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
I haven’t made it yet but was wondering how deep the pie plate needs to be? Making it now
Thanks
Kerri
Hi Kerri, this is the Pie Plate (9″ wide) that I used.
This by far the best apple pie recipe ever-you don’t need any other one. I can make a good apple pie but it is always the luck of the draw..somtimes it is perfect other times not so good. This recipe makes you an Apple Pie Queen.
Thank you! We love this pie too. I’m so glad you do.
I am about to start this recipe for the first time! These directions appear quite simple; looking forward to it!
#appleQueenInTheMaking
I hope its a big success for you Anthony!
This pie was amazing! Going through a difficult time in life right now, but I went right to your website for an apple pie recipe, knowing that I could rely on you to have a great recipe! There’s so much comfort for me in that, and in sharing the amazing pie with my family!! Thank you again!
Aww, thank you so much, Diana! That makes my heart happy. You’re very welcome. Be blessed.
Thought I’d try a new recipe this year. Wasn’t crazy about this one, despite the reviews. The one I typically use has nutmeg, brown sugar, and 1/4 of the butter. I thought the light caramelizing of the sugar and butter would make up for the brown sugar, but it ended up just having a generic taste.
Made this for my family of 15 for Thanksgiving this year (my first apple pie) and it was a hit! My family devoured the whole pie so I’ll be making another one for my husband to enjoy. My brother in law, who is a pie connoisseur, said it was the best apple pie he had ever had! Very easy to put together and bake. I only got to sample a small slice but it was quite tasty. Thanks for the recipe. Made the pie dough the night before and put the pie together and baked it early Thanksgiving morning after putting the turkey in the oven. Made the kitchen smell divine! The only difficult part was waiting to cut it and have a slice.
I’m so glad it was a HIT! Thanks for sharing, Jenny.
Wondering how much in advance you can make this? Guests are arriving in 36 hours, and I sure would like to get this “project” off my list? Can I make this soon? Should I keep it in the frig? Should I cover it? Thanks in advance!
Hi Jen! This pie refrigerates well and you can keep it at room temperature for 1-2 days. It reheats well in the oven if needed. You can also assemble it, freeze it and then bake it fresh from a frozen state on the day of. I hope that helps!
Thank you for this recipe! I felt a full cup of sugar was too much (just my personal preference) so I used only 1/2 cup sugar, and 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice in lieu of cinnamon. Just took it out of the oven. Smells heavenly and looks beautiful. Can’t wait for Thanksgiving dessert later today.
That sounds wonderful! Happy Thanksgiving!
This apple pie recipe was the best. Living in Germany and our neighbors have never had an apple pie before. Needles to say both pies were gone in minutes. 💕
I am so happy to hear that you all loved the apple pie. Thank you!
I absolutely love this recipe! This is the second year I make this apple pie for thanksgiving since everyone couldn’t get enough last year! I do add only half of the sugar instead of the whole cup. The recipe is perfect though! Thanks Natasha, you’re the best! 🙂
That’s wonderful! I’m so glad you love this recipe.
i am making this pie atm and the sugar mixture turned solid and chunky while letting it cool the first time so I reheated it and it went back to a more caramel texture but i’m not sure what happened to make it that way. also does that mixture have to be cooled all the way because it’s taking a long time and the apples are browning
Hi Hailey! No, it does not need to cool completely. Also, be sure to measure your flour correctly, using too much flour could cause it to be thick. As you can see in the video, the sauce will be thicker but shouldn’t be too chunky. I hope that helps.
Same thing happened to me just now! Once I mixed it well with the apples, it was fine.
I tried using brown sugar instead of granulated sugar, and when the sauce cooled down, the mixture became grainy and chunky, like applesauce. I tried reheating it and added a few tablespoons of water, but it didn’t quite work. Does anyone have any idea how to fix this?
Hi Natasha and team!!
I am deathly allergic to apple as of 9 years ago, have you tried this recipe with pears?
Hi Anny!! I haven’t tested this with pears myself to advise. If you happen to test that out, I’d love to know how you like it!
Wow wow wow! My first pie from scratch including the crust. I used your crust recipe and filling and I am just shocked at how easy it was to follow and how amazing it turned out. Couldn’t be better.
