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,
Can I bake the pie the night before and leave it out covered and just reheat the next day? What is the best outcome?
TIA
Hi Heather, Yes, you can bake it the night before Thanksgiving and store, covered, it at room temperature. I don’t recommend serving apple pie too warm, as it tends to get soupy when hot. But you could pop it in a 300°F oven for 15-20 minutes to warm it up just a bit. Happy Thanksgiving!
Hi Jenn.
I tried this recipe for Christmas dinner yesterday, the first time I’ve attempted pastry. There was good news and bad news.
Good news: everyone LOVED it.
Bad news: I’ve been told I am not allowed to serve store-bought pie ever again.
I did end up taking the bottom crust out a bit earlier than stated, as it was looking a bit too toasty even with the foil but everything else was perfect!
Hi Jenn! I love your website! I made this pie a month ago and it turned out perfect! I want to make it for Thanksgiving! What are the instructions if I want to make the dough ahead of time and freeze it? Thanks!
Hi Emily, so glad you like the recipes! Here are some tips on freezing pie dough. And I’d thaw the dough in the fridge 24 hours before you plan to assemble the pie.
Hi Jenn,
I’d like to try this recipe but I would like to omit the cornstartch (cannot have corn), is there an equivalent replacement? I read online that I could use flour but would need to cook it longer or tapioca starch (2 tsp per 1 tbsp cornstartch), what do you think and recommend? Thanks so much!
Hi Trish, You can easily replace the cornstarch with more flour with no adjustments needed. Hope you enjoy!
Hi, I have made apple pies before, but have not found the perfect pie. I like my apples to be firm, not mushy. Does this recipe result in firm apples? Please let me know as I am searching for a new recipe for Thanksgiving this year. Thank you, Caryn
Hi Caryn, I would say that the apples will be tender but not mushy. One of the keys to getting the right texture is to use the right apples (Honeycrisp, Jonagold, Fuji, Granny Smith, or Golden Delicious). Hope that helps and that you enjoy if you make the pie!
Hi Jenn,
Can I use a store bought crust instead? I’m not sure if I will
Have luck making the crust from scratch😁😁
Hi Janelle, Sure, a store-bought crust will work — just make sure you follow the instructions on the package for blind baking the bottom crust. Hope you enjoy!
Hi Jenn – I made this apple pie, as is, the day before Thanksgiving for the last two years. It came out great. A few questions 1)is it possible to make the pie crust dough ahead of time and freeze it? If so, if I am making the pie on the Wednesday 11/27, when should I move the pie crust dough from the freezer to the fridge (or out on the counter) 2) if I assemble the whole pie, unbaked, and freeze it, how much extra time do you tnink I would need in the oven? Thanks! Chithra
Hi Chitra, Yes, you can make the dough ahead and freeze it. I’d thaw the dough in the fridge 24 hours before you plan to assemble the pie. And if you freeze the whole pie unbaked, I’d guesstimate it would need about 20 to 30 extra minutes. (I’d start checking at 20.) If the top starts getting too brown, just tent it with foil for the remaining time in the oven. Hope you enjoy!
Please recommend a type of apple for the pie.
Hi Susan, I like any of the following: Honeycrisp, Jonagold, Fuji, Granny Smith, or Golden Delicious. (And I recommend using a mix of different varietals for the best flavor.) Hope you enjoy!
Hi Jenn, I have tried many of your recipes and all have been great! You are my go to now when I want to try something new. I want to make this pie and freeze it unbaked. My question is, do I thaw it before baking? Thanks, Sharon
So glad you enjoy the recipes! You can bake the pie straight from the freezer (just keep in mind that it will take a bit longer in the oven). 🙂
Hi! Very excited to try it! How hot would you make oven to reheat pie if has been frozen for 3 days?
Hi Tessa, It sounds like you’ve already baked the pie? If so, I’d put in the oven (on a baking sheet) directly from the freezer and heat it at 300 degrees oven until the center is warm (I’m guesstimating it will take about 35 to 45 minutes.) Tent the pie with foil if the crust starts to get too brown. Just keep in mind that you don’t want to get it too hot right before serving as the filling will start to get soupy. Just a bit warm is what you’re aiming for.
Thank you so much! I have.. I’m excited to try but am scared I messed it up by heating up the flour and corn starch with the apples for filling instead of putting those ingredients on after sauce was heated up- we will see- it still looks great 🙂
Hi,
I have made your pie 3 times now and it has been a success everytime. I want to bake another to use up my apples. Do you find that it’s better to freeze baked or unbaked!? Thank you
Glad you like this! You can go either way, but if I had to choose, I’d freeze it unbaked. 🙂
Hi Jenna,
I want to make this pie for Thanksgiving and was wondering if I can make ahead of time and freeze it?
Yes, it freezes nicely. See the very bottom of the recipe for Freezer-Friendly instructions. 🙂