Apple Pie
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Golden, buttery crust, bubbling apples, and plenty of cozy fall flavor—this truly is the perfect homemade apple pie.
As fall rolls in and apple season reaches its peak, there’s no better time to bake a homemade apple pie—whether you want to use up a bushel of apples or whip up a special Thanksgiving dessert. It may seem daunting, but this tried-and-true recipe makes it easy to bake the perfect pie every time.
The secret to making the best apple pie is avoiding common pitfalls, like a soupy filling and a soggy crust, by cooking the apples before filling and baking the pie. This simple step thickens the juices, concentrates their flavor, and ensures a crisp, flaky crust with a rich, cider-flavored apple pie filling.
This, my friends, is the ultimate apple pie recipe! Serve it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, a dollop of whipped cream, or a drizzle of caramel sauce for an extra-special dessert.
“Apple is my husband’s favorite. He walked out the door this morning and said it was the best I’ve made!”
What You’ll Need To Make Apple Pie
For the best apple pie, stick with firm, baking apples that hold their shape and don’t turn mushy in the oven. Good choices include Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Jonagold, Braeburn, and Golden Delicious. Using a mix of a few varieties gives the filling the perfect balance of sweetness, tartness, and texture.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Prepare the pie crust. In a food processor fitted with the metal blade, combine the flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder. Pulse a few times to mix. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture looks crumbly, with lots of pea-size bits of butter still visible. Add the water and pulse again until the mixture is evenly moistened and very crumbly.
Step 2: Chill the dough. Turn the dough crumbles out onto your work surface and divide them into two piles — one slightly larger than the other (about 15% bigger). You can just eyeball it, or if you like to be precise, aim for about 13 ounces and 11½ ounces. Shape each pile into a ball, then flatten into a 5-inch disc. Wrap both discs tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 45 minutes, or up to 3 days, to let the dough rest.
Step 3: Prepare the apple pie filling. In a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, toss the apples with the lemon juice, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, flour, and cornstarch. Stir until everything is evenly coated and you don’t see any streaks of dry flour or cornstarch. Set the pot over medium heat and cook, stirring often, until the apples soften slightly and the juices start to thicken, 11 to 13 minutes. Spread the mixture out on a baking sheet to cool completely before assembling the pie.
Step 4: Prepare the bottom crust. Take the larger disc of dough out of the fridge and let it sit a few minutes to soften slightly. On a lightly floured surface, roll it into a 13-inch circle, dusting with more flour as needed to prevent sticking. Drape the dough over your rolling pin and transfer it to a 9-inch pie pan. Gently press it into the pan, then trim the edges. Transfer the apples into the crust and refrigerate while you prepare the top crust.
Step 5: Prepare the top crust. Roll out the second disc of dough into an 11-inch circle. Drape it over the chilled pie and gently press around the edges to seal. Trim any excess dough, then crimp the edges with a fork or flute them with your fingers. Brush the top with egg wash, cream, or milk, and sprinkle with sugar for a golden, sparkly finish. Finally, cut a few slits in the top to let steam escape.
Step 6: Bake. Place the pie on the preheated baking sheet (it helps crisp the bottom crust) and bake at 425°F for 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to 375°F and bake for about 45 minutes more, or until the crust is deep golden brown and the filling is bubbling. Let the pie cool completely on a wire rack—at least 4 hours—before slicing. As tempting as it is, don’t cut in too soon or you’ll end up with apple soup!
The pie can be baked a day ahead and kept at room temperature. For longer storage, you can freeze it—either before or after baking—for up to 3 months.
