Talk about two of my very favorite pies. It’s hard to choose which is possibly my favorite. So I won’t. However, I will give the recipes that I use when making them from scratch (And yes, I make everything from scratch to include the pie crust. Yummy!!)

The basis for my pie crust comes from the Betty Crocker cookbook, yet I’ve done some slight alterations to give it my own little touch. I use this for both my pumpkin and apple pies.

One-Crust Pie (Pumpkin):

⅓ cup plus 1 tablespoon butter flavored Crisco shortening
(I use the 1 cup sticks for this as it makes for easy measuring)
1 cup flour
¼ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
½ teaspoon cinnamon
2 to 3 tablespoons cold water

Two-Crust Pie (Apple):

⅔ cup plus 2 tablespoons butter flavored Crisco shortening
(I used the 1 cup sticks for this as it makes for easy measuring)
2 cups flour
1 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
4 to 5 tablespoons cold water

1. Cut shortening into flour, salt, sugar, and cinnamon, using pastry blender or crisscrossing 2 knives, until particles are size of coarse crumbs. Sprinkle with cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing with fork until all flour is moistened and pastry almost cleans side of bowl (1 to 2 teaspoons more water can be added if necessary).
2. Gather pastry into a ball. Shape into flattened round on lightly floured cloth-covered board. (For Two-Crust Pie, divide pastry in half and shape into 2 rounds.)
3. Roll pastry into circle 2 inches larger than upside-down pie plate, 9 x 1 ¼ inches with floured cloth-covered rolling-pin. Roll pastry onto rolling-pin; place edge of pasty at one edge of the pie plate. Unroll and easy into plate, pressing firmly against bottom and side.

One-Crust Pie (Pumpkin)

Trim overhanging edge of pastry 1 inch from rim of pie plate. Fold and roll pastry under, even with plate; flute (or make edges pretty; here is a link on fluting).

Two-Crust Pie (Apple)

Turn the apple filling into pastry-lined pie plate, 9 x 1 ¼ inches. Trim overhanging edge of pastry ½ inch from rim of plate. Roll out other round of pastry, and then roll onto rolling-pin. Roll out the pastry over the apple filling. Trim overhanging edge of top pastry 1 inch from rip of plate. Fold and roll top edge under lower edge, pressing on rim to seal; flute (or make edges pretty; here is a link on fluting).

Now for the yummy fillings. I’ll start with my apple pie filling. The recipe comes from the “Mrs. Fields Cookie book: 100 Recipes from the Kitchen of Mrs. Fields.” I know, a cookie book, but man does it have one of the best apple pie fillings. I take the recipe for the pumpkin pie right off the Libby’s 100% Pure Pumpkin in a can.

Apple Pie Filling

6 large Granny Smith apples (and they must be Granny Smith and no other kind or you will not have the tartness needed for the apple pie to taste yummy)
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ cup cornstarch
¼ cup salted butter, chilled and cut into small piece

To prepare filling:

1. Peel all 6 large Granny Smith apples. I use one of these.

They are priceless with how much time you end up saving. I don’t know what I’d do with out mine. They cost about $20 to get one. Then use an apple slicer like this one:It cuts all the apple piece into nice triangular slices for the perfect sized slices for the pie.
2. Preheat oven to 425° F.
3. Combine sugar, cinnamon, and cornstarch with a wire whisk in a large bowl. Add apples to sugar mixture and toss with a wooden or plastic spoon until dry ingredients coat the apples completely.
4. Prepare crust as stated above for a Two-Crust Pie.
5. Spoon in apple filling and sprinkle the butter pieces on top.
6. Place the second pie crust on top as stated above for the Two-Crust Pie.
7. Cut several steam slits in pie top.
8. Cover edge with 3-inch strip of aluminum foil to prevent excessive browning. Remove foil during last 15 minutes of baking.
9. Line a big cookie sheet with parchment paper.
10. Place pie on the cookie sheet and place it on the center rack of the oven.
11. Bake 40 to 50 minutes or until crust is brown and juice begins to bubble through slits in crust. Cool in pie plate on wire rack. Serve warm if desired. The longer the pie sits the more time it has to firm inside so it won’t be so juicy when cut.

Pumpkin Pie Filling

¾ cup sugar
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon ground cloves
2 large eggs
1 can (15 oz) 100% pumpkin
1 can (12 fl. oz.) evaporated milk
Be sure to use a deep dish pie pan or else you will have left over filling

To prepare filling:

1. Preheat oven to 425° F.
2. Mix sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger and cloves in a small bowl.
3. Beat eggs in large bowl.
4. Stir in pumpkin and sugar-spice mixture.
5. Gradually stir in evaporated milk.
6. Pour into pie shell.
7. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes.
8. Reduce temperature to 350° F; bake 40-50 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean.
9. Cool on wire rack for 2 hours.
10. Serve immediately or refrigerate.
Note: Do not freeze pie as this will cause the crust to separate from the filling. DO NOT USE pumpkin pie spice as it will make the pie taste completely different.

Well, there you have it. Those are my two very favorite pies to bake and are always served on Thanksgiving and on Christmas Day.