Table of contents

• Little “Bite” of History
• Related Recipes
• Vintage 80’s Cookbooks

Here is a look at a few favorite Libby’s pumpkin recipes from the 1980’s. I’ve taken a few classic vintage recipes from Libby’s Favorite Pumpkin Recipes (1984) and The Great Pumpkin Cookbook” (1984). There is also a classic version of their pumpkin cheesecake and pumpkin nut bread.

Little “Bite” of History

• Libby started processing pumpkin in 1929. They use their own strain of “Dickinson” pumpkin exclusively for the solid pack pumpkin. This variety is smaller and sweeter than standard “jack o’lantern” type pumpkins.
• When processing the pumpkin puree, LIBBY does not add anything to the solid pack pumpkin and some of the water is removed to concentrate the pumpkin to yield a rich, creamy texture and fresh flavor.

Libby’s Favorite Pumpkin Recipes (1984), is a beloved classic leaflet style cookbook with pumpkin recipes ranging from baked goods like muffins, cheesecake, and more. Here is their famous pumpkin pie recipe along with 13 variations you can make like Peanut Butter Pumpkin Pie or Coconut Chiffon Pumpkin Pie, or Square Pumpkin Pie. Any of these would make a perfect fall dessert and of course a showstopper on your Thanksgiving table.

This Libby’s “The Great Pumpkin Cookbook” (1984), is full of pumpkin recipes ranging from main dishes, to baked goods and more! This vintage cookbook helps home cooks preserve culinary practices of the 1980s with simple, made from scratch food. Here’s a cherished classic original recipe for Libby’s Original Pumpkin Pie.

This original recipe for Libby’s Pumpkin Roll is from my 1984 “The Great Pumpkin Cookbook“. It makes for a great Thanksgiving dessert alternative to Libby’s Famous Pumpkin Pie.

This original recipe for Libby’s Pumpkin Cheesecake has a classic graham cracker crust with a layer of creamy pumpkin pie filling and topped with sour cream topping. A Thanksgiving dessert alternative to Libby’s Famous Pumpkin Pie.

Related Recipes

• Lincoln’s Favorite Cake
• Libby’s “The Great Pumpkin Cookbook” (1984)
• Libby’s Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe
• The Pumpkin Cookbook (1998)
• Pumpkin Bars

Vintage 80’s Cookbooks

Tried any of these recipes? Leave a comment below!

Follow us on social to see more of our cozy collection curated for nostalgic bakers who love looking at vintage cookbooks, original vintage recipes, and retro magazine clippings.

Pinterest Facebook Instagram TikTok YouTube

As an Amazon Associate, I may include affiliate links to recommend products I like to use or suggest and may receive a small commission at no cost to you. Please see my full disclosure for more details.

This post includes original cookbook images and text excerpts shared for educational and historical purposes. All rights belong to the original publisher. Any commentary, notes, or recipe adaptations are my own and reflect my professional baking experience in a commercial kitchen. I am not a licensed medical professional and do not provide medical advice.

All modern recipe adaptations and photography © 2026 Vintage Baked Modern LLC. Please do not copy or reproduce without permission.

The post Libby’s Pumpkin Recipes: 1980’s appeared first on Vintage Baked Modern.

Table of contents

• Ingredients to make Apple Cranberry Pie
• Make your own ingredients
• Storage
• Related Recipes
• More pie recipes
• Cookbook Collection

Apple Cranberry Pie combines natural ingredients like a blend of juicy apples, tart cranberries, and homemade apple pie spice, nestled in a flaky, all-butter lattice crust. I was inspired to make this by a classic cranberry-apple pie recipe featured in Farm Journal’s Best-Ever Pies 1981 cookbook, and also wanted a twist on my traditional apple pie. As the fall season sets in and we start to crave a warm, cozy slice of pie, be sure to add this quintessential Thanksgiving dessert your new holiday family favorite this year.

My vintage inspiration.

My vintage inspiration for this apple cranberry pie recipe came from a recipe for cranberry-apple pie in my copy of Farm Journal’s Best-Ever Pies (1981). Their recipe states…”One of those pies you’ll want to bake all winter long. Delicious whether you serve it plain or with a scoop of ice cream.” I couldn’t agree more this pie is perfect for Thanksgiving or on a cold winter day.

