All-American Apple Pie is a summer favorite, at outdoor BBQ’s for Fourth of July or even Labor Day in the backyard. In this recipe, the classic dessert received an upgrade with the addition of Pfeffersnaps, introducing a gentle yet unexpected kick of heat that brings out the apples’ natural sweetness. Try it once, and standard Apple Pie just won’t do the trick.

Yield: 8 to 10 servings

Ingredients:

—5 large sweet red apples, such as Fuji or Red Delicious, peeled and cut into 1/4” slices

—3/4 cup gently packed light brown sugar

—2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

—2 teaspoons vanilla extract

—1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

—1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

—16 Pfeffersnaps, coarsely chopped

—2 store-bought pie crust sheets

—1-2 tablespoons unsalted butter, diced

—1 egg white, lightly beaten

—Nonstick cooking spray

Method:

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, gently toss the apples, sugar, lemon juice, vanilla extract, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and chopped Pfeffersnaps until evenly distributed.
  3. Lightly coat a glass or ceramic round pie dish with cooking spray. Roll out the first pie crust into the dish, and layer with apple filling.
  4. Unfurl the second pie crust over the filling, and crimp the edges of the crust with a fork to create a tight seal. Use the fork to poke holes into the crust to vent steam, and brush with the egg white.
  5. Bake one hour. Allow to cool before serving.