Homemade Apple Pie
This homemade apple pie recipe features a flaky, buttery crust and a perfectly spiced apple pie filling made easy with fresh, tender apples baked to golden perfection.
The Only Apple Pie Recipe You'll Ever Need
There is something magical about a fresh apple pie recipe filling bubbling away in the oven, filling the whole house with the scent of cinnamon and warm apples. This homemade apple pie recipe is easy enough for a weeknight dessert but impressive enough for Thanksgiving dinner. With a flaky, buttery crust and a perfectly spiced apple pie filling, it is the kind of dessert that turns any ordinary afternoon into something special.
Whether you are searching for a simple apple pie recipe for your first time baking one, or you are a seasoned baker looking to perfect your technique, this guide will walk you through exactly how to make an apple pie that rivals your favorite bakery.
Before we get cooking, the right tools and ingredients make a real difference here. A good pastry cutter, a sturdy rolling pin, and a reliable pie dish will make assembling this apple pie recipe filling so much easier, and using fresh, crisp apples instead of soft or mealy ones will give you that ideal tender yet slightly firm bite.
Choosing the Best Apples for Pie
Not all apples are created equal when it comes to baking. For the best fresh apple pie recipe easy enough to nail on your first try, you want a mix of apples that hold their shape while baking but still soften nicely.
Good choices include:
- Granny Smith for tartness and firm texture
- Honeycrisp for natural sweetness and juiciness
- Braeburn or Jonagold for a balanced flavor
Combining two varieties gives your pie more depth than using just one type of apple.
Chef's Tip: Slice your apples to a consistent thickness, about a quarter inch, so they cook evenly and you avoid a filling with both mushy and crunchy bites.
Making the Perfect Flaky Crust
The secret to any great homemade apple pie filling recipe starts with the crust underneath it. Cold butter is non negotiable here. As it bakes, the little pockets of cold butter melt and create steam, which is exactly what gives you those beautiful flaky layers.
Work quickly when making the dough, and do not overwork it. The moment the dough comes together, stop mixing. Overworked dough develops too much gluten and turns tough instead of tender and flaky.
Tips for Filling Success
This apple pie recipe filling relies on cornstarch to thicken the natural juices released by the apples as they bake. Without it, you would end up with a soupy pie. A splash of lemon juice brightens the flavor and helps keep the apples from browning while you work.
If you love a deeply spiced pie, feel free to increase the cinnamon slightly, or add a pinch of ground cloves for extra warmth.
Ready to make it? Here is the full step-by-step recipe:
Homemade Apple Pie
This homemade apple pie recipe features a flaky, buttery crust and a perfectly spiced apple pie filling made easy with fresh, tender apples baked to golden perfection.
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for rolling
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar, for the crust
- 1 tsp salt, divided
- 1 cup unsalted butter, cold, cubed
- 1/2 cup ice water, plus more as needed
- 8 apples, peeled, cored, and sliced, a mix of Granny Smith and Honeycrisp works best
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar, for the filling
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 tbsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 3 tbsp cornstarch, for thickening the filling
- 1 large egg, beaten, for egg wash
- 1 tbsp coarse sugar, optional, for topping
Instruction
In a large bowl or food processor, combine the flour, sugar, and half the salt. Add cold cubed butter and pulse or cut in with a pastry cutter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Add ice water a tablespoon at a time, mixing gently, until the dough just comes together. Divide into two discs, wrap in plastic, and chill for at least 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
In a large bowl, toss the sliced apples with granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, remaining salt, lemon juice, and cornstarch until evenly coated.
Roll out one dough disc on a floured surface and fit it into a 9 inch pie dish, letting the excess hang over the edge.
Pour the apple filling into the crust, mounding it slightly in the center.
Roll out the second dough disc and place it over the filling, or cut into strips for a lattice top. Trim and crimp the edges to seal.
Brush the top crust with beaten egg and sprinkle with coarse sugar if using. Cut a few small slits in the top to let steam escape.
Place the pie on a baking sheet to catch any drips and bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until the crust is golden and the filling is bubbling.
If the edges brown too quickly, cover them with foil or a pie shield halfway through baking.
Let the pie cool on a wire rack for at least 2 hours before slicing to allow the filling to set.
Equipment
- 9 inch pie dish
- Pastry cutter or food processor
- Rolling pin
- Mixing bowls
- Baking sheet
- Wire cooling rack
Notes
Serving and Storing Your Apple Pie
Once your pie comes out of the oven, resist the urge to slice it right away. Letting it cool for at least two hours allows the filling to set properly, so your slices hold together instead of spilling apples everywhere. It is worth the wait.
Serve slices warm or at room temperature, ideally with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of freshly whipped cream. The contrast of warm pie and cold ice cream is simply unbeatable.
For storage, keep the pie loosely covered at room temperature for up to two days, or refrigerate it for up to five days if your kitchen runs warm. This homeade apple pie filling also freezes well before baking, so you can prep ahead for the holidays and bake it fresh when you need it.
However you serve it, this simple apple pie recipe is bound to become a family favorite you return to again and again.
