Our classic Apple Pie Recipe with an irresistible homemade apple pie filling always gets glowing reviews from everyone who takes a bite. From the best flaky pie crust to the generous saucy center, this is the pie everyone has to make for Thanksgiving!
Homemade apple pie is easier than you think. This crust comes together fast and requires basic ingredients, and the filling is scrumptious and equally simple to make.
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We love apple recipes, from Baked Apples to Apple Turnovers, and let’s not forget Sharlotka Apple Cake. If you love apples, this easy apple pie is a must-try! Imagine saucy apples bubbling through that flaky lattice crust – irresistibly good!
Apple Pie Video Tutorial
Watch me make the best apple pie recipe, and we know you’ll crave it until you make it. This easy Apple Pie is a treasured recipe with hundreds of glowing reviews. It’s simple to make but looks just like a professional baker spent hours in the kitchen to make it, and it tastes that way too. It’s buttery, flakey, gooey, and sweet, just perfect.
Apple Pie Recipe
You’ll love the homemade flakey pie crust – we use this same crust for Blueberry Pie and Cherry Pie. It’s also perfect for savory pies like Chicken Pot Pie. It’s a keeper!
The homemade apple pie filling is adapted slightly from the famous Grandma Ople apple pie. The method for this filling is surprising, but it will win you over. It’s well worth the extra 5 minutes and you’ll never want canned apple pie filling again.
Ingredients for Apple Pie
You may be surprised to hear you only need pantry staples and some fresh apples to make this apple pie recipe.
- Pie crusts – you’ll need two disks of homemade pie crust. We love this apple pie crust just as much as the filling. Since it’s an all-butter homemade pie crust (no shortening), it’s flaky and tender. The bottom is never soggy but forms a crispness at the edges. You can use storebought, but homemade is best.
- Apples – We use Granny Smith in this pie recipe for the best flavor and texture. Avoid overripe or mushy apples. See my notes on apple substitutions below.
- Butter – use unsalted to add richness to the saucy filling.
- Flour – helps to thicken up the filling.
- Cinnamon – adds a warm, spiced flavor to the apples. You could also add a pinch of nutmeg.
- Sugar – add sugar to taste depending on the types of apples used (see apple options below).
- Egg Wash – combine egg and water gives the crust a golden brown, shiny finish.
The Best Apples for Apple Pie
Granny Smith apples are tart and crisp and the gold standard for baking, but any sweet/tart and crisp apples or even a mix of apples will do, and you can adjust the sugar accordingly. We use a full cup of sugar for tart Granny Smith and slightly less when substituting sweeter apples such as Golden Delicious, Jonagold, Honeycrisp, fuji, Braeburn, or Pink Lady.
Our Favorite Tools to Make Pie
You don’t need fancy equipment to make an apple pie from scratch, and once you have the right recipe for pie dough, it’s as easy as pie!
- Food processor or pastry blender
- Rolling Pin
- Pizza Cutter, or a knife
- Pie Plate – 9″ wide, deep dish
- Apple Slicer – I highly recommend this time-saving tool. I even bought one for my Mom!
How to Make Apple Pie
- Prepare the pie crust recipe and chill in the refrigerator as instructed. When ready to assemble your pie, preheat the oven to 425˚F with a rack in the center of the oven.
- Make the Filling Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat then whisk in 3 Tbsp flour and continue whisking constantly for 1 minute. Whisk in 1/4 cup water and 1 cup sugar (if using a sweeter apple, adjust the sugar). Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer and continue whisking for 3 minutes, then remove from heat. Do not overcook.
- Prepare apples – peel core and slice apples into about 1/4″ thick slices. Sprinkle with 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon and toss to combine, then pour on the filling mixture and stir to coat the apples.
- Roll the Crust – Over a floured surface, roll the first chilled pie disk into a 12-inch diameter disk then transfer to a 9-inch, deep pie pan. Add the apples over the crust, mounding in the center (avoid getting apple filling on the edges of the pie crust, which will make it difficult to seal).
- Lattice Top – Roll the second disk into an 11-inch diameter circle and cut into 10 strips. Arrange half of the strips over the pie and weave in the second layer of strips. See my easy tutorial on how to make a lattice crust. Finish the pie by crimping the edges. In a separate dish, beat together the egg and water and brush over the lattice crust (you will have some eggwash left over).
- Bake at 425˚F for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350˚F and continue baking for another 45 minutes until you see thick juices bubbling through the lattice crust.
How to Keep Pie From Browning Too Fast
If you find the edges of your pie are browning too quickly, you can use a pie shield or simply cut a 3″ circle out of the center of a square sheet of foil and loosely place it with the dull side down over the top of your pie.
Tips for the Best Apple Pie
- Don’t overheat the filling – Avoid overheating the sauce or cooking for too long, which can cause it to separate or get too thick. If this happens, don’t panic, you can still toss the apples together with the sauce, and it will come together in the oven.
- Chill the crust – make sure to chill the pie crust according to the instructions or the butter will melt out of the crust and it will go flat.
- Let it cool – allow the pie to cool and set for at least an hour before slicing. If you serve it hot, it will slide apart.
Make-Ahead & Storage
With all the bustle of the holidays , it’s nice to know you can check this pie off your list early. Be sure to cool completely to room temperature before covering and storing.
- Storing at Room Temperature: The pie keeps well covered on the counter for up to 2 days.
- To Refrigerate: Cover and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
- Freezing: store in a freezer-friendly airtight container for up to 6 months
- To Reheat: thaw in the fridge or on the counter and then reheat in a 350°F oven until warm
Everything about this apple pie is good, from the flaky buttery homemade crust to the unbeatable apple pie filling. Let me know if it graces your holiday table.
