The Ingredient That Will Change Your Apple Pie Forever

There are few things more American than apple pie. Per Better Homes & Gardens, apple pie became popular in America as immigrants from Dutch and German backgrounds taught the early colonists how to make this delicious dessert that has become synonymous with the red, white, and blue, and has become woven into the culinary fabric of the United States. While many of us may find ourselves enjoying apple pie alongside a big scoop of vanilla ice cream on the Fourth of July, it is also the perfect sweet to eat on a fall evening when apple season is at its peak in September (via The City Cook).

According to Bon Appetit, the key to great apple pie starts with the dough for the pie crust. The outlet notes that you have a lot of control here because you can taste the dough before it even hits the oven. All you have to do is taste the dough to determine if it is lacking in the sweet or savory department. They also reveal that when it comes time to choose your apples for your pie, there is only one apple to go to: peeled, Granny Smith apples. But when it comes to creating your filling for your apple pie, West Elm shares there is one ingredient you need to add because it will change your pie forever, and for the better.

We love apple pie. If you take a look at the 2020 Harris Poll, you would discover that those polled say apple pie tops the charts on their list of pie desserts. But if you want to make a truly creamy apple pie, West Elm recommends adding some sour cream to your filling to give it a "dulce de leche" taste and texture.

According to The Pie Academy, sour cream is a game-changer when it comes to baking up this classic. The pie site goes on to explain that the creamy goodness of the sour cream fills in any space between the apples in the filling making it luxurious and delicious. In fact, they say sour cream will make your apple pie so creamy and yummy that you can skip the whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. Of course, no one says you have to, because who says no to either of those on their pie? The Pie Academy goes on to say the beauty of sour cream in your apple pie is how it makes the filling like custard.

Additionally, Smells Like Home suggests topping off your apple pie with a beautiful crumbly crumb to add another sweet element to this dessert. Sounds like perfection!