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’ve made this apple pie twice. The first time it was perfect, everyone loved it. The second time it came pretty good except the apples were a little hard. I used envy apples the second time. Could that be the reason they were a little hard?
Hi Linda! I’m not certain what the issue was. It could also be that the slices were cut thicker than the first time. I have not tested envy apples but in my research it seems like they are well suited for apple pie. Sorry I can’t be more helpful.
This was Awesome! Came out beautiful and delicious !! First time making an apple pie front scratch.
I’m so glad you gave this a try and loved it! Thank you for your review!
Hello I want to make the pie today and then bring it somewhere tomorrow. Should I store it room temperature tonight or in the refrigerator?
Thanks!
Hi Alex! You can store this at room temperature for 1-2 days. After that we like to refrigerate.
It was so good! Something wasn’t right with the crust though. I’m thinking I may have not added enough water. It would kind of split when I was trying to roll it, along the sides it wouldn’t stay and I had a time doing the design around the sides. It came out a little hard to cut too. Overall though, it was delicious. Probably the best homemade pie. Natasha was right, that sauce is the best part!! I wish I could upload a picture of it. I was very proud.
Hi Christine! I’m so glad you loved the recipe. It’s our favorite apple pie. The pie dough splitting is likely due to not measuring something correctly. Using too much flour can cause that. Watch my tutorial on how to measure ingredients to help with that. The amount of water needed can vary based on the temperature of your ingredients. I have been using 6-8 tbsp. It’s best to use visual cues to know when to add more or use less. I hope that helps for next time!
Trying this out with my daughter as our tree produced so much! She has a small baking business!
Question, for the filling, do you think I can do multiple batches at once and then put in to crusts for baking?
Hi Chris. I think so. I’ve doubled this recipe just fine.
I made this and it is definitely a keeper! Best apple pie I’ve made and I love the texture and less sugar. I would love to can it, would that work?
I’m so glad you loved this recipe! I haven’t tried canning the filling to advise. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe.
Can I use a 9.5 inch pie pan instead of a 9 inch pie pan? Trying to make this for my husbands birthday!
Hi Lindsey, you will likely need to adjust the recipe by a bit to ensure you have enough crust. Here’s what one of my readers wrote “3rd time I made it, I finally figured out why my pie crust was a little short; I am using a 9.5 in. pie plate. Increased my crust ingredients to 1 1/2 times the original recipe and now I had enough for my pie plate instead of a 9 in pie plate. Keep the good food coming!” I hope that helps.
This recipe and filling are magic! I had a bunch of unidentified apples sitting in my pantry for a few weeks (that had seen better days) and on a whim I decided to make this pie after seeing this video while searching for dinner recipes instead. I made the crust and filling with my apples (that no one wanted to eat) and I wasn’t expecting much but WOW this was the best apple pie I’ve ever made!!! Every one of your recipes comes out delicious but this one is definitely going into my recipe binder for the holidays. Five stars!
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite, Wiesia! Thank you for your great review!
I haven’t made many pies since I was a kid with my grandmother and this was great even using vegan alternatives.
That’s wonderful! Thank you for the feedback!
Hello Natasha, can you tell me if I can make this pie ready and freeze it till I’m ready to bake it? And if so, do I follow the directions as before, and let it thaw out?
Hi Gloria, 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 store 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!
The pie is absolutely delicious! I’m currently making second one, it’s in the oven.
However, I have a question. So the first time I made it the sauce for apples was smoothy and creamy and honestly left me in shock because I was not expecting it to turn out like that.
The second time however it turned out completely different. The fat started separating, and it was way more thick and sugar didn’t seem to dissolve like it did the first time.
Now, there was many differences. For starters, I used two different butters the second time – the last bits of one brand and some more of another brand. Then I might’ve mixed the flour with butter for a bit less than a minute – I wasn’t as carefully watching the clock. After that, I used warm water when the first time it was cold. I also reduced sugar content because the first time the pie turned out a bit too sweet. Also the pot I used was metal, while the first one was non stick coated.
I still used the sauce and after mixing it in with the apples there genuinely was no difference in looks as well as the flavor, so I’m hoping the pie will be fine.
But I’d like to ask you, what do you think made the sauce so different the second time? I’m curious because I don’t want to make the same mistake when I make the pie again.