Apple Pie Video Tutorial
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Apple Pie
Ingredients
For the Crust
- 2¾ cups all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- 18 tablespoons (2 sticks + 2 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, sliced into 1-inch pieces
- 7 tablespoons ice cold water
For the Filling
- 4½ pounds baking apples (about 8 large apples; see note), peeled, cored, and sliced ¼-inch thick
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, from 1 lemon
- 1 cup (packed) dark brown sugar
- Heaping ¼ teaspoon salt
- Heaping ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
For Baking
- A beaten egg, heavy cream, or milk, for brushing over crust
- 2 tablespoons granulated or turbinado sugar, for topping the pie
Instructions
- Prepare the Crust: Combine the flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Pulse a few times to combine. Add the pieces of butter and pulse until the mixture is crumbly with lots of pea-size clumps of butter within.Add the water and pulse until the mixture is evenly moistened and very crumbly.Dump the dough crumbles onto a work surface and divide into two piles, with one pile about 15% bigger than the other. You can eyeball it, but if you have a kitchen scale, one pile should weigh 13 oz (368 g) and the other 11.5 oz (326 g). Shape into two balls of dough and pat each one into a 5-inch (13-cm) disc. Wrap the discs in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 45 minutes or up to 3 days to rest.
- Prepare the Filling: In a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, mix the apples with lemon juice, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, flour, and cornstarch. Stir until thoroughly combined and both the flour and cornstarch are dissolved. Place the pot over medium heat and cook, stirring often, until the apples soften and the juices thicken, 11 to 13 minutes. Transfer the apples and their juices to a baking sheet, spreading them out evenly. Allow them to cool completely.
- Preheat the Oven: Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C) and set an oven rack in the lower third position. Place a baking sheet on this rack to preheat as well. (This acts like a pizza stone, providing a hot surface to help the bottom crust of the pie crisp up effectively.)
- Assemble the Pie: Remove the larger disc of dough from the refrigerator. Lightly dust a clean work surface with flour and place the dough on it; sprinkle a bit of flour over the dough as well. Gently knead the dough with your hands just until it becomes soft and malleable (avoid overworking it—you want it just supple enough to roll out). Roll the dough out into a 13-inch (33-cm) circle, adding more flour as needed to prevent sticking. Carefully lift the dough by draping it over your rolling pin and transfer it to a 9-inch by 1½-inch (23-cm by 3.75-cm) deep pie pan, preferably metal (as metal conducts heat more effectively, helping the bottom crust crisp up) but ceramic or glass will work too. Gently press the dough into the pan, making sure to ease it into place without stretching. Trim the edges of the dough to extend about ½ inch (1.25 cm) beyond the pie pan's lip.Transfer the cooled apples and their juices into the crust; refrigerate while you prepare the top crust.Remove the second disc of dough from the refrigerator and roll it out into an 11-inch (28-cm) circle, following the same process described above. Retrieve the filled pie from the refrigerator and carefully drape the rolled dough over the top. Crimp the edges with a fork or flute them with your fingers to seal the top and bottom crusts together. Work quickly and dust your fingers with flour as needed to prevent the dough from becoming too warm. Brush the top crust with beaten egg, cream, or milk, and evenly sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of granulated or turbinado sugar. Cut four 3-inch (7.5-cm) slits in the top crust to allow steam to escape.
- Bake and Cool: Place the pie on the preheated baking sheet and bake at 425°F (220°C) for 15 minutes. Then reduce the oven temperature to 375°F (190°C) and continue baking for an additional 45 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown. Let the pie cool completely on a wire rack before slicing, at least 4 hours. Resist the temptation to cut into the pie while it’s warm, or you may end up with apple soup!
Notes
- Be sure to use baking apples that hold their shape when cooked, such as Honeycrisp, Jonagold, Granny Smith, or Golden Delicious. And use a mix of different varietals for the best flavor.
- Make-Ahead/Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The pie can be baked up to 1 day ahead of time and stored, loosely covered with foil, at room temperature. It can also be frozen for up to 3 months before or after baking it. (If freezing it unbaked, hold off on brushing the top crust with the beaten egg and sprinkling it with sugar; you can do that right before baking.) If baked, let it cool completely and place it in the freezer uncovered. When fully frozen, wrap the pie securely in foil and freeze. If the pie is unbaked, wrap it securely in foil and freeze. When ready to serve, proceed with baking instructions above (the pie is likely to take 10 to 15 minutes longer to bake).
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Hi Jenn, I just want to say; Thank you!. I finally made a really nice pie. Great recipe and advise!
Chantal
Hi, do you increase the oven to 425 during the second time you are baking the pie or after?
