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
Can you use brown sugar instead of white sugar or is there a difference in taste, texture, etc?
Hi John, I would use that if it was all I had on hand for the filling. It will work, just keep in mind the filling will be slightly darker using brown sugar.
I’ve just made it !
This is so tasteful apple pie 🥧, the crust and the filling so delicious!
Great recipe , I will definitely do it again !
Thank you !
You’re welcome! I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe!
That FILLING!!!!!!!!!!!! Will never make another apple pie without THAT filling …. My apple pie was the HIT on the table. AND … just to let you know, Natasha, EVERY recipe of yours I have made has been a hit! Keep on keeping on!!!
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite!
Great pie. Loved the apple to sugar to spice ratio. My family adores apple pie and they are thrilled with this recipe. Definitely need to make it again!
Hi Betsy, I’m so happy you loved the apple pie recipe!
I can smell and taste this already! On the menu for tomorrow! 🙂
Oooh it sounds like a yummy menu! I hope you and everyone love the apple pie.
Made this pie for Thanksgiving and my family absolutely loved it! The flavors are so delicious. Thanks for the easy to follow video too!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Toni! Thank you for the wonderful review!
Big Hit at our Thanksgiving table.
Best Apple pie I ever made.
Thanks
Yay, love it! Thanks for your awesome feedback, Andrea.
Made this for Thanksgiving. Flavor and crust were excellent. I will always use this pie crust going forward. My only complaint was there was a lot of free liquid at the bottom of the pie when I cut into it. I used 3 granny smith apples and 2 braeburn apples. I measured every ingredient and am not sure why there was the liquid at the bottom. It was still very good.
Hi David, make sure to let the pie rest and cool before cutting into it to give the juices a chance to thicken up and turn saucy, otherwise the slices will slide apart and be difficult to serve.
That’s what I thought too. It rested a solid three hours before serving. It is truly a very minor complaint as it was delicious.
I really wanted to love this and I was so excited to make it. I watched the video multiple times, wrote out the recipe and followed it exactly. Unfortunately, I got a horrible, soaking mess. I have made apple pie before and would toss my apples in sugar before adding to the crust so they would release some of their water. Against my better judgment, I trusted this recipe and went forward without doing so. After the pie had cooked over and hour, I noticed liquid around the rim of the pie. To my surprise, I extracted 1 cup of liquid from my pie with an eyedropper!! (I have pics for proof) I am not a novice baker and I really wanted this recipe to work out. It ended up being a waste of 4 hours and a disappointment as my TG dessert. I also found the pie crust made only 1.5 rounds (although I may have rolled mine too thick). I also needed close to 9 tbsp of water to get it to even possibly hold together in a ball, and there were way too many apples for the amount of sauce. If I were to redo this, I’d dessicate the apples and use that juice in addition to the sauce. I’d probably also increase the sauce recipe by at least 1.5 times the original recipe. I also think it was too sour, so I’d up the sugar by 1.5 times as well. I think this has potential ultimately but needs some modifications. I like the idea of the sauce though. Hope this helps someone.
Hi, I’m sorry to hear that. This is a very popular recipe on our site. I am always happy to help troubleshoot. I’ve never had to extract liquid from my pies before and the liquid that does form helps to bake the apples to the right tenderness and forms that desirable saucy consistency in the cooled pie. I wonder if maybe the pie dish was too small for the number of apples or too many apples were used? Check the link above for the type of pan we used. I hope that helps for next time.
Can I make the pie and freeze it – and then bake it later??
Hi Denise, I haven’t tried freezing the filling alone with this recipe specifically. If you experiment I would love to know how you like that!
Made your pie twice incl this Thxg, everyone loved it, great crust. 2 prob tho: 1) butter oozed out of the pan, 2) my lattice stayed, my apples deflated, creating a space in between. Used 8 apples (golden delicious, Fuji, pink lady, gala. What can I do different?
Hi Barang, make sure to pat down the apples a little bit before putting on the top crust – otherwise if you have any big gaps of air between the layers, it can cause gaps when the apples soften and settle down. Using a pie pan, butter should have stayed in the pan. Maybe try using a larger pie pan if you were seeing any drips over the top of the pan. I hope that helps for next time.
This recipe is fantastic! I, too, was afraid because I’d never baked a pie before from scratch. Your videos are great. I have made this pie twice and both times have been wonderful. My husband (who knows his apple pie) says it is the best he’s ever had. Thank you!
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Jeanine!
I have always been intimidated by making pies from scratch. After watching your videos, I gathered enough courage to make my first pie. My apple pie didn’t come out as beautiful as your’s, but it sure tasted great. Added a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Perfecto! I plan on making this again. Thank you for sharing your recipes.
That is so awesome! Great job for making a delicious apple pie on your first try. I’m sure it will be perfect the next time around.
