When I think of fall, I think of football, flannels, and apple picking. When I think of apple picking, I think of my sweet little grandma and her famous apple pie!

My grandmother has been baking apple pies for decades, and I am so excited to share her recipe on Keeping the Light House. Recently, while visiting my family and childhood home, I asked if she would mind if I photographed her in action. Of course she graciously agreed, and we got to work!

Before I share Grandma’s recipe, I wanted to mention one of our favorite places for apple picking in New England, Jane and Paul’s Farm in Norfolk MA. This family owned working farm is tucked away from the busyness of nearby Boston and has been our favorite destination for apple and pumpkin picking every fall. The kids love feeding the goats, rabbits, and chickens before hoping on a hay ride out to the pumpkin patch. I personally love dropping in the storefront to grab fresh grown produce and homemade baked goods.

While looking back through some old pictures for shots from Jane and Paul’s, I came across this one of my son Will who must have been three at the time. Oh sweet heaven, this kid was so stinkin cute! Could you not just take a bite of him?

So, about that pie:

Ingredients:

• 5 medium red apples
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tbls. butter
• 2 tbsp. cinnamon
• 2 tsp. flour
• Pillsbury refrigerated pie crust (Yep, you heard it…refrigerated. But there’s no shame in Grandma’s pie making game. If you want to make homemade, go for it!)

Ingredients for topping:

• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup butter

What to do:

1. Peel apples and cut into slices. Just look at her! Oh Granny, I love ya! 
2. Combine apples, sugar, cinnamon, and flour. Mix well and set aside while you prepare topping. 
3. For the topping: In a separate bowl, combine flour, sugar, and butter. Use a pastry cutter or fork to work the butter into mixture. 
4. Unroll pie crust and place in pie pan. Fill with apple mixture. Then, using two fingers from one hand and one finger from the other, do this little “pinchy thing” around the edges of the crust. (If I’m remembering correctly, I believe it was Julia Child who used the term “pinchy thing”… but I could be wrong). 
5. Cut butter into thin slices and place on top of apples.                             
6. Sprinkle on topping. 
7. Place pie on a foiled cookie sheet and bake at 375 for 75 min, or at 450 for 10 min and 375 for 1 hour. Everyone’s oven is different so just keep an eye on it until it’s golden brown and bubbly.

Serve with ice cream if you’ve got it!!