Applesauce Pie

I was looking for a dessert recipe that would use more than a cup of applesauce and would be something a little different than what I have recently tried. I remembered someone once talking about a "fabulous" applesauce pie they had had, so I started researching, not expecting to find many options.

Wrong. A search for applesauce pie turned up dozens of recipes. With a little tweaking and a few additions to adapt to my preference for slightly spicy apple dishes, I ended up with this pie that is a very nice alternative to the usual apple dessert. If you like custards, the consistency of this dessert will really please you. My guess is that it is at its very best served warm, perhaps with a little ice cream on top, but chilled with a piece of good cheddar cheese won't make anyone unhappy either.

Oh, and one more thing--this is really very easy, since there is very little fruit preparation involved. If a pre-made pie shell is used, you could put this together and into the oven within 15 minutes or less.

Applesauce Pie

9 inch pie shell, unbaked
1/4 c very soft butter
1 c sugar
2 c unsweetened applesauce
2 large or extra large eggs (see NOTE)
1 t vanilla
1 t cinnamon plus some for sprinkling on top
1/2 t nutmeg
1/2 t ginger

1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2.  Cream the butter and sugar until very light.
3.  Stir in the remaining ingredients and beat until completely mixed. Pour into the prepared pie shell and sprinkle generously with cinnamon.
4.  Bake the pie for 15 minutes at 400 degrees and then turn the temperature down to 350 degrees and bake for another 30 to 35 minutes, until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. If the edges of the crust begin to brown too quickly, cover them with strips of aluminum foil.

NOTE:  I used home-cooked applesauce which is quite thick. If you are using purchased applesauce that is runny, you may want to use a third egg to be sure the mixture thickens.