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A slice of apple pie.
Recipe

Homemade Apple Pie

  • Author: Lindsay
  • Prep Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 50 minutes
  • Total Time: 3 hours 5 minutes
  • Yield: 10-12
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Oven
  • Cuisine: American

Description

This sweet homemade apple pie is filled with tender apples and cozy spices, and made with a perfectly flaky crust. Serve it for Thanksgiving dessert, or just because!


Ingredients

For the Crust

For the Apple Pie Filling

  • 2 1/2 pounds Granny Smith apples, before peeling and coring
  • 2 1/2 pounds Honeycrisp apples*, before peeling and coring
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1/2 cup (112g) packed light brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup (104g) granulated sugar
  • 1/3 cup (43g) all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 large egg, beaten
  • Coarse sugar, optional

Instructions

For the Pie Crust

  1. Make the pie crust according to the directions. Refrigerate until ready to use. I use a 9 inch deep dish pie plate.

To Make the Apple Pie Filling

  1. Peel, core, and slice all of the apples to about 1/8 inch thick. You want to try to slice them all about the same thickness so they cook evenly.
  2. Add the lemon juice to a very large bowl and toss the apples in the juice as you slice them, leaving the apple slices in the bowl for later.
  3. Add the sugars, flour, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg to the apple slices and gently toss to coat them all with the mixture. Be careful not to break the apples as you toss them.
  4. Pour the apple mixture into a large 5-quart skillet (I use this skillet but this one would work well too.)
  5. Cook the apples (covered with a lid) over medium heat for about 20 minutes. You want the apples to be fork-tender but still hold their shape. The apples won’t soften more in the oven, so how they are when you stop cooking them is how they’ll be in the pie. Cook them to how you like them.
  6. Remove the pan from the heat and gently stir in the vanilla extract.
  7. Spread the apple filling evenly onto a sheet pan or any pan with a lip around the edge and refrigerate it until completely cool. Depending on how cold your fridge is, it’ll take a couple of hours or so to cool fully. You could also pop it in the freezer to cool more quickly, but you won’t want it to be frozen when you go to use it later.
  8. Roll out one of your pie crusts and add it to a 9-inch deep dish pie pan.
  9. When the apple filling is completely cool, add it all to the pie crust.
  10. Top the filling with the other pie crust. I did a lattice design, but feel free to do it however you like. If you don’t do a lattice or a design that is naturally vented, just be sure to score the crust so that steam can escape while it bakes. Fold and crimp the edges of the pie as desired.
  11. Place the pie in the fridge or freezer for 20-30 minutes to get it cold and firm.
  12. Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. While the pie is chilling, place a baking sheet in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes to get nice and hot.
  13. Before putting the pie in the oven, brush the crust of the pie with the beaten egg and sprinkle the top with the coarse sugar.
  14. Put the pie into the oven on the preheated baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes or until the crust is starting to brown.
  15. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and bake for an additional 35 to 45 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the juices of the pie are bubbling. If the crust begins to brown too much, you can cover it with a pie crust shield or use foil to tent the top of it. Just be sure it’s vented for the steam to be released.
  16. Let the pie cool on a wire rack to room temperature, for about 4 hours. The filling will thicken as it cools. If you cut it when it’s still hot, the juices will pool.
  17. When the pie is cool, slice and serve. 

Notes

  • Modified from The Food Charlatan and Cooks Illustrated
  • *I used Honeycrisp apples, but mainly you want to be sure to use an apple that isn’t tart like the Granny Smith apples. You want a mix of tart and sweet/flavorful apples.
  • To store. Store the pie at room temperature for up to 24 hours, then refrigerate it. The pie should be good for 3-4 days.
  • To freeze. Cut any remaining pie into slices and place them uncovered in the freezer. Once frozen, wrap the slices in plastic wrap and place them back into the freezer. You can keep them there for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to eat, let the slices thaw overnight in the fridge. Heat them up before serving.