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With a busy preschooler in the house, we are knee deep in Thanksgiving arts and crafts this year. Homemade feather headdresses and pilgrim bonnets, and of course the infamous turkey made out of a hand print.
Our latest and greatest is a faux pumpkin pie that my son brought home from school, complete with real spice on top. If you’re in the same situation with kids that are always seeking out a new and different project, then Thanksgiving is the perfect time for your kids to try their hand at homemade pie making!
The “pie” my son made smelled so delicious, it got us to thinking about real pie. Hand making pie crust from scratch is just the type of crafting that produces delicious results. The process of making and rolling crust builds just as many skills as an arts and crafts projects.
Plus even older kids might be interested to learn about the science behind baking. Why does the crust puff up a little and turn brown in the oven? How come apples lose some of their size and crisp texture when cooked? Moreover, what makes the combination of sliced apples, spices like cinnamon and nutmeg, and a flaky crust so very delicious?
Can you tell my favorite type of Thanksgiving pie is traditional apple pie? There is a certain autumnal magic to that combination that truly makes the holiday for me! Each and every year since I was about ten, my Thanksgiving dinner contribution has been a homemade apple pie. But did you know there were no apples at the Plymouth colony, hence no apple pie at the first Thanksgiving?
Over time I have honed my crust making skills. All it takes is a little patience and the right techniques. My tried and true method is to use a food processor to pulse the ice cold butter into pea sized bits among the flour, then slowly add ice cold water through the feeder tube, just until the dough barely comes together. Then I chill the dough for several hours before rolling with a very light hand. With the extra dough scraps, I like to cut out an apple shape to place on top.
You and your little ones can make individual hand pies, rolling the dough into a small circle and then folding it in on itself. Or pile one big pie high with apples, sealing it with a flaky top crust. Whichever way you do it, if your kids help prepare this iconic Thanksgiving dessert, they’ll get the sense of satisfaction that they can do it themselves.
Some years I have varied the formula, making apple pie with a scrumptious walnut crumb topping or a rich caramel filling. This year the idea of an apple cider cream pie came up. But I deemed that too fancy. For Thanksgiving, I always want to go back to the traditional, unadulterated good old fashioned, double crusted American apple pie. Just plenty of sweet-tart apples, a little lemon juice, vanilla, and cinnamon, and a flaky, buttery crust.
Now the one thing I vary is the type of apple I use. This is entirely a matter of personal preference, depending on how much texture and sweetness you like in a pie. I like my apples to hold their shape, yet be soft, and to have a little tang to them. I also like to mix about two to three varieties of apples together for the best flavor – usually a tart one like Granny Smith along with some sweeter varieties such as Johnathan (or the newer Johnagold or Ginger Gold), Pink Lady, or Gravenstein. It’s all a matter of personal preference and what you can find in your area. But whatever you do, don’t use Red Delicious, which is better for eating than baking!
I model my pie after one I saw in a bakery in Philadelphia’s Reading Terminal market, heaping apples into a small mountain for Mile High Apple Pie. Each year, I add more and more apples, this year topping out with over three pounds. Your kids will be in awe of this beautiful dessert. And who doesn’t love good old fashioned American apple pie, whether the pilgrims and Indians had it at the first Thanksgiving or not!
©2026 CDKitchen, Inc. No reproduction or distribution of any portion of this article is allowed without express permission from CDKitchen, Inc.
To share this article with others, you may link to this page:
https://www.cdkitchen.com/cooking-experts/pamela-chester/1206-thanksgiving-apple-pie/
A Thanksgiving as American as Apple Pie
Our latest and greatest is a faux pumpkin pie that my son brought home from school, complete with real spice on top. If you’re in the same situation with kids that are always seeking out a new and different project, then Thanksgiving is the perfect time for your kids to try their hand at homemade pie making!
The “pie” my son made smelled so delicious, it got us to thinking about real pie. Hand making pie crust from scratch is just the type of crafting that produces delicious results. The process of making and rolling crust builds just as many skills as an arts and crafts projects.