Yay, so glad it was a success!
Can you pre make this pie to reheat later? Should you make crust and filling and keep separate?
Hi Megan, yes, this recipe reheats well! You can let it come to room temperature or if you prefer this hot, you can pop it in a preheated oven at 350℉ in 10min intervals until it’s to your liking.
Hi Megan, the best way to make it ahead (in my opinion) would be to assemble and fully bake the pie as directed. Let it cool to room temperature then tore at room temperature overnight then serve it at room temperature or lightly warm it up in the oven if desired. If you combine the crust and apple filling ahead without baking, it will cause the crust to get soggy. Pre-making the apple filling might cause it to get brown. You can make the dough ahead of time though (see make-ahead instructions in the pie dough post). I hope that is helpful to you! Happy Thanksgiving!
So you couldn’t make the filling ahead and freeze it? Just got a bunch of apples and wanted to freeze it. Fingers crossed for the result.
I have not tested freezing this however, one of my readers said, “I assemble this pie and freeze it before baking. It bakes well from the frozen state.” I hope that helps. God bless!
Just finished my pie and used your hashtag on Instagram! Won’t be tasting it till tomorrow but it looks gorgeous. For the crust, I didn’t have a food processor or the right standing mixer attachments so I had to mush the butter by hand with a spoon. Definitely adding some items to my Christmas wish list for next time. I accidentally preheated the oven to 450 instead of 425 for the first 15 minutes, so needless to say my pie was done a little bit faster. Luckily I was checking on it and noticed how dark it was getting so I took it out early. My only suggestion is maybe including instructions for people who may be making this completely by hand.
I bet your home smells so good after baking that pie, Meredith! I’m so glad it all worked out!
My dad has a world famous apple pie recipe that he guards jealously. Everyone wants his apple pie and it is the highlight of the holidays but he won’t share the recipe. Well, with two days before Thanksgiving both of my parents tested positive for Covid and we have been scrambling to figure out who will make each dish that they were supposed to make for our 26 person meal. I was assigned the pie and I took a chance on your recipe and made first (trial) pie and it was so delicious! I think it tastes just like his and it was relatively easy. Thank you so much from the bottom of my heart for sharing this recipe and making our Thanksgiving dessert scene a success!
I’m so glad you found a way to step into that roll this year! I hope everyone loves your pie! Happy Thanksgiving!
Hello Natasha,
Made the pie, it was delicious, only problem when I cut into it there was so much liquid (from the sauce, yes). Is there a way to ensure that I don’t have sauce on the bottom before serving? When watching your video I did not see this problem. And I did follow your instructions to the letter. Many thanks.
Hi Samantha! Did you use the recommended apples? Some apples break down more than others and it could make the filling watery. The filling will thicken as it cools. You could try adding a little more flour next time if needed. I hope that helps! I’m glad you loved the recipe. 🙂
Love the recipe. As Steve said, the substitute for brown sugar and bourbon is amazing. Another thing I have tried is using Autumn Glory apples never had a better recipe for apple pie, even if me and Steve altered the recipe a bit. Thanks, Natasha.
That’s wonderful! You’re welcome. I’m glad you loved the recipe.
Hi! I’ve made this recipe twice and I’ve loved it both times. I’m planning on making two of them for a Thanksgiving potluck. If I were to make two pies, would I have to make the sauce in two batches? I know the dough would probably get overmixed/undermixed if I tried to do it as a double batch at one time, but I’m not sure if the sauce would be the same.
Thank you in advance (and for such a delicious recipe!)
Hi Hazel! Doubling it should be fine if you have a pot and bowl large enough to be able to mix it and coat the slices evenly. I’m glad you enjoy this recipe.
Is this supposed to be made with a blind baked pie crust?
Let me know what you think 🙂 making it tomorrow!
Thank you!
Hi Bobbie! No, it is not necessary to blind-bake this crust. 🙂
would we be able to use a frozen pie crust for the bottom and get a ready made crust to do the strips on the top?
Yes that will work!
Although that will work. You have got to make her crust when given the chance. You won’t be disappointed. Sooooo good!!
I made this and sadly the filling just taste like flour instead of apply goodness. Def didn’t use too much flour, any suggestions to make sure the flavor stays on point?!