The Pug Hollow Horde Cooks a Howliday Feast - The Spiced Apple Pie

If you're tired of the traditional pumpkin and pecan pies, why not try something a little different? This apple pie is spicy, and full of flavor. We like to add cranberries and walnuts to ours, but you can easily make this pie without them.

Now every good pie needs a good crust, and you shouldn't be afraid to make your own. Especially when it's as easy as the cream cheese pie crust below. Because this apple pie has an upper and lower crust, we suggest doubling the recipe below, to make enough crust.

Cream Cheese Pie crust: Make 1 day in advance

2 2/3 cups of all purpose flour (if you have Celiac substitute arrowroot flour)
16 tbsp salted sweet cream butter, cubed and frozen
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla
8 oz cream cheese cut into 4 pieces
3  tbsp cold water
3 tbsp apple cider vinegar

 Using a food processor blend the flour, and baking powder, for 10 seconds. Add the cream cheese and process until the flour looks mealy. Add the vanilla, cold water and vinegar. Process again to mix. Add the butter. Process until the butter has been rendered to pea size at largest.

Remove the mixture from the food processor and knead until becomes a homogeneous single ball and is slightly stretchy.  Divide in half and form into a ball. Form each ball into a disk and refrigerate overnight.


Lay the first ball out onto a flat floured surface and use a rolling pin to roll the disk into a large enough circle to slightly more than cover the inside of your pie tin.
Place the lower crust into the pie tin and trim, leaving a 1 inch overhang.
Roll a second disk large enough to cover your pie, and set it aside.

The Spiced Apple Pie Filling

2 pounds baking apples (such as Granny Smith), peeled, and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
1/4 cup fresh cranberries
1/4 cup whisky soaked dried sweetened cranberries
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed golden brown sugar
1/8 cup all purpose flour
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground allspice
1/4 tsp ginger
1 tbsp chilled butter, chopped into small chunks


Soak cranberries in good quality whisky at least overnight. (I prefer 24-48 hours)
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
In a small skillet toast the spices over medium heat (stirring frequently) until they are warm and fragrant. Transfer to a large bowl. Add the lemon juice, sugar and flour and mix well. Add the sliced apples walnuts, cranberries and toss to coat.
Spoon apple mixture into the prepared crust and scatter the butter across the top. Center the remaining disk over the filling in the bottom crust. Trim the crust, leaving 1 inch overhang. Fold the upper crust overhang under the lower crust overhang and then bring up above the rim of the pie plate to form the elevated edge. Flute the edges together.  Cut a small X in the center of the crust to allow steam to escape during cooking.
Place the pie on a foil covered baking sheet, and bake for 45 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350, and bake 30 minutes longer, or until apples are tender when pierced with a knife through the slit crust.
Cool on wire rack for two hours and serve while still warm.