Autumn Apple Pie

Freshly picked apples from the beginning of Autumn simmered in sugar and cinnamon and baked in a homemade gluten free pie crust dusted with coarse sugar.

Every first of Autumn, I love to make something with apple. Nothing tastes more like fall than apples and cinnamon. And better yet, it makes the house smell amazing!

We had a beautiful fall day picking apples from our local orchard. The tractor pulled wagon took us deep into the lined trees where we could climb ladders strategically placed around the orchard so we could get to the topmost branches. We probably picked about 10 lbs of apples that day. My husband made cider, I made apple pies, canned excess apple pie filling, and we still had some leftover to pack into lunches.

Pie Crust:

3 1/2 cups gluten free flour

2/3 cup confectioner's sugar

1 cup butter, room temperature

3 eggs

1 tbsp vanilla

Apple Filling:

3 lbs apples, peeled, cored, roughly chopped

1 cup sugar (or less, depending on sweetness of apples)

1 tbsp cinnamon

1 extra egg, beaten, for egg wash

Coarse sugar for topping, optional

Instructions:

1. In a food processor, combine flour and confectioner's sugar. Add the butter, slicing the sticks into tablespoons, into the flour and mix. Add the eggs and vanilla, combine until solidly formed. Turn out into a bowl, cover with wrap and place into the refrigerator.

2. In a deep pan, add apples and sugar. Simmer mixture, stirring every once in a while until it has cooked down and the apples are soft. Add cinnamon and simmer until apples are turning a deep color and mixture is slightly thickened.

3. Grease a pie dish and preheat oven to 350 degrees.

4. Roll out half the refrigerated dough and place in the pie dish. Poke a few holes with a fork in the bottom of the dish and place in the oven for 10-15 minutes until slightly browned.

5. Take out the dish and fill with the apple mixture. Roll out the second half of the dough and cover the apple mixture. Cut off excess dough and pinch edges together. Cut a small slash in the top of the dough so the pie can "breathe". Coat the top of the pie in the egg wash and, if using, sprinkle some coarse sugar on top.

6. Bake the pie in the oven for 1 hour.

7. Let the pie set once taken out and make sure you serve with whipped cream or ice cream!