I’ve never baked a pie before but decided to try it this Thanksgiving since it was just our immediate family so no pressure if things went downhill and I’m soooo happy I went for it. I made your pie crust the night before to go with it too. It smelled amazing and tasted even better! Not to mention it looked beautiful for a first try. I made sure not to overfill the pie pan and there was no spillage at all. Cooked perfectly and you’re so right, the crust is also the star haha. Thank you Natasha!!
Awww, that’s the best! Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Mina! I’m glad you all enjoyed this recipe!
Hi,
Followed the recipe to the T, and I am a solid baker. After baking is as instructed, the apples were still raw, the lower crust was doughy and the pie was not sweet enough. Took one bite and dumped it in the garbage. Total disappointment, I am sorry to say.
So sorry to hear that this didn’t work out for you. That never happened to me before, could you share what type of apples you used?
Hi Natasha. I used Granny Smith and sliced very thin. The lower crust was still doughy after baking it as instructed and the apples were still halfway cooked. I hear how successful most people were and I’m very puzzled. I did not bake immediately though. I made it and baked it three hours later. Not sure if this makes a difference ?
Hi Grace, the pie dough does risk getting doughy if you don’t bake the pie right away. Baking right away would make all the difference.
Thank you so much sweet Natasha. I’ll try it again since so many here rave about it; must have been something I did. 🤗
So kind of you to respond.
Unfortunately, I had the same issue. I used the Granny Smith apples. After serving it to my husband. He and I both agreed the apples were under cooked. I place the pie back in the oven at 350 degrees for an additional 45 minutes. The pie was finally fully cooked. I followed the recipe to the letter. The cooking time inadequate. The pie lacked the sweetness as I’m accustomed to in other recipes.
While mine didn’t look as pretty as yours, it was seriously the best apple pie I have had in years. My husband’s Aunt before she passed, would always make him one every Thanksgiving. He said it was just as good as hus Aunt’s. Thank you!
What an awesome compliment. Thank you for sharing that with us, Carla. I’m happy that you and your family enjoyed this apple pie!
Hi there! This looks amazing! I’m about to try this recipe for the first time and I was wondering if I can use light brown sugar instead of regular granulated sugar?
Happy Thanksgiving!
Hi Stephanie, I would use that if it was all I had on hand for the filling. It will work, just keep in mind the filling will be slightly darker using brown sugar.
Hi, Natasha! Your apple pie is amazing! My entire family LOVES it!! Thank you!
Also, for your pie, do you have to use unsalted butter? I only have salted butter.
HI Julia, I have readers report great results using salted butter for the apple pie.
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review!
This our first time making this apple pie. It’s amazing
Perfect! Thank you for your wonderful rating, we appreciate it!
Hi Natasha! I made this pie, with your delicious crust recipe, the other night with my young niece and nephew. We had a blast and the pie came out delicious! It was my first time making a crust, and can’t wait to do it again tomorrow. I felt accomplished! haha. Thank you for sharing, being thorough, and answering as many questions as possible for all who comment. You are appreciated!! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving with your family!!
Hello Alissa, that is fantastic! So good to know that your family enjoyed this recipe and I hope this becomes a favorite for you all.
I just made my second Apple pie from scratch from your recipe. My wife and I both had a small piece of my first one before I went to bed. The next morning there was a small piece plus half of the pie left, so I are the small piece before leaving the home for the day. Up on my return home that evening only to lean that the pie was gone. We had no visitors that day, my wife was the only person there and our house is mouse proof, so it isn’t to difficult to figure what happened to the whole one half of the pie. That certainly verifies the goodness of the pie and a great testament of your recipe, it is GREAT!!!! I could use some help in making the crust. I end up with a big mess and can’t roll it out nor remove it to the pie bish.
I’m so happy you both enjoyed this recipe, Doug! I would refrigerate the pie dough and then let it rest at room temp for a bit just until it’s easier to roll out, but definitely refrigerate if not using right away.
I am using an aluminum pan. Is it the same temperature and time??
Hi Gilda, I have not tested this in an aluminum pan to advise but I imagine small adjustments to bake time have to be made.
I prepared myself for weeks to make apple pie for Thanksgiving 2020! Came out great! Thanks Natasha for making these recipes so easy.
You’re welcome, Amy! I’m so glad you enjoyed that!
Hello! I’m really interested in making this recipe soon, but I was wondering if I could use a metal pie pan instead of the one you used. Would it make a difference?
Hi Regina, that should work as long as the pie pan has good depth, otherwise the filling would overwhelm a short pie pan. See the one we linked in the post above for sizing reference.
Hi Natasha! Happy Thanksgiving! I’m making your apple pie and using your crust this time! (I cheated last time and bought a pre made crust). I noticed that in the video for the crust, you mention using an egg and sugar for the egg wash, but in the written directions, it says to use egg and water. Does either work?
Hi Jamie, I have no idea why I said sugar on the video – definitely an oops, but it’s definitely 1 egg with 1 Tbsp of water.