Recipes: John Adams and Apple Pan Dowdy

John Adams’s wife Abigail was noted for making Apple Pan Dowdy, a colonial‐era favorite.  

The Ingredients

• tart apples (about 6 medium)
• sugar (white or brown)
• cinnamon, nutmeg, salt
• molasses (sometimes used)
• butter or shortening for pastry/topping
• pastry crust (top & bottom, or biscuit style top)

The Process

1. Preheat oven (~400°F, reducing later)
2. Peel, core, and slice apples, toss with sugar, spices, a bit of salt, and possibly molasses or water.
3. Line a baking dish with a bottom crust or close variation; fill with apple mixture.
4. Cover with top crust or biscuit topping. Seal edges.
5. Bake initially at higher temp to set crust, then reduce heat to finish until apples are tender and crust browned.

Sources: National Park Service and The National Archives