Cookie Crust Deep-Dish Apple Pie

Camila turns eighteen on October 8, 2031. An adult. My youngest. The last child to reach adulthood. She is eighteen and she has been singing for thirteen years and writing songs for nine years and performing in the Children's Chorus for seven years and playing guitar for six years, and the accumulation is the preparation, and the preparation is for what comes next: music school. She has been accepted to the University of Texas at Austin — the music education program — and the acceptance is the beginning of the leaving, and the leaving is the gift I gave her by crossing the bridge, and the bridge gave her the voice, and the voice is taking her to Austin.

Isabella turned twenty-eight on October 22 — mole negro year thirteen. The mole tradition that is now a teenager. One hundred and seventy babies saved (she still keeps the journal). I made the mole in six hours and it was the best yet because every year the mole is the best yet, because the aging of the cook improves the recipe the way the aging of wine improves the glass.

Two birthdays in October, both of them now adults, both of them deserving something that takes effort and gives back sweetness — that is the only logic I need for a deep-dish apple pie with a cookie crust. Mole negro is the tradition I carry for Isabella, but for the table that holds both girls this year, both women, I wanted something everyone could reach for, something warm and layered the way this season has been. I have been crossing bridges and baking pies for thirteen years now, and this one felt right for the first October where I look around and see only grown people who belong to me.

Prep Time: 30 min | Cook Time: 55 min | Total Time: 1 hr 25 min | Servings: 10

Ingredients

Cookie Crust:
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes
1 egg yolk
2 tablespoons cold water
Apple Filling:
3 1/2 lbs mixed apples (Granny Smith and Honeycrisp), peeled, cored, and sliced 1/4-inch thick
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)
1 tablespoon coarse sugar (for topping)

Instructions

Make the crust. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, powdered sugar, and salt. Using a pastry cutter or your fingertips, work the cold butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces remaining. Mix the egg yolk with cold water, drizzle over the dough, and stir just until the dough comes together. Divide into two equal disks, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate at least 30 minutes.
Prepare the filling. In a large bowl, toss the sliced apples with granulated sugar, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and lemon juice. Let sit for 10 minutes while you preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and grease a deep 9-inch or 10-inch pie dish.
Roll the bottom crust. On a lightly floured surface, roll one dough disk into a 13-inch circle. Carefully transfer it to the prepared pie dish, pressing it gently into the bottom and up the sides. Trim the overhang to about 1 inch.
Fill the pie. Pour the apple filling into the crust, mounding it slightly in the center. Dot the top of the apples with the small pieces of butter.
Add the top crust. Roll the second dough disk into a 12-inch circle. Lay it over the filling. Trim any excess, then fold the edges of the top and bottom crusts together and crimp to seal. Cut 5–6 small slits in the top crust to allow steam to escape. Brush the entire surface with the beaten egg and sprinkle with coarse sugar.
Bake. Place the pie on a foil-lined baking sheet (to catch drips) and bake at 375°F for 50–55 minutes, until the crust is deep golden brown and the filling is bubbling through the vents. If the edges brown too quickly, tent them with foil after 30 minutes.
Cool and serve. Let the pie cool on a wire rack for at least 2 hours before slicing — this allows the filling to set. Serve at room temperature or slightly warm, with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream if desired.

Nutrition (per serving)

Cookie Crust Deep-Dish Apple Pie — The Last Birthday That Makes Every Child an Adult