In your stand mixer, put the flour, butter, sugar, and salt. Mix on low speed until it gets crumbly and starts to integrate into a pea-shaped clump consistency. Slowly start to add the water/vodka mix, stirring as you add the moisture. Stop adding the liquid when it starts to look like dough. You might have extra liquid left over, and that’s OK. I usually drink the rest! On the day before Thanksgiving, by the time I’m making pies, I can go for a good drink.

When the crust will stay together when handled and form a nice ball, divide it into 3 or 4 smaller balls. Wrap them in wax or parchment paper, and freeze them for a few hours. Let them sit at room temperature for 15-20 minutes before rolling them into thin circles. I like to roll my crust between to sheets or wax or parchment paper. If it gets too warm and mushy, put it back in the freezer for a few minutes to chill it before putting it a pie pan.

For my apple pie filling: I bought some local, upstate New York Macintosh apples (remember folks, I was making this pie in New Jersey, so New York apples were local to me). I would estimate that 12 or so apples were peeled and sliced. I got my mom and grandmother in on the peeling and slicing while I was doing other Thanksgiving tasks, so my memory is a little fuzzy on the number of apples. When they were all sliced into bite-sized chunks, I tossed them in 1/2-3/4 cup evaporated cane juice, a drizzle of maple syrup, and 2 TB of cinnamon. Then, you roast the apples at 450 for 20 minutes or so until they start to soften and juice.

Let this cool. In the meantime, crust has been made, frozen, thawed, rolled, placed in a pie pan, and possible re-placed in the freezer. Make sure the pie crust is cool and the apples are not hot before adding the apples to the pie pan.

I am no expert pie baker. I unfortunately missed the pies and desserts classes at The Culinary School of the Rockies this fall. Maybe next year. But, I did try my best at a woven top and it worked. I wove the strips of pie crust on a piece of parchment paper and then transferred them all at once to the pie. Then I crimped the edges, brushed the top with beaten egg, sprinkled it with Spiced Vanilla Bean Sugar from no where else but Savory Spice Shop, and started to bake it at 450 for 20 minutes.

After 20-30 minutes, lower the oven to 350, remove the pie, and tent the edges with foil to prevent them from burning. Then continue to bake until the top crust is nicely golden brown and you hear and see the apples boiling inside.

Let it cool enough so it won’t burn your mouth, and then enjoy. I like to serve it with homemade maple whipped cream.