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
Pie filling turned out amazing and it was very simple to make. Everyone loved it! I think next time I will add more cinnamon and maybe a dash of nutmeg.
Hi Elzbieta! I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe!
I have never liked apple pie until I made Natash’s Dutch Apple Pie. Same filling, I believe, as her apple pie recipe. Can’t go wrong with a stick of butter! It’s a delicious pie. Thanks for the recipe!
You’re most welcome, Barb. Thank you for your good comments and feedback!
Hi Natasha! The pie looks lovely! Do you think this recipe can be made ahead, a day before say, stored in the fridge over night and baked the next day?
Hi! this recipe can be made ahead. You can store it in the fridge already baked and 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 a day or two days, it will get soggy.
Perfect! I’ll give it a try the way you suggested. Thanks for getting back.
Hi Natasha! The recipe looks absolutely trustworthy! I am going to try it this week.
I was wondering will it be okay if I reduce the amount of sugar used to make the sauce? Will 1/4 cup of sugar be okay?
Hi Anna, If you are using sweeter apples, I would use less sugar, otherwise everything else should be about the same.
Hi,
The first time I made the sauce I had no issues but today I am struggling to get the sauce right? I tried multiple times but for some reason it keeps getting clumpy or almost like gelatin instead of nice and smooth? I’ve followed your instructions but am having trouble. I’m converting the 8tblspns of butter to approx 114g as couldn’t find equivalent in sticks where I’m from. 3tblspns of flower approx 30g. Have I got my measurements wrong this time?
Thanks
Hi Bee, 8 Tbsp is equivalent to 113 grams so that’s pretty close. If it is on the heat too long or on too high of heat, it can get thick, but even if it is clumpy when you mix it with the apples, there is no reason to be concerned because the mixture will thicken up and smooth out in the oven. Also, 3 Tbsp of flour is about 24 grams.
This was a hit at Christmas dinner. I tweaked it just a bit adding about 1/4 cup of brown sugar (I like mine sweet & granny smith apples are quite tart. I also added a little vanilla & just a small amount of nutmeg. The filling was really good.
This is the perfect treat for Christmas diner! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Hi Natasha,
Thank you for all your tried and true recipes. I have to tell you I have used not one but three of your recipes for my Christmas dinner. I made the Clover Leaf Rolls, Thanksgiving turkey, Beef Lasagna and Apple pie. Everything turned out great. I am from a small island in the Caribbean called Grenada, so instead of using Italian seasoning, I used fresh seasonings for the turkey. I added two Italian sausages, and substituted the cottage cheese with greek yogurt in the beef lasagna. Everything was fabulous.
Wow! I love that you had so many of my recipes at Christmas Dinner! That’s just awesome!
Absolutely a game changer!! Best Apple pie and the butter crust was amazing! Could I use Splenda Blend for the filling? My mom’s diabetic and I would love to reduce the sugar. Used Splenda Blend in crust and it was perfect!
Thanks
Shannon
Hi Shannon, I”m so glad you loved the apple pie and pie crust recipes. I haven’t tried this with splenda so I can’t advise on that.
Just made this for our Christmas dinner. I did put a crumble topping on it. It truly is the best apple pie I have ever made. I’ve never made a butter crust omg fabulous. The suggestion of apples. I used Granny Smith. Ohhhh so delicious thank you
Nice one, Julie. I’m happy to hear that this is by far the best apple pie for you!
Nice one, Julie. I’m happy to hear that this is by far the best apple pie that you’ve tried!
I made this apple pie for Christmas (my first time baking a pie altogether) and it was delicious! Everyone loved it and it was super easy to make. Thank you! 💕
You are so welcome! Great to hear that the recipe was a huge hit.
I saw you commented that you can REHEAT the pie at 350 degrees but for how long should it be in the oven??
Hi Cynthia, you would heat it until heated through. So ovens vary greatly; I don’t have an exact number. If I had to guess, it’d be about 15-20 minutes, but allow more time in case it’s not at your desired temp.
hello! im currently at school and don’t have a food processor, could a blender be used instead of a food processor?
Hi Dejah, If you don’t have a food processor, you can use a pastry blender to cut the butter into the flour until it forms pea-sized crumbles, then add 6-8 Tbsp ice-cold water, folding it in with a spatula between each addition.
My neighbor sent me the link for this pie and she declared it was the only recipe she needed. I trust her completely. My question is, can I split the sugar 1/2 brown and 1/2 granulated?
Hi Paulett, It will work, just keep in mind the filling will be slightly darker using brown sugar.
Hi Paulette. I use half and half and my family raves about it. Gives it a stronger caramel flavor which I like.
Loved the crust and filling. I have never made pie filling with a sauce and it tuned out wonderful.
Thank you,
Isn’t it amazing, Karen! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Apple pie is my absolute favorite and it’s always been my mission to have a fantastic recipe of my own, this is it! Sooo delicious! If I bake it and refrigerate with the purpose of serving the next day, how do you recommend I reheat it in the oven? Thanks so much!
Hi Lydia, it reheats well in the oven. I set my oven to 350.
First time making apple pie and it was delicious! I did find that my apples were still a bit too tart after baking. Will adding more sugar fix this?
I’m planning on making this recipe again this weekend.
Thanks, Natasha!
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it! The sweetness can vary depending on the type of apples used which is why we love tart Granny smith apples. Any sweet/tart and crisp apple will do and you can adjust the sugar accordingly
OMG. That sauce that goes over the apples…game changer. It was pretty hard to not keep snitching apples out of the bowl with the sauce. I think I messed up the crust by over pulsing, making it too fine, and not enough water, because when I dumped it out onto the counter, it was pretty much like sand. i still just squished it all together like you did, and put it into the fridge. I had to piece it together a little bit, but will for sure be tryint it again, and see if I can’t get a nicer one next time. I was wodering if you have used that filling as an apple crisp???? I’m gonna give it a go in a couple of days, but wanted to get your thoughts on it.
Thanks bunches, and have a super day.
~debbie.
Hi Debbie, if you enjoyed this then you MUST TRY our apple crisp recipe. Check it out – it’s similar and just as good but easier without having to make the crust.
BEST Apple Pie I’ve made in a while. Co-workers, loved it. Received blue ribbons.
So easy to make and so perfect. Crust was the BEST
That’s so great! Thank you for your amazing review, Betty!
Hi! My filling became too mushy 🙁 I baked it at the right temperature and used granny smith apples. Any tips?
Also, would it be okay to add some nutmeg to the filling?
Hi Anna, I haven’t had that experience – did you possibly slice your apples too thinly or bake in a convection oven mode?
Hi Natasha, this is the best homemade apple pie I’ve ever made and as soon as it cooled down, my kids can’t wait to have a big slice and will keep asking for more. The whole pie will last for two days or so. That’s how good it is and this is my go to recipe for apple pie. The crust is so great, flaky even after 2 days. I wonder how long it will take to bake in the oven if I make 6 inch round because I’m planning to make mini apple pies to give away for Christmas. Please let me know. Thank you.
I’m so glad this pie was a hit, Danna! I haven’t tried this in a 6-inch pan but I bet that could work! I would make slightly less filling and adjust the bake time accordingly.
I’ve made this 4 or 5 times and is my go to apple pie recipe. Can I make it a day before and do I need to put in the fridge fridge overnight?
Hi Alena, this recipe can be made ahead. You can store it in the fridge already baked and 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 a day or two days, it will get soggy.