There’s something about a homemade apple pie cooling on the counter that stops you in your tracks. The smell alone — warm cinnamon, caramelized sugar, buttery pastry — takes you somewhere good. This is the apple pie I make every fall without fail, the one my family requests by name, and the one that disappears before it even has a chance to cool fully.
It’s got a golden, flaky all-butter crust that shatters just right, and a saucy filling without being soupy. No complicated techniques, no hard-to-find ingredients — just a really honest, really delicious apple pie made the way it should be.
Table of Contents
Ingredients for Apple Pie
The beauty of this recipe is that it comes together with simple pantry staples and a handful of fresh apples — nothing fancy required.
- Pie Crust – You’ll need two disks of homemade pie crust. This one is made entirely with butter — no shortening — which gives it that beautifully flaky, tender texture. The bottom crisps up just enough at the edges and never turns soggy. Store-bought works in a pinch, but trust me, homemade makes all the difference here.
- Apples – Granny Smiths are my go-to for this pie. They hold their shape during baking and bring just the right tartness to balance the sweet filling. Steer clear of anything overripe or soft — texture really matters. See the notes below for substitution ideas.
- Butter & Flour – These two work together to create a thick, luscious filling that coats every apple slice.
- Cinnamon – Brings that warm, cozy depth of flavor. A small pinch of nutmeg alongside it never hurts either.
- Sugar – Adjust this to your taste depending on which apples you use. Tarter apples may want a little more; sweeter ones, a little less.
- Egg Wash – A simple mix of egg and water brushed over the crust before baking gives it that gorgeous golden-brown, glossy finish.
How to Make Apple Pie
Step 1: Prepare and chill the crust. Make your pie crust ahead of time and let it rest in the refrigerator. When you’re ready to assemble, preheat your oven to 425°F and position a rack in the center.
Step 2: Make the filling. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter, then add the flour and whisk steadily for about a minute. Pour in the water and sugar, whisking to combine, then let it simmer for 3 minutes. Remove from heat — don’t let it go any longer than that.
Step 3: Prep the apples. Peel, core, and slice your apples into roughly ¼-inch slices. Toss them with cinnamon until evenly coated, then stir in the filling sauce so every slice is well covered.
Step 4: Roll and fill the crust. Roll your first disk of dough out to about 12 inches and lay it into a 9-inch deep-dish pie pan. Add the apple filling, mounding it slightly in the center. Keep the filling away from the edges — any filling on the rim will make it hard to get a clean seal.
Step 5: Create the lattice top. Roll your second dough disk into an 11-inch circle and cut it into 10 even strips using a pizza cutter. Lay half the strips across the pie, then weave in the remaining strips to form the lattice pattern. Crimp the edges firmly to seal everything together, then brush the whole top with egg wash.
Step 6: Bake. Start at 425°F for 15 minutes, then lower the heat to 350°F and bake for another 45 minutes. You’re looking for thick, bubbling juices pushing up through the lattice — once you see that happening consistently for at least 5 minutes, your pie is ready.
How to Keep the Crust From Browning Too Fast
If the edges start darkening before the rest of the pie is done, don’t panic. Use a pie shield if you have one, or just cut a 3-inch circle from the center of a square of foil and drape it dull-side-down over the top. Simple and effective.
Tips for the Best Apple Pie
- Don’t overcook the filling sauce. Pull it off the heat right on time. Overcooking can cause it to get too thick or separate. If that happens, don’t worry — just toss it with the apples anyway and the oven will sort it out.
- Keep the crust cold. Chilling the dough isn’t optional — it’s what keeps the butter locked inside the pastry where it belongs. Skip this step and you’ll end up with a flat, greasy crust instead of a flaky one.
- Let the pie rest before slicing. I know it’s hard to wait, but give it at least an hour on the counter after baking. The filling needs time to set up — cut into it too soon and everything runs. Patience pays off here
How To Store
Room Temperature: Freshly baked apple pie can sit out at room temperature for up to 2 days. Simply cover it loosely with foil or plastic wrap to keep it from drying out. Since the filling is fruit-based, it holds up well at room temp for short-term storage.
Refrigerator: For longer storage, cover the pie tightly and refrigerate for up to 5 days. The crust may soften slightly in the fridge, but a few minutes in the oven will bring it right back to life.
Freezer: Apple pie freezes beautifully — baked or unbaked.
- Baked pie: Let it cool completely, wrap tightly in plastic wrap followed by a layer of foil, and freeze for up to 4 months.
- Unbaked pie: Assemble the whole pie, skip the egg wash, and freeze solid before wrapping. Bake straight from frozen, adding about 15–20 extra minutes to the bake time.
The BEST Apple Pie Recipe
Ingredients
For the Pie Crust (2 disks):
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup unsalted butter cold and cubed
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp sugar
- 6-8 tbsp ice water
For the Apple Filling:
- 6-7 medium Granny Smith apples peeled, cored, sliced ¼-inch thick
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp nutmeg optional
- ¾ cup sugar adjust to taste
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup water
For the Egg Wash:
- 1 large egg
- 1 tbsp water
Instructions
- Prepare your pie crust dough and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before assembling. Preheat oven to 425°F with a rack in the center.
- Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and whisk constantly for 1 minute. Whisk in water and sugar, simmer for 3 minutes, then remove from heat immediately.
- Peel, core, and slice apples into ¼-inch slices. Sprinkle with cinnamon, toss to coat, then stir in the warm filling sauce until all slices are well coated.
- Roll the first dough disk into a 12-inch circle and transfer to a 9-inch deep-dish pie pan. Add the apple filling, mounding slightly in the center, keeping filling away from the edges.
- Roll the second dough disk into an 11-inch circle and cut into 10 strips with a pizza cutter. Weave strips into a lattice pattern over the filling. Crimp edges firmly to seal, then brush the entire top with egg wash.
- Bake at 425°F for 15 minutes, then reduce to 350°F and bake an additional 45 minutes, until thick juices bubble through the lattice for at least 5 minutes. Tent edges with foil if browning too fast.
- Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack for at least 1 hour before slicing.
Notes
- Don’t overcook the filling sauce — 3 minutes is all it needs.
- Keep your dough cold at all times for the flakiest crust.
- Let the pie rest a full hour before slicing so the filling sets properly.
- Store covered at room temperature for up to 2 days, refrigerate for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 4 months.
- Reheat at 350°F for 15–20 minutes to revive the crust before serving.
Nutrition Facts
- Calories: 379.61 kcal
- Fat: 17.67 g
- Saturated Fat: 9.14 g
- Cholesterol: 50.56 mg
- Sodium: 98.27 mg
- Potassium: 164.71 mg
- Carbohydrates: 55.44 g
- Fiber: 3.87 g
- Sugar: 38.25 g
- Protein: 2.75 g
- Vitamin A: 448.45 IU
- Vitamin C: 5.87 mg
- Calcium: 21.89 mg
- Iron: 0.96 mg
Leave a Reply