My modern modifications to the original recipe included: using Instant ClearJel instead of cornstarch, adding more fruit for a full pie, adding brown sugar in addition to white sugar for more sweetness, added apple pie spice to enhance the warmth of flavors, added orange juice in addition to the orange zest to give it some zing.

I also have been inspired to make other recipes from my vintage Farm Journal cookbooks like Old Fashioned Lemon Meringue Pie from “Farm-Journal’s Complete Pie Cookbook” (1965), and my Oatmeal Apricot Cookie from “Freezing and Canning Cookbook” (1963).

Try another recipe inspired by the book Peach Slab Pie

Ingredients to make Apple Cranberry Pie

Crust

• All-purpose unbleached flour is made by grinding the seeds of the wheat plant and removing the bran and germ. It has a moderate protein content of 10-12%, making it a versatile option for baking cookies, cakes, and pastries.
• Sugar is derived from sugarcane and provides sweetness to baked goods. The most common type being granulated white sugar. Cane sugar is a natural option that is less processed with a slightly courser texture.
• Butter is made from churned cream that contains 80% butterfat. European butter is churned longer and has a higher fat content (82%-85%), which is why it yields more flavor.
• Pink salt is a type of rock salt that contains trace minerals, adding nutrients to baked goods.
• Vodka is a distilled alcoholic beverage made from grains or potatoes. Adding vodka to pie crust will give it a flaky, tender texture because the alcohol prevents the gluten from developing.

Filling

• Apples like Jonagold, Jonathan and Granny Smith. Jonagold and Jonathan apples for the best combination of flavor and texture. Jonagold and Jonathan apples have balance of both sweet and tart flavor with a firm texture. Granny Smith apples are very tart, and firm, making them ideal for baking since they aren’t as mushy.
• Cranberries are a tart, slightly bitter fruit that grow on low vines in bogs. When harvested in the fall by flooding the bogs, the berries float to the top of the water. Use whole, fresh or frozen cranberries in the pie.
• Oranges are a citrus fruit that add a bright, zesty flavor to savory and sweet foods. Using both the zest and the juice enhances the flavor and helps balance the sweetness of the apples and tartness of the cranberries.
• Instant ClearJel is a modified food starch used as a thickener, stabilizer, and gelling agent, used for pie fillings creating a clear, smooth texture rather than cloudy. In baked goods it helps retain moisture and produces a light, tender texture. Use cornstarch as a substitution if ClearJel is hard to find. For every 1 T. of cornstarch, use 1 1/2 T. ClearJel. For every 2 T. flour or tapioca, use 1 T. ClearJel. You can find it online here.
• Brown sugar is granulated sugar with molasses added, providing deep flavor and moisture to baked goods. Light brown sugar contains 3.5% molasses, while dark brown sugar has 6.5% giving a more robust flavor profile.
• Apple pie spice is readily available in stores and usually contain a blend of spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, mace and cloves.

Make your own ingredients

• Apple Pie Spice: Just mix a few staple fall spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cardamom, and allspice for a custom rich blend. Here is my recipe for Apple Pie Spice blend.

Homemade Apple Pie Spice

Check out this recipe

Dietary Substitutions

For the past 12+ years, I have owned an all-natural specialty bakery converting conventional recipes to gluten free, vegan, wholesome, etc. You can read more about my pro-baking here.

Here are a few basic tips when converting conventional recipes into specialty baked goods.

• Shelf Life: Specialty baked goods tend to dry out faster and have a shorter shelf life than conventional baked goods. Store in an airtight container on counter for 1 – 2 days. For longer storage, freeze up to 6 months. Avoid refrigerating, as it can dry out baked goods.
• Let Batter Rest: Alternate flours can be dense or slightly gritty compared to white flour, so be sure to let the batter rest at least 15 minutes or overnight in the refrigerator before baking. This allows the flour to fully hydrate and produce a lighter, tender crumb.
• Oven Temperature: Alternative flours are delicate and tend to brown faster before the center is cooked through. Reduce oven to 325° and bake “low and slow,” adding a few extra minutes of bake time if needed.

