Treat Yourself with the Best Christmas Pies – Tips & Recipes

Well, we all wait for the dessert round to begin expecting a pie to show up! From cartoons we have watched as a kid to Christmas classics, all the movies and shows have stressed pies which were displayed on the table every time a Christmas theme was shot. Perhaps that is why we all grew up feeling that pies are an integral part of the holidays and turn out to be synonymous with the word Christmas.  But if you are someone who is trying it for the first time at home, this article was penned down exclusively Christmas pies recipes for you.

Tips to making the best Christmas pie in the world

1. You should always use cold butter-

Contrary to cupcakes and cookies, in the case of pies, you need the butter to remain frozen and solid at all the stages of baking the pie. In fact, a lot of the texture of the crust of the pie depends on the cold butter. So naturally you understand why we are stressing the fact that you should not allow the butter to melt. However, as we all know, butter is meant to melt and they will as you leave them outside the fridge. Our recommendation to you is to bring them out of the fridge the moment you need to mix them in the dough.

Use ice-cold water to knead the dough and that will help somewhat for the butter to remain cold. Do not overwork the dough as this will create heat! The best place for you to roll the dough is on a cold slab of marble or a kitchen counter. That is why we prefer winters to making pies as the weather favors the process of baking. In the meantime, if you observe that the dough has reached room temperature, there is no harm in popping it into the refrigerator for a while.

2. Then you need to roll the dough so it does not stick to the surface-

Dusting some flour on the surface of the dough will not be enough to prevent the dough from sticking to the surface of the dough. Place a parchment paper or waxed paper between the two layers of rolled dough. The process of scraping from the surface of the slab can be avoided with the aid of wax paper placed at the bottom. Then transporting it to the pie plate will not be difficult at all!

3. The crust needs to be blindly baked-

There are some single-crust Christmas pies that need to be pre-baked so that the surface of the pie or the crust does not turn soggy! Especially if the crust is for a pumpkin pie or peak pie then you need to pre-bake it before or bake it twice otherwise it will not be strong enough to hold the pulpy and fruity content inside. The dough is placed on a pie dish and then lined with either parchment paper or foil paper.

Raw rice or dry beans are dropped in the center. The crust is usually baked at 350°F for twenty minutes and this process is called pre-baking. The weights are removed ( rice or beans) baked for another few minutes and the foil paper is asko discarded! Once the crust turns golden, after about ten to fifteen minutes, it is brought out of the oven.

4. Mix up your apples for an apple pie-

Balance the flavors, you are always expected to mix up the varieties of apples! This way the pie will brother turn out to be too sweet or too sour. A similar concept applies to the texture! While some apples can turn the pie soggy, others will make it too crunchy( the filling we mean).

You can strike a balance between the two with the aid of a combination of more than one kind of apple. You will get both pulpy as well as crunchy essence for the filling with the apple combination that you choose for your pie.

5. Thicken the fruit filling always-

If your fruit filling is too runny, then you will end up with soggy pies! That is exactly what we wish to avoid. Fruits tend to release water as they have high fluid content in the pulp and hence your pies will run the risk of becoming too soggy and wet! Then what can we do about it?

Artificial thickeners like cornstarch or tapioca starch can be added to the fruit pulp as you prepare the filling for the pie. Fruits can also be partially cooked to dry up the fluid which is present in them. This is done in the case of blueberry pies if you have noticed it. Depending on what pie you are making, choose the necessary precautions accordingly.

6. Next you need to design the lattice of the pie-

The lattice of the pie or the top crust is made usually in a criss-cross fashion for the common fruit pies! So now it comes to designing the lattice! You need a parchment paper to design the lattice first and make sure that your dough is cool enough to cut out the strips or it shall end up becoming a huge mess.

7. Brush your pies as the next step-

Once the lattice is done, next comes the process of brushing! What do we mean by that? You can use whole milk or heavy cream to create a matte finish and look for the crust of the pie. Whole eggs or just the yolk is enough to give the glossy shimmer to your pies! Again, depending on your preference, you can choose the kind of finish you want for your pie.

8. Try to bake with a pizza stone-

The oven needs to be preheated if you want your pies to not have a soggy bottom! And to do so you need a pizza stone or baking sheet at the lowest rack of the oven. You need to bake the pie on this extra-hot surface so that the pie turns out to have a crust that is absolutely golden and crisp.

9. The custard fillings must be allowed to jiggle-

In the case of pumpkin or custard pies, these are prone to get burnt very easily and if you wish to avoid the situation then you need to let these pies remain slightly underbaked.

10. Never forget to protect the edges-

The edges of the pies are another crucial part of it that needs to be protected from getting overbaked. A ring of aluminum foil can prevent that from happening.

Discover the Best Christmas Pies: Treat Your Family & Friends

1. The white Christmas pies

Topped with wonderful swirls of whipped cream, the white Christmas pies are simply outstanding and you should give it a try for sure. The almond and vanilla filling tastes so good that you will be rendered simply speechless at the very first bite.

2. Gingerbread cream pie

Lovely and drizzled with great flavors, the gingerbread cream pie is one of a kind. Instead of a gingerbread man, you can choose to go with this pie instead. Everyone will love it!

3. Classic pecan pie

If you are in love with pecans then opt for this crunchy treat! Delicious and gooey, are you ready to give it a try then? What a brilliant option to sway one off their feet. Shall we try out this wonderful Christmas pie recipe then?

