This homemade apple pie recipe is made completely from scratch! A combination of sweet and tart apples is tossed with warm seasonings and piled high in a buttery crust. Finished with a beautiful golden topping, it’s a classic dessert that always gets rave reviews from family and friends.
Even more popular than chocolate brownies or brown butter chocolate chip cookies, apple pie is America’s most famous dessert for good reason. There’s just something about the sweet, spiced, buttery flavors that is so comforting and delicious. Served fresh from the oven, a warm slice is impossible to resist!
Luckily, this classic apple pie recipe is easier to make than you may think. I prepare it every year, serving it as part of my Thanksgiving feast alongside my spatchcock turkey, and I never have any leftovers for later. I’ll walk you through all the steps and my top tips for preventing a mushy center and achieving a tender, golden crust.
Ingredients and Notes
See the recipe card below for the complete ingredient list and instructions.
- Homemade Pie Crust – I make a simple butter pie crust, combining unsalted butter, all-purpose flour, salt, and caster sugar. Make sure to add the sugar! Otherwise, you’ll end up with a savory pastry, like the one used in my homemade chicken pot pie.
- Apples – I like to use a mix of apples, including tart, crisp varieties like Granny Smith and sweeter options like Honeycrisp or Pink Lady. The Granny Smith apples hold their shape well, giving the filling texture and adding a tart flavor that balances the sweetness of the other apples perfectly.
- Sugar – A combination of brown sugar and granulated sugar sweetens the apple filling while keeping it moist and adding subtle notes of molasses.
- Spices – Nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt create the classic warm, comforting notes we look for in homemade apple pie. Be careful to use a light hand when grating fresh nutmeg. A little goes a long way!
- Cornstarch – This helps soak up excess liquid from the apples, preventing the filling from becoming soggy.
How to Make Homemade Apple Pie
1. Prepare the Dough and Apples
2. Prepare the Crust
3. Assemble the Pie
4. Glaze the Pie
Nick’s Tips for Success
- Keep everything cold. The secret to a tender, flaky pie crust is cold butter and minimal handling. I like to use butter straight from the refrigerator and ice-cold water. If the dough starts to feel soft or sticky while rolling it out, pop it back in the fridge for ten to fifteen minutes before continuing.
- Avoid slicing the apples too thinly. Aim for slices about five millimeters thick. This is thick enough for the apples to hold their shape but thin enough to cook through and settle into the crust without leaving large gaps. A mandoline can help you get consistent slices. However, I often like to use slightly uneven slices for a more rustic texture.
- Bake on a pizza stone. Preheating a pizza stone helps deliver consistent heat to the bottom of the pie dish, giving you a crisp, golden crust. If you don’t have a pizza stone, a preheated baking sheet can help, too. Just make sure your pie dish is safe to place on a hot surface!
- Check the temperature, not just the color. A golden crust doesn’t always mean the filling is fully cooked. I like to use a thermometer to check that the center reaches 195°F (90°C). If the edges of the pie crust start browning too quickly before the filling is done, loosely cover them with aluminum foil and continue baking.
Homemade Apple Pie
This homemade apple pie is one of my favorite desserts to make from scratch, especially around Thanksgiving. I use a combination of sweet and tart apples, warm spices, and an all-butter pastry crust for the perfect balance of flavors and textures. Then, I reduce the juices from the apples into a glossy glaze that makes the finished pie look just as good as it tastes. Serve it warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!
Equipment
- 1 (9″ x 2”) Fluted Loose Base Pie Dish
- 1 Food Processor
- 1 Sieve
- 1 Colander
- 2 Mixing Bowls
- 1 Spatula
- 1 Rolling Pin
- 1 Pastry Brush
- 1 Small Bowl
- 1 Pizza Stone
- 1 Cooling Rack
- 1 Small Saucepan
- 1 Temperature Probe
- 1 Dough Scraper
Ingredients
Pastry
- 3 cup (370 gram) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoon (8 gram) caster sugar
- 1 teaspoon (6 gram) fine salt
- 1 cup (2 stick / 225 gram) cold unsalted butter, diced into ⅜-inch (1 centimeter) cubes
- 5 tablespoon (75 milliliter) ice-cold water, plus more if needed
Apple Filling
- 2½ pound (1.13 kilogram) Granny Smith apple
- 2½ pound (1.13 kilogram) Pink Lady or Honeycrisp apple
- 6 tablespoon (75 gram) brown sugar
- 6 tablespoon (75 gram) granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon (3 gram) fine salt
- ½ teaspoon (1.3 gram) ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon (½ gram) ground nutmeg
- 2½ tablespoon (20 gram) cornstarch
- 1 ounce (30 gram) cold unsalted butter, diced into ⅜-inch (1 centimeter) cubes
Egg Wash and Topping
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon (15 milliliter) water
- pinch of demerara or granulated sugar, for sprinkling
Instructions
Prepare the Pastry
- Fit a food processor with the blade attachment. Add the flour, sugar, salt, and cold butter. Pulse until the mixture resembles fine crumbs and the butter is incorporated.3 cup all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon fine salt, 2 teaspoon caster sugar, 1 cup cold unsalted butter
- While pulsing, gradually add the ice-cold water until the dough holds together when squeezed. Add a little more water if needed, but be careful not to make the dough sticky.5 tablespoon ice-cold water
- Transfer the mixture to a lightly floured surface and gently bring it together into a dough. Avoid overmixing, which can make the pastry tough.
- Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour.
