How to Make Classic Apple Pie with a Colorful Twist

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Make classic apple pie with a rich buttery crust and red-fleshed apples. The vibrant ruby-red color of the apples takes traditional apple pie to a whole new level!

Red Apple Pie Recipe made with red fleshed apples. The vibrant crimson color of the apples takes traditional apple pie to a whole other level

I’ve made dozens of apple pies but this one has them all beat. The crust is light and crispy, the flavor is rich with autumn spices, and the filling is a deep crimson red. YES! Completely natural and with no additives, this is one red apple pie. Make this for your friends and family and they’ll be blown away by how delicious it is as well as the color.

If you’ve made a pie before, this classic apple pie recipe will be simple to follow. In the case that you’ve never made one before, I’ve given clear instructions on how to make both the buttery pastry dough and the filling. There’s also a video showing the full instructions, including how to create the pretty crust design.

RED Apple Pie Recipe made with Red Fleshed Apples. The vibrant crimson color of the apples takes traditional apple pie to a whole other level #lovelygreens #pierecipe #redfleshapple #redloveapple #piedesign #dessertrecipe #autumndessert #thanksgivingpie
Classic apple pie made with juicy red-fleshed apples

Classic Apple Pie Recipe with Red Apples

The secret ingredient you’ll need for red apple pie is the apples themselves. Red fleshed apples have been around for decades and have been naturally bred to have red interiors. Sometimes they’re all red but more often than not they’ll be a pretty blend of red, pink, and white. That’s the case with my Red Love apples.

I got a Red Love apple tree six years ago and it’s been providing lush harvests of sweet red apples for the past four. They’re great as eaters and cookers but that gorgeous color just called out for them to be made as a classic apple pie. It tastes sweet and of apple and cinnamon but my goodness, looks simply incredible. As a pairing, I really recommend that you serve this pie still warm with pink and white ice cream. Not only do they accentuate the colors of the pie but it tastes soooo good.

RED Apple Pie Recipe made with Red Fleshed Apples. The vibrant crimson color of the apples takes traditional apple pie to a whole other level #lovelygreens #pierecipe #redfleshapple #redloveapple #piedesign #dessertrecipe #autumndessert #thanksgivingpie
Red Love apples have deep red skin and a crimson interior

Finding Red Fleshed Apples

There are many other types of red-fleshed apples to choose from though. In the states, you’ll find Red Devil, Pink Pearl, and many others at farmers’ markets from late August to October. If you’re a keen gardener like me then I highly recommend getting a hold of your own tree. It may take some years for the fruit to ripen but it’s well worth it.

If you’d like to get a hold of the same type of tree I have, you can get it from Lubera. I have the Red Love Era apple tree and it arrived as a two-year-old tree four years ago. It grows to about 2-3 meters (6-9 feet) and is very productive. Though they say that the sweetness and sourness are balanced, I find that they’re far sweeter than most apples. They’re a real treat to grow and to eat.

RED Apple Pie Recipe made with Red Fleshed Apples. The vibrant crimson color of the apples takes traditional apple pie to a whole other level #lovelygreens #pierecipe #redfleshapple #redloveapple #piedesign #dessertrecipe #autumndessert #thanksgivingpie
A cross-section of the Red Love apple shows red, pink, and white bands
Red Apple Pie Recipe made with red fleshed apples. The vibrant crimson color of the apples takes traditional apple pie to a whole other level

Classic Apple Pie Recipe with a Homegrown Twist

Lovely Greens
A twist on the classic apple pie recipe, red apple pie is made with red-fleshed apples. Pick them up at a farmers market or grow your own to make naturally red-colored pies, cakes, preserves, and drinks. Watch the video at the end of this recipe to see how it's made.
5 from 2 votes
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 45 minutes
Resting time 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 8 servings
Calories 237 kcal

Ingredients
  

Two crust Pastry Dough

  • 2 cups plain flour (260 grams)
  • 2/3 cup unsalted butter (140 grams)
  • 1 tsp fine sea salt
  • 5 Tbsp cold water

