My all-time favorite Apple Pie Recipe! Imagine saucy apples bubbling through that flaky pie crust – irresistibly good! This pie always gets glowing reviews from everyone who takes a bite. This is the pie everyone has to make for Thanksgiving!
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Helpful Reader Review
“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.“ – Elaine ★★★★★
Apple Pie Video Tutorial
Watch my video and see how easy this apple pie is—from the simple crust to that homemade apple pie filling. You’ll crave it until you make it!
Apple Pie Recipe
This easy Apple Pie is a treasured recipe with thousands 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, flaky, gooey, and just perfect.
You’ll love the homemade flaky pastry 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 method for this homemade apple pie 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 crust – 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 store-bought, 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 & Flour – creates a thick and saucy 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 – combining 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, but use less sugar when substituting sweeter apples such as Golden Delicious, Jonagold, Honeycrisp, Fuji, Braeburn, or Pink Lady.
How to Make Apple Pie
- Prepare the pie crust recipe and chill in the refrigerator. 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, add flour and whisk constantly for 1 minute. Whisk in water and sugar. Simmer 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 cinnamon and toss to combine, then stir in the filling to coat the apples.
The Best Tool for Apple Recipes
My family loves apple recipes, from Baked Apples to Apple Turnovers. If you love apple desserts, this apple slicer will save you so much prep time! It peels, slices, and cores all in one swoop. You’ll have all of your apples prepped in less than 5 minutes. Imagine saucy apples bubbling through that flaky lattice crust – irresistibly good!
- Roll the Crust – into a 12-inch diameter pie dough and transfer to a 9-inch, deep pie pan. Add the apple filling, 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 with a pizza cutter. Arrange half of the strips over the pie and weave in the second layer of strips (see how to make a lattice crust). Crimp the edges to seal and brush the crust with egg wash.
- 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 for at least 5 minutes.
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 stress, 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, for the juices to thicken up and set, otherwise it will slide apart when sliced.
Everything about this apple pie is good, from the flaky, buttery, homemade crust to the unbeatable apple pie filling. Try this served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream! Let me know if it graces your holiday table.
P.S. Did you know you can make an apple pie ahead (see the make-ahead tips in the notes below). With all the bustle of the holidays, it’s nice to know you can check this pie off your list early.
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, core, 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 for at least 5 minutes.* Rest at room temp 1 hour before serving.
Notes
- Store at Room Temp: Cool completely to room temperature before covering and storing. The pie keeps well covered on the counter for up to 2 days.
- To Refrigerate: Cover and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
- Freezing Pie: store in a freezer-friendly airtight container for up to 3 months. Here’s a tutorial on how to freeze and bake a frozen pie.
- To Reheat: thaw baked pie in the fridge or on the counter and then reheat in a 350°F oven until warmed through.
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
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 that 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
- Pumpkin Roll
Can I make this the night before Thanksgiving and leave it out?
Hi Michelle, yes absolutely! We do that and it works great. Once it’s completely at room temperature, loosely cover with plastic wrap so it doesn’t get dry on top.
This recipe sounds amazing and your video is super helpful – I’m making it right now and broke the sauce 😩 any way to fix it?
Hi Jessica, the good news is that it doesn’t matter if the sauce broke, just mix it with the apples and it will all meld and get saucy in the oven without any problems.
Hi! Can I make the filling – cover it tightly – and put it in the refrigerator overnight for tomorrow?
Hi Sarah, we prefer it fresh, but I imagine that may work!
I made this recipe last year the day of thanksgiving but this year I want to make it a day before. How long do I have to reheat it for?
Hi Kayla, yes, you can let it cool to room temperature then cover loosely and let it sit at room temperature overnight then reheat until warm the next day if you prefer to serve it warm.
I’ve made this pie twice now and the 2nd time the bott ended up soggy. What did I do wrong cuz I wanted to try again tonight for Thanksgiving?!
And by soggy I mean the bottom crust seemed almost underdone.
Hi Crystal, I haven’t had that happen before. Did you make sure to fully preheat your oven before placing the pie in the oven? Some ovens (like my own) don’t preheat fully when they say they are preheated so I let it heat an extra 10 minutes. You can gauge this with an in-oven thermometer to hang in the center of your oven to track the accuracy of the oven. Also, I would bake right after adding the filling without it sitting on the counter which can soften the butter in the dough and make it soggy. I hope that helps.
I used this apple pie recipe for Thanksgiving and it’s a keeper. I’m very hard to please when it comes to sweets and I always have it in mind that “if I’m eating sweets, it better be worth it”
Note: I added 1/2 tsp of salt in the sauce.
Thanks for the review, Merry. Glad to know that you enjoyed this recipe!
Can I make the filling ahead of time, and just put into the crust to bake when needed? Looks great!
Hi Tricia, This recipe can be made ahead. You can store it in the fridge already baked, cover it loosely with plastic wrap, and reheat it the next day in the oven. I haven’t tried freezing this or making it ahead for a long time, and I worry if you assemble and leave it unbaked for two days, it will get soggy.
Hey Natasha instead of using water can you use apple juice?also this pie and crust recipe is amazing and my whole family loves it and ate it all
Hi Melissa, great to hear that your family loves this pie. I haven’t tested that yet to advise. If you do an experiment, please share with us how it goes.
Hi Natasha!
If I fully bake and refrigerate the pie one day in advance what is the best temperature to reheat the pie? How long would it take to heat through?