Prepare the Apples
- Peel and quarter the apples, then remove the cores. Cut each quarter lengthwise into slices approximately one fifth-inch (five millimeters) thick. Transfer the slices to a large mixing bowl.2½ pound Granny Smith apple, 2½ pound Pink Lady or Honeycrisp apple
- Add the brown sugar, granulated sugar, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Toss with your hands until the apples are evenly coated.6 tablespoon brown sugar, 6 tablespoon granulated sugar, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon fine salt, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Cover the bowl and let the apples rest for one hour at room temperature. This draws out excess moisture, helping prevent a soggy bottom crust.
Prepare the Pie Crust
- Remove the pastry from the refrigerator and divide it into two portions, approximately two-thirds and one-third of the dough. Return the smaller portion to the refrigerator. Place the larger portion on a lightly floured sheet of parchment paper and gently flatten it with a rolling pin.
- Working from the center outward, roll the pastry into a large disc approximately one eighth-inch (three millimeters) thick. Rotate the dough as you roll, adding more flour as needed to prevent sticking.
- Using the parchment paper, carefully lift and flip the pastry into a nine-inch (23-centimeter) deep pie dish. Gently press the dough into the bottom corners and sides. You can use a small piece of excess pastry dusted with flour to press the dough into the corners without tearing it.
- Trim the excess pastry, leaving a small overhang around the edges. Return the lined pie dish to the refrigerator.
- Remove the remaining dough from the refrigerator and roll it between lightly floured sheets of parchment into a disc slightly larger than the top of the pie dish, approximately one eighth-inch (three millimeters) thick. Cut the dough into even strips for the lattice topping, then refrigerate until ready to assemble.
Finish the Filling
- Place a colander over a small saucepan and pour the apples into it, allowing the accumulated juices to drain into the pan.
- Return the drained apples to the mixing bowl. Sprinkle the cornstarch over the apples and toss until evenly coated. Reserve the collected apple juices for the glaze.2½ tablespoon cornstarch
Assemble and Bake the Pie
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) with a pizza stone positioned on the center rack. The stone helps distribute heat to the bottom of the pie dish for a crisp, evenly baked crust.
- Remove the prepared pie crust from the refrigerator. Transfer the apples to the crust, pressing them down gently to eliminate large gaps. Mound the apples slightly above the rim of the pie dish, as they will shrink during baking.
- Scatter the diced butter evenly over the apples.1 ounce cold unsalted butter
- Arrange five or six pastry strips vertically across the apple filling, spacing them evenly apart. Fold every other strip back toward the center of the pie.
- Lay one unused pastry strip horizontally across the center of the pie, over the unfolded vertical strips. Return the folded strips to their original positions over the horizontal strip.
- Fold back the alternate vertical strips toward the center. Place another horizontal strip next to the first, leaving a small gap. Unfold the vertical strips over the new horizontal strip.
- Repeat the alternating folding and weaving process until one half of the pie is covered. Continue with the other half until the lattice is complete.
- Trim the lattice strips to match the edge of the pie dish. Fold the bottom crust over the ends of the lattice strips and crimp or flute the edges to seal. Add decorative pastry leaves or braids if desired.
- In a small bowl, whisk the egg with one tablespoon (15 milliliters) of water. Brush the lattice and edges of the crust with the egg wash, then sprinkle lightly with demerara or granulated sugar.1 large egg, 1 tablespoon water, pinch of demerara or granulated sugar
- Place the pie directly on the preheated pizza stone and bake for 30 minutes. Rotate the pie and continue baking for another 30 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbling. If the crust browns too quickly, loosely cover it with aluminum foil.
- Insert an instant-read thermometer into the center of the filling. The internal temperature should reach 195°F (90°C).
- Remove the pie from the oven and allow it to cool in the dish on a wire rack for at least one hour before slicing.
Glaze and Serve
- Place the saucepan containing the reserved apple juices over medium heat. Simmer until the liquid reduces into a thick, glossy syrup. The natural pectin in the apples helps the glaze thicken as it reduces.
- Using a pastry brush, gently brush the reduced apple syrup over the lattice crust for a shiny finish.
- Place a small, sturdy bowl upside down on your work surface. Carefully lower the loose-bottom pie dish onto the bowl so the outer ring can slide away without damaging the crust. Transfer the pie to a serving plate.
- Slice the pie and serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Video
Notes
*Adjust the ingredient amounts in the recipe instructions accordingly if doubling the recipe to make two pies.
Storage:
– Room Temperature: Store cooled apple pie loosely covered at room temperature for up to two days.
– Refrigerator: Store cooled apple pie tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to four days.
– Freezer: Wrap the cooled pie or individual slices tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil. Freeze for up to three months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
– Reheating: Warm leftover apple pie in the oven at 350°F (175°C) oven for 10-15 minutes for individual slices or 20-30 minutes for a whole pie, until heated through.
– Room Temperature: Store cooled apple pie loosely covered at room temperature for up to two days.
– Refrigerator: Store cooled apple pie tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to four days.
– Freezer: Wrap the cooled pie or individual slices tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil. Freeze for up to three months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
– Reheating: Warm leftover apple pie in the oven at 350°F (175°C) oven for 10-15 minutes for individual slices or 20-30 minutes for a whole pie, until heated through.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 511kcal, Carbohydrates: 77g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 22g, Saturated Fat: 13g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 74mg, Sodium: 364mg, Potassium: 306mg, Fiber: 7g, Sugar: 39g, Vitamin A: 789IU, Vitamin C: 10mg, Calcium: 36mg, Iron: 2mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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This will be a new holiday staple, right next to our pumpkin pie!