More Fall Baking Recipes
Fall always puts me in the mood for baking. All of these recipes are on our regular rotation. These recipes are easy to make and are so good, they are our go-to Thanksgiving recipes!
- Pumpkin Cake
- Cinnamon Rolls
- Baklava
- Pumpkin Cheesecake
- Banana Bread
- Pumpkin Bread with honey butter
- Dutch Apple Pie
- Apple Crisp
The BEST Apple Pie Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 recipe for double pie crust
- 2 1/4 lbs Granny Smith Apples, peeled, cored 6-7 apples (7 cups thinly sliced)
- 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 8 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg , + 1 Tbsp water, for egg wash
Instructions
- Make the pie crust recipe and chill per instructions while preparing the filling. Preheat oven to 425˚F.
- Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in 3 Tbsp flour then simmer for 1 minute, whisking constantly. Whisk in 1/4 cup water and 1 cup sugar and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and continue simmering for 3 minutes, whisking frequently then remove from heat.
- Peel, remove cores, and thinly slice 7 cups of apples and place them in a large bowl. Sprinkle the top with 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon and toss to combine. Pour the sauce over the apples and stir to coat the apple slices.
- Sprinkle your work surface with flour and roll out the bottom pie crust to a 12" diameter circle. Wrap it around your rolling pin to transfer it to the 9" pie plate. Add apple mixture, mounding slightly in the center and being careful not to get the filling on the edges which would make it difficult to seal.
- Roll the second crust into an 11" round and cut into 10 even-thickness strips using a pizza cutter. Arrange strips in a woven lattice pattern over the top (see video tutorial). Beat together 1 egg and 1 Tbsp water and brush the top with egg mixture.
- Bake at 425˚F in the center of the oven for 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350˚F and continue baking for another 45 minutes or until the apples are soft and the filling is bubbling through the vents.* Rest at room temp 1 hour before serving.
Notes
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
I have made a lot of different apple pies for my family over the years. This is by far the best apple pie ever! My family requests it all the time. Thank you, Natasha.
I’m so happy you come back to my recipe! Thank you so much.
This recipe is clearly for a 9″ deep dish pie plate. I used my plain 9″ clear Pyrex and it was over flowing with apples so I threw out many of them. What a waste of sauce and apples.
Hello Susan, sorry to hear that. Yes, it’s indicated in the recipe that I used a (amazon affiliate link) Pie Plate – 9″ wide, deep dish
Instead of throwing them out, put them in another dish and bake them – then you have baked apples as a side dish! Everyone likes it so much, I now do it every time!
This really was the best apple pie I have ever made!!! Thank you
Could I also use this recipie substituting apples with fresh peaches?
Hi Lisa! I’m so glad you loved it. Please reference my Peach pie recipe here.
Best ever apple pie!!! I even veganized it and no one knew!!! Thanks so much 🙏
That’s so great to hear, Neta! Thanks for sharing!
Easy to follow and understand. So happy I decided to make this pie! The filling is perfectly flavored and I really don’t know which apples I used. Absolute hit Natasha!
Been making this for years and it’s always great. Taking it to a get together tonight with some Vanilla Ice Cream, it’s gonna be great! Thanks Natasha!
You’re so very welcome, Chris!
The filling is amazing but every time I make it, the pie spills over while baking. I’ve tried cutting down on apples, not adding water to the filling, cutting down on butter…what am I doing wrong?! I put a baking sheet under the pie to catch the spill but I really want to figure out how to NOT make my pie filling spill out. Help!
Hi Viktoriya! It’s likely that your pie dish is too small. I used a 9”- deep pie dish (I linked it in the recipe above).
Lower the temperature after 15 minutes. Our oven is too hot. Same thing used to happen to me with my gas oven until I switched to an electric one which keeps heat even.
Hello Natasha,
Must I bake the crust of the apple pie for 1 hour, before I put in the apple mixture.
Need an answer quickly as going to make for the first time now, so do not know if the bottom crust must be baked first. Thank you Diana
Hi there! No, there is no need to pre-bake the crust. I hope you love the recipe!
Hi Natasha, I am from Portugal and have been following you for some time now.
I have one question:
Can I make the crust and filling a day ahead, store in refrigerator and them layout crust and bake the next day (or2)?
Many Thanks,
Dina
Hi Dina! Thanks for the love and support.
You can assemble the pie and refrigerate it for a day then bake. For longer storage, you should freeze it. You can bake it from frozen, you do not need to thaw. It will just take longer to bake, so keep an eye on it.
Hello, if made ahead of time and refrigerated for 1 day would I still heat it at 425 for 15 min and then watch the remaining time at 350?
Hi Bree! Yes, follow the same instructions. You may need to add a few mins since it will be cold.
Soooooo good! I added a little nutmeg. Chefs kiss!
I do not have a food processor. Can I make this crust in my stand mixer? Tips appreciated!
You can use a pastry cutter to cut the butter into the flour/sugar/salt mixture by hand. Follow the same cues for when to add the water. After water is added, use a spatula to cut the water into the dough until evenly moistened.
Truly the best filling indeed. Unbelievable. Wow, I’ve spread the word “recipe” to everyone I know.
Now, if I wanted to do an apple crumble, would the same filling work for a crumble?
Hi NoL, I think that would be good for an apple crumble. We also have an Apple Crisp that we make all the time which I think you’d love. With an apple peeler/slicer/corer, the process is so fast and easy.
Holy moly, Batman!!! Best apple pie ever!!! I’ve made it several times and have to admit that I’ve shortcutted the from scratch crust with just a pre-made…guilty. I did a variation today and lessened the amount of apples with some fresh raspberries. I’d die happy right now. Thank you, Natasha!!!!
Hi Tracey! That’s wonderful. I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed this recipe. Thank you for sharing.