Once you learn to bake a good pie, you’ll never look back. It’s one of the most optimistic culinary rituals I know – rolling out buttery dough, preparing the filling, carefully crimping ornate edges. This is a collection of the pie recipes that have become little traditions in my kitchen, the ones that feel the most familiar, delicious, and wonderful to bake and share. I hope you love them as much as I do!
The cornerstone of many of the pies I bake is this all-butter flaky pie crust. It’s a mash-up of everything I’ve learned about pie dough over the years and delivers a beautifully golden, super flaky, all-butter pie crust. Even better, it’s a crust that is easy to make. I use my electric mixer with the paddle attachment to smear butter into flour quickly, and it makes less of a mess than doing it all on a countertop (which I still love to do on occasion). Seriously, this is the one.
1. Pumpkin Pie: A classic pumpkin pie recipe with a couple wildcards to make it extra special. The creamy pumpkin custard is made with a fragrant five spice blend and baked in a flaky, walnut-lined homemade flaky pie crust.
2. Apple Pie: The defining detail of this traditional Shaker apple pie is the use of rose water in the filling. Sliced apples, brown sugar, and a splash of floral results in a special combination. Pair it with the all-butter crust I talked about up above, and you have a beautiful apple pie on your hands.
3. Vegetable Pot Pie: This hearty vegetable pot pie is made with a flaky, all-butter pie crust encasing a creamy, herbed potato, carrot, pea and onion filling – and people loooove. It. There are a couple tips you should know to help you take it from good to exceptional.
4. Vegan Shepherd’s Pie: Imagine a Shepherd’s Pie with the flavors of an Indian samosa – that’s what’s going on here. Vegan, make-ahead, one-dish meal with a split pea (or lentil) base, mashed potato crust, and spices.
5. Apple Cinnamon Hand Pies: These apple hand pies are the seasonal treat you’d line up for – nostalgic, portable, and flat out delicious. The filling is a slow-baked, miso-swirled apple butter, and the crust is crisp with sesame-sugar spiked with a bit of chile flake.
6. Berry Pie: When you have an abundance of blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, or huckleberries, this is the berry pie to make. It’s classic, with a juicy, sugar-kissed, mixed berry filling. Pair it with a flaky, all-butter crust and you have the ideal berry pie on your hands.
7. Buttermilk Pie: Buttermilk pies are simple, unassuming, and a breeze to throw together if you keep pie dough at the ready. The buttermilk filling here is a standout – simple, creamy, and maple-sweetened with a kiss of lemony tang and sea salt.
8. Shaker Lemon Pie: The defining detail of this lemon Shaker pie is the use of whole lemons for the filling. Thin slices of lemon including the peel, pith, and flesh are macerated in sugar and then turned into a vibrant, flavor-packed, custardy filling. Pair this with a flaky all-butter pie crust (mentioned above) and you’ve got something special on your hands.
9. Coconut Cream Pie: There are a couple details that take this coconut cream pie to the next level. Like many versions, it is made with a homemade, flaky, all-butter pie crust filled with a creamy coconut pudding. It is finished with clouds of whipped cream and plenty of toasted coconut flakes. Using buttermilk and a confident amount of salt to offset some of the sweetness is how you take this pie from good to great.
10. Peach Hand Pies: These peach hand pies are next-level good! Made with a flaky, fool-proof, all-butter pie dough and filled with ripe peaches, goat cheese, plus a bit of green chile and basil, they ride the delicious line between savory and sweet.
11. Mushroom Hand Pies: Savory pie people, these mushroom hand pies are for you. Mushrooms, charred scallions, sesame, and miso come together in these portable pockets of deliciousness. You get creaminess from a bit of cheese, and each bite delivers the magic of a golden, flaky pie crust.
12. Heavenly Chocolate Pie: A decadent chocolate pie featuring a honey-sweetened graham cracker crust and a wildcard cream cheese chocolate filling. From the book Country Wisdom & Know-How – the recipe calls for equal parts tofu and cream cheese in the filling. This combination creates a decadent, mousse-like texture that’s also a breeze to cut into precision slices.
Continue reading 12 Best-Loved Pie Recipes to Bake for the Holidays and Beyond on 101 Cookbooks
