Homemade Apple Pie
This homemade apple pie recipe features a flaky golden crust and a warmly spiced, tender apple filling made completely from scratch. It's the simple apple pie recipe your family will request again and again.
The Apple Pie Recipe Everyone Asks For
There is nothing quite like the smell of a homemade apple pie baking in the oven. The cinnamon and warm spices drifting through the house, the sound of bubbling filling, the anticipation of that first flaky bite. This is a truly simple apple pie recipe, built on a homemade apple pie filling that tastes like it took all day, even though it comes together with just a little patience and good technique.
Whether you're looking for a fresh apple pie recipe for Thanksgiving, a weekend baking project, or you just want to learn how to make a apple pie from scratch for the first time, this recipe walks you through every step so your crust turns out flaky and your filling turns out perfectly spiced, never runny, never mushy.
Before we get cooking, having the right tools genuinely changes the outcome here. A sturdy pie dish helps the crust bake evenly, a good pastry cutter keeps your butter cold and your crumbs consistent, and a reliable rolling pin makes shaping the dough far less stressful.
Choosing the Best Apples for Pie
The secret to a perfectly simple apple pie starts with the apples themselves. A single variety can leave your filling either too sweet or too watery, so a blend works best.
- Granny Smith apples bring tartness and hold their shape well during baking.
- Honeycrisp apples add natural sweetness and a pleasant bite.
- A mix of both gives you the ideal balance of flavor and texture.
Chef's Tip: Slice your apples evenly, about a quarter inch thick, so they cook at the same rate. Uneven slices lead to some pieces turning mushy while others stay too firm.
Building the Perfect Apple Pie Filling
A great apple pie recipe filling relies on more than just sugar and cinnamon. The lemon juice brightens the flavor and helps prevent browning, while the cornstarch thickens the juices released during baking so your slices hold together instead of sliding apart.
If you're working from a homemade apple pie filling you prepped in advance, simply toss it once more before filling the crust to redistribute any settled spices or juice.
Getting the Crust Right
Cold butter is everything when it comes to flakiness. Work quickly, keep your ingredients chilled, and avoid overworking the dough. If at any point the butter starts to soften too much, pop the bowl in the fridge for ten minutes before continuing.
Chef's Tip: Chilling the shaped dough discs for a full hour, or even overnight, relaxes the gluten and makes rolling far easier the next day.
Assembling and Baking Your Pie
Once your dough is chilled and your filling is ready, assembling the pie is the fun part. Whether you prefer a classic double crust or a decorative lattice top, the process is forgiving and satisfying.
Ready to make it? Here is the full step-by-step recipe:
Homemade Apple Pie
This homemade apple pie recipe features a flaky golden crust and a warmly spiced, tender apple filling made completely from scratch. It's the simple apple pie recipe your family will request again and again.
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
- 1 cup unsalted butter, cold, cubed, for the crust
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar, for the crust
- 1 tsp salt, divided
- 6 tbsp ice water, very cold, plus more as needed
- 7 apples, Granny Smith and Honeycrisp mix, peeled, cored, and sliced
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar, for the filling
- 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed, for the filling
- 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 tbsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 3 tbsp cornstarch, or flour, to thicken the filling
- 1 large egg, beaten, for egg wash
- 1 tbsp turbinado sugar, for sprinkling, optional
Instruction
In a large bowl or food processor, combine the flour, sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cut in the cold butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with pea-sized pieces remaining.
Add ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing gently until the dough just comes together. Divide in half, shape into two discs, wrap, and chill for at least 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
In a large bowl, toss the sliced apples with granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, remaining salt, lemon juice, and cornstarch until evenly coated.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out one dough disc and fit it into a 9-inch pie dish, letting the excess hang over the edge.
Pour the apple filling into the crust, mounding it slightly in the center.
Roll out the second dough disc and place it over the filling, or cut into strips for a lattice top. Trim and crimp the edges to seal.
Brush the top crust with beaten egg and sprinkle with turbinado sugar. Cut a few small slits in the top if using a solid crust.
Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until the crust is deep golden brown and the filling is bubbling. Cover the edges with foil if they brown too quickly.
Cool the pie on a wire rack for at least 3 hours before slicing to let the filling set.
Equipment
- 9-inch pie dish
- Rolling pin
- Large mixing bowl
- Pastry cutter or food processor
- Wire cooling rack
Notes
Serving, Storing, and Variations
Let your pie cool for at least three hours before slicing. I know it's tempting to dig in right away, but this cooling time allows the cornstarch to fully set the filling, so you get clean slices instead of a soupy mess on the plate.
Serve slices warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, or at room temperature with a dusting of powdered sugar. Leftovers keep beautifully on the counter for a couple of days or in the fridge for up to five.
Feel free to experiment once you've mastered the basics. Add a handful of dried cranberries for a holiday twist, swap in a crumb topping instead of a top crust for a rustic look, or add a splash of bourbon to the filling for extra depth. However you make it, this homemade apple pie recipe is designed to become a trusted favorite in your baking rotation.
