With the holidays around the corner, it is official. Pie season has begun.

The pie economy accounts for about $700 million a year, according to Linda Hoskins, executive director of the American Pie Council.

“Believe it or not, approximately 186 million pies are sold in grocery stores every year,” Hoskins says. “And keep in mind, that doesn’t even include restaurants.”

Add to that the pies baked from scratch at home. This time of year finds many dusting off vintage pie pans, quite often handed down from generation to generation. Ask anyone their favorite part of the Thanksgiving meal and, more often than not, pie tops the list.

Who doesn’t have cravings for the perfect pie, with its tender, golden, buttery crust and fillings of infinite variety? Pie is a food of nostalgia, a dessert that takes you back to childhood, helping mom or grandma roll out the flaky dough and the mouthwatering aroma that filled the kitchen when the oven door opened.

According to an independent survey commissioned by the American Pie Council, pie is the preferred dessert not only on Thanksgiving, but on other holidays throughout the year. Seventy percent of respondents cite pie as their favorite Christmas dessert and 67 percent consider it a staple at family gatherings.

Hoskins says “although Americans continue to get busier and busier with commutes, carpools and kids’ extracurricular activities, the art of pie baking is not dead. The survey revealed that we still hold dear to pie-making skills and passing down family pie recipes as a part of their heritage.”

Everyone loves traditional holiday pies, or that best-kept secret recipe that keeps friends and family coming back for more. But where does tradition end and boring begin? This holiday season, if you’re looking for twists on traditional family recipes or something entirely new to introduce to your holiday menu, you’re not alone.

For inspiration, check out “Sweetie-licious Pies: Eat Pie, Love Life” by Linda Hundt (© 2016, Globe Pequot, $19.95). The book’s retro design takes you into a kitchen built on traditions of our foremothers. Hundt calls it “the perfect book for anyone who knows that love can be baked into a pie!”

Linda knew baking delicious memories for others was her mission in life ever since she got her first Easy-Bake Oven. A 19-time national pie-baking champion and owner of a retro-inspired bakery — Sweetie-licious Bakery Café in DeWitt, Michigan — she shares the award-winning recipes, old family recipes and personal stories behind 52 of her signature pies, including: Mom Hundt’s Apple Almond Pie; Linda’s Best Browned Butter Coconut Chess Pie; Aunt Ella’s Cherry Berry Berry Pie; Grandma Rosella’s Vanilla Custard Pie; Yankee Dixie Pie; and Mocha Hot Chocolate Pie.

For the recipe for Mom’s Comfort Chocolate Chess Pie, visit bit.ly/2erJAPu. And check out Linda’s website at sweetie-licious.com.

I enjoyed, as I know you will, the family story behind each recipe and the vibrant full-color photography and vintage family photos that round out the charming, heirloom-style book. Some of Linda’s recipes are sure to become favorites in your own family.

DADDY’S APPLE MINCE PIE

CRUST

1¾ cups flour

¼ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup Crisco butter-flavored shortening, refrigerated OR 1/3 cup shortening plus 3 tablespoons butter, ice cold and cut into small chunks

5½ tablespoons ice water

SWEETIE-LICIOUS CRUMB TOPPING

2/3 cup flour

¼ cup sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons butter, softened

FILLING

5 cups peeled, cored and sliced Idared or Granny Smith apples

1½ cups dark or golden raisins

1 cup pecans, chopped (walnuts can be substituted)

1 cup brown sugar

3⁄4 teaspoon salt

½ cup apple cider

¼ cup brandy

¼ cup unsalted butter

Grated zest of ½ orange

Grated zest of ½ lemon

2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon flour

1½ teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated or ground

¼ teaspoon cloves

For the crust: Mix all of the ingredients, except the water, in a stand mixer using the paddle attachment on medium speed swiftly until the crust appears pea-like. Carefully sprinkle the ice-cold water in the crust one tablespoon at a time.

Mix with a fork until the dough starts to become moistened and just gathers together. Pat into a disk, wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Roll the crust out on a floured surface and place into a 9-inch pan. Shape and crimp the crust. Crusts don’t have to roll out perfectly, just crimp over any imperfections. Freeze.

For the topping: Mix all of the ingredients together in a stand mixer using the paddle attachment until the butter is combined and the texture is fine.

For the filling: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large saucepan, mix all of the filling ingredients and cook on medium heat until the apples are tender, about 12 minutes. Stir frequently. Pour the filling into the frozen pie shell. Sprinkle with crumb topping until all of the pie filling is covered. Bake for 45 minutes or until the pie filling bubbles over.

LINDA’S CHEERY CHOCOLATE PEPPERMINT CREAM PIE

SWEETIE-LICIOUS CHOCOLATE GRAHAM CRACKER CRUST

1½ cups crushed chocolate graham crackers

3 tablespoons sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup butter, melted

1 egg yolk

1 tablespoon water

FILLING

2½ cups whole milk

¾ cup half-and-half

4 egg yolks

1 cup sugar

¼ cup brown sugar

¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons cornstarch, sifted

1⁄3 cup Hershey’s cocoa, sifted

1½ teaspoons vanilla extract

½ teaspoon peppermint extract

For the crust: Combine the graham crackers, sugar and salt in a medium bowl with a fork until mixed completely. Add the melted butter and continue to mix completely. Pour into a lightly greased 9-inch pie dish and firmly press the mixture into the bottom and sides, using a ¼ cup measuring cup or tablespoon to form the crust.

Whisk together egg yolk and water. Brush crust gently with egg yolk and water mixture until lightly covered. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes.

For the filling: Mix the milk, half-and-half, egg yolks, sugars, cornstarch and cocoa in a medium saucepan. Cook on medium heat, stirring constantly until the mixture boils for 1 minute.

Remove from heat and add the vanilla and peppermint extracts. Pour the filling into pie crust and refrigerate for at least 3 hours. Optional: Garnish with whipped cream and crushed candy canes, peppermint candies or chocolate shavings.