One of two pies I made for Thanksgiving this year! The other pie was your basic run-of-the-mill pumpkin pie, so I won't waste your time or spam up your submissions with that, but this one is special to me because it's the first apple pie I've made in a while, and I'm very happy with how it came out. What makes it unique is that dried cranberries are mixed in with the apple filling, and the lattice crust on top is coated with a cinnamon sugar topping, making it crunch and taste kinda like you're biting into a churro! :D

HERE'S WHATCHA NEED:

2 9-inch pre-made pie crusts
2 tablespoons lemon juice
4 granny smith apples
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons of cornstarch
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup dried cranberries

1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

HERE'S WHATCHA GOTTA DO:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Press one of the pie pastries into a 9-inch pie plate; reserve the remaining pastry for later.
2. Pour the lemon juice into a container that's large enough for the apples and fill halfway with cold water. Peel and slice the apples, then place in lemon water so they do not oxidize and turn brown; set aside for now.
3. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the flour and cornstarch to form a paste. Stir in the 2 tablespoons of water along with the vanilla extract, 1/2 cup white sugar, brown sugar, 1 teaspoon of the cinnamon and nutmeg; bring to a simmer. Drain the apples and add them to the sugar mixture along with the cranberries. Cook and stir 5 minutes; remove from heat and allow mixture to cool slightly.
4. Pour the fruit into the pie plate. Using a knife, slice the 2nd pie pastry into 1-inch strips. Press the strips on top of the fruit, weaving them together to make a lattice design. Discard any unneeded strips of pastry. Stir together the remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon; sprinkle over the pie, crust and fruit.
5. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes; then reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and continue baking until the top crust is golden brown, 35 to 40 minutes.

Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, and enjoy!