A classic pie for good reason!
This Apple Pie Recipe is literally as easy as pie! Sweet and tart fresh apples are mixed with cinnamon sugar and nestled in a perfectly flaky pie crust.
Bake and enjoy or make ahead of time. This pie freezes well either before or after baking.
As Easy as Apple Pie
Apples are the perfect addition to almost any dessert from apple pie roll-ups to baked apple bread but there really is nothing like a classic apple pie recipe.
- This homemade apple pie is literally as ‘easy as pie’. The tips below ensure the picture perfect pie every time.
- It needs just simple ingredients that you likely have on hand.
- A flaky crust, tender apples that are just the right amount of sweet.
- Works perfectly with store-bought or homemade pie crust.
How To Make Apple Pie
To make a classic apple pie recipe, begin with a double pie crust.
- Prep Apples – To make apple pie filling, thinly slice, core, and peel apples. I slice them between 1/4″-1/8″ thick.
- Make Filling – Toss all of the apple pie ingredients together (per the recipe below). In this apple pie filling, the addition of all purpose flour helps to absorb the liquids that the apples release when they bake and makes the pie a little saucy.
- Roll Pie Crust – If you made homemade pie dough, roll it to 1/8” thickness (I roll the to bottom into a 12- circle inch) and line a 9-inch pie plate. Set aside.
- Fill & Bake – Fill the crust with the apple mixture and top with a second crust (or a lattice crust) and bake.
Prep Tips for a Perfect Pie
- Peel the apples first for pie, apple peels can be chewy when baked.
- Unlike strawberry rhubarb pie or blueberry pie, you don’t need to worry about adding tapioca or other thickening agents. Apples don’t release a lot of juices as berries do.
- There is no need to precook the apples.
- Use a whole top crust or a lattice crust. If using a full crust, be sure to cut a few slits in the crust with a sharp knife to allow the steam to escape.
- An egg wash on the crust will make it glossy, I often add a sprinkle of sugar too.
- The top crust can be replaced with a crumble to make a crumb pie.
Baking Tips for Homemade Apple Pie
- A perfect crust: Two temperature baking is the secret. Starting the apple pie at a higher temperature keeps the crust from getting soggy.
- Keep the oven clean: Depending on your apples, the pie can sometimes bubble over the top of the pie dish. Place it on a parchment-lined baking sheet to save my oven any mess.
- Make it golden brown: If the outer crust starts to brown too much, cover the edges with foil or a pie crust shield.
Bake homemade apple pie at 425°F for 15 minutes and then reduce the heat to 375°F for an additional 35-40 minutes or until the apples are tender and the pie crust is golden.
This apple pie needs 6-7 cups of sliced apples which is about 5 medium apples/
Apple pie can be left at room temperature for about 24 hours after baking. If you will be keeping it longer than that it’s best stored in the fridge.
My preference is granny smith because they hold their shape well and have a nice sweet-tart flavor. Any firm apple will work.
Choose apples that are firm enough to hold their shape but still become tender when baked. Granny Smith is my first choice for homemade apple pie.
Other options are any combination of Braeburn, Jonagold, Honeycrisp, Golden Delicious, Northern Spy, Idared, or Pink Lady..
You can keep apple pie in the fridge for up to 5 days. If you’d like to keep it longer, store it in the freezer.
Like most pies, this apple pie can be frozen either before or after baking. Wrap in plastic wrap and freeze.
How to Freeze Apple Pie
Like most pies, this apple pie can be frozen either before or after baking. Wrap in plastic wrap and freeze.
To bake from frozen, preheat the oven to 425°F. Place the pie on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Decrease the heat to 375°F and bake an additional 40-55 minutes or until the crust is golden and the apples are softened. If the top begins to brown too much, loosely cover it with foil.
If freezing after baking, allow the pie to thaw in the fridge overnight. It can be gently reheated in the oven.
More Perfect Pies
Did you enjoy this Apple Pie Recipe? Be sure to leave a comment and a rating below!
Homemade Apple Pie Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
Crust
- Double Crust Pie Pastry
- 1 large egg beaten
Filling
- 6-7 cups apples peeled and sliced, about 2 lbs
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons flour
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F.
- Peel apples and cut in quarters. Remove the core and slice apples to ¼-inch to ⅛-inch thick.
- In a large bowl, combine apples, lemon juice, sugar, flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Toss well to combine and set aside.