Red Apple Pie Filling

  • 1.3 lbs peeled and sliced apples (600g )
  • 1/2 cup white caster sugar (100 grams)
  • 1/4 cup plain flour (32 grams)
  • 1/2 tsp ground Cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ground Nutmeg
  • 1/8 tsp fine sea salt (a Dash)
  • 2 Tbsp unsalted Butter (28 grams)
  • 1 Tbsp cold Milk

Instructions
 

  • Trying to accurately measure how many apples you'll need for a pie can be tricky. They come in all shapes and sizes so what I do is fill my pie dish with as many as can fit. Then add an extra one. Do the same then peel, core, and cut the apples into 1/4" slices.
    RED Apple Pie Recipe made with Red Fleshed Apples. The vibrant crimson color of the apples takes traditional apple pie to a whole other level #lovelygreens #pierecipe #redfleshapple #redloveapple #piedesign #dessertrecipe #autumndessert #thanksgivingpie
  • Begin making the pie dough. Cut the cold butter into the flour and sea salt using a pastry blender or crisscrossing two knives. Keep working at it until the particles are the size of coarse crumbs.
  • Sprinkle the water over the mix and mix it in with a fork or spoon You want to incorporate it well enough so that there aren't any pools of water lying in the bowl. Use your hands to squeeze the mixture into a ball of pastry, making sure to get all the bits clinging to the side of the bowl. 
  • Divide the dough in two, leaving half to roll out for the bottom crust and placing the other half in the fridge to keep chilled.
  • Roll the dough on a floured surface into a circle about two inches larger than your pie pan. Meaning that it overhangs the pan by an inch on all sides. 
  • If you're new to rolling out pie dough, roll on your kitchen workspace keeping the surface, rolling pin, and dough sprinkled with flour. Roll gently and turn the dough by 1/4 turn as you roll it out — this keeps it circular. If any cracks form, wet them with water and pinch closed.
  • Roll the finished pie crust onto your rolling pin and then unroll it over the pan. Firm the dough into all the corners and crevices and then press the edges of the dough around the edge of your pie pan. Trim the excess dough from the edges but leave around 1/2" so that the crust doesn't shrink into the pan during the baking process.
  • Preheat your oven to 200°C/390°F or if you have a fan assisted oven turn it on to 180°C/350°F
  • Blend the excess dough into the other half of dough you have remaining and roll it out to the same size as the first. Use a heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut a pattern. Place the cut out hearts to one side. Roll this top crust up on your rolling pin.
  • Finish making the filling. Mix the filling's dry ingredients in a bowl until it has no lumps. Pour this mixture over the apples and coat them well.
    RED Apple Pie Recipe made with Red Fleshed Apples. The vibrant crimson color of the apples takes traditional apple pie to a whole other level #lovelygreens #pierecipe #redfleshapple #redloveapple #piedesign #dessertrecipe #autumndessert #thanksgivingpie
  • Pour the mix into your pastry lined pie pan. Press the apples down so that there aren’t any prominent pieces sticking up. 
  • Next unroll the top crust over the pie dish, centering the design afterward. Trim the excess dough with a pair of scissors. Leave 1/4 hanging over the edge. Flour your fingers then press the edges together to form a seam.
  • Brush the backs of the heart cut-outs with water and stick them on the top of the pie crust to complete the design.
  • Dab a little butter on the pie filling through each hole in the pie crust. Brush the entire pie crust liberally with cold milk. This will help it turn a beautiful golden color.
  • Bake for about 45 minutes or until the crust is nicely browned and the filling is bubbling up. Cool for 20 minutes before serving. Dish it up with pink and white ice cream and enjoy.

Video

YouTube video

Nutrition

Calories: 237kcal
Keyword apple pie, red apple pie
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2 Comments

  1. BulkHimalayanSalt says:

    5 stars
    The pie looks so beautiful and delicious. Thanks for sharing the recipe.