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 made this for Thanksgiving and my family said it was the best apple pie they’ve ever had. Making some more for Christmas.
I’m so glad to hear that, Jared!
Hi Ivy! Yes, see my make ahead notes above for recommendations and instructions. If it’s just for a day, refrigerating it assembled is fine.
HI Natasha, can I freeze the pie after baking?
Hi Pam! Yes, you can freeze it baked or unbaked. To reheat it, thaw the baked pie in the fridge or on the counter and then reheat in a 350°F oven until warmed through.
Hi Natasha,
Do you precook the bottom half of the pie crust first before adding the filling? I was looking at the pie crust recipe and it says to cook it first but in the video it looks like you’ve put the filling straight in and then cooking it all together?
Hi Amanda! I included pre-baking instructions in the pie crust recipe so that those instructions are available for when you’re using the crust in a recipe that requires pre-baking. You don’t need to pre-bake the crust for this apple pie and most fruit filled pies, but you’ll want to pre-bake the crust for Pumpkin Pie.
Thank you so much!! This is my first attempt at a pie so appreciate you getting back to me!!
Of course! I hope you love it.
It’s in the oven… looks great, smells delicious and the apple/sauce tastes so yum (I might have eaten a few slices before they were pie bound).
Baking it to take to a friend’s for lunch. I’ll be back later with the verdict 😊
Thank you so much Natasha for all your recipes. I’ve tried your apple pie and it’s delicious, but I had a problem with the sauce…even though I made it exactly how you explained and with Granny Smith apples, the sauce was very liquid when cooked. I really want to make another one and taught of using corn starch, but it may be inappropriate to do so. I need your help in fixing the problem… Thank you so much
Hi Francoise, I’m so glad it tasted great! It being a little soupy comes down to the apple variety. Also, be sure you’re baking long enough, and letting it rest atleast an hour before you slice it.
hi Natasha, so is that sweet butter sauce for filling?
Yes that’s right! The sweet butter sauce is to be poured over the apples as part of the filling before you add the top crust.
So, any sugar is work for make sweet butter sauce?
You can use different sugars — but not all sugars behave the same, so the choice impacts flavor, color, and texture. They also don’t melt the same.
I don’t cook much, and have never baked in my life. But when my 5yr old daughter asked to make apple pie at home this holiday season I couldn’t resist! I’m glad this was the first recipe that showed up in my internet search! When I mentioned it, my wife said she had tried a few of your recipes and loved them.
My daughter and I made this pie (including the pie crust) from scratch today. It came out amazing and tasted delicious!! More than that, we had a blast hanging out in the kitchen and doing it together! Such a special father-daughter bonding experience! Thank you for the wonderful recipe and the fun presentation.
Hi AJ! This makes me so happy to hear. Thank you so much for sharing. I’m glad you are enjoying the recipes and creating such sweet moments baking with your daughter.
Hi Natasha,
Love this pie so much !!! Can I make a traditional 2 crust pie or is lattice pie the only way to make it. I’ve also made it a dutch apple pie. Thank you !!!
Hi Natasha! I made this recipe not expecting it to be so amazingly delicious! I’ve been meaning to write a review since I made it on Thanksgiving! It was the first dessert to finish and I wished I had made another one! I served it with vanilla ice cream and surely it was the best apple pie I ever made! Thank you so much!
I’m so glad you loved it! Don’t wait until next Thanksgiving to make it again!
I’m not a good cook and don’t like cooking in general, but have too😵. Whenever I cook by Natasha’s recipes they ALWAYS come out perfect! I really don’t know how it works! And this apple pie is the best apple pie I’ve tried in my life and it’s also made by me! I can’t even believe it! Big thank you for you work!
That’s so great, Ekaterina! I’m so glad the recipes always come out perfect, that is my goal to make it easy and delicious! I’m so glad you loved it.
Thank you – Best recipe for apple pie. Use a different pie crust, but will try your recipe next. Outstanding flavour!!
Hi Jeannie! I’m so glad you loved the flavor! Thanks for your review!
I made my first apple pie. Looked and tasted great! It was a little soupy. Probably because I used 2 honey crisp. With Granny Smith. And some brandy. I found I had to bake it much longer. I’m making another one today. Any tips? Flavor was fantastic. Do I eliminate the macerated juices.
I’m so glad it tasted great, Andrea! It being a little soupy comes down to the apple variety. the honeycrips + splash of brandy will definitely release more liquid. I would stick to mostly granny smith apples next time, or another crisp/tart variety. You don’t want to eliminate the juices like the sauce that you pour over the apples, that’s where the flavor is. Be sure you’re baking long enough, and letting it rest atleast an hour before you slice it. Let me know how it goes, Andrea!
Can I use cornstarch or bobs red mill 1:1 gluten free flour instead of regular AP flour in the apple pie filling?
Hi Jennifer, I have not tested it but here is what one of my readers commented, “Amazing! I made this pie, as the recipe says, using Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten-free flour. It simply could not have been better! Delicious.” I hope that helps.
My husband said this is the best apple pie he has ever eaten
I love to hear that, Monica! It sounds like you did an amazing job making it!
Amazing! This is the first apple pie I’ve made, and it’s the only recipe I will ever need. The flakey, buttery cust is the best I’ve experienced. The not-too-sweet filling is divine. Thank you for this recipe and great directions!
You’re very welcome, Gerri! I’m happy yo hear you loved it!
Can the filling be made ahead of time and/or frozen? or is it best to make the day of baking…?
Hello Christina! You can assemble, refrigerate, and bake the next day. The crust won’t get soggy. Bake it from cold, it will take a little longer.
How do I know if the bottom crust is fully baked. I’m usually blind bake crusts. Is there a secret to knowing the bottom is baked through
If you’re using a glass pie dish, you can see the bottom, the crust should be golden brown, not pale.
I have to say never made apple pie like this before always cooked apples first. But i must say did it this way and it was so yummy. I will be adding this way too aswell as my own way, too good not to. My family love it too thank Natasha for this recipe.
I’m so glad you gave it a try, Jayne! This pie is so special and I’m so glad you all loved it too.
Can I make the filling a night before I actually make the pie without the apples turning brown?
Yes, you can refrigerate it then bake it directly from cold.