From Orchard to Oven: Rediscovering Vintage Pie Recipes!
- Karitas Mitrogogos
- 1 hour ago
- 7 min read
Autumn, particularly during harvest time, has a certain magic to it. The crisp air, colorful leaves, and rows of ripe apples ready for picking offer a unique experience. Recently I visited the Wickham Fruit Farm in Long Island (NY, USA) for apple picking, unaware that this trip would take me on a nostalgic journey back to my old pie recipes from My Way Easy Fun and Simple cookbook binder, which I compiled while living in New York City and published in the USA in 1993.
After an early afternoon of picking apples, filled with laughter and the delightful aroma of apples, I returned home with several pounds of them. I thought it was the ideal time to use some of these apples, along with a large pumpkin from my friend John's vegetable garden, to make some pie recipes I hadn't attempted to make in over 30 years! You could say the abundance of the autumn harvest inspired me, so I got to work roasting the pumpkin and baking pies for several hours!
The pumpkin was huge, the perfect the size for both carving and baking. I imagined making a pumpkin pie that could rival any bakery’s offering, especially since fresh pumpkin puree boasts stronger flavors than canned, which can sometimes have less than 2% added sugar. I guess the combination of fresh apples and pumpkins was simply too tempting to ignore, igniting my creative inspiration.
I started with a traditional apple pie, and making the buttery pie crust was indeed a labor of love, but the result was worth every bit of the effort. Below, you'll find the recipe for both the crust and the filling, which I prepared using sliced and diced tart apples mixed with brown sugar and a touch of spices that I knew would delight everyone. One thing is certain, as the pie baked, its sweet fragrance filled my kitchen, taking me back to my days in New York City during the 1990s!
Pumpkin Pie Perfection
Next, I chose to prepare a pumpkin pie and a pumpkin cheese pie from scratch. With the large pumpkin available, the timing was perfect. After roasting the pumpkin until it was tender, I pureed the flesh to make creamy fillings and followed the recipes I'm sharing with you . . . . below.
Every recipe called for a mix of spices like ginger, cloves, and cinnamon, which added warmth and depth to the pies. As I filled each pie, I have to admit that it brought me a sense of achievement in reviving my ability to recreate this American autumn pie- making tradition.
The Final Touches
Once both pies were baked to a beautiful golden brown, it was time for the finishing touches and take them out to the garden to the enchantment of a few friends who were happy to dig in and enjoy the delightful fall flavors paired with lots of whipped cream, a sprinkle of ground cinnamon and for the pumpkin cheese pie, wedges of fresh figs, that I had previously picked from a lovely fig tree in the garden!
Sharing the Bounty
Gathering apples, collecting sizable pumpkins from John's vegetable garden, and baking traditional American pies sure took me back to my days in New York in the 1990s. More significantly though, these activities evoked fond memories of simple customs, meaningful relationships, and the pleasure of sharing homemade delights with friends and family.
Therefore, no matter where you are located, I strongly recommend gathering the ingredients for the recipes below, rolling up your sleeves, and letting your baking creativity flow!
Happy fall baking!
My American Apple Pie Recipe from My Way- Easy Fun and Simple
Cream Cheese Pie Crust – makes 2 single crusts
2 cups of all-purpose flour
½ tsp salt
½ cup vegetable shortening (Crisco where available)
170 g (6 ounces) cream cheese
6 tblsps cold water
Apple Pie Filling
6 tart apples, peeled and thinly sliced or diced
1 tblsp cinnamon
½ tsp nutmeg
¼ cup sugar
¼ cup brown sugar
2tsp cornstarch
Juice of ½ lemon
1 egg, slightly beaten for egg wash
Preparation Method
Make the Pie Crust first:
Combine flour and salt. Cut in the shortening and cream cheese with a pastry blender, fork or fingers until the dough resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
Sprinkle the cold water evenly over the surface and stir with a fork until the ingredients are moistened. Shape into a ball, wrap dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before proceeding to make a pie.
Make the Pie Filling:
In a bowl, combine cinnamon, nutmeg, sugar, brown sugar and cornstarch and mix.
Place the apples in another bowl. Add the spice and sugar mixture and mix carefully until the apples are well coated. Add the fresh lemon juice and mix. Set aside.
Roll out the Pastry Dough:
Divide the dough in half and on a lightly floured board, roll each half into a pie crust about a quarter inch (0.635cm) thick.