Hi Ola! I’m glad you found the pie delicious! Making any adjustments will likely alter the outcome of the recipe, especially when baking and technique is critical to the recipe. I wish I could be more helpful, but there were a series of changes mentioned, it it could’ve been any of them that altered the overall outcome.
Ah well, it’s alright, I’ll be more careful next time haha
Beautiful and delicious!! I was hesitant to try this recipe as it’s completely different from any I’ve tried. So glad I did though! Hubby says it looks prize worthy!
Awe, that’s amazing, Robin! We love this recipe so much and I’m so glad you got to enjoy it as well.
Made this for my son in law for his birthday ( he requested that he would like it if I made a apple pie for him) found this recipe .. … & he called to say “Best tasting Apple Pie… EVER! I thought my pie crust was a little dry,, but he said no it wasn’t! Thank you Natasha! will look up other recipes from you:)
Hi Terry! That’s wonderful to hear. I’m so glad it was a hit. It’s our favorite pie recipe to use. I have been using 6-8tbs of cold water, this can change based on how your ingredients are measured and the temperature of your ingredients. It’s best to use visual cues when making the crust to know when to add more water or not. I hope that helps if you feel the crust is too dry next time as well.
Hi!
Can you use salted butter instead of unsalted butter?
Thanks 😊
Hi Nicole, I always use unsalted just so I can control the salt level of the recipe but feel free to try it!
Hi Ms. Natasha! Can you make a recipe for peach mango pie or mango pie? Thank you! 🙂
Hi Kat, thanks for your suggestion. We’ll try to add that to our list.
Hi Natasha
We made this tonight and it looks amazing! Tastes really good too, though the bottom of the pie doesn’t seem to be cooked. I did put foil over the top as it was getting dark. Did I leave the foil on for too long?
Hi Eve! It could be the type of pan you are using and how it conducts heat. Also, this recipe is written for a conventional oven in regular bake mode. I highly encourage the use of an internal oven thermometer (affiliate link) to see if your oven is calibrated. It could be running too hot causing the outside to cook faster than the rest so you may have to adjust your oven temperature and baking time. Make sure that the pie isn’t too close to the heating element if the heating element is at the top. You can also experiment with a hot pizza stone at the bottom of your pan to help the bottom of the pie bake through. This hasn’t been a necessary step but it can be helpful in your situation. I hope that helps.
Hi Natasha, I love this apple pie recipe. So good. Can I freeze this uncooked? and if so, what would the cooking directions be?
Thank you for what you are doing.
Darlene
Hi Darlene! Yes, this pie can be assembled and frozen. You do not need to thaw it, just bake it from a frozen state. You will need to watch it in the oven, it can take 15-20 mins extra to bake but keep your eye on it so it doesn’t burn.
Have you ever made mango pie? I am chilling the pie crusts now to make some, using this recipe, with a little tweaks. Greetings from Honduras!
Hi Marissa! I have not tested it with mango.
I made it with ripe mangoes from my mother-in-law’s tree, used your recipe for the pie crust, it was a hit! Thanks for your delicious recipes!
Hi Marisa! Mango pie sounds amazing. Thank you for sharing.
Never made an apple pie before but found myself with a big bag of apples so I figured I would try this out! It was really good of course I just had one question. I followed the directions for the sauce but it came out more like…grainy? Kind of like chutney ish haha hard to explain. I set the timer for the 3 minutes but the sugar didn’t seem to dissolve enough.. did I whisk too much? Too little? Not sure what made this happen. Thank you hopefully you can help 🙂
Hi Stevie, if its grainy it’s likely the sugar didn’t dissolve like you said. Did you ensure to use regular granulated sugar?
Made this for my visiting Turkish relatives on the 4th of July. They raved and said it was the best they’d ever had; thank you.😃
That’s amazing! I’m so glad to hear that. Thank you for sharing.
I used store-bought crust but still tasted awesome! I might add more filling next time though, pie deflated significantly after cooling.
Hey Natasha,
How many apple pies can you bake in the same oven at he same time? I want to bake 6 pies but was trying to avoid baking them one at a time.
Thank you
Hi Jennifer! If they are the same size, you bake as many as will fit. Just be sure to allow some spacing in between them so they are not touching. You will need to watch them in the oven, I’m not sure how they will affect the bake time.