Chemical Apple Pie (No-Apple Apple Pie)

Ingredients

• 14.1 oz double-crust pie pastry (1 package, thawed)
• 2 cup water
• 1.5 cup white sugar
• 1.5 tsp cream of tartar
• 25 buttery round crackers (such as Ritz)
• 0.5 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 tbsp butter (cut into small pieces for dotting)

Steps

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 450°F (225°C).

2. 2

   Roll out the pastry dough. Place the bottom pastry crust into a pie pan and set aside.

3. 3

   Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a large saucepan.

4. 4

   In a small bowl, mix together the white sugar and cream of tartar.

5. 5

   Add the sugar and cream of tartar mixture to the boiling water. Stir to combine.

6. 6

   Add the 25 buttery round crackers to the boiling water one at a time. Boil for 3 minutes; do not stir the mixture during this time.

7. 7

   Carefully pour the cracker and syrup mixture into the pastry-lined pie pan.

8. 8

   Sprinkle the crackers evenly with ground cinnamon and dot the surface with the 2 tablespoons of butter.

9. 9

   Cover the pie with the top pastry crust. Seal the edges tightly and cut steam vents in the top of the crust.

10. 10

    Bake in the preheated oven until the crust is golden brown, about 30 minutes. You may need to cover the edges or top pastry with foil partway through baking to prevent over-browning or burning.

Notes

To achieve a signature golden brown crust, ensure the edges are well-sealed. For a crisper crust, you can extend the baking time by 10-15 minutes. This recipe is also known as 'Mock Apple Pie' and was popularized during times of apple scarcity.

Nutrition per serving

• dessert
• pie
• baked
• vegetarian
• mock apple pie
• novelty
• American