Thanks!
Hi Manu, The crust cooks at 375, then you increase the heat to 425 for the whole pie, then reduce it back to 375 after 15 min in the oven. Hope that clarifies and sorry for the confusion!
Merry Christmas! I was trying to make pie crust in a food processor..a technique that I’ve never done. I think I processed the dough too long…it’s now a mass. Can it be saved or should I just throw it away and start new? Thanks for your time.
Hi Cindy, I think it’s probably fine – I’d use it. Just take care not to overwork it when rolling it out. Hope that helps!
This recipe guided me to the most gorgeous pie I believe I’ve ever baked! I would not, however, recommend this recipe to novices or anyone short of patience. Process: I had to rely on some prior skills and knowledge to navigate several detours from the recipe. For example, my food processor bucket was a bit to small and the fats weren’t pulsing evenly. So I carefully, but quickly, had to transfer the flour and break the fats by hand. I also over measured a bit so I realized I needed more ice water to work the dough. These great photos helped me judge the textures I needed at the right times so that was most helpful. I also opted not to bake the crust for the 2nd stint of 20 min because I liked the way the crust looked after the first par bake. Other stuff too but you get the picture.
Taste: Buttery golden brown sweet flakiest crust of epic proportions! Life changing! I used all Granny Smith so the tart apples balanced the sweet crust quite nicely. I resisted the burning urge to add more butter to the sugar reduction and I’m glad I did. It was not necessary because all the flavors were there. I did add a little more cinnamon and some nutmeg for added flavor. Overall AMAZING! I’ve found my apple pie recipe for life!
This review pertains only to the pie crust. I used it for a blueberry pie. The crust was so easy to make in the food processor and when I got it all together it could not have been easier to work with. It also rolled out perfectly and never fell apart. I will use this recipe again and again I’m sure! It also tastes great.
I don’t have a big enough processor. Do I just cut in with fingers.? Thanks Chef
Yes, that works!
After looking through many apple pie recipes, I chose this one for this year’s Thanksgiving for a few reasons. This was my first ever apple pie. It had a combo of shortening and butter in the crust and used blind baking, which ensures a not soggy crust. However, I did do some modifications. I used a 9.5 pie glass pan that is 1 inch deep. I used about 2.4 lbs of apples, because it was overflowing in the pie pan, and I skipped the method of draining the apples and cooking the syrup as they were too many steps as I was short on time and had already spent 3 hours on the pie. The result was a pie with amazing crust, but with a strong lemon flavor in the filling. I forgot to reduce the amount of lemon juice/zest. By skipping some of the steps, the filling was not too liquidy and thickened up well because of the flour and cornstarch. The filling was a great disappointment though. I believe this recipe is a deep dish apple pie as my pie was already very thick and big, despite the changes I made. If I had followed the recipe exactly, the results would definitely be very different and would have probably been an amazing and tasty pie.
I read through many recipes and decided to commit to this recipe. This was my first time baking anything, but it turned out really well! My food processor was too small, so I used a paster blender to mix it all. I tried not to over mix the dough. Because this recipe took a long time, I broke it up. I blind baked the crust the night before and stored in the fridge. And made the rest the next day. Was super nervous, but it ended up perfect. No soggy crust and apples baked perfectly! Thank you, Jenn! So glad I found this recipe. Will use again!
This is the worst apple pie crust ever! Took too long to bake and was shewy not soft or flaky what a waste of time. Don’t try this recipe!
I’d decided to up my game for thanksgiving pie this year going with something a little different. Warning, if you are a novice at baking pies, run away from this recipe. I read all the reviews and I can only assume that there are a lot of talented people making this recipe. Dough was very difficult to work with and the apple mixture, once baked, was extremely dry. Should have stayed with the tried and true recipes, simple is better. The leftovers, which there was a lot, were thrown in the trash. Embarrassing end tona lovely meal☹️
This recipe from crust to filling is absolute perfection. It’s absolutely the best apple pie that I’ve ever made. The pie crust was so flaky and buttery and the filling was sweet with the right amount of tartness.