Thanks!
Hi Betsy, you can reheat it the next day in the oven for 350°F.
Can xylitol be used in the apples & pie dough instead of real sugar & if so how much? I am looking for a homemade yet simple apple pie recipe for my mother-in-law for this thanksgiving! Please Help asap! I want to bake it today & give to her tomorrow! Thanks So Very Much!
Hi there, I honestly haven’t tested this recipe yet using xylitol. If you do an experiment, please share with us how it goes.
How do I store this wonderful smelling pie? Just baked & pie looks Great! Just don’t want to store wrong & mess up this Heavenly creation!
If making it a day ahead, I would let it cool to room temperature, then cover and keep it at room temperature overnight. If keeping it beyond 24 hours, I would refrigerate it. It’s nicely served warmed or at room temperature, but it does reheat well.
Mine pie is very juicy around the edges. It’s cooling so not sure what the final result will be. Smells great.
I bet your home smells lovely! I hope you love this recipe, Deb!
Hi there- I was wondering if this recipe can be made with premade frozen store bought pie crust?
Hi Halley, I believe the homemade version is best and worth it, but our readers have reported excellent results using store-bought crusts.
Can I make it with vegan butter?im kosher and butter can’t be paired with the Turkey.
Thx.
Hi Mazal, I havne’t tried that substitution to advise. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe, but here’s what one of our readers wrote: “I made this recipe as is the first time except I used vegan butter and honey crisp apples and it was definitely the highlight of our Thanksgiving dinner. Yummmmy!!! Now, I have a gluten-free family member who’d also like to enjoy the pie. Is almond flour a suitable choice for this recipe? Please help.” I hope that helps!
Mine turned out really soupy, even after I let it cool fir a few hours
Hi Trey, that is unusual – did you possibly make any changes in the proportions of apples to the syrup? Also, be sure to bake long enough since the apples release their natural pectin in the oven which helps the filling thicken up more.
Can this pie be made a head, and then baked on the day of serving? I wasn’t sure if the Apple filling would make the dough soggy. I’m just trying to have as much food made ahead for Thanksgiving. Thank you!
Hi Elisa, I haven’t tested it that way, but I would not assemble the pie until ready to bake. The crust might get soggy if you keep it refrigerated overnight. It would be better to bake the pie and let it rest and cool at room temperature overnight to serve tomorrow.
Hi Natasha
Sorry I asked about making the apple pie in ramekin but what I meant is the apple crisp
Thanks
Hi Karen, I did try it, and it wasn’t great for apple crisp. I have an apple crisp recipe here if you’d like to try that!
Hi Natasha
I would like to use your apple pie recipe but bake it in ramekins Can you please advise me on this – Want to use for Thanksgiving Thanks
Hi Karen, I haven’t tested this. Here’s what one of our readers wrote: “I made it in 7 small ramekins, and it turned out delicious.” I hope that helps!
So my 12 yo daughter tried to make the pie again! She would not give up! She was watching her pie this time and it was done in less time than in the recipe. Also, the juice from pie was running over, so it would be helpful to have a baking sheet underneath.
She made braided top.
The pie took third place out of 23 pies!
Congratulations to your daughter on winning 3rd place – that’s wonderful and I would love to see a photo of it. If you share it on social media, please tag me @natashaskitchen so I can admire it. If it’s browning too quickly, make sure to tent with foil. Some ovens heat unevenly or if the pie is too close to the burner it can change color faster, but a sheet of foil over the top will help. I haven’t had any drip issues with this pie, but the size of the pan can make a big difference, but I loved your tip about foil – I added that note in the print-friendly recipe card.
This is my go to pie filling recipe but I have to make a gluten free apple pie for work and was wondering if anyone has tested this out swapping the all purpose flour for bobs red mill 1 to 1 baking flour? Or any other suggestions to get the same results with a gluten free version? Thank you!
Hi Sara! I’m happy to hear this is your go-to! I looked through the comments, and it doesn’t look like anyone has tried this with gluten-free flour. If you experiment, I would love to know how it works out.
If you use Cup 4 Cup Flour and use 1/2 C. Less it’s perfect! This is my favorite GF pie crust!!
That is amazing! I’m so happy to hear that this works as a gluten-free crust and thank you for sharing that specific substitution. So helpful!
I did make the recipe using the Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 flour and the only difference I noticed compared to the regular flour is that the sauce thickened a bit faster, probably due to the cornstarch in the gluten free flour. Tasted exactly the same and got rave reviews from everyone that tried it!
I’ve done the filling twice now with bob one to one flour and it works great! I use a different pie crust recipe though.
Natasha,
Please include in your recipe directions to check on the pie before given time for baking. My 12 yo daughter made it yesterday and followed the recipe to the T (without my involvement) only to over bake it. It’s not completely burnt but close to it. Bummer. We have to look for another recipe.
You are precious and I love your videos! This is the perfect pie recipe, and you’re right, so worth the extra effort to make your pie crust instead of store bought!
I’m so glad you loved it! Thank you for your compliment!
I love all your recipes I’m wondering how many refrigerators you have and I never have enough room in twoyour is always not filled ??
Hi Virginia, we have one refrigerator in the house and one in the garage that is a fridge and freezer. We also have a separate deep freezer in the garage. It’s wonderful having a second fridge especially for gatherings and just to keep a stock of extra foods for meal prep and all of the cooking we do for the website ofcourse.