Recipe-Shaker Apple Pie

The defining detail of this traditional Shaker apple pie is the use of rose water in the filling. Sliced apples, brown sugar, and a splash of floral results in a special combination. Pair it with an all-butter crust and you have a beautiful apple pie on your hands.

Why I love this Pie?

I understand what people love about the type of apple pie that is popular in the United States today. They're big on cinnamon, warming, nostalgic and cozy. This pie is all those things, minus the warming spices. And because it plays a beautiful floral wildcard, starting now, it will forever have my heart. That one move, one ingredient, changes the entire personality of the pie. If you love apple pie, and want to switch things up a bit this year, give this a try.

Rose water gives this pie a beautiful, soulful flavor. If you're as eager to try it as I am, let's get started!

Time and Nutrition Info

Instructions

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)
Nutrient	Amount
Calories	360 kcal
Total Fat	12 g
Sodium	260 mg
Carbohydrates	62 g
Protein	4 g

Apple Pie Ingredients
Ingredient	Amount / Notes
Pie crusts	2 (top ＆ bottom)
Apples (tart or tart-sweet)	6 large
Lemon juice or apple cider vinegar	1 tbsp
Fine-grain sea salt	1/4 tsp
Dark brown sugar	1/2 cup
Unbleached all-purpose flour	3 tbsp
Lemon zest	Zest of 1 lemon
Rose water	2 tsp, or to taste
Dried rose petals	2 tbsp (optional)
Egg	1 (for egg wash)
Granulated or large-grain sugar	1/4 cup (to sprinkle on crust)

Some tips for you

What Kind of Apples?

Honeycrisp apples are great for pies (and snacking), but they can be a bit tricky to finding certain areas outside of peak apple season. Granny Smith apples are ubiquitous and easy to buy just about anywhere, anytime. Keep your eyes open for pink lady and Braeburn apples as well. And you can always do a blend of apple types.

What Kind of Pie Crust?

I’ve baked pies using a range of crusts over the years, but this is my all-time favorite pie dough now. It’s simple, incorporates all the tweaks and techniques I've experimented with, and results in a super-flaky all-butter pie crust. It's absolutely delicious. And, for this pie, it bakes up golden and beautiful thanks to a sugar-crusted egg wash prior to baking.

Basic Steps to Making an Apple Pie

If this is your first pie, or maybe you're still gaining confidence on the pie baking front, here are the big steps and general process that goes into making an apple pie.

Make the apple pie filling:

Roll out the pie dough:

If your dough has been chilling overnight allow it to sit at room temperature for a bit before rolling out - 15 minutes or so. Lightly flour your work surface and rolling pin. Roll the pie dough out, large enough to relax into your pie dish with extra dough a bit beyond the edge. As you’re rolling the dough, you’re going to want to turn the pie dough clockwise after every few passes with the rolling pin to prevent sticking. Flour more as needed.
Transfer the dough for the bottom crust into the pie dish by gently wrapping it around your rolling pin and unrolling it across your pie dish. Coax the pie dough into place, and then press into the pan to anchor it. Roll out the top pie crust. You want to work relatively quickly at this point so your dough doesn’t warm. If you’re doing a lattice or other design, refer to the photos up above, and prepare the top crust.

Assemble the pie:

Gently pour the apple filling into the dough-line pie dish. Drape the other round of pie dough on top and trim so you have about 1-inch of dough hanging beyond the edge of the dish. Press the edges of the pie shell together to seal things, and fold the edge of the crust over or under, and crimp or pinch around the edge using a fork or pressing your thumb and forefinger of one hand into the forefinger of the other hand. Carefully place the entire pie in the freezer for 15 minutes.
In the meantime, whisk the egg. When it is time, remove the pie from the freezer, cut a few slits in the top (unless you’ve chosen a lattice top) to allow steam to escape while the pie bakes, and gently brush with enough egg to coat all of the top crust. Sprinkle generously with sugar.

Bake, cool, and serve the pie: