Soft, cinnamon-spiced apples fill a crisp, buttery crust in this easy apple pie recipe. Topped with vanilla ice cream for an appetizing fall dessert!
What to look for in an apple pie recipe? A few years ago, when I first volunteered to make homemade apple pies for my family’s Thanksgiving, I scoured the internet for the perfect one. I wanted to, but I didn’t So Juicy enough to cut the pie. I wanted it warmly spiced with cinnamon and spiked with lemon for a tart, bright flavor. It has a flaky, buttery, easy-to-make crust.
That year, I couldn’t find an apple pie recipe that worked for me, so I decided to make my own. Since then, I’ve carefully tested and tweaked this recipe, and it’s now my favorite recipe. I made it for a family gathering a few weeks ago and there wasn’t a single slice left – not even a case of crossed fingers.
apple pie recipe ingredients
Here’s what you need to make this easy apple pie recipe:
- Apple, of course! The type you choose is important. In my opinion, the best apples for apple pie are Granny Smiths. If you prefer less sour apples, try using Honeycrisp or Golden Delicious apples instead. Whatever you do, avoid varieties such as McIntosh and Red Delicious that will break when baked.
- apple pie spice – This mix of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cardamom adds a warm spice flavor to the filling.
- brown sugar sugar – for sweetness. I love the molasses flavor of brown sugar, along with the warm spice.
- lemon juice and peel – Bright and zesty flavor.
- vanilla extract – Enhances the warm flavor of spices.
- cornstarch – Make the apple juice a thicker sauce.
- homemade pie crust – You don’t make pie crust any other way! This recipe is easy to make in a food processor with simple ingredients like butter, all-purpose flour, and apple cider vinegar, and it comes out flaky and tender every time. increase.
- egg – Mix it with a little water to make an egg wash. This causes the crust to brown as the pie bakes.
- raw sugar – Optionally sprinkle the crust.
- and sea salt – To make every flavor pop!
Find the full recipe with the measurements below.
how to make apple pie
My apple pie recipe is divided into four parts:
- make a crust.
- make the filling.
- Assemble the pie
- and bake.
You can find my pie crust recipe here. Note that the pie crust should be chilled for at least two hours before rolling it out, preferably a day or two ahead.
Once the pie crust is ready, it’s time for the filling. Peel the apple and slice it thinly. Whisk sugar and spices in a large saucepan, add sliced apples and lemon juice, stir to coat apples. Then let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to draw out some of the juices.
After 30 minutes, turn the pan over medium-low heat and simmer until the apples are slightly softened, about 5 minutes.
Then turn up the heat to medium and add the cornstarch slurry. Cook, stirring, until the apple juice is bubbly and thick (only about 30 seconds), then remove the pan from the heat.
Add lemon zest and vanilla and let the filling cool completely. Tip: Spread out on a large baking dish to cool faster!
How to assemble and bake a pie
Refrigerate the pie crust for at least 2 hours, and when the filling is completely cooled, The pie is ready to be assembled.
Start by forming the bottom crust. He rolls a piece of chilled puff pastry onto a lightly floured surface. Find my top tips for rolling out pie crust here! Transfer dough to a 9-inch or 9.5-inch pie plate and press firmly against bottom and sides. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Roll out a second disk of dough to form a top crust, then transfer it to a baking sheet and chill as well.
While you’re waiting, put in a baking sheet and preheat your oven to 425°F.
Once the bottom crust has cooled for 30 minutes, add the filling, place the top crust on top and crimp the edges to seal.
Brush the top crust (not the crimped edges) with egg wash and sprinkle with coarse sugar if using. Tip: This slit is not for decoration. The oven evaporates the moisture from the pie, resulting in a thicker filling. don’t skip them!
Finally, the pie is ready to bake. Place the apple pie on the oven-heated baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes, reduce oven temperature to 375°F, and bake for an additional 45-55 minutes. The crust should be golden brown and the gravy should be bubbly.
Remove from oven and cool completely before slicing and serving. fun!
best apple pie recipe tips
- Do not shorten the cooling (or cooling) time. For the best apple pie, be generous with chilling the pie crust and chilling the filling. These steps keep the crust butter cool until the pie is in the oven, resulting in a soft, flaky crust. Allow baked pie to cool completely for about 4 hours before serving.
- Bake on low oven rack. The hottest part of most ovens is on the bottom near the heat source. Baking the pie on a low rack places the bottom crust in this zone, making it less likely to be soggy after baking.
- Will the crust turn brown? Foil is your friend. If you notice your pie crust turning golden well before the lower end of your time range, don’t worry. Tent the dark areas with foil to prevent further burning. check) and continue to bake until visible juices are bubbling. Usually 45-55 minutes after lowering. He sets the oven temperature to 375°F.
- Move on. Make the pie crust and filling a day or two ahead to give this apple pie recipe a head start. Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and store the filling in an airtight container. The pie itself tastes best the day it’s baked, but it will last up to two days at room temperature. Then stick it on the refrigerator.
more favorite baking recipes
If you like this apple pie recipe, try these delicious baking recipes.
Apple Pie
serve 8
- ⅓ cup Packed brown sugar
- ⅓ cup cane sugar
- 1 tablespoon apple pie spice
- ¼ tea spoon sea salt
- Four lb Baked apples such as Granny Smith or Honeycrisp, peeled, cored and sliced
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 3 tablespoon water
- 2 tablespoon cornstarch
- ½ tea spoon lemon peel
- ½ tea spoon vanilla extract
- 1 recipe easy pie dough, Chill for 2 hours or more
- 1 big egg
- raw sugar, option
- Vanilla ice cream, for serving
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In a large saucepan, whisk together brown sugar, cane sugar, apple pie spice, and salt. Add the apple slices and lemon juice and mix until the apples are evenly coated with sugar and spices. Set aside for 30 minutes to squeeze the juice out of the apples.
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Add 2 tablespoons of water and cornstarch to a small bowl and stir until smooth.
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Place the pot with the apples over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring, until apples are slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Increase heat to medium and pour cornstarch mixture over apples. Heat, stirring, until the apple juice is bubbly and thick, about 30 seconds. Remove from heat and stir in lemon zest and vanilla. Let the stuffing cool completely.
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Make the bottom dough. Roll out the bottom crust, leaving at least 1/2-inch overhang on all sides of the pie plate, following the directions in your pie crust recipe. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes. Place the oven rack in the bottom third of the oven. Place the baking sheet on the rack and preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit with the baking sheet inside.
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In the meantime make the top crust. Using the same method, roll the remaining pie crust into a large circle 1/8-inch thick. Transfer to an oven sheet, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes until the bottom crust has cooled.
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Assemble the pie. In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs and the remaining 1 tablespoon water. set aside.
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Remove the bottom crust from the refrigerator and pour the chilled filling over the center of the pie. Gently roll the top crust over the rolling pin and spread it over the filled pie. Trim the fabric so that there is a hang. Press the dough down so that the edges of the dough are in line with the edges of the pie plate. Crimp the dough with your fingers or a fork.
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Brush the top crust (not the crimped edges) with egg wash and sprinkle with coarse sugar if using.
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Place the pie on the oven-heated baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes, then reduce heat to 375°F and bake for 45 to 55 minutes or until crust is golden brown and visible juices are bubbling. Check the color of the sides of the It should also be golden brown. If the crust is too brown before 45 minutes, cover with foil and continue baking.
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Let cool completely for at least 3 hours before slicing and serving.
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Serve with vanilla ice cream.
I used Erin Jeanne McDowell’s cookbook pie book As a resource when developing this recipe.
