Recipes | Sugar Pie Farmhouse

Howdy Sugar Pie Darlin’s here’s the recipe for Butter Crunch Apple Pie as promised! My recipe for the pie crust is for two single pies, so I made a double batch of the apple pie filling and a double batch of the Butter Crunch Topping for two pies..one to keep and the other to give away! This very pie was given as a “thank you” gift and the response was this…

“Thank you Ruth Ann for the wonderful pie! I could not eat it all on my own so I shared with several people. Everyone agrees, it was the best apple pie they’d ever had!” Boy, that made me feel good! Try this recipe, I think you’ll agree it’s super yummy!

Aunt Ruthie’s Pie Crust

(This recipe makes two single crust pies or one double crust pie.)

3 cups unbleached flour

¼ cup granulated sugar

1 cup (2 sticks) cold salted butter (cut in small cubes)

½ cup or more ice water

Mix the flour and sugar together in mixer (or by hand with pastry blender). Add butter, mix until the butter bits are pea-size. Add 1/2 cup ice water and mix until ball forms. If needed you can add more water but only a teaspoon at a time. Once a ball is formed cut in half. Flatten into 2 patties, then roll out, place in pie dish, crimp. Store pie shells in refrigerator or freezer until it’s time to fill.

Apple Pie Filling (for one pie)

6-7 large apples (or 6 cups), peeled, sliced and cored (a variety of Golden Delicious, Braeburn, Pink Lady, Honey Crisp or other crisp sweet apple…not Red Delicious though)

1 1/4 cup sugar

2 Tablespoon Flour

½ stick melted butter

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Dash of Nutmeg

1 teaspoon lemon juice

Mix together in a bowl and pour into prepared pie shell. Pile the apples up higher in the middle.

Butter Crunch Topping (for one pie)

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup unbleached flour

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 stick salted butter cut into small pieces

1 teaspoon vanilla

Optional 1 cup chopped pecans

Mix dry ingredients together. Add butter pieces and Vanilla. Cut in butter with a pastry blender. Leave the butter in large chunks. I also take my hands and squeeze the mixture together until fully blended but still chunky. You can add 1 cup of chopped pecans at this point if you would like or not…either way it’s yummy! Pour over apple pie filling.

Preheat oven at 425 degrees. Bake pie on parchment lined baking sheet for 15 minutes then lower temperature to 375 degrees. At this point, after you lower the temperature, take a sheet of foil, scrunch it around the edge into a circle…like a hubcap… and put it on top of pie to prevent over-browning. Continue to bake pie for 1 hour at the 375 degree temperature.

Enjoy with ice cream or plain…either way it’s a party in your mouth!

For more photos of me preparing this pie visit this blog post...click here!

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If you would like to read the story that goes along with this recipe, go to my blog post “Buttermilk Blessings!”

Pat-in-the-Pan Crust Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups Flour (All Purpose Unbleached)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
3 Tablespoons cold milk
2/3 cup oil (vegetable or canola–make sure it is fresh!)

Sister Liza Jane’s Southern Buttermilk Pie Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups sugar
3 tablespoons flour
4 eggs, whisked
1 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 stick butter, melted and cooled (1/2 cup of butter)
1 tablespoon lemon juice (fresh squeezed)
1 tablespoon lemon zest
pinch of grated Nutmeg

Pat-in-the-Pan Crust Directions:

Whisk together dry ingredients in a bowl until blended
Add wet ingredients and stir gently until the dough forms a ball.( For a tender crust, do not over mix).
Put dough into pie pan and pat it thin and flat to conform to the shape of the pan.
Crimp the edges.
You are now ready for the filling.

flour-bowl

Whisk dry ingredients…

milk-flour-bowl

Add the milk…

flour-bowl-oil

A note about the oil: Make sure the oil is fresh because if it has begun to turn rancid, your crust will taste bitter and that’s no fun! (I learned the hard way!)

flour-bowl-mix

Stir until the dough forms a ball…

pie-crust-dough

That’s it! See how simple!

pie-crust-dough-pan

Put dough in pie pan.

pie-crust-dough-flat

Pat dough flat and even pressing up the sides of the pan.

pie-crust-dough-sides

Crimp the edge by using your thumb on one hand to push the dough down into a “V” shape and your fingers on your other hand to support the dough on either side of your thumb. (I couldn’t show the whole technique since I was holding the camera.)

pie-crust-dough-finished

Now you are ready for the filling!

There are all kinds of recipes for Buttermilk Pie…some are as gooey and sweet as a candy bar….this custard-y pie is just “sweet enough” and has a refreshing hint of fresh lemon for those sultry summer days that are hotter than a fritter-in-a-fryin’ pan. It’s simple and homey and it’s a perfect Bake ‘n’ Take pie for your next Church Supper!

Buttermilk Pie Directions:

In your mixer, combine the flour and sugar.
Stir in the eggs, and buttermilk .
Add the cooled melted butter, vanilla, lemon juice, and lemon zest.
Add a pinch or two of grated Nutmeg.
Pour into the unbaked pie shell.
Put the pie in the center of the oven and bake at 425 in a pre-heated oven for 15 minutes, then lower the temp to 350, and bake for 40 more minutes.
Cool then keep chilled.

flour-sugar-mix