minute. Sprinkle in the flour, cinnamon and salt. Simmer just until the filling thickens, about 1 minute. Remove to a bowl and let cool.
3. Step 3Roll out the dough on a floured surface into a 13-inch round. Place in a 9-inch pie plate. Add the apple filling and dot with the remaining 2 tablespoons butter.
4. Step 4Roll out the remaining disk of dough on a floured surface into a 13-inch round. Lay the dough over the filling and fold the overhanging dough under itself; crimp the edges and cut a few small slits in the top crust. Chill for 30 minutes.
5. Step 5Place a baking sheet on the bottom oven rack; preheat to 450 ̊. Combine the coarse sugar, cinnamon and chile powder. Brush the pie with cream; sprinkle with the spiced sugar.
6. Step 6Put the pie on the hot baking sheet and reduce the oven temperature to 375 ̊. Bake until the crust is golden and the filling is bubbly, 1 hour. (If the crust is browning too quickly, cover loosely with foil.) Transfer to a rack and let cool.