- Roll half of the dough into a 12-inch circle. Line a 9-inch pie plate with the pastry dough. Fill with apple filling.
- Roll the remaining crust and gently place it over the apple mixture. Seal the edges by gently pinching the top and bottom crusts together. You can fold or decorate the edges by crimping or pressing with a fork. Remove any excess dough.
- Beat the egg and 2 teaspoons of water or milk. Cut 4-5 slits in the top crust to allow steam to escape. Brush with egg mixture and sprinkle with sugar (optional).
- Place the pie plate on a baking pan lined with parchment paper. This is optional but will catch any drips or spills.
- Bake at 425°F for 15 minutes, reduce heat to 375°F, and bake an additional 35-40 minutes or until the crust is golden and the apples are tender.
- Cool at least 30 minutes before serving. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce if desired.
Video
Notes
- For easy clean-up, bake on a parchment-lined pan to catch any spills.
- If the crust starts to brown too much, tent with foil or use a pie crust shield to cover.
- Apple pie can be frozen before or after baking. Wrap in plastic and freeze for up to 6 months.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Dessert, Pie
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Wondering if I diced the apples instead of sliced if it makes a difference in cook time?
I haven’t tried diced in this recipe so I can’t say for sure how it would affect the cook time Lexi. If you try it I would love to hear how it turns out!
I made this pie for Thanksgiving and it tasted great but my apples didn’t cook. any ideas why?
Oh no! I am sorry to hear that Sandi. Did you make sure your apples were sliced thin enough? I slice them between 1/4″-1/8″ thick. If it needed to be baked a little further but the crust was getting too brown, you could cover the edges with foil or a pie crust shield. I hope this helps!
Yes, exactly! Same thing happened to me. I did not slice the apples 1/8″ and that was why the pie crust cooked and all but the apples were crunchy. I would not recommend dicing apples for the same reason. But I learned what went wrong and make sure they are sliced thin. I like a little extra spice so put in a sprinkling of ground clove. Added a touch more cinnamon to mine as well. And I also used both Granny Smith and Pink Lady apples. I used 1/4 C. white sugar and 1/4 C. densly packed dark brown sugar. Just my preference. Great recipe. Marie Callendar’s frozen crust as well.
very delicious!!
Easy peasy thanks
Question : I want to make this, but want to freeze it for Thanksgiving 2022. Should I cut slits in top crust, do egg wash and sugar before freezing so it will be completely ready to bake from frozen ? I’ve never made an Apple Pie before, but it’s my families favorite. Please help me to please my family. Thanks !!!
Hi Barb, this pie freezes well. I would fully prepare then freeze the pie. To bake from frozen, preheat the oven to 425°F. Place the pie on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Decrease the heat to 375°F and bake an additional 40-55 minutes or until the crust is golden and the apples are softened. If the top begins to brown too much, loosely cover it with foil.
my recipe is similar to this. the problem I have been having is the bottom crust does not cook. what could I be doing wrong. I use the same cook time as is in the recipe.
Do you also do a two-temp baking Dianne? I start at 425°F and then reduce to 375°F. Additionally, are you using a lattice crust or whole top crust? If you’re using a whole top crust are you cutting in enough slits to allow the steam to escape properly?
This recipe was perfect! Not too sweet and worked with store bought pillsbury crust. Used Macintosh and was great. Thank you!
Great recipe, thanks for sharing it. :)
Hello Holly, LOVE your recipes! Quick question: How would your pre-made recipe for Apple Pie filling be used in this recipe as opposed to uncooked apples? Thanks in advance!
Hi Elizabeth! I would suggest baking at 425°F for 35-45 minutes or until the crust has browned. Enjoy!
Nice recipe!
Perfect. Went exactly by the recipe and it turned out so good, thank you.
My go-to classic apple pie recipe. Very simple to make and less sugar than other recipes so apple flavor can take center stage, as it should! Apple pie is my husband’s favorite and he loves this version!
I would love to try this recipe. What kind of apples did you use?
Hi TC, you’ll find information about the best apples to use in the post in the section The Best Apples for Pie. My personal favorite is Granny Smith. Enjoy the pie!
Love the recipe ☺️ so much .Thank You
Turned out great. Thank you!!
You’re welcome!
We only used the apple filling part of the recipe with a pre-mixed pastry mix, but the filling was AMAZING and the top of the pastry tasted fantastic too!!