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
Natasha, this is the absolute BEST apple pie recipe!
The only addition I make is a drop of red food coloring in the butter and sugar mixture. Learned this from the mother of one of my friends about 50 years ago. The filling turns a touch pink and makes for a HAPPY pie 😊
I’m so happy to hear you love it too! It’s definitely one of our favorites.
Can I prepare the apples with the sauce a day ahead?
Hi Ann! This pie can be assembled ahead and refrigerated for a day so it should be fine to make just the filling ahead too.
Hi is it one egg and 1 tbsp water or sugar? Your video says sugar but your recipe here says water.
Hello! I recommend following the written recipe as sometimes we update it compared to the video that we cannot update. Hope you enjoy it!
I’ve always loved my Apple pie. I lost my recipe and found this on line. This is, by far, THE BEST apple pie I’ve ever had! So grateful for your recipe! Thank you!
Hi from Germany!
My Family moved to Germany from the US when my mom was a kid – so we have lost most of the traditional recipes for Thanksgiving but we still celebrate it anyways. I surprised my Family with this pie and everyone loved it so much! Thanks you for the recipe!
I have a question though – I want to make this for a group of friends. Some of them are vegan. Have you ever tried substituting the butter with a vegan alternative? Like a vegan butter or coconut oil or something like that? I would love to give it a try but I don’t really know where to start with flavoring it etc.
Thanks so much in advance!
Hi Eileen! Thank you so much. I’m glad you love this recipe. I haven’t personally tried vegan butter but a few of my viewers have left good feedback regarding this. Here is what one said, “I made both pie crust and the filling with vegan butter (the block one, not margarine) and it worked super well.”
I have made this recipe using basic flour, Gluten free flour, I have used dairy butter, vegan bock butter the brands Miyokos & Earth balance work great! Long story short this recipe is gold! Whether your guests are gluten free, dairy free you are in good hands with Natasha! The only thing vegans don’t eat eggs so you may have to skip the egg wash or check with your friends! Good luck.
I wish I could give this 10 stars! I’ve made this pie a dozen times and it’s so amazing. My family loves it and I bring it to all our holiday parties. Thank you for sharing this.
I just don’t have time to do all that. Can I make a decent pie w/ canned apples & frozen crust, Natasha?
Hi Jackie! I don’t have instructions for that. You could use a frozen premade pie crust with this recipe.
I made it this evening, and it was super delicious! The crust was out of the world good!!! I added little bit of nutmeg to in my pie filling. I used only 1/2 cup of dark brown sugar for the flavor and loved the sweetness. I will make this apple pie many more times. It was sooooo delicious!!! My family finished half of it after dinner! Thank you Natasha for another great recipe.
I made this for Thanksgiving and it was spectacular! The crust was amazing! Thank you so much! 😊
This is THE best! Thank you! Crust is perfect every time!
I absolutely love this recipe. Im always in charge of desserts on holidays and everyone always requests this one. Cant wait to try other recipes <3
Hi Natasha! Can you use this filling to make mini apple tarts? Thanks for your yummy recipes!!
I think that will work just fine. Just prepare the filling, use mini tart shells and bake them! Hope you enjoy!
Great pie. I didn’t do the lattice top but this was a very easy crust and the filling is amazing. It will be my go to apple pie from now on.
Can I use the filling to make a apple crisp instead?
Hi Georgia! 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.
Excellent recipe.
I added a bit less sugar and cinnamon, and I bought a pie crust at the supermarket (lazy me…).
The filling is incredibly good, and the apples were very soft. It was my first ever lattice-top pie, the design was not perfect, but I think it was beautiful nevertheless 😅
Peeling, coring and slicing the apples was a bit of work, but it was worth it!
The only “problem” I had was that the bottom of the pie was wet due to the filling. It’s not a big deal, though.
I’ll make this pie again, for sure!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Ana!
I like your apple pie and have made it a few times. I know someone who does not like cinnamon. What can I use instead of cinnamon?
Hello! Some alternatives are nutmeg, Allspice, ginger or pumpkin pie spice. Feel free to adjust the quantities according to your preference.
I’ve tried many apple pie recipes and this one is the very best! The crust is perfect and the filling isn’t over complicated but has the best flavor of any other apple pie recipe I’ve made.
This really is the best apple pie. I know, I know, every site boasts this… but I’ve made this two Thanksgivings in a row and it’s the pie everyone raves about and asks the recipe for. Let me elaborate:
– it lets the apple flavors shine.
– it’s spice is warm but not overwhelming or medicinal.
– it’s easy!
-it’s gracious, even if you made a mistake it still turns out really good.
-it holds up after being cut, no apples slopping out of the dish
-the lattice is beautiful and the video helps make it easy.
-the apples don’t get soggy. The keep just the right amount of texture.
– the crust comes together beautifully. I’m terrible at making pie crusts and this one was easier to work with than a store bought one!
-I used a spiral apple peeler/core gadget and the slices held up perfectly and it made the process fast and easy for my kid.
This is the best! Made the crust with the recipe link and everyone loved all of it! Best pie recipe I’ve made.
Hi Ama! Thank you for trying my recipe. So glad it was a hit!
I never leave reviews but this recipe was worth it! I love to bake but not pies, esp not with making crust. I always use store bought but I decided to give this entire recipe a try. It was awesome! The pie crust was very easy to make and really easy to roll out. The pie filling was easy and SO delicious. It will definitely become part of my Thanksgiving tradition.