Here’s your mystery apple pie. Your kids will keep guessing what’s in the pie. Don’t tell them that this is a healthier pie. It has eggs and applesauce and oats. But it’s still a very good pie.

Because there are fewer apples to peel and slice and because you don’t have a top crust, this is quicker and easier than a traditional apple pie.

We’ve enjoyed this pie served warm with whipped cream and served chilled without the whipped cream.

Ingredients

1 nine-inch unbaked pie shell
3 large eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
3/4 cup applesauce
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup quick rolled oats
1/2 tablespoon cinnamon
3 cups apples, cored, peeled, and sliced

For the topping

1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup walnut pieces

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

1. Mix the eggs, sour cream, applesauce, sugars, salt, rolled oats, and cinnamon together. Stir the apple slices in. Set aside.
2. With a pastry blender, mix the 1/4-cup brown sugar, flour, butter, and walnut pieces in a small bowl to make the topping. Set aside.
3. Pour the filling mixture into the pie shell. Spoon the topping over the filling.
4. Cover the edges of the pie shell with aluminum foil. Bake for 30 minutes. Uncover the edges and bake for another 30 minutes or until done.

Baker’s note: As with most fruit pies, the secret of getting a crisp bottom crust is heat. Set the shelf for the bottom half of the oven closer to the heating element. Use a dark metal pie pan so that the pan absorbs, rather than reflects, heat.