Gluten-Free (no gluten)

• Flour: Swap out the flour with a premium gluten-free flour such as King Arthur Measure for Measure or use a homemade gluten-free flour blend. Be sure the flour blend contains xanthan gum or add 1/4 tsp. to 1/2 tsp. per every 1 cup of flour to the recipe.
• Hydration: Gluten free flours can make baked goods dense. Add 1 tablespoon of additional extra liquid (the same liquid called for in the recipe) to help lighten the texture.
• Fat: Add up to 1 to 2 Tbsp of additional fat, such as butter or oil to the recipe.

Vegan/Dairy Free (no animal products)

• Butter: Use unsalted vegan butter sticks such as Violife for best flavor and texture.
• Dairy: Replace dairy with unsweetened plant based milk such as oat, coconut or almond milk.
• Eggs: Replace each egg by adding 1 tsp. baking soda to the batter, then pour 1 Tbsp. white vinegar over it. Add the vinegar last though, to keep the leavening reaction.
• Fat: Add up to 1 to 2 Tbsp of additional fat like oil or vegan butter to the recipe.

Keto (low carb, high fat)

• Flour: Swap the white flour for almond flour or coconut flour.
• Sweetener: Replace sugar with Lakanto Monkfruit Sweetener which calls for a 1:1swap that mimics granulated sugar.
• Dairy: Replace dairy with unsweetened plant based milk such as coconut or almond milk.
• Hydration: Almond flour can make baked goods dense. Add 1 -2 tablespoons of additional extra liquid (the same liquid called for in the recipe) to help lighten the texture. Add 1 additional egg to help bind the batter.
• Fat: Add up to 2 Tbsp of additional fat, such as butter or oil to the recipe.

Wholesome (minimally processed)

• Flour: Swap out 1/3 to 1/2 of the white flour with King Arthur white whole wheat flour or King Arthur 100% whole wheat flour or Bob’s oat flour.
• Sweetener: Replace white sugar with maple syrup or honey. Use 3/4 c. honey for every 1 c. sugar. You can also swap out the white sugar with 1:1 swap using natural cane sugar, coconut sugar or date sugar.
• Dairy: Replace dairy with unsweetened plant based milk such as oat, coconut or almond milk.
• Lower Fat: For every 1 c. of butter, use 3/4 c. heart-healthy oil (like canola or extra-light olive) OR 1/2 c. unsweetened applesauce + 1/2 c. oil.

Allergen Free (none of the 9 allergens)

• Flour: Swap out the flour with a premium gluten-free flour such as King Arthur Measure for Measure or use a homemade gluten-free flour blend that does not contain tree nuts or soy. Be sure the flour blend contains xanthan gum or add 1/4 tsp. to 1/2 tsp. per every 1 cup of flour to the recipe. Here is a list of some other gluten-free flours to try.
• Butter: Use unsalted vegan butter sticks such as Violife for best flavor and texture. Add up to 1 to 2 Tbsp of additional fat like oil or vegan butter to the recipe.
• Dairy: Replace dairy with unsweetened plant based milk such as oat or coconut milk. Check the labels to make sure they are soy-free and nut-free.
• Eggs: Replace each egg by adding 1 tsp. baking soda to the batter, then pour 1 Tbsp. white vinegar over it. Add the vinegar last though, to keep the leavening reaction.
• Nuts: Omit all peanuts and tree nuts (almonds, brazil nuts, cashews, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, pecans, pine nuts, pistachios, or walnuts.

Storage

Baked Pie: After the pie is baked, cover pie and leave on counter up to 3 days. You can also freeze a pie that has been baked up to 6 months.

Unbaked Pie: Cover pie with saran wrap or foil. Place covered pie in a freezer-safe container up to 6 months. Bake pie straight from freezer and add additional baking time as needed.

