My all-time favorite Apple Pie Recipe! Imagine saucy apples bubbling through that flaky pie crust – irresistibly good! This pie always gets glowing reviews from everyone who takes a bite. This is the pie everyone has to make for Thanksgiving!
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Helpful Reader Review
“I have made a lot of different apple pies for my family over the years. This is by far the best apple pie ever! My family requests it all the time.“ – Elaine ★★★★★
Apple Pie Video Tutorial
Watch my video and see how easy this apple pie is—from the simple crust to that homemade apple pie filling. You’ll crave it until you make it!
Apple Pie
This easy Apple Pie is a treasured recipe with thousands of glowing reviews. It’s simple to make but looks just like a professional baker spent hours in the kitchen to make it, and it tastes that way too. It’s buttery, flaky, gooey, and just perfect.
You’ll love the homemade flaky pastry pie crust – we use this same crust for Blueberry Pie and Cherry Pie. It’s also perfect for savory pies like Chicken Pot Pie. It’s a keeper!
The method for this apple pie filling is surprising, but it will win you over. It’s well worth the extra 5 minutes to create the buttery homemade sauce instead of simply tossing the apples with dry sugar and flour. You’ll never want canned apple pie filling again.
Apple Pie Ingredients
You may be surprised to hear you only need pantry staples and some fresh apples to make this apple pie recipe.
- Pie crust – you’ll need two disks of homemade pie crust. We love this apple pie crust just as much as the filling. Since it’s an all-butter homemade pie crust (no shortening), it’s flaky and tender. The bottom is never soggy but forms a crispness at the edges. You can use store-bought, but homemade is best.
- Apples – We use Granny Smith in this pie recipe for the best flavor and texture. Avoid overripe or mushy apples. See my notes on apple substitutions below.
- Butter & Flour – creates a thick and saucy filling
- Cinnamon – adds a warm, spiced flavor to the apples. You could also add a pinch of nutmeg.
- Sugar – add sugar to taste, depending on the types of apples used (see apple options below).
- Egg Wash – combining egg and water gives the crust a golden brown, shiny finish.
The Best Apples for Apple Pie
Granny Smith apples are tart and crisp and the gold standard for baking, but any sweet/tart and crisp apples or even a mix of apples will do, but use less sugar when substituting sweeter apples such as Golden Delicious, Jonagold, Honeycrisp, Fuji, Braeburn, or Pink Lady.
How to Make Apple Pie
- Prepare the pie crust recipe and chill in the refrigerator. When ready to assemble your pie, preheat the oven to 425˚F with a rack in the center of the oven.
- Make the Filling – Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat, add flour and whisk constantly for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in water until combined, then whisk in sugar. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently, then remove from heat. Do not overcook. The sauce should be thick and pourable and will continue to thicken as it cools.
- Prepare apples – peel, core, and slice apples into about 1/4″ thick slices. Sprinkle with cinnamon and toss to combine, then stir in the filling to coat the apples.
My Favorite Tool for Prepping Apples
If you bake with apples often, this apple peeler is a huge time-saver. It peels, cores, and slices apples in one step, making prep so much easier for pies, Apple Crisp, Baked Apples, and Apple Turnovers.
- Roll the Crust – into a 12-inch diameter pie dough and transfer to a 9-inch, deep pie pan. Add the apple filling, mounding in the center (avoid getting apple filling on the edges of the pie crust, which will make it difficult to seal).
- Lattice Top – Roll the second disk into an 11-inch diameter circle and cut into 10 strips with a pizza cutter. Arrange half of the strips over the pie and weave in the second layer of strips (see how to make a lattice crust). Crimp the edges to seal and brush the crust with egg wash.
- Bake at 425˚F for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350˚F and continue baking for another 45 minutes until you see thick juices bubbling through the lattice crust for at least 5 minutes.
How to Keep Pie From Browning Too Fast
If you find the edges of your pie are browning too quickly, you can use a pie shield or simply cut a 3″ circle out of the center of a square sheet of foil and loosely place it with the dull side down over the top of your pie.
Tips for the Best Apple Pie
- Don’t overheat the filling – Keep the sauce at a gentle simmer to prevent butter from separating or the sauce from thickening too much. If it separates, remove from heat and whisk well, adding 1 tsp warm water at a time if needed. Don’t worry if it isn’t perfectly smooth since the apple juices will help it come together as it bakes. If the sauce thickens while prepping the apples, gently rewarm over low heat to loosen it up.
- Chill the crust – make sure to chill the pie crust according to the instructions, or the butter will melt out of the crust, and it will go flat.
- Let it cool – allow the pie to cool and set for 2-3 hours before slicing, for the juices to thicken up and set, otherwise it will slide apart when sliced.
Everything about this apple pie is good, from the flaky, buttery, homemade crust to the unbeatable apple pie filling. Try this served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream! Let me know if it graces your holiday table.
P.S. Did you know you can make an apple pie ahead (see the make-ahead tips in the notes below). With all the bustle of the holidays, it’s nice to know you can check this pie off your list early.
The BEST Apple Pie
Ingredients
- 1 recipe for double pie crust
- 2 1/4 lbs Granny Smith Apples, (about 6–7 apples, yielding 7 cups peeled, cored, and thinly sliced)
- 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 8 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg , + 1 Tbsp water, for egg wash
Instructions
- Prepare the Crust: Make the pie crust recipe and chill per instructions while preparing the filling. Preheat oven to 425˚F.
- Make the Sauce: Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in 3 Tbsp flour, then simmer for 1 minute, whisking constantly. Gradually whisk in 1/4 cup water until combined, then whisk in 1 cup sugar. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently, then remove from heat. The sauce should be thick and pourable. Do not overcook*.
- Prep Apples: Peel, core, and thinly slice 7 cups of apples about 1/4-inch thick, then place them in a large bowl. Sprinkle the top with 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon and toss to combine. Pour the sauce over the apples and stir to coat the apple slices.
- Roll the Dough: Sprinkle your work surface with flour and roll out the bottom pie crust to a 12" diameter circle. Wrap it around your rolling pin to transfer it to the 9" pie plate. Add apple mixture, mounding slightly in the center and being careful not to get the filling on the edges which would make it difficult to seal.
- Roll the Top Crust: Roll the second crust into an 11" round and cut into 10 even-thickness strips using a pizza cutter. Arrange strips in a woven lattice pattern over the top (see video tutorial). Beat together 1 egg and 1 Tbsp water and brush the top with egg mixture.
- Bake at 425˚F in the center of the oven for 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350˚F and continue baking for another 45 minutes or until the apples are soft and the filling is bubbling through the vents for at least 5 minutes and apples are tender when pierced with a knife.* Rest at room temperature 2-3 hours before serving.
Notes
- Make-Ahead: Prepare the pie crust up to 3 days ahead and refrigerate, or freeze the dough up to 3 months. For the freshest crust, bake the apple pie the day you plan to serve it, or bake a day ahead to save time.
- Store at Room Temp: Cool completely before covering and storing. Store at room temperature for up to 2 days.
- To Refrigerate: Cover and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
- Freezing Pie: Once completely cooled, wrap the baked pie tightly in plastic wrap and foil, then freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
- To Reheat: Warm the refrigerated pie in a 350°F oven for 15-20 minutes, until warmed through. Cover loosely with foil if the crust is browning too much.
Nutrition Per Serving
More Fall Baking Recipes
Easy Pumpkin Cake Recipe
Baklava Recipe
Pumpkin Cheesecake
