National Apple Pie Day 2021: 6 Secret Ingredients To Add For The Best Recipe

It's National Apple Pie Day! Observed annually on May 13, this day celebrates the baked good that has been around since the Middle Ages.

On National Apple Pie Day this Thursday, here are six "secret" ingredients anyone can try to get the best tasting pie, courtesy of King Arthur Baking, Taste of Home, Lynne Curry and online users.

Vinegar

Vinegar is the age-old secret ingredient grandmas use to make the tastiest pies, according to cookbook author Lynne Curry. The acid in the vinegar reacts with the gluten in the dough, making the strands shorter when water is poured into the flour. The result? A flakier dough that's more tender.

Vinegar is also known to make doughs that are easier to mix and roll out, which then prevents them from crumbling or tearing.

Boiled Cider

Boiled cider gives more flavor to a pie, according to King Arthur Baking. This is because the syrup adds an extra layer of apple intensity, making it a signature flavor accent for a variety of baked goods such as pies, dumplings, or tarts.

Those interested can try out the recipe on their website here.

Cardamom

Quora users shared their experiences with cardamom, stating that it intensifies the flavor and works well when mixed with apples.

One user commented, "Along with some other people, I add a bit of cardamom and I also use ginger. This rounds out the cinnamon nicely and enhances the flavor of the apples without overwhelming them in cinnamon."

"I add cardamom. It adds another level of flavor and works really really well with apples. It adds a savory quality that most people will not be able to identify," another wrote.

Firm and Crisp Apples

Regardless of whether they're from the market or picked from a tree in one's backyard, sweet and firm apples are essential in making an apple pie taste amazing. Almost any kind of apple will do, but most recommend buying Honeycrisp, Jonagold, Pink Lady or Rome.

Brown Sugar

Along with cardamom and crisp apples, brown sugar is said to bring a great caramel flavor to one's pie.

"I use some brown sugar as well. The combination of brown sugar & granulated gives a great caramel flavor," said one online user.

Mixing Up Apples

Using more than one kind of apple in a pie can work wonders because the variety in flavor creates a more complex, well-balanced taste. The perfect combination of apples and the right texture is all that one needs.