Classic, double crust apple pie is the quintessential homemade dessert. The filling for this recipe starts with FOUR pounds of apples and a heap of warming spices like cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg. An all butter crust really sets this pie apart. Once the components are made, this pie can be easily assembled.
I have a confession: homemade apple pie is not my favorite dessert. It isn’t even in my top five list of all time favorite desserts. Coming from a baker married to a farmer that may sound sacriligious, but I will say that this particular apple pie recipe has me seriously reconsidering my list. My recipe yields a deep dish-style apple pie that is packed full of real apple slices surrounded by a tender, flaky all-butter pie crust. I love hearing the crust shatter as you cut into it. Homemade apple pie has so many satisfying layers of texture. Served warm with a cold scoop of vanilla ice cream, I could easily become an apple dessert convert.
COMPONENTS FOR HOMEMADE APPLE PIE
- – Two pie crusts: Simply double my recipe for Pie Dough or Sourdough Pie Dough. I recommend making the pie dough at least two hours before you want to bake your pie so the dough has time to relax and chill in the refrigerator.
- – Apple pie filling: My recipe is listed below and it calls for four pounds of apples, which will be peeled, cored and sliced down into three pounds. The apple slices are then tossed with both granulated and brown sugars, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, salt, a little flour and a touch of lemon juice. I highly recommend briefly cooking the apple pie filling on the stove first just to soften the apples. This step can and should be done a bit ahead of time so that the filling can cool down before the pie is assembled.
- – Egg wash and sugar: Simply whisk one egg with one tablespoon of milk or cream. Egg wash is brushed onto the pie crust before baking. Then sprinkle the pie with regular granulated sugar or sanding sugar. The egg wash and sugar will help caramelize the pie crust as it bakes.
WHAT APPLES ARE BEST FOR BAKING?
- In general, a good “baking apple” is one that will hold its shape and that does not release a ton of moisture during the baking process. I recommend using a mix of one tart kind of apple and one sweeter apple for a better balance of flavor in apple desserts. However, if I could only choose one kind of apple to bake with, my favorite apples of all time are Pink Lady. They are the perfect balance between tart and sweet, have a firm, crisp texture and are excellent for both baking and eating raw!
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- Best SWEET baking apples: Honeycrisp, Gala, Fuji, Pink Lady (sweet/tart), Ambrosia, Mutsu (Crispin)
- Best TART baking apples: Granny Smith, Ida Red, Pink Lady (sweet/tart), Empire, Braeburn
TIPS FOR SUCCESS
- 1. Make the pie dough and filling ahead of time: Be sure to make the pie dough and filling at least two hours before you want to bake the pie for the best results. Both can also be made days ahead and kept in the refrigerator. The pie filling can be room temperature when assembled, but not hot or warm. If the filling is too warm it will melt the butter in the pie dough.
- 2. Chill the pie before baking: If the components of the pie are well chilled when they enter the oven, it will create the most steam, ensuring a tender crust and interior. Let the pie chill in the freezer while the oven preheats.
- 3. Start baking at a high temperature: As mentioned above, when the cold butter in the pie dough enters a hot oven, steam will escape and create flaky layers in the pie crust as it bakes. Starting out the oven at a higher temperature (like 425° F) initially and then lowering the temperature to finish baking will boost this process.
- 4. Let the pie cool before slicing: Once the pie is baked, it is very beneficial to allow it to cool for a couple of hours. This gives the filling time to set properly.
MORE APPLE DESSERTS & AUTUMNAL BAKING
- – Easy Apple Crisp
- – Triple Apple Cake
- – Pumpkin Spice Bread with Crumb Topping
- – Pecan Pie
- – Pecan Pie Bars
Homemade Apple Pie
A recipe for classic, double crust apple pie made with lots of real apples!
Equipment
- 1 kitchen scale
- 1 mixing bowl
- 1 set of measuring spoons
- 1 vegetable peeler
- 1 paring knife
- 1 large skillet optional
- 1 heatproof spatula or spoon optional
- 1 Rolling Pin
- 1 9 or 10" glass, ceramic or metal pie dish
Ingredients
For apple pie filling
- 4 lb apples mix of baking apples such as Granny Smith, Ida Red, Pink Lady or Honeycrisp
- 1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup (55 grams) brown sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground allspice
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 2 tbsp (18 grams) all purpose flour or cornstarch
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
For egg wash and topping
- 1 whole egg
- 1 tbsp milk or heavy cream
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
For assembly
- 2 unbaked pie crusts homemade or store bought
- 1 recipe of pie filling (listed above)
- 1 recipe for egg wash (listed above)
Instructions
- If making your own pie crusts, be sure to make the dough at least 2 hours before you plan to assemble the pie. Keep the pie dough in the refrigerator until the filling is prepared.
To make the pie filling
- Begin by peeling, coring and slicing the apples. The apple slices should be about 1/4" thick. About 4 pounds of apples should yield around 3 pounds of apple slices.
- Toss the apple slices with the remaining filling ingredients until well mixed.
Cooked filling option
- The apple pie filling really benefits from cooking on stove briefly before baking in the pie. This step is not necessary but highly recommended.
- Add the apple pie filling to a large skillet and cook over medium high heat for about 5-10 minutes until the apples just begin to soften and the sugars become syrupy. Let the mixture cool to room temperature before assembling the pie. You can also refrigerate the filling at this point for future use or to cool down the mixture faster.
Assemble the pie
- If using homemade pie dough, roll out one of the crusts so it is large enough to cover the pie dish with about 1" of overhang around the edge. Transfer the dough to the pie dish and place it in the refrigerator or freezer while you roll out the second crust.
- Roll out the second disc of pie dough roughly the same diameter as the first one. You can leave it solid or cut into strips to make a lattice top.
- Remove the pie dish with the bottom crust from the refrigerator or freezer. Fill it with the cooled apple filling, make sure to shingle it so there are no air gaps.
- Cover the filling with the top crust or use strips of dough to create a lattice pattern. Crimp the edges together with your fingers or a fork. Brush the entire top and edges of the pie dough with egg wash. Sprinkle the top with the remaining sugar. Place the whole pie in the freezer while the oven preheats.
Bake the pie
- Preheat a conventional oven to 425° F. Remove the pie from the freezer and place it on a sheet tray to catch any juices from bubbling over into the bottom of the oven.
- Bake the pie at 425° F for about 20 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature down to 350° F. Bake for 45-60 minutes until the filling is bubbling and the top in nicely browned.
- Let the pie cool to room temperature for at least 2 hours before slicing and serving. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
