I’m pie crust challenged. I like to think that I’m a pretty good cook in general. I bake most of our bread and our soups never come from a can, but good pie crust eludes me. Pillsbury has been my savior over the years. Unfold the prepared dough, tuck it in the pie plate and you’re good to go! But there’s another answer. Well, maybe it’s not really an answer; just a way to avoid the issue.
The following recipe for no crust apple pie must date back to the 60’s or 70’s. I found a couple of different versions in Aunt Helen’s recipe binders. She also had a recipe for “mock apple pie” made with Ritz crackers. I’d prefer to believe that she never actually made that one!
Tuck this recipe away for future reference even if you’re not pie crust challenged. It’s simple to pull together using ingredients you probably have on hand.
Challenge-free Apple Pie ( or Pie/Cake )
I changed a few things. Aunt Helen’s recipe called for raisins; I used cranberries. She used a little nutmeg along with the cinnamon; I didn’t. I used butter instead of margarine.
- 4 or 5 apples (depending on size)
- 1/4 C dried cranberries (or raisins)
- 10 tsp butter ( 1 1/4 sticks, melted )
- 1 C sugar (divided into two uses)
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 C flour
- 1 egg
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp vanilla
- Peel and slice the apples and put them in a buttered pie pan.
- Take 3 tsp of sugar from the cup and mix with 1 tsp cinnamon.
- Mix the apples and cinnamon-sugar together right in the pan.
- Mix the melted butter, the remaining sugar, the flour, egg, salt and vanilla in a separate bowl.
- Cover the apples with this mixture.
- Bake for approximately 45 minutes in a 350 oven.
The top gets gooey and crusty and the apples and cranberries blend together. This is really good. Vanilla ice cream or whipped cream makes it even better.
Saltwater Influenced 
Yummy, MJ. It sounds fabulous. Hope the snow isn’t getting too challenging for you. It seems most New Englanders are so over winter. I have to go to Maine at the end of the month for four days – I am sure I will freeze so my new LL Bean jacket will have to keep me warm. Seven winters in Florida have made me into a southerner – not accustomed to cold weather any more. Keep up the interesting blogs. I enjoy reading them. Mary