Print

Apple Cranberry Pie

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword 1980’s, pies

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 50 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Equipment

• food processor
• apple slicer & corer
• measuring cups & spoons
• food chopper
• pastry wheel
• mini-cookie cutters
• pastry mat
• rolling pin
• pie weights
• pie shield
• pie plate

Ingredients

CRUST

• 2 c. unbleached flour
• 2 tsp. sugar
• 1 tsp. salt
• 12 T. butter cold & diced into cubes
• ⅓ c. ice cold water
• 1 T. vodka (or lemon juice or white vinegar)

PIE FILLING

• 4 c. apples sliced or diced
• 3 c. cranberries fresh or frozen
• ½ c. sugar
• ¼ c. brown sugar
• 2 T. Instant ClearJel or cornstarch
• 2 T. orange zest
• 2 T. orange juice
• 2 tsp. Apple Pie Spice
• 2 T. diced butter
• pinch salt

Instructions

PREP

• Prep apples by slicing or cutting into bite-size pieces and set aside.
• Prep cranberries by chopping into large bite-size pieces and set aside.
• Dice up butter into small cubes and put in freezer until making the crust.
• Place ice cubes in glass of water and set aside.

CRUST

• Place flour, sugar, and salt into food processor. Add cold butter, water, and vodka and pulse just until the dough comes together (crumbly).
• Pour out the crust onto a piece of saran wrap, cut in half and shape into (2) round disks. Refrigerate 10-20 minutes if using right away or overnight.
• Pull out first disk for the bottom crust and roll between 2 sheets of parchment paper with enough to hang 1” over your pie pan. Roll out 1/8" thick, use a rolling pin to ensure even layer. Trim excess dough off with paring knife and crimp edge using your fingers or a fork.
• Once you roll out the bottom crust, place it in fridge to ensure the crust from shrinking. Place back in fridge until use. Follow this same process again with the other disk.
• Roll out the second (top) crust. Use a pastry cutter to cut into 10 (1") strips. Cut strips 1" wide with ruler and knife or pastry cutter. Place strips in a weave pattern on a flat baking sheet lined with parchment paper and put back in fridge until ready to use.
• For the top crust cut out decorative shapes with pie cutters or mini cookie cutters and place in fridge until ready to assemble pie.
• To prevent a soggy crust, dust bottom crust with thickening agent (clear jel or tapioca) and then brush lightly with egg wash (1 egg+1 T. cream) and pierce pie shell with fork.

MAKE PIE FILLING

• Place apples, sugar, brown sugar, ClearJel, orange zest and juice, apple pie spice, salt, and stir until incorporated.

ASSEMBLE PIE

• Pull out the bottom crust from refrigerator.
• Pour filling into crust, top with diced butter spread around.
• Place the lattice crust on top of the filling.
• Place decorative shapes on top of lattice crust with a dab of egg wash.
• Brush pie with egg wash and sprinkle with course sanding sugar. Place assembled pie in fridge to chill for 10 minutes.

BAKE

• Bake pie at 400° for 15 minutes. Reduce oven to 375°, cover crust with a pie protector or foil rim around the edge and bake an additional 45-50 minutes.
• Watch to see when pie starts to bubble, remove the pie protector and bake 5 more minutes.

Related Recipes

• Cowboy Cookies with Peanut Butter
• Old-Fashioned Apple Pie
• Cranberry Oatmeal White Chip Cookies
• Cranberry Harvest Muffins
• Classic Granola

More pie recipes

Cookbook Collection

Tried this recipe? Leave a comment below!

Follow us on social to see more of our cozy collection curated for nostalgic bakers who love looking at vintage cookbooks, original vintage recipes, and retro magazine clippings.

Pinterest

Facebook

Instagram

This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I recommend products I like to use or suggest and may receive a small commission at no cost to you. Please see my full disclosure for more details.

This post includes original cookbook images and text excerpts from Farm Journal’s Best-Ever Pies (1981), shared for educational and historical purposes. All rights belong to the original publisher.

Any commentary, notes, or recipe adaptations are my own and reflect my professional baking experience in an FDA-inspected, commercial kitchen. I am not a licensed medical professional and do not provide medical advice.

All modern recipe adaptations and photography © 2025 Vintage Baked Modern LLC. Please do not copy or reproduce without permission.

Leave a comment below and let me know how it turned out for you!

This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link. Please see our full disclosure for further information.

The post Apple Cranberry Pie appeared first on Vintage Baked Modern.

Table of contents

• Dietary Substitutions
  • How to make granola bars from granola
• Related Recipes
  • Try these other granola recipes
• 1980’s Vintage Cookbooks

This Classic Granola “build your own” is simple to put together using pantry staples like oats, nuts and seeds, along with dried fruit and warm spices. It’s perfect to top of a bowl of yogurt for a quick breakfast or grab a handful for an afternoon snack. When making granola you always want to use all-natural ingredients that start in their whole form to maximize their health benefits. From healthy to sweet, soft or crunchy, putting together a classic granola depends on what ingredients you have on hand and the flavors you like.

