I’ve Made Hundreds of Apple Pies, But THIS Is the Only One I’ll Ever Bake
There is no shortage of apple pie recipes that call themselves “the best,” but this recipe is the one that finally delivers on that promise. As a professional recipe developer, I’ve made hundreds of homemade pies. I’ve baked my way through every trendy recipe trick that promises that this is the very last apple pie recipe you’ll ever need. Although I picked up some tips along the way, every apple pie I baked still came up short — until now. This apple pie is the ultimate fall dessert, with a golden-brown, flaky crust filled with tender apples tossed with just the right amount of spice and sweetness.
In this recipe, I’ll teach you a foolproof method for making buttery pie crust from scratch, share exactly which apples to use, and divulge our tips for how to serve the perfect slice every time (with no soggy bottoms!).
Why You’ll Love It
It’s the best classic apple pie you’ll ever make. This apple pie is made with a variety of apples, warm spices, and a flaky crust that anyone (yes, anyone!) can make. Plus, there’s even a spiced apple syrup to drizzle over each slice.
This recipe is built for success. Follow our step-by-step instructions for making the pie crust, picking the apples, making the filling, and baking the pie so that it comes out perfectly every single time.
Key Ingredients in Apple Pie
All-purpose flour: Use all-purpose flour to make the pie crust and thicken the juices released in the apple pie filling.
Unsalted butter: Keep cubed unsalted butter very cold until it’s time to add to the pie crust mixture in the food processor. Adding the butter in two stages varies the butter size for a perfectly flaky crust.
Ice water: Ice-cold water (not just cold water from the tap) is key to keeping the pie crust cold. Use the full 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon ice water to hydrate the dough so that it is easier to roll out and has fewer cracks.
Apples: Granny Smith and Honeycrisp are my favorite apples for apple pie. They hold their shape when baked and provide a balance of sweet and tart flavor.
Spices: Use a mix of warm spices including ground cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg to give the apple pie filling its signature fall flavor and aroma.
Sugar: A combination of granulated sugar and brown sugars (both light and dark brown sugar work here) creates a not-too-sweet molasses flavor that doesn’t overpower the apples. Coarse sparkling sugar or turbinado sugar on top adds sparkle to the baked crust.
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How to Make Apple Pie
Make the pie dough. The Kitchn’s flaky pie crust is simple, easy to make in advance, and comes out perfectly every time, thanks to the perfect ratio of flour, butter, and ice water.
Mix sugar and spices. Combine brown sugar, granulated sugar, ground cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and kosher salt in a large bowl, making sure to break up any large bits of brown sugar.
Peel and macerate the apples. Buy large apples so that there are fewer to peel. Toss the peeled, sliced apples with the spiced sugar, and set aside until there is about 3/4 cup liquid in the bottom of the bowl. Releasing this moisture from the apples allows the bottom crust to brown and crisp, plus the apples won’t collapse and leave a gap between the filling and top crust.
Roll out the pie dough. Take the pie dough out of the refrigerator 10 minutes before rolling it out to reduce the chance of cracking. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough out on a well-floured surface, then transfer the pie dough to a pie dish. Roll out the second pie dough and cut into strips. Refrigerate both.
Assemble the pie. Pour off and save this delicious liquid for the syrup. Toss the apple slices with all-purpose flour to thicken any juices that come out during baking, then arrange in the bottom crust so that there aren’t any large pockets of space between the slices.
Make the lattice top. Weave the pie dough strips on the top of the filling into a lattice pattern. (Follow these simple step-by-step instructions for making a lattice crust.)
Refrigerate the pie. Because the pie dough may have softened upon assembly, refrigerate the pie for 30 minutes while the oven preheats.
Bake the pie. Brush the top with egg wash and sprinkle with coarse sugar. Bake on the bottom rack of the oven to promote browning.
Make the spiced apple syrup. Simmer the reserved juices from the apples until reduced to about 1/3 cup and syrupy in consistency.
Serve the pie. Cool the pie completely. Cut into wedges and serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream and a drizzle of the spiced apple syrup.
Helpful Swaps
Apples: Use at least two types of apples to taste the full range of apple flavor. Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, and Jonagold are among the best apples for apple pie.
Spices: Substitute 3 1/2 teaspoons store-bought or homemade apple pie spice for the ground cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg.
Pie crust: Store-bought pie crust can be used in place of a scratch-made crust. We recently tasted eight frozen pie crusts, and found one that could pass for homemade. Make sure to thaw the pie dough before assembling the pie.
Spiced apple syrup. The spiced and sweetened juice from macerating the apples can be used as is or simmered into a syrup and added as a sweetener in your favorite Thanksgiving cocktail, drizzled over ice cream, or stirred into coffee or tea.
Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
Making the pie crust in advance is one of the very best ways to get ahead on holiday food prep. Refrigerate the pie dough for up to four days, or freeze for up to three months. Make sure to thaw frozen dough overnight in the refrigerator before assembling the pie.
The apple pie can be assembled and refrigerated up to eight hours before baking. Because the pie is completely chilled, additional baking time may be required. Don’t forget that apple pies need to be completely cooled before serving to serve that perfect slice, so make sure to take the pie out of the oven long before you gather at the table.
