Best Apple Pie Recipe

5 from 12 votes

This is the best Homemade Apple Pie recipe ever! Its flaky, buttery crust is made from scratch, & the delicious apple pie filling isn't overly sweet, letting the flavor of the apples really shine. Plus this apple pie is easy to make with a handful of simple ingredients.

Prep Time20

Cook Time1

Chilling time1

Total Time2 20

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Diet: Vegetarian

Servings: People

Author: Laura

Cost: $10

Equipment

Ingredients

Apple Pie Filling:

10 cups sliced apples peeled, cored and sliced (about 3.5 lbs)
½ cup granulated sugar
3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 Teaspoons ground cinnamon
Dash of nutmeg optional

Double Pie Crust:

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
1 cup butter COLD, cut into 1 inch pieces
½ cup ice cold water

Egg wash (optional)

1 egg beaten
1 Tablespoon milk

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Make the Crust

Place all pie crust ingredients in the order listed into a food processor fitted with an “S” blade process for 15-40 seconds, or until the mixture resembles a coarse meal and holds together when pinched.
Remove dough from processor (it will be crumbly), transfer it to a large bowl or flat surface, and form into two, equal-sized round discs.
Wrap both discs of dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight.

Make the Filling

Place the peeled and cored apples in a microwave safe dish and cook for 6 minutes, until apples are slightly soft.
While apples are in the microwave, in a small bowl, mix together sugar, flour cinnamon and nutmeg.
Once apples are finished cooking in the microwave, put them in a colander to drain excess water. Let them cool in the colander for at least 10 minutes.
Transfer cooled & drained apples to a bowl, add dry ingredient mixture and stir until it’s evenly distributed.

Assemble

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Remove crusts from refrigerator and roll into circles, about ¼ inch thick. (you may need to let them sit on the counter at room temperature for 5 minutes, or until it rolls a little easier).
Gently place one round crust into pie plate.
Pour filling into unbaked pie crust.
Place second crust on top of the apple pie filling and shape the edges. Cut 4 slits in the top to vent steam. (or make a lattice crust).

Bake & Cool

Place a pie crust shield or aluminum foil over the outer crust of the pie to protect it from burning. Remove shield in the last 10-15 minutes of baking if it doesn’t begin to brown under the shield)
Bake the pie on the middle/lower rack in the preheated oven for 60 minutes or until the filling begins to bubble and the top is lightly browned.
Let cool for at least 3 hours (the filling thickens as it cools).
Serve with vanilla ice cream.

Video

Notes

Pie Crust Substitutions

You can use a store-bought crust if you prefer, or here are some notes on substitutions. Check out this butter pie crust recipe for more information,.

All-purpose flour. Pastry flour works well in place of all-purpose flour. For a gluten-free option, use a 1:1 all-purpose gluten-free flour.
Salted butter: Unsalted butter and vegan butter (like Earth balance, which is what was used to make this dairy-free pumpkin pie), are good substitutions.
Egg Wash (eggs & milk). this is optional. Heavy cream or half and half can also be used in place of milk. Or you can omit the egg and just use milk.

Filling Substitutions:

Apples. Choose your favorite apple variety, I prefer a sweet/tart variety like pink ladies.
Sugar. You can substitute up to half of the granulated sugar with brown sugar.
All-purpose flour. Cornstarch or an all-purpose gluten-free flour blend both work well.
Nutmeg. This is optional but recommended for a richer flavor

How to prevent a soggy bottom pie crust:

Be sure to use a colander to let the water drain out of your apples as they cool before mixing the dry ingredients into them.
Let the apple pie cool completely before serving. This will thicken up the filling and harden the crust.
Do not add any excess water to the pie when you add the filling.

Store

Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Freeze

1. Freeze the entire pie. Bake the pie & let it cool to room temperature. Then wrap it tightly with plastic wrap and foil and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before cutting and serving.
2. Freeze individual slices. Put the slices of apple pie on a baking sheet and put them in the freezer to flash-freeze. Then, once they're frozen, wrap them in plastic wrap and store in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator for about 6 hours.

Nutrition