Get Creative With Your Apple Pie And Add These Fillings And Toppings

With Thanksgiving right around the corner, it's time to start preparing to make that homemade apple pie that's a staple in so many households over the holidays. To find out everything we need to know about making a homemade apple pie stand out, Daily Meal spoke with an expert: Meghan Brophy, the Executive Pastry Chef at Pastis Miami.

If you want to make an apple pie that is sure to be memorable, then you'll want to get creative with the fillings and toppings. One unexpected ingredient that Brophy recommends? Cheddar cheese. Brophy says, "[It's] popular in both the Northeast and the Midwest. The cheese can provide a savory contrast to the sweetness of the apples for a more complex flavor profile." It's true — despite seeming like an unconventional match for a dessert, there are plenty of recipes out there that integrate cheddar cheese into the classic dessert. Some recipes fold the grated cheddar into the pie crust dough, while others — including Daily Meal's own cheddar apple pie — simply grate the cheese over the top of the dough toward the end of the baking time.

Brophy also recommends using a combination of egg wash and coarse sugar on the top of the pie to "create a crunchy top layer [that provides] added texture and a beautiful finish." Whether or not you choose to add cheddar cheese, the egg wash and coarse sugar are easily a must for a truly stand-out pie.

There's no denying that a classic apple pie is one delicious dessert. But, if you want to switch things up, then one fun and tasty way to do that is to integrate other fruits into the dessert for a fusion pie — and Meghan Brophy has some suggestions for which fruits will work well.

Brophy says, "Cranberries are a nice seasonal addition to apple pie that can provide added tartness and color contrast throughout the pie." If you like this idea and are open to adding in a couple of other key ingredients, then you can look to our recipes for an apple-cranberry walnut pie or a pear, double cranberry, and apple lattice pie.

There's also the option of adding dried fruits. Brophy explains, "Dried fruits such as raisins and apricots can provide additional texture and will absorb some of the liquid during baking, taking on the various flavors within the pie filling." It's true that raisins — as well as other fruity flavors such as blueberries or an apricot glaze — are some of the best ingredients that will take your apple pie up a notch.