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grandmas pies

Grandma’s Pies – Classic, Comforting, and Timeless

There’s something special about Grandma’s Pies—the buttery, flaky crust, the bubbling fruit filling, and the aroma that fills the kitchen as it bakes. These pies are simple, homemade, and filled with love, making them the perfect dessert for holidays, Sunday dinners, or anytime you crave a nostalgic treat. This recipe focuses on the classic Grandma’s Apple Pie, with easy swaps for other fruits like cherries, peaches, or berries.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 1 pie
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 370
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Pie Crust (makes top & bottom):
  • 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 1 cup cold unsalted butter cubed
  • 6 –8 tbsp ice water
For the Apple Filling:
  • 6 cups apples peeled and sliced (Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, or mix)
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp nutmeg
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter cut into small cubes
For Topping:
  • 1 egg beaten, for egg wash
  • 1 tbsp coarse sugar optional, for sprinkling

Equipment

  • Mixing bowls
  • Pastry cutter or fork
  • Rolling pin
  • 9-inch pie dish
  • Pastry brush

Method
 

Make the crust
  1. In a large bowl, whisk flour, salt, and sugar.
  2. Cut in cold butter using a pastry cutter or fork until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
  3. Add ice water, 1 tbsp at a time, until dough holds together.
  4. Divide in half, shape into disks, wrap, and chill for 30 minutes.
Prepare the filling
  1. In a large bowl, combine sliced apples, sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and lemon juice.
  2. Toss to coat evenly.
Assemble the pie
  1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
  2. Roll out one dough disk and fit it into a 9-inch pie dish. Trim excess.
  3. Pour apple filling into crust and dot with butter cubes.
  4. Roll out second dough disk and place over filling. Seal edges, trim, and crimp. Cut small slits for steam vents.
Bake
  1. Brush top crust with egg wash and sprinkle with coarse sugar if desired.
  2. Bake for 50–60 minutes, until crust is golden and filling is bubbling.
  3. Cool at least 2 hours before slicing (to set filling).

Notes

For Grandma’s Cherry Pie, swap apples for 5 cups pitted cherries and adjust sugar to taste.
For Peach Pie, use 6 cups peeled peaches with 2 tbsp cornstarch instead of flour.
For Berry Pie, mix 6 cups berries with ½ cup sugar and ¼ cup cornstarch.
A lattice crust makes the pie look extra homey—just cut strips of dough and weave them across the top.