Pies are holiday classics that pick up the flavors of the season with different fillings depending on the time of the year. According to Hall, pies are the perfect dessert because “if the crust is done properly, you get the texture of a cookie in a flaky crust, but you get some fruitiness in the pie.” As we look toward the Thanksgiving holiday, some of our fall favorites include pecan pie, pumpkin pie, and the all-American apple pie.
The key to an excellent pie crust that is both delicious and accessible to make is grating cold butter into the batter. This preparation ensures that the butter melts directly into the flour, creating that sought-after flakey texture. Cooking with the fruits and squash of the season ensures that the pie’s flavor will be elevated by the ripeness of the produce, the crisp intensity of the apple slices, and the tenderness of the pumpkin.