Apple Pie Recipe with Tips for a Flaky Crust and Perfect Filling

Apple Pie

There is something about apple pie that makes people pull up a chair before the plates are even on the table.

This is the pie I bring to every holiday gathering, and it is the one my family asks for the moment the weather turns cool and the kitchen starts to smell like cinnamon.

The recipe is simple, flaky, and perfectly spiced, and it serves eight people. You will need a 9 inch pie plate and a little patience while the filling cools.

Apples are available to most of us all year long, so there is never a wrong season to bake one. Serve it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, a spoonful of whipped cream, or completely on its own.

It disappears fast either way, and I have never once brought home a slice.

What is the Best Apple to use in Apple Pie?

Almost any apple will work in a pie, but the ones that hold their shape are the ones I reach for first. You want an apple that stays slightly firm after it bakes, so the slices keep some texture instead of collapsing into sauce.

Granny Smith, Ambrosia, and Gala apples are all safe bets, and you can use a single variety or mix a few together.

Granny Smith apples come out a little more tart and a little less sweet, which is exactly what some people want next to a buttery crust. If you prefer a sweeter pie, lean on Gala or Ambrosia.

If you love that bright tang, go all in on Granny Smith. Golden Delicious is another good option when that is what you have in the fruit bowl.

Perfect Pie Crust

Before we talk about apples, let us talk about the crust, because the crust is half the pie. I use my classic pie crust for this recipe, and it is the same dough I reach for when I make quiches and all sorts of other baked goods.

It is buttery, flaky, and honestly better than anything you will pull out of a box at the store. The full crust recipe and all of my rolling and chilling tips live in a separate post, so start there and make the dough first.

Once you have two discs of dough ready to go, the rest of this pie comes together quickly and the oven does the hard work.

Ingredients

Here is everything you need for one 9 inch apple pie. The crust comes from its own recipe, so the list below starts with the dough and then moves into the filling.

• 1 batch of Perfect Pie Crust, divided into 2 discs
• 1/4 cup butter
• 8 cups thinly sliced apples, peeled and cored
• 2/3 cup lightly packed brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon water
• Coarse sugar, optional

That is a short list for such a big reward. Nothing here is hard to find, and if you already keep cinnamon, brown sugar, and butter in the pantry, you are most of the way to a pie.

I buy a bag of apples and keep the rest of the ingredients on hand all season long, so a craving never has to wait for a shopping trip.

How to Make Apple Pie, Step by Step

The method is straightforward, and the step people skip is the one that matters most, so read through it once before you start.

1. Set a 9 inch pie plate on the counter and preheat the oven to 425 F.
2. Melt the butter in a large pot over medium low heat. Add the apples, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, lemon juice, and salt. Stir everything together and cook, stirring occasionally, until the apples soften, about 8 to 10 minutes. Take the pot off the heat and set the filling aside to cool.
3. While the filling cools, divide the prepared pie dough in half if it is not already in two discs, and lightly flour your work surface. Roll one disc out to about 1/8 inch thick and a little larger than your pie plate. Transfer the rolled dough into the plate and gently press it down into the bottom.
4. Make the egg wash by whisking the egg and the water together in a small bowl. Set it aside for now.
5. Spoon the cooled filling into the prepared crust. Roll the second disc of dough out on a lightly floured surface and lay it over the top. If you would rather have a woven look, cut the rolled dough into strips with a pizza cutter and braid the top layer instead. If you are not braiding, cut a few vents in the top crust so steam can escape. Trim the excess dough hanging over the sides and crimp the edges with your fingers to seal the pie.
6. Brush the top of the pie lightly with the egg wash and sprinkle coarse sugar over it if you like. Bake for 15 minutes at 425 F, then reduce the oven temperature to 350 F and keep baking until the crust is golden brown and the filling bubbles up through the vents, about 40 minutes. If the crust starts to get too brown, lay a piece of aluminum foil over the pie. Set the pie aside to cool before serving.

Here is the bake schedule at a glance, so you can keep it handy while you work.

My best advice for this pie is simple. Cook the filling first and let it cool completely before it meets the dough. A cool filling keeps the bottom crust crisp instead of soggy, and that is the difference between a good pie and a great one.

Tips for a Flaky Crust and a Perfect Filling

These are the little things I have learned after baking this pie more times than I can count. None of them take extra skill, and each one shows up in the finished slice.