Place one pie crust on a 9-inch (23cm) pie pan. Add the apple filling and distribute evenly over the crust. Then place the second pie crust on top of the apples. Seal the edges by pinching the dough together or by fluting.
Make 3 small slits (steam vents) with a sharp knife on top of the crust and then brush the crust with egg wash.
Bake in the center of a preheated oven 175 C (350 F) for about 40 – 45 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and the apples tender.
Serve warm or at room temperature with cheddar cheese, vanilla custard sauce, sweetened whipped cream or ice cream.
Yield: 1 pie (6 – 8 slices)
Traditional Pumpkin Pie with Basic Butter Crust
Basic Butter Crust
2 cups of all-purpose flour
1 tsp of salt
170g (6oz) chilled or frozen
butter cut into small pieces
1/3 cup of ice-cold water
Pumpkin Pie Filling
2 eggs slightly beaten
450g (16oz) can pumpkin*
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
¼ tsp ground cloves
340g (12oz) can evaporated milk**
*When using freshly roasted and ground (mashed) pumpkin you will need 2 full cups.
**When using fresh ground pumpkin, you may need to adjust the amount of the evaporated milk. Start with half the milk and add as much as you need to make a smooth batter.
Preparation Method
Make the Pie Crusts:
Blend flour, salt and butter with a pastry blender, fork or fingers until the dough resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
Add the ice-cold water and mix quickly. Shape into a ball, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Make the Pie Filling:
In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients of the filling and mix with a whisk until well blended. Set aside. **When using freshly mashed pumpkin, you may have to adjust the amount of milk. Thus, instead of mixing all the ingredients together from the start, use half of the milk and mix and then slowly add as much as needed to make a smooth batter.
Rolling out the Pastry Dough
Divide the dough into half. On a lightly floured board roll each half into a flat pie crust about half a centimeter (¼ inch). Place dough into 2 x 23cm (9inch) pie pans and if necessary, trim the edges.
Pour filling into unbaked pie crusts. Place in the center of the oven and bake in a preheated oven
200C (400 F) for 15 minutes. Then reduce the heat down to 175C (350F) and bake for another 30 – 40 minutes or until a knife or toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Garnish with sweetened whip cream and cracked ginger snap cookies (optional).
Yield: 2 pies
Cream Cheese Pumpkin Pie with Gingersnap Crust
Ingredients
Crust:
2 cups (226g) gingersnap cookies, crushed into coarse crumbs
4 Tblsp (50g) light brown sugar
6 Tblsp (85g) butter, melted
1/4 tsp salt, optional
Filling:
½ kg (1 lb.) Cream Cheese
¾ cup light brown sugar
2 cups of pureed pumpkin (from fresh pumpkin) *
4 large eggs
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp allspice**
*When I use pumpkin from a can (16oz) I normally add ¼ cup cream to the filling.
Preparation Method
Make the Pie Crust (also see tips below):
Preheat oven to 175°C (350°F). Pulse the gingersnap cookies in a food processor
until coarse.
In a large bowl, combine crumbs, brown sugar, melted butter, and salt. Mix with a spatula until blended.
Using your fingers, or a cup with a flat bottom, press the cookie crumb mixture
evenly onto the sides and bottom of a 23cm (9") pie dish.
You can use this crust directly, but I like to bake the crust in a preheated oven for
about 10 minutes just to set the crust and make it less fragile.
Remove from the oven and let the crust cool completely before filling.
Make the Filling & Bake
In a large bowl or mixer, combine the cream cheese with the light brown sugar.
Add the pumpkin puree and mix well.
Add the eggs one at a time, then mix in the cinnamon and allspice until fully blended.
Pour the filling into the pie crust.
Bake in a pre-heated oven 175C (350F) for about 30 minutes or until a knife or toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.
Once baked cool to room temperature and serve.
When fresh figs are available, I like to garnish this cream cheese pumpkin pie with fresh fig slices or wedges.
Tips For the Gingersnap Crust + Allspice Recipe!
Make-ahead: Prepare up to one day in advance, cover, and keep at room temperature.
Storing frozen: After pressing the mixture into the pie dish, wrap in plastic and place in a freezer bag. Freeze for up to 1 month; fill straight from the freezer when ready to use.
** I normally mix my own Allspice seasoning that I sometimes also call Pumpkin spice. Here is the recipe: 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon + 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg + 1/4 tsp ground ginger + 1/4 tsp ground cloves. Place spices in small bowl and mix well.
©KaritasM – November 2025
Until soon again!
Karitas
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