Apple Pie with Cheddar and Thyme Crust

Start with the pie dough. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a blade, combine the flour, thyme, sugar, salt, and black pepper. Add in the butter and cheese and pulse to combine. Working quickly while pulsing, add ice water to the dough until the dough starts to come together. 

Transfer the dough from the bowl onto a floured surface. Form it into a disc and wrap it in plastic. Refrigerate the dough for 2 to 24 hours. Once chilled, save ⅓ of the dough in the fridge for the top layer. Roll the other ⅔ of the dough into an approximately 12-inch circle that’s ¼ inch thick.

Place the rolled dough in a pie plate, pressing it into the bottom and sides and leaving about ½-inch extra dough along the edge of the plate. Pour the Bonne Maman Apple Pie Filling into the crust, and gently spread it into an even layer. Crimp the excess crust into your desired style.

Keep the pie in the freezer as you prepare the top layer. Remove the reserved ⅓ of dough from the fridge. Re-flour your work surface and roll the dough out to the same ¼-inch thickness.

If you’re decorating with a cookie cutter (ours was leaf-shaped), cut out as many shapes as you can to create a border 2–3 inches wide around the top of the pie. Preheat the oven to 400°F, remove the filled pie crust from the freezer, and brush its border with egg wash. Start to build your pie crust by using the egg wash as glue, joining pieces together to form a wreath-like shape. Cover all leaves (or other cookie-cutter shapes) with egg wash and sprinkle them with turbinado sugar.

Place the pie dish on a baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes. Cover with aluminum foil or a pie shield and bake for 20 more minutes, until the filling is bubbling and the crust is golden. Allow the pie to cool for at least an hour, or refrigerate it overnight before serving. The pie will keep for up to five days in the refrigerator.