Granola is still believed to be a wholesome snack made popular in the late 1960’s-1970’s during the hippie movement. My vintage inspiration for this recipe is from a vintage 1980’s La Leche League cookbook.  

Whole Foods for the Whole Family (1981), by the La Leche League International, is filled with vintage wholesome recipes for breakfast, lunches, and desserts. Here is an original recipe for one pan granola inspired from this cookbook.

If your looking to try some other tasty varieties here is a recipe for my Cranberry Almond Granola or Cherry Superfood Granola.

Dietary Substitutions

Making granola can be very versatile and you can basically swap out the ingredients to fit your dietary needs.

For the oil, you can substitute out really any oil that works for your dietary needs. Coconut oil or butter also work great in this recipe.

If you need to avoid certain types of nuts like tree nuts, swap out the almonds and coconut with peanuts or seeds like sunflower seeds or hemp seeds.

If you have a tree nut allergy, this is a list of them to avoid: almonds, walnuts, pecans, cashews, hazelnuts, brazil nuts, pistachios, macadamia nuts, chestnuts and coconut.

How to make granola bars from granola

To make granola bars: In a saucepan combine 1/2 c. peanut butter, 1/4 c. honey, 2 T. butter, and 2 T. brown sugar and heat until it boils. Then add 2 1/2 c. prepared granola into the hot mixture and pour into greased 8×8 pan. Add 1/2 c. semisweet chocolate chips on the top. Chill for 1 hour and cut into bars.

Print

Classic Granola

This Homemade Granola is a healthy mix of oats, nuts, seeds, dried fruit, natural sweetness from honey and maple syrup and warm spice. Perfect for breakfast yogurt or quick snack on the go.

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Keyword 1980’s, granola

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 12

Equipment

• mixing bowl
• liquid measuring cup
• measuring cups and spoons
• baking sheet

Ingredients

DRY INGREDIENTS

• 2 c. old fashioned whole oats
• 1 c. quick oats
• 1 c. pecans or walnuts rough chop
• 1 c. almonds rough chop
• 1 c. unsweetened coconut flakes
• ½ c. pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
• 2 T. flax seeds
• 1 T. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. salt

WET INGREDIENTS

• ½ c. oil
• ½ c. honey or maple syrup (or combination)
• 1 T. vanilla

MIX-INS

• 1 c. dried fruit like cranberries, raisins, or currants

Instructions

PREP

• Pre-heat oven to 325°.
• Chop the nuts and set aside. Grease or line a cookie sheet with parchment.

GRANOLA

• In a large bowl, mix together oats, nuts, coconut, pepitas, cinnamon, and salt.
• In a separate bowl, mix together oil, honey, and vanilla and pour over dry ingredients.

BAKE

• Bake granola at 325° for 25-30 minutes.

MIX-INS

• Toss in dried fruit and break into pieces.
• Store in an air-tight container.

Related Recipes

• Cherry Superfood Granola
• Cranberry Almond Granola
• Granola Cookies
• Pumpkin Spice Granola
• Apple Cranberry Pie: 80’s recipe update

Try these other granola recipes

1980’s Vintage Cookbooks

Tried this recipe? Leave a comment below!

Follow us on social to see more of our cozy collection curated for nostalgic bakers who love looking at vintage cookbooks, original vintage recipes, and retro magazine clippings.

Pinterest

Facebook

Instagram

This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I recommend products I like to use or suggest and may receive a small commission at no cost to you. Please see my full disclosure for more details.

This post includes original cookbook images and text excerpts shared for educational and historical purposes. All rights belong to the original publisher.

Any commentary, notes, or recipe adaptations are my own and reflect my professional baking experience in an FDA-inspected, commercial kitchen. I am not a licensed medical professional and do not provide medical advice.

All modern recipe adaptations and photography © 2025 Vintage Baked Modern LLC. Please do not copy or reproduce without permission.

The post Classic Granola: Build Your Own appeared first on Vintage Baked Modern.