Homemade Apple Pie

French Apple Pie

“Make this as a two crust pie, or make into a French Apple Pie using the Crumb Topping, which originated from the French Rhubarb Pie. In our household, we prefer ‘French’ versions of pie to the standard two crust pie. This French Apple Pie has been a hit wherever I’ve taken it.” – Calla Ferre

“Women in my family have learned to make Apple Pie from their mothers generation after generation. While Grandma’s Pepper Nuts may be the oldest recipe in this cookbook that we can definitively date, in reality this is probably our oldest ‘recipe.'” – April Ferre

Homemade Apple Pie

Course: Pies

Ingredients

  • 2 Cups Flour Sifted
  • 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
  • 2/3 Cup plus 1 Tablespoon Shortening
  • Approximately 4 Tablespoons Water or As Needed, Cold
  • 4 Pounds Apples (Granny Smith or Honey Crisp)
  • 7/8 Cup Sugar or To Taste
  • 1/2 Teaspoon or More Cinnamon To Taste
  • 1/4 to 1/3 Cup Flour

Instructions

For the Crust:

  • Combine 2 cups flour and salt. With pastry blender, cut in shortening.
  • Add water, 1 tablespoon at a time. Mix after each addition until particles resemble the size of small peas.
  • Gather into a ball. Divide in half and form into a disk. Wrap each disk in plastic wrap and place in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

For the Pie Filling:

  • Peel, core and thinly slice apples and then combine in a large bowl with the sugar.
  • Allow to sit until the apples release some of their juices. If there are a lot of juices, drain a good portion so that your pie doesn't end up too soggy.
  • Taste apples and see if you need more sugar to replace what you drained. Add cinnamon. Taste and adjust as necessary.
  • Optional: add some nutmeg or cloves to taste. Only add a pinch of cloves, as they can be overpowering.
  • Mix in flour so that you have enough to thicken the remaining juices while baking.

Assemble the Pie:

  • Roll out crust and fit bottom crust into the pie plate.
  • Fill pie plate evenly with apples; dotting with butter in between the layers of apples.
  • Add the top crust. Crimp edges and vent.
  • Bake at 375 degrees until apples are tender, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Recipe prior to the 1940’s – Calla Stacker, Updated in 2025 by April Ferre

Related Recipes:

Calla Ferre

  • 1st Place – French Apple Pie (1985-1987)
  • 2nd Place (1984)

April Ferre

  • 1st Place – French Apple Pie (1996-2000)
  • 1st Place (1998) – Farm Bureau Contest
  • 2nd Place (1999) – Farm Bureau Contest