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Best Recipe for Apple Pie Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4 from 51 reviews
  • Author: admin
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes plus 4 hours cooling
  • Yield: 10 servings
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American

Description

This classic homemade apple pie recipe delivers a perfectly flaky double crust filled with a spiced, tender apple filling made from a blend of Granny Smith, Gala, and Golden Delicious apples. The apples are lightly cooked with lemon juice, brown and granulated sugar, and warm spices before being baked to golden perfection. With a beautiful lattice or whole topping crust brushed with milk and egg, and a sprinkle of raw sugar for crunch, this apple pie is a timeless dessert that’s best served cooled with vanilla ice cream or caramel sauce.

Ingredients

Scale

Pie Crust

  • 1 homemade double pie crust (2 sheets of pie dough)

Apple Filling

  • 1/4 teaspoon lemon zest
  • Juice from half a lemon (about 2 tablespoons)
  • 5 pounds apples (a mix of Granny Smith, Gala, and Golden Delicious), peeled and sliced 1/8 inch thick
  • 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 3/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon cardamom (optional)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For Brushing and Topping

  • 1 tablespoon milk
  • 1 tablespoon beaten egg (optional)
  • 1 tablespoon raw sugar (for sprinkling on top)

Instructions

  1. Choose Your Apples: Select about 5 pounds of mixed apples (Granny Smith, Gala, Golden Delicious) for balanced flavor, roughly 11 large apples.
  2. Prepare Filling Base: Zest 1/4 teaspoon lemon peel into a large 12-inch high-sided skillet, then add the juice of half a lemon (about 2 tablespoons) to prevent browning.
  3. Peel and Slice Apples: Peel each apple using a potato peeler or apple peeler. Slice into 1/8 inch thick pieces, adding each apple immediately into the lemon juice in the skillet to keep them from browning. Stir occasionally to coat the apples.
  4. Heat Apples: Place the skillet over medium heat on the stovetop.
  5. Add Spices and Sugar: Add brown sugar, granulated sugar, flour, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom. Gently stir to coat apples without breaking them.
  6. Cook Filling: Cover the skillet with a lid and cook for about 20 minutes, stirring every 3 minutes to prevent sticking. The apples should become fork-tender yet hold their shape. Add water sparingly if sticking occurs.
  7. Stir in Vanilla: Remove from heat and mix in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
  8. Cool Filling: Transfer the apple mixture to a rimmed pan and spread evenly. Refrigerate or freeze to cool completely, about 30 minutes, or leave at room temperature for a couple of hours.
  9. Prepare Pie Crust: Roll out one sheet of pie dough into a deep 9-inch pie dish, allowing excess dough to hang over edges.
  10. Fill the Pie: Use a rubber spatula to transfer and spread the chilled apple filling into the pie crust, making sure to include all the caramelized juices.
  11. Add Top Crust: Cover with the second pie crust sheet or create a lattice crust if desired. Fold edges under and crimp, venting with knife slits if using a whole top crust.
  12. Chill the Pie: Place the assembled pie in the fridge or freezer for 20-30 minutes to firm the crust for baking.
  13. Preheat Oven: Set oven rack in the center and place a baking sheet inside. Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C), heating the baking sheet for 20-25 minutes to ensure it’s very hot.
  14. Brush Crust: Before baking, brush the pie crust with a mixture of 1 tablespoon milk and 1 tablespoon beaten egg, or milk alone. Sprinkle raw sugar over the top.
  15. Bake Initial High-Heat: Carefully transfer pie onto the hot baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes until the edges start to brown lightly.
  16. Protect Edges with Foil: Prepare a foil shield by cutting a circular hole in a folded square of foil. Remove pie, reduce oven temp to 350°F (175°C), and tent the foil over the pie edges to prevent burning.
  17. bake at Reduced Heat: Return pie to oven and bake for an additional 40-45 minutes at 350°F until crust edges are brown and filling bubbles through vents.
  18. Cool the Pie: Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack for about 4 hours to allow filling to set properly and avoid runniness.
  19. Serve: Slice and serve at room temperature with optional vanilla ice cream or caramel sauce for an indulgent treat.
  20. Store: Keep pie covered at room temperature for up to 2 days, then refrigerate to maintain freshness.

Notes

  • Using a mix of sweet and tart apples enhances flavor complexity.
  • Cooking the apple filling briefly before baking ensures tender but not mushy apples.
  • Cooling the filling before assembling prevents soggy crust.
  • Chilling the assembled pie crust before baking helps achieve a flaky texture.
  • Use foil shields to protect crust edges from burning during baking.
  • Allow the pie to cool completely before slicing to prevent filling leakage.
  • For a glossy crust, brush with beaten egg; for matte, use milk only.
  • Store leftovers covered; pie is best eaten within 3-4 days.

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