Cary Grant’s Classic 4-Ingredient Apple Dessert Recipe Comes From His Grandma

Cary Grant is remembered as Hollywood’s quintessential leading man—the silver screen’s picture of charm and sophistication, starring opposite legends such as Audrey Hepburn, Sophia Loren, and Marilyn Monroe. His image defined an era of elegance and wit that’s still shaping American cinema today.

But his connection to classic Americana doesn’t end with his famous films. There’s something else that’s equally timeless, and all-American: apple pie. As it turns out, Cary Grant carried an apple pie recipe with him that’s now resurfacing as a sweet, unexpected part of his legacy.

Cary Grant’s Apple Pie Recipe

This nostalgic recipe was rediscovered in a nearly century-old cookbook called “125 Recipes of Famous Movie Stars” by the WM. S. Scull Company, and was recently shared by Hollywood Kitchen. Our favorite part? It came straight from Grant’s grandma.

Printed in the pages of the vintage recipe book is a photo of a young, dashing Cary Grant beside the title “Grandma’s Apple Pie.” Like many old-fashioned recipes we’ve found in our grandmother’s recipe boxes, the ingredients and directions are written together in one short, slightly vague paragraph that largely assumes you already know what you’re doing. But that’s part of the charm—and with only four ingredients, it’s really all you need.

In fact, this time-honored dessert, likely more than 125 years old, is about as pared down as an apple pie can get. Sure, you might be tempted to modernize it with extra warming spices, a mix of different apple varieties, or even a glossy egg wash over the top crust. But for a clean, classic, no-frills apple pie, this recipe remains as distinguished as Cary Grant himself.

How To Make Cary Grant’s Grandma’s Apple Pie

To make Grant’s grandma’s recipe, start by coring, peeling, and chopping five apples. (Granny Smith is our baking apple of choice.) Mix them with one cup of sugar and one tablespoon of flour—and that’s your filling. At the very end of the recipe, there’s a small note to sprinkle the apples with cinnamon before adding the top crust, so we’re going to consider that optional.

Making the crust isn’t included in the recipe, so feel free to grab a store-bought one or roll out your own from scratch. You’ll need two crusts: one for the base and one to top the filling. Don’t forget to cut a few vents in the top crust so the steam can escape while baking.

Bake the pie in a “hot oven” for 10 minutes, then lower the temperature to a “moderately heated” oven for 20–30 minutes. By today’s standards, that translates to roughly 425 degrees F for the first stage and 350 degrees F for the second. You’ll know it’s done when the apples are “tender and transparent” when pierced with a fork. And then it’s ready to eat—and maybe pair with a viewing of “The Philadelphia Story.”

So, give this simple, old-fashioned recipe a try the next time you’re craving a truly classic apple pie. Handed down through Cary Grant’s family and now preserved in Hollywood history, it reminds us that even the most polished stars had a soft spot for something sweet and homestyle.