Old Glory Apple Pie

This recipe was generously shared with us by Kimberly of Lake Bluff, Illinois. Kimberly won her local pie contest with this recipe, earning the title of "Official Pie of the Lake Bluff 4th of July Parade" for 2026.  

This classic apple pie features a melt-in-your-mouth crust using Janie's Mill Silky Smooth Pastry Flour and an apple filling with a perfect balance of spices. Shredded cheddar cheese brings out a slightly savory note and balances the sweetness of the apples.

Yield: 1 pie in a 9" pie plate

Total Time: 2 hours, plus chilling the pie dough

Kimberly (left) and her winning apple pie. 

Ingredients

For the pie crust:

• 2 cups (240 g) Janie's Mill Silky Smooth Pastry Flour
• 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
• pinch of salt
• 1 1/2 sticks (169 g) unsalted butter, chilled
• 1/4 cup (56 g) shortening, chilled (lard or additional unsalted butter may be used as a substitute)
• 1/3 cup (76 g) cold water

For the apple filling:

• 7-8 medium Honeycrisp apples, cored and sliced (about 2.5 lbs. pre-coring)
• 2 Tablespoons Janie's Mill Silky Smooth Pastry Flour
• 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
• dash of cloves
• 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/3 cup (38 g) medium cheddar cheese, finely grated
• 1 tsp. molasses
• Egg wash (whisk one large egg and one tablespoon of milk)

Instructions

For the crust: 

1. Place the flour, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a food processor.
2. Cut the cold butter and shortening into small pieces and add to the food processor.
3. Pulse the mixture until crumbly, then stream in the cold water until a ball is formed. 
4. Shape dough into an oval, cut in half, and press cut sides down to form two disks. 
5. Wrap each disk in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 3 days. 

For the apple filling: 

1. Core and thinly slice the apples, do not peel.
2. Mix flour, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves in a large bowl.
3. Add apples and lemon juice to the bowl and toss to coat. 
4. Cook apple mixture in a large pan on medium heat for 5 minutes or until apples start to become tender, let cool.
5. Toss apple mixture with freshly grated cheddar cheese in the large bowl. 

Assembly and baking: 

1. Preheat oven to 400F (375F if using convection).
2. Roll out one disk of dough to a 12" circle, place dough in pie dish and cut extra dough from edges. Crimp or shape edge of pie. 
3. Pour apple filling into dough-lined pie dish and pour the teaspoon of molasses in the center of the pie. 
4. Roll out the remaining disk of dough and use cookie cutters to cut out stars to cover the surface of the pie. Alternatively cut strips for a lattice pattern on top of your pie. 
5. Brush the pie with egg wash and sprinkle with coarse sugar and cinnamon. 
6. Bake on the middle rack for 20 minutes. Place a foil-lined baking sheet on the rack below to collect any overflowing butter.
7. Reduce oven temperature to 375F (350F convection), loosely tent the pie with foil and bake for an additional 35 minutes (25 convection).
8. Remove foil and bake for a final 5 minutes to ensure a crisp top. 
9. Cool for at least one hour before slicing. Best served with vanilla ice and whipped cream!