You worked hard on this apple pie, so don’t let a single slice go to waste. Store leftover pie at room temperature for up to three days, or refrigerate for up to one week (the crust will soften upon storage). You can even freeze the baked pie for up to two months.
More Apple Desserts to Make
Apple Pie Recipe
A buttery, flaky homemade crust is filled with spiced apples in this perfect, classic apple pie.
Prep time 1 hour 30 minutes
Cook time 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 25 minutes
Serves 8 to 12
Ingredients
For the filling:
1/2 cup packed light or dark brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3 pounds Granny Smith or Honeycrisp apples (about 7 large), or a combination
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
For assembly and serving:
1 recipe flaky pie dough, formed into 2 disks and chilled
All-purpose flour, for dusting
1 large egg yolk
1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon turbinado or coarse sugar (optional)
Whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, for serving
Instructions
Make the filling:
Place 1/2 cup packed brown sugar, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger, and 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg in a large bowl. Stir to combine, breaking up any clumps of sugar.
Peel 3 pounds Granny Smith or Honeycrisp apples. Halve and core the apples, then cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices (about 8 cups). Add to the bowl of spiced sugar and toss to combine, making sure there are no clumps of sugar or spices left in the bottom of the bowl. Let sit at room temperature to soften until it releases about 3/4 cup liquid, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the pie dough.
Prepare the pie dough:
Let 2 disks pie dough sit at room temperature for 10 minutes. Dust a work surface generously with all-purpose flour. Roll out one of the pie doughs on the work surface into a round about 12 inches in diameter and about 1/8-inch thick. If the dough cracks when you first start rolling, let it stand for one minute to warm slightly before rolling again. Transfer into a regular 9-inch pie dish (not deep-dish). Trim the edges with kitchen shears as needed so there is a 1-inch overhang. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Repeat rolling out the second pie dough into a 12-inch round. Transfer to a sheet of parchment paper and cut into 3/4-inch-wide strips. Slide the dough strips, still on the parchment, onto a rimmed baking sheet and refrigerate until ready to use.
Assemble the pie:
Pour off the accumulated liquid from the apples into a small saucepan and reserve for making a syrup. Sprinkle 1/3 cup all-purpose flour over the apples and toss to coat. Transfer the filling into the crust and arrange into a snug, even layer (make sure there are no big pockets of air), slightly mounding the apples in the center.
Create a lattice pattern with the pie dough strips (step-by-step photos here): Lay half of the strips horizontally over the filling, using the longer strips in the middle and the shorter strips toward the edges. Space the strips evenly apart (about 3/4-inch). Fold every other strip back on itself about halfway.
Lay one of the longer remaining pie strips vertically over the apples so that it lays across the unfolded horizontal strips in the center. Swap the folded and unfolded horizontal strips: Unfold the folded horizontal strips so they lay over the vertical strip, and fold the strips running under the vertical strip back over top.
Lay another vertical strip of pie crust over the filling. Continue swapping the folded and unfolded horizontal strips and adding one new vertical strip each time. Continue until one half of the pie is completely latticed.
Lattice the second half of the pie following the same pattern. If the strips start to soften too much while you're creating the lattice, refrigerate the pie and dough strips for about 5 minutes before continuing. Reserve the baking sheet and parchment for baking.
Roll the overhanging dough inwards over the ends of the lattice strips. Firmly crimp the edges to seal. Refrigerate the pie for 30 minutes while you heat the oven. Arrange a rack in the lower third of the oven and heat the oven to 400°F.
Bake the pie:
Place 1 large egg yolk and 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl and whisk with a fork to break up. Brush a thin layer of the egg wash all over the top of the lattice pie crust. Sprinkle evenly with 1 tablespoon turbinado or coarse sugar if desired.
Place the pie on the reserved parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake until the crust is deeply golden-brown and the filling is bubbling, about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Check after 40 minutes of baking: If the crust is browning too quickly, loosely cover with aluminum foil for the remaining time.
Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely before serving, about 1 hour 30 minutes. Place the saucepan with the juices from the apples over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Continue to simmer until syrupy and reduced to about 1/3 cup, 8 to 10 minutes.
Serve the pie with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of the syrup.
Recipe Notes
Ingredient substitutions: 1 (14- to 16-ounce) package refrigerated or frozen pie dough (thawed if frozen) can be substituted for the homemade pie dough.
Make ahead: The disks of pie dough can be made up to 4 days ahead and refrigerated. The wrapped dough can also be placed in a freezer bag and frozen for up to 3 months; thaw in the refrigerator overnight before using. The pie can be assembled (without egg wash), covered in plastic wrap, and refrigerated for up to 8 hours before baking. Brush with egg wash before baking. Because the pie is completely chilled, you may need to add an additional 15 minutes baking time.
Storage: Leftover pie can be wrapped and stored at room temperature for up to 3 days, refrigerated for up to 1 week, or frozen for up to 2 months. Reheat in a 350°F oven until just warmed through.
Further Reading
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