Simple Pies for Eating or Throwing

My mom’s pie-making skills are legendary. When I was a kid, every fall my mother and her friends would pile a bunch of us in a car to go apple picking. Then, we’d regroup at my family’s house the following weekend for a pie-making extravaganza!Kids would peel the apples, pass to the slice-and-spice station, then finally onto the assembly station where my mom would be rolling out the crust and putting the pies together.

We’d make enough pies to fill our deep freezer in the basement (and my mom’s friends’ deep freezers too) – so that we could pull out a pie and bake it at any time, all year long. To this day, whenever we have a family gathering if my mom asks what she can bring someone usually yells “PIE!”

While my pie-making skills could never rival my mother’s, I’ve discovered that one of the best things about making pie is you don’t need to have children or even friends to make a delicious one. You just need a little prep time, a simple pie crust recipe opens in a new tab (or a vegan pie crust recipe opens in a new tab) and a couple of your favorite shows queued up for binge watching. You know, while the dough chills.

And, if you’re making pies for throwing you hardly need any time at all! Just line a lightweight pie tin with the jam of your choice (for color) and then top with loads of whipped cream. Fresh or spray can – your choice!

3 Tips for Making Piecrust

Fill a small bowl with ice cubes and a little water before you make the dough for the crust. Use splashes of the ice-cold water to bring together the dough as you mix it. If you’re feeling adventurous or boozy, splashes of ice-cold vodka work great in place of water.
Let the dough chill for at least an hour…or longer if you can’t tear yourself away from watching old episodes of Girls or The Golden Girls depending on your mood.
Go easy on the dough when you roll it out. Shape and roll it using firm but gentle hands for the most tender and flaky results.

Easy Pie Recipes