• Cook the apples first. The filling softens on the stovetop for 8 to 10 minutes, which means the fruit is already tender and the spices are fully blended before the pie ever hits the oven.
• Let the filling cool. Warm filling will soften the bottom crust. Give it time to come down to room temperature and your slices will hold together beautifully.
• Cut vents in the top crust. Steam needs somewhere to go. Without vents, the filling bubbles up around the edges and the top crust can turn soggy.
• Try a braided top. Cutting the rolled dough into strips with a pizza cutter and braiding the top layer gives you a bakery look with almost no extra effort.
• Watch the browning. If the crust is getting dark before the filling is ready, lay a piece of aluminum foil loosely over the pie and keep baking.
• Cool before slicing. I know it is hard to wait. A rested pie cuts into clean wedges instead of running all over the plate.

One more habit of mine is to keep the dough cool while I work. If the kitchen is warm, the dough softens fast and gets sticky, so I roll it quickly and pop it back in the refrigerator whenever it starts to feel too soft under my hands.

How to Serve Apple Pie

A warm slice with vanilla ice cream melting down the sides is the version I dream about, and it is the one that gets the loudest reaction at my table.

Whipped cream is a close second, especially if you pile it high and let it chill the pie a little. But I want to say this clearly, because people forget it. This pie is excellent completely on its own.

The filling is sweet and spiced, the crust is buttery, and nothing else is required.

It works just as well for a holiday dinner as it does for a quiet Tuesday evening, which is one of the reasons it stays in my regular rotation.

I like to serve it slightly warm or at room temperature, and I always cut the first slice a little generously because that is the one everyone points at. A cup of coffee or a glass of cold milk alongside it never hurts either.

How to Store Leftover Apple Pie

If you have pie left, and honestly that is a big if, cover it and keep it in the refrigerator. The crust softens over time no matter how you store it, but chilling keeps the filling fresh and safe.

If you are serving the pie the same day you bake it, it can stay covered on the counter, and anything remaining after that goes into the fridge.

A cold slice straight from the refrigerator is genuinely delicious, and it is my favorite way to eat the last piece the next morning. If you would rather have it warm, a short stint in a low oven brings the crust back to life far better than a microwave does. Either way, this is a pie that rewards you twice.

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Apple Pie

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Apple Pie There is something about apple pie that makes people pull up a chair before the plates are even on the table. This is the pie I bring to every holiday gathering, and it is the one my family asks for the moment the weather turns cool and the kitchen starts to smell like cinnamon.

• Total Time: 0 min
• Yield: 8 1x

Ingredients

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1 Perfect Pie Crust Recipe
1/4 cup butter
8 cups thinly sliced apples, peeled and cored
2/3 cup lightly packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 teaspoon water
Coarse sugar

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Instructions

1-Set aside a 9-inch pie plate and: Set aside a 9-inch pie plate and preheat the oven to 425 F.
2-Melt the butter in a large pot: Melt the butter in a large pot over medium-low heat. Add the apples, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, lemon juice, and salt. Stir together and cook, stirring occasionally, until the apples soften, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
3-Meanwhile, divide the prepared pie dough in: Meanwhile, divide the prepared pie dough in half (if not already in 2 discs) and lightly flour a work surface. Roll one disc of dough out to around 1/8-inch thick, (a bit larger than your pie plate). Transfer the rolled sheet of dough into the pie plate, gently pushing it in to the bottom.
4-Make the egg wash by whisking together: Make the egg wash by whisking together the egg and water in a small bowl. Set aside.
5-Transfer the cooled cooked pie filling into: Transfer the cooled cooked pie filling into the prepared crust. Roll the other disc of pie dough out onto a lightly floured surface and transfer on top of the pie. Alternately, you can cut the rolled pie dough into strips using a pizza cutter and braid the top layer. Cut vents in the pie crust if not braiding. Trim the excess dough hanging over the sides and crimp the edges of the pie with your fingers to seal.
6-Lightly brush the top of the pie: Lightly brush the top of the pie with the egg wash and sprinkle evenly with coarse sugar, if desired. Bake the pie for 15 minutes at 425 F, reduce the temperature to 350 F, and continue baking until golden brown and the apple pie filling bubbles through the vents, around 40 minutes. Place a piece of aluminum foil over the pie during the cooking process if the crust starts to get too brown. Set aside to cool before serving.

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• Prep Time: 0 min
• Cook Time: 0 min
• Method: bake