The Book On Pie: Everything You Need to Know to Bake Perfect Pies

Look no further than The Book on Pie for the only baking cookbook on pie you’ll ever want or need.

Erin Jeanne McDowell, New York Times contributing baker extraordinaire and top food stylist, wrote the ultimate dessert cookbook on pie, a comprehensive handbook that distills all you’ll ever need to know for making perfect pies. The Book on Pie starts with the basics, including ways to mix pie dough for extra flaky crusts, storage and freezing, recipe size conversions, and expert tips for decorating and styling, before diving into the hundreds of pie recipes for all the different kinds of pies: fruit, custard, cream, chiffon, cold set, savory, and mini. Find everything from classics like Apple Pie and Pumpkin Pie, to more inspired recipes like Birthday-Cake Pie and Caramel Pork Pie with Chile and Scallions.

Erin also suggests recommended pie doughs and toppings with each recipe for infinitely customizable pies: Mix and match Pumpkin Spice Pie Dough and Dark Chocolate Drippy Glaze with the Pumpkin Pie, or sub in the Chive Compound-Butter Crust for the Croque Madame Pielets … the possibilities are endless. With helpful tips, photographic guides, and inspirations—pie-deas—it’s almost like having Erin in the kitchen baking pies with you.

This comprehensive handbook covers everything from flaky crusts to flawless fillings:

• How to Make Pie Dough: Master multiple doughs, from All-Buttah and Vegan to Gluten-Free and Hot-Water Crust, with step-by-step photographic guides.
• Pie Decorating Techniques: Go beyond a simple crimp with details for lattices, braids, and unique styling—Erin’s signature "pie-deas" for stunning results.
• Classic and Modern Pies: Find vetted recipes for classics like Apple Pie and Lemon Meringue, plus inspired creations like Birthday-Cake Pie and Caramel Pork Pie.
• Customizable Pies: Mix and match dozens of crusts, fillings, and toppings for endless possibilities, with Erin’s recommended pairings to guide you.

“Great news for bakers: Erin Jeanne McDowell has gone all in on pie! Pies of every kind. So many crusts. And instructions as sharp as a lemon’s tang. Erin has an extraordinary talent for explaining—no matter how complex the technique, when she tells us how to do it, we get excited about it, we do it, and we succeed. It’s the McDowell wizardry.”   - Dorie Greenspan, award winning author of Everyday Dorie and Dorie's Cookies

“I am obsessed with Erin Jeanne McDowell’s book. As a non-baker, she has given me intense motivation to make pie—every recipe looks delicious. She’s gifted me bravado—every recipe is so clearly written that I don’t fear failure. And as a food fanatic, Erin has inspired me with both her classic recipes and her more creative flavor combinations.”   - Dana Cowin, host of the Speaking Broadly podcast, and former editor-in-chief of Food & Wine

“Book on Pie is a masterpiece, and so much more than just a cookbook. It’s full of informative recipes in Erin’s signature friendly style and gorgeous photos that take the guesswork out of how to make everything from perfect dough to some of the most beautiful decorative crusts, juicy fruit fillings, and towering gorgeous toppings I’ve ever seen. This book has something for everyone, from a beginning pie maker looking to learn the basics to a seasoned one looking to take their pies to the next level. I know I’ll be baking from it for years to come!” - Yossy Arefi, author of Sweeter off the Vine and Snacking Cakes

“With her friendly, hand-holding instructions and photos of exactly what your doughs and fillings should (and shouldn’t) look like, Erin Jeanne McDowell has done away with every worry that can vex and intimidate new pie bakers. In the world of The Book on Pie, with Erin cheering for you, pie is easy, pie is fun, pie is anything you want it to be.”  - Kristen Miglore, creative director of Genius Food52 and author of Genius Recipes

“With this tome, destined to become the pie-baking bible for many generations to come, Erin Jeanne McDowell takes us on the magnificent journey that made her fall in love with pie. Erin adeptly interweaves the love of home baking with the precision of professional pastry, all the while empowering the reader to be a better baker, without a hint of intimidation. By the end of making your first recipe, you won’t be able to decide what you love more: your newly acquired pie skills or Erin herself. For me, it’s a tie.”   - Umber Ahmad, founder of Mah-Ze-Dahr Bakery

"McDowell. . .hits the mark in this expert guide to pie making. . .Must-bake highlights include a stunning blood orange brûlée pie and a free-form domed white chocolate-peppermint pie generously topped with fluffy meringue, and a shrimp boil pie, consisting of potatoes, shrimp, sausage, and corn atop puff pastry. The author’s informative yet laid-back spirit permeates the work, and her love of teaching pie baking comes through the pages. “Whys of Pies” sidebars—along with enticing photos by Mark Weinberg—share helpful information. . .This is a top-notch go-to for all things pie." - Publishers Weekly