American Pie

Classic strawberry or blueberry pie is great and all, but this American pie is the edible centerpiece every 4th of July party table needs! Filled with fresh summer fruits and brimming with personality, this is the most festive treat from sea to shining sea! The best part? It's so easy to make. Just be prepared to mediate the fights that will surely break out when people are choosing who gets the stars and who gets the stripes.

The dough:
We’re using our best pie crust recipe here, but feel free to swap in store-bought pie dough for a lower lift (you’ll need 2 boxes). You'll need to cut and shape the pieces so that they fit the baking sheet in a single layer, but don’t re-roll the dough. Re-rolling the dough will overactivate the gluten, resulting in a tough and dense crust, and let’s be honest, there are already enough tough and dense family members at your party.

The fruit:
We opted to use strawberries for the “stripes” here, but you could also use any other red summer berry or pitted cherries (keep in mind that cherries and other darker fruits will be less vibrant than strawberries, and that the tarter the fruit, the more sugar you’ll want to add).

The baking:
The pie crust will look nearly done after the first 20 minutes of baking, but be patient—the pie needs the additional 25 to 30 minutes in the oven for the bottom crust to cook fully. Tenting the pie with foil will keep the crust from becoming too dark as it bakes. Allow the pie to cool at least an hour before serving. We know warm pie sounds divine, but the filling won’t be set up at that point, and you’ll have a sticky mess on your hands! Try serving this pie à la mode with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of fresh whipped cream.

Made this recipe? Let us know how it went in the comments below!