I made this pie today for dinner with Liz, Ron, and Ethan. Ron, who said he doesn’t usually like apple pie, said that he actually really liked this one. Liz had two pieces, which would suggest she liked it too. Ethan nodded approvingly that Grandma had brought pie but preferred nursing instead.

The key to any pie sweetened with honey or agave is to heat the sweetener and the cornstarch together first to ensure the cornstarch dissolves into the honey, then add the spices, and then the fruit. Let everything simmer for a bit so that the cornstarch and spices thoroughly coat the fruit. Otherwise, it won’t set up correctly and you’ll have a runny pie filling. (I know this from experience, believe me.)

I enjoyed my piece too. After all, it’s hard to beat a good apple pie.

Honey-Sweetened Apple Pie

Ingredients

• Double-crust pie dough (I used Marie Callender’s frozen pie crusts)
• 5 medium apples (2 pounds or about 8 cups sliced apples) 
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon allspice
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (6 ounces) raw honey
• 1/4 cup maple sugar
• 1/8 cup agave syrup

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment or foil and set aside.
2. Prepare a double pie crust or open up a package of two Marie Callender’s frozen crusts.
3. Prepare the apples by peeling and slicing them into 1/2 to 3/4-inch slices. Place in a large bowl.
4. Combine cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and salt with all the sweeteners in a saucepan. Heat over medium heat until slightly thick. Add apples and stir until the spices are coating all the apple pieces. Turn off the heat and add lemon juice, vanilla flavoring, and two tablespoons of butter. Toss well to combine. Spread the apple filling evenly over the bottom crust.
5. Roll out the top crust on a well-floured counter and slice to make lattice pieces. Weave the pieces into a lattice design on top of the apples.
6. Bake pie at 375 degrees F on a baking sheet lined with parchment or foil for approximately 45 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbly. Watch closely the last 10 or 15 minutes to ensure the crust isn’t browning too quickly. If it is, tent the pie with a piece of foil to slow the browning process.
7. Remove the pie from the oven and let cool. The filling will set and thicken as it cools. This pie is delicious served at room temperature or warm.

Below is a photo of the pie I made today. Not the prettiest latticing job I’ve ever done, but it still tasted just fine.