Plus even older kids might be interested to learn about the science behind baking. Why does the crust puff up a little and turn brown in the oven? How come apples lose some of their size and crisp texture when cooked? Moreover, what makes the combination of sliced apples, spices like cinnamon and nutmeg, and a flaky crust so very delicious?
Can you tell my favorite type of Thanksgiving pie is traditional apple pie? There is a certain autumnal magic to that combination that truly makes the holiday for me! Each and every year since I was about ten, my Thanksgiving dinner contribution has been a homemade apple pie. But did you know there were no apples at the Plymouth colony, hence no apple pie at the first Thanksgiving?
Over time I have honed my crust making skills. All it takes is a little patience and the right techniques. My tried and true method is to use a food processor to pulse the ice cold butter into pea sized bits among the flour, then slowly add ice cold water through the feeder tube, just until the dough barely comes together. Then I chill the dough for several hours before rolling with a very light hand. With the extra dough scraps, I like to cut out an apple shape to place on top.
You and your little ones can make individual hand pies, rolling the dough into a small circle and then folding it in on itself. Or pile one big pie high with apples, sealing it with a flaky top crust. Whichever way you do it, if your kids help prepare this iconic Thanksgiving dessert, they’ll get the sense of satisfaction that they can do it themselves.
Some years I have varied the formula, making apple pie with a scrumptious walnut crumb topping or a rich caramel filling. This year the idea of an apple cider cream pie came up. But I deemed that too fancy. For Thanksgiving, I always want to go back to the traditional, unadulterated good old fashioned, double crusted American apple pie. Just plenty of sweet-tart apples, a little lemon juice, vanilla, and cinnamon, and a flaky, buttery crust.
Now the one thing I vary is the type of apple I use. This is entirely a matter of personal preference, depending on how much texture and sweetness you like in a pie. I like my apples to hold their shape, yet be soft, and to have a little tang to them. I also like to mix about two to three varieties of apples together for the best flavor – usually a tart one like Granny Smith along with some sweeter varieties such as Johnathan (or the newer Johnagold or Ginger Gold), Pink Lady, or Gravenstein. It’s all a matter of personal preference and what you can find in your area. But whatever you do, don’t use Red Delicious, which is better for eating than baking!
I model my pie after one I saw in a bakery in Philadelphia’s Reading Terminal market, heaping apples into a small mountain for Mile High Apple Pie. Each year, I add more and more apples, this year topping out with over three pounds. Your kids will be in awe of this beautiful dessert. And who doesn’t love good old fashioned American apple pie, whether the pilgrims and Indians had it at the first Thanksgiving or not!
Homemade Apple Pie from Scratch
Made with all-purpose flour, flour, shortening, salt, water, apples, jam or honey, lime or lemon juice
Made with all-purpose flour, flour, shortening, salt, water, apples, jam or honey, lime or lemon juice
Serves/Makes: 8
***Pie Crust***
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup shortening
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons water
***Pie Filling***
- 6 cups baking apples
- 1 cup jam or honey (your choice)
- 1 1/2 tablespoon lime or lemon juice
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 1/2 teaspoon butter or margarine
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
Pie crust: Mix all pie crust ingredients together in pie plate with hands until completely blended together. Press dough into the sides and bottom of pie plate. Try not to work the dough too much!
Pie Filling: Arrange sliced apples over pie crust. Mix together jam, lime/lemon juice, cinnamon and butter. Cover with top crust and seal edges. Cut slits in top crust for heat vents and bake at 425 degrees F for 35-40 minutes (convection ovens cook faster) or until apples are tender when pierced with skewer or toothpick.
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©2026 CDKitchen, Inc. No reproduction or distribution of any portion of this article is allowed without express permission from CDKitchen, Inc.
To share this article with others, you may link to this page:
https://www.cdkitchen.com/cooking-experts/pamela-chester/1206-thanksgiving-apple-pie/