4. Dutch apple pie recipe

If you are fond of Apple pies then this Dutch apple pie takes the game to the top-notch! Marvelous and creamy, there is no way you can resist this outstanding treat! Let's not waste a single minute and get started with the preps!

5. Cranberry orange custard pie

Well, there is hardly anything to describe about the cranberry orange custard pie! The juice taste of brilliant chunky cranberries bursting upon your taste buds is a divine experience indeed. Crumbly top and succulent filling, the best duo ever!

6. Maple buttermilk custard pie

The pie has a decorative crust that resembles maple leaves on the edges! Such an innovative way to make your desserts we must admit. The sweet and smooth buttermilk essence is palpable in every bite too. Go for this custard pie already!

7. Snickerdoodle pie recipe

We have brought you this exclusive snickerdoodle pie for Christmas which is so hard to resist indeed. Drizzled with a handsome amount of cinnamon syrup, you shall definitely fall in love with this one already! Go for this recipe already and tell us how it was!

8. Best and easiest berry pie

The crimson red berry pies are an all-time favorite! The best part about this dish is that you will be left wondering why the pie needs to get over. Shall we make it then?

9. Apple crumb cheesecake pie

As if a pie was not enough, the combination of pie and cheesecake will make us land on the moon. Packed with Apple crumbs on top and gooey cheesecake in the middle followed by the crispy crust, it is already bringing water to our mouth.

10. Disney apple caramel pie

If as a kid you always stayed hooked to the cartoons on Disney then you will know what we are exactly talking about. Unravel and explore its flavor this season and let us know how it was!

11. Kentucky Derby pie

The Kentucky Derby pie is another extraordinary treat during the holidays! Full of sweet crumbs and gooey filling, the recipe turns out to be the best. The combination of pecan and chocolate chips is brilliant, so give it a try for sure.

12. French chocolate silk pie recipe

Detachable and fancy, the smooth chocolate silk pie tastes divine! By the look of it, you will know that there is no way you can escape this treat! The perfect surprise for chocolate lovers, go for this one already! Let's go!

13. Chocolate chip cookie pie

All you need are a couple of minutes to come up with this recipe for crumbly chocolate chip pie. Topped with vanilla ice cream, the recipe is outstanding, so there is no way you should miss out on this treat!

14. Eggnog cream pie

Eggnog cream pie is another fantastic recipe that renders you simply speechless! In fact, more than anything we are interested in relishing the eggnog cream pie! So if you make it, please leave some for us! Are we ready to indulge in its blissful taste?

15. Oreo peppermint pie

The rich and luxurious Oreo peppermint pie is ideal to make your holiday season even more exciting and fun-filled. Crumbly and fascinating, how can you think of celebrating the season of Christmas without the presence of peppermint?

16. White chocolate peppermint pie

The lovely duo of white chocolate and peppermint tastes so brilliant indeed. Now it has started to feel like Christmas! If you are in the mood for something sweet and creamy after the meal then go for this dessert right away! Shall we?

17. German chocolate pie

Decadent and luxurious, the German chocolate pie is outstanding! So if you are in the mood for something traditional then we will urge you to not miss out on this recipe. Easy to make and flooded with myriad flavors, go for it already!

18. Cranberry blueberry pie with orange and cinnamon

The combination of orange and cinnamon is lovely! The subtle essence of zesty orange with sweet cranberry tastes so good. Filled with berries, you are definitely going to fall in love with the idea! Shall we then?

19. Chocolate crack pie

The lovely chocolate crack pie wins over every heart! Drizzled with chunky filling, the fudgy, rich brownies are exactly what you will taste in every bite. There is no one who would deny having the combination of pie and brownie. Go for it already!

20. Holiday pie recipe

We are talking about the gorgeous Christmas pies crust that tastes so marvelous indeed! Topped with a crispy crust, and patterns resembling the occasion of Christmas, the pie is outstanding, so go for it right away! Let us know how this turned out to be!

Frequently asked questions associated with making pie for Christmas

1. What is the most important step in making the pie?

The most important step towards making the pie is to prepare the dough with ice-cold water. The butter should be brought out of the oven at the moment right before the process of mixing the dough begins. Contrary to the belief of making cupcakes and cookies with melted butter, you need cold butter in the case of pies.

2. Why did the pie dough turn out to be hard?

If you do not let the pie dough chill and relax properly in the refrigerator then it might happen that when you bake your pie it will turn out to be too dry and hard. The only way you can prevent that from happening is by keeping a record of the duration for which you chill the dough! Overnight is the best solution.

3. What are some of the basic rules that you must follow while making a pie?

There are a couple of things that you need to keep in account as you make the pies! The mixture should be allowed to remain cold at all points. Otherwise, the fat might melt and destroy the entire texture of the crust. Allow as much air to get trapped in the dough as possible to give a flaky texture. The fats will eventually harden as you let it chill.

4. What is the golden rule for making a pie?

The golden rule to baking a pie is to keep the ingredients, bowls, and tools ready!

Bottom Line-

This holiday season, treat yourself to some delicious Christmas pies. Whether you use your family’s traditional recipe or try out something new, there’s no limit to the flavors and shapes you can try. Not sure where to start? Try our top-rated Christmas pies recipes for a sweet and savory delight. And don’t forget to savor every moment with your loved ones, for the best gifts come in the form of time and love. As Marie Curie once said, “Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less.” So embrace the spirit of Christmas and bake something special for your family and friends – and yourself. Merry baking!

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