The Season for Pie

🥧 Homemade Holiday Pies That Beat Store-Bought Every Time

Don’t be the one stopping at the store this holiday season, buying up a store-bought pie and passing it off as fresh. It seriously takes just 15 minutes to whip up a pie crust that will taste ten times better than anything pre-made.

Here’s my go-to, foolproof crust recipe:

✨ Cinnamon Pie Crust (Optional but Highly Recommended)

Ingredients:

• 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

• ½ teaspoon salt

• 2 tablespoons sugar

• (Optional but essential for fall) 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1 stick of cold butter, cubed

• 3–4 tablespoons ice-cold water

Instructions:

1. Mix the dry ingredients together.

2. Cut in your butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

3. Add your water a tablespoon at a time until the dough starts to come together.

4. Chill the dough before rolling it out.

You really can’t mess this up. Honestly, once you’ve made this crust a few times, store-bought will seem so lame. Everyone acts like convenience is a luxury when really, it’s taken away our skills — and let’s be real, we have time. We’re just too busy minding everyone else’s business on social media. But we’ll talk about that later. For now, let’s get into a few of my favorite fillings.

🎃 Pumpkin Pie (The Classic Fall Favorite)

Almost everyone’s fall fave. Grab a can of pumpkin and follow the recipe on the label — with one secret step that makes all the difference.

My Mom’s Trick:
Warm your pumpkin filling on the stove over low heat and melt in one stick of butter before pouring it into your pie crust. Then bake as the can instructs.

This trick gives the pie a rich, velvety flavor that I’ve never been able to replicate any other way.

My spin:
The cinnamon in the crust + Mom’s butter-melt method = perfection.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Pro Tip: Bake it while you shower and get ready for bed — see, there is time to cook from scratch.

(I’m planning to try pureeing my own pumpkin this year — I’ll get back to you on how long that takes!)

🍎 Brown Sugar Orange-Infused Apple Pie

This one tastes like a holiday candle smells — warm, bright, and cozy, but made with real ingredients (and zero wax).

Ingredients:

• 6–7 medium apples (Honeycrisp or Granny Smith), peeled and sliced

• ¾ cup brown sugar

• 2 tablespoons flour (for thickening)

• 1 teaspoon lemon juice

• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

• ½ teaspoon ground clove

• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg

• 1 teaspoon orange zest (this makes it shine)

• 1 teaspoon vanilla paste

• Melted butter (for brushing the crust)

Instructions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and toss until coated.

2. Pour into your cinnamon pie crust.

3. Brush the top crust with an egg wash and melted butter.

4. Sprinkle with cane sugar.

5. Bake at 375°F for 45–50 minutes.

The orange zest balances the sweetness perfectly and adds such a fresh depth of flavor. Honestly, this pie tastes like sunshine in a sweater.

🍫 Chocolate Pudding Pie

My all-time favorite. You must use the cinnamon crust — it makes the whole pie taste like a cinnamon toast chocolate bar (if you know, you know).

Chocolate Pudding Filling

Ingredients:

• ½ cup sugar

• ¼ cup cocoa powder

• 3 tablespoons cornstarch

• ¼ teaspoon salt

• 2 ¾ cups whole milk or coconut milk

• 3 large egg yolks

• 2 teaspoons butter

• 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

• 3 oz dark chocolate, chopped

Instructions:

1. In a saucepan, whisk together sugar, cocoa, cornstarch, and salt.

2. Slowly add milk while whisking until smooth.

3. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until it thickens.

4. In a separate bowl, whisk your egg yolks. Slowly pour some of the hot pudding into the yolks (to temper them) while whisking.

5. Pour the tempered yolks back into the saucepan and cook another 2–3 minutes until glossy.

6. Remove from heat, add butter, vanilla paste, and chopped chocolate. Stir until smooth.

Whipped Cream Topping

Ingredients:

• 1 cup heavy cream or coconut cream

• 2 tablespoons powdered sugar

• ½ tablespoon vanilla bean paste

Whip until soft peaks form. For a fun twist, infuse your whipped cream with espresso — the perk of homemade is that you can make it your own.

Assemble your pie, let it cool for at least 4 hours, and try not to eat it straight from the bowl.

Homemade pies don’t just taste better — they feel better. You’re using real ingredients, taking your time, and putting love into every step. Trust me, once you go homemade, there’s no going back to store-bought