As with all traditions, every ingredient that makes up our Apple Pie has a rich story with lots of historical twists and turns. Chef Becky’s take on apple pie is no different—from the crust to the apples, she pays homage to tradition while making the recipe her own.

Believe it or not, apple pie wasn’t always made with a crust. As far back as 1514, the Dutch were making it with a sugarless outer-pastry called a “coffin”—an inedible container with a rather unattractive name. Early American apple pies made by European colonists sometimes lacked a crust altogether! The art of crust-making is just that: an art. It’s a challenge to strike the balance between light flakiness and a good, toothsome texture that holds up. That’s why Chef Becky uses a combination of organic butter and leaf lard to make her pie dough. The buttery taste is glorious.

Although each chef makes this pie with their own touch, you would think that apple pie filling through the ages would have at least always had apples. Not the case! You’ll find figs, raisins, pears, and saffron (in addition to apples) in the first recorded apple pie recipe from England in 1381. Later, in the early 1800s, the British Royal Navy was making “mock” apple pie out at sea with a filling made from crackers. And during WWII, as apples and sugar became scarce, Ritz Crackers proudly promoted this apple-less recipe again. Apple pie without apples? It happened!

Don’t worry—our apple pie is packed with apples, and delicious ones at that! This year, we’re excited to use a combination of Ashmead’s Kernel, an heirloom variety of English origin, and Honeycrisp or Pink Lady apples, modern-day favorites. The Ashmead's Kernel are sugary and tart with a slightly floral and intense apple flavor. They have a nutty and slightly drier texture, as they are not as juicy as the Pink Lady or the Honeycrisp. Because of their crisp snap and soft texture when baked, the pink lady and honey crisp give the filling a nice texture as well as color because both apples resist browning.

Early American apple pie bakers didn’t have the luxury of all of these delicious varieties. The only apple native to the Americas, the crabapple, is small and sour. Most early apple varieties, brought over by English colonists, were quite tart and primarily used for cider. The Ashmead’s Kernel, prized for its dense, sweet-tart flesh didn’t gain in popularity in England until the mid-1800s and was never widely cultivated in the Americas. Over time, newer apple varieties like Honeycrisp have emerged, perfectly suited for the pies we’ve come to know and love today.


Apples are part of the rose family, like pears. These are plants that like to be spoiled. To yield a good crop, a farmer needs to devote quite a lot of maintenance and care to protecting and nurturing the tree. But it’s worth the effort. The Ashmead’s Kernel and Honeycrisp apples are organically grown by our longtime apple partner, Byron, at Cuyama Orchards, delivering the season’s very best for pie-making. We spice and sweeten them delicately, giving you the taste of nostalgia characteristic of this seasonal favorite while also enjoying the glory of eating seasonally.

This double-crust pie arrives frozen and ready-to-bake at your convenience. So order in time for your next big celebration or get it now and enjoy this classic fall treat for dessert (or breakfast).