From the Ann Koehler Kitchen: 101 Years of Family Favorites: Grandma Koehler’s Apple Pie Filling

As the Christ Lutheran Church prepares for their annual Turkey Dinner, I can’t help but think of Grandma Ann Koehler, who always loved helping cut and make pies for the big day. Getting off the bus after school, what I can only describe as some form of torture, was her house smelling of cinnamon, apples, and goodness yet we had to wait until Sunday before we could dive into the pie ourselves!

One of her go-to pies was making an apple pie made with tart Wolf River Apples, a variety she swore by for their tart flavor and perfect texture. But she also had no shame in admitting she preferred using a store-bought crust. “They taste just as good and taste great every time!” she’d say with a grin.

Grandma Koehler’s Apple Pie

Ingredients:

• 1 prepared pie crust (store-bought or homemade)

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

• 3 lbs (about 7 cups) tart apples, such as Wolf River or Granny Smith

• 1 cup sugar + 2 tablespoons, divided

• ¼ cup all-purpose flour

• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

• ½ teaspoon cloves

• ¾ teaspoon salt

• 1 cup heavy cream

• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

  
  

Instructions:

1. Prepare the crust: Roll out your pie crust and fit it into a glass pie plate. Shape the edge about 1 inch above the rim. Cover and refrigerate until ready to fill (up to 1 day ahead).

2. Preheat oven to 450°F

3. Slice the apples: Pour lemon juice into a large bowl. Peel, core, and thinly slice apples (no thicker than ½ inch). Toss with lemon juice to prevent browning.

4. Mix the filling: In a separate bowl, whisk together 1 cup sugar, flour, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. Pour this over the apples and toss until evenly coated.

5. Assemble: Spoon the apple mixture into the crust, pressing gently to pack them down.

6. Add the cream mixture: Stir vanilla into the heavy cream, then pour evenly over the apples. Sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar on top.

7. Bake: Place the pie on a foil- or parchment-lined baking sheet to catch any drips.

   • Bake at 450°F for 15 minutes.

   • Reduce heat to 350°F and bake another 55–65 minutes, until the crust is golden and the filling jiggles slightly but doesn’t slosh.

   • Cover loosely with foil if the apples brown too quickly.

8. Cool: Let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 6 hours.

9. Serve: Enjoy cold or at room temperature, preferably with a scoop of Blue Bunny vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

Don’t forget — the Christ Lutheran Turkey Dinner & Silent Auction takes place this Sunday!

Serving begins at 10:30 AM following the 9:00 AM service, with dine-in or carry-out options. Stop in for a homemade meal, great company, and maybe a slice of pie just like Grandma used to make.

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