Apple pie is a holiday classic in my family! When I was younger that was our go to dessert. I would wait anxiously until the day before Thanks Giving where I could make apple pie with my mom. As I have gotten older, my taste buds have evolved as well, and the original sugary butter confection just wasn’t hitting it anymore. SO! This is the same pie, but with as tiny pumpkin twist and no granulated sugar. Totally perfect if you are like me, and prefer a dessert thats not overwhelmingly sweet!

 Ingredients & Instructions

• 1 pie crust of your choosing (I used a Maple Lane Bakery, pre-made crust, and it was so good).

• 4-5 gala apples

• 1 cup apple cider with 2 Tablespoons canned pumpkin or pumpkin spiced cider if you

• 1/4 cup flour (or gluten free flour)

• 1 tablespoon of earth balance butter (honestly optional, I have made with or without)

• Small squeeze of lemon

• 1.5 Teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1. Preheat oven to 375 °F. Grab a large pot and set aside. Place bottom pie crust in preheated oven for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Use pie weights or dry beans on top of parchment paper to weigh down the crust. Remove from oven and allow too cool.

2. Chop and core apples (I personally do not peel my apples, but you can it is all based in personal preference). Add apples, add flour, apple cider/pumpkin, butter, lemon, and pumpkin spice seasoning to pot.

3. Place bottom pie crust in preheated oven for 20 minutes (tip! use pie weights or dry beans on top of parchment paper to weigh down the crust) or until golden brown. Remove from oven cool.

4. Cook apples, cider, flour mixture at medium heat. Cider will have thickened and apples will have just began to soften ever so slightly. This takes about 7 minutes. Allow too cool.

5. Add apple mixture to precooked bottom crust, and carefully add top crust (remember to add air vents). Fruit pies can basically cook forever without overcooking or burning, but the primary concern is the pies crust edges. If you have a pie shield use that! If not create a shield around the edges with foil. Bake at 375 °F for 50 minutes to an hour or until apples start to bubble through the air vents and top crust is nicely browned. Allow to cool and then serve!