Kid-Friendly Autumn Bliss Apple Pie Recipe

When my daughter's second grade teacher asked for volunteers to help the kids in her class bake apple pies, there was something about the task that resonated with me. I remember baking apple pie in school! What I didn't realize is that I would have to provide all of the ingredients--and the recipe--to make an apple pie with the kids from scratch. Although I was intimidated at first, my About.com colleague Diana Rattray had excellent crust advice. And although I had to improvise when we ran short on dough, the kids loved our apple pie. Here's how we created this colorful and delicious autumn-themed apple pie.

• CRUST INGREDIENTS
• 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 2 Tbsp. sugar
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 stick cold butter, cut into small pieces
• 5 Tbsp. refrigerated vegetable shortening
• 8 Tbsp. sour cream
• Red sugar sprinkles
• PIE FILLING INGREDIENTS
• 6 cups peeled apple slices
• 1/2 lemon
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
• 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
• 2 Tbsp. butter cut into small pieces

You'll Also Need:

A one-gallon zip-top plastic bag, 9" glass pie plate, Leaf-shaped cookie cutter

Crust Instructions

1. Add flour, cinnamon, sugar and salt to your bag. Shake!
2. Add butter pieces and shortening to bag. Smoosh!
3. Add sour cream. Press and shake!
4. Take dough out of bag and make into a ball.
5. Knead together on a floured surface.
6. Flatten dough a little and wrap in plastic.
7. While dough is refrigerating 20-30 minutes, prepare pie filling (see below).
8. Roll chilled dough on lightly floured surface until it is circular and larger than the pie plate.
9. Line bottom of pie plate with crust and trim around the edge. Top crust with apple filling.
10. Re-roll remaining crust. Cut out leaf shapes with cookie cutter. Position dough leaves on top of apple filling.

Pie Filling Instructions

1. Place apples in large mixing bowl.
2. Add remaining filling ingredients. Stir well.
3. Add the secret ingredient: Love.

Pie Cooking Instructions

1. Pre-heat oven to 425° F.
2. Lightly sprinkle cutout leaves with red sugar.
3. Bake 45 minutes or until edge of bottom crust is golden and apple filling bubbles. If leaves begin to brown before the pie is done, cover pie loosely with aluminum foil.
4. Allow pie to cool, slice and serve with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream.

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