Apple Pie

Get ready to bake the most delicious homemade apple pie recipe! My homemade all-butter pie crust is artfully wrapped around a buttery, sweet, caramel apple pie filling, and you’ll see that the final dessert is as beautiful as it is irresistible.

If you only know how to make one homemade fruit pie recipe, I highly suggest that it be this Apple Pie Recipe!

It’s truly the best version of apple pie that I’ve ever made, and I know that it will be a hit, no matter if you’re baking for Thanksgiving or on a random Sunday afternoon.

When you’re ready to branch out and make different types of pies, be sure to come back and grab recipes for Carrot Pie, Coconut Cream Pie, Peach Pie, Cherry Pie, and Blueberry Pie next.

As American As Apple Pie

Apple Pie has long been considered the most “American” dessert there is.

What’s more American than a homemade pie filled with fresh apples and cinnamon? Well, that’s complicated.

The phrase, “as American as apple pie” has been a marketing catchphrase since 1924, but pastries with apples have been around for much longer, popping up in written recipes from Europe in the Late Middle Ages.

Apples are cultivated in many countries around the world, and while China is currently the top apple-producing country, the United States comes in second.

We grow most of these apples in Washington state, with New York, Michigan, and a few other states filling in the rest. If you were wondering, Washington produced over 5.4 Billion pounds of apples in 2009, which is the most recent data I find right now. That’s a lot of apple pies!

If you love baked apple recipes, you should also try my vegan apple pie, and easy baked apple slices.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

1. The Best Apple Pie Filling – Most recipes for apple pie have you mix up sliced apples with cinnamon, sugar, and flour in a bowl. Not this one! We’re cooking a buttery brown sugar caramel sauce on the stovetop first so that the apple pie filling has the best consistency and flavor.
2. A Perfectly Baked Pie – I’ll teach you how to bake your pie in two different stages so that it’s perfectly cooked from the bottom crust to the crisp topping.
3. All the Tips and Tricks You Need – As always, keep reading for all of my best tips and tricks for making pies! I want to make sure that you are 100% successful with this recipe, so I’m including all of the details.

What Are the Best Apples for Apple Pie?

There is no one “best” apple for making apple pies, but there are some that work better than others in this classic recipe.

You want to use flavorful apples that will hold their shape when baked. Some apples will cook down into applesauce, and you don’t want that!

In this pie recipe, I’m using Honeycrisp apples. They are delicious, and the apple slices are tender but still visible after the pie has been baked.

Other apples that make great pies include Granny Smith, Pink Lady, Braeburn, Cortland, Fuji, Jonagold, and Golden Delicious.

Feel free to use just one type of apple in your pie, or a combination of those listed here.

Homemade Apple Pie Ingredients

Here’s what you need to make the best homemade apple pie:

Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.

• Apples: Choose your favorite baking apple! Honeycrisp apples are my go-to for homemade apple pie, they are sweet and tasty with the perfect texture.
• Pie Crust: Before you start to prep the apples, be sure that you have your crust dough ready and chilling in the fridge. I have a fantastic recipe for an all-butter pie crust that is delicious with all types of pie fillings. Be sure to make the double recipe so that you have crust for the top and bottom of your apple pie.
• Egg Wash: We will use a beaten egg mixed with a bit of water to seal the bottom crust and make the top of the pie golden brown, sprinkled with coarse sugar.
• Caramel Sauce: The sauce that holds our apple slices is made with butter, vanilla, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and flour. It gives the apple pie filling a rich, deep flavor and the perfect amount of sweetness.
• Apple Pie Spices: They sell a spice mixture called apple pie spice, but I like to make my own! Cinnamon, ground ginger, nutmeg, and a bit of salt are perfect in this recipe.

How To Make Apple Pie from Scratch

1. Prepare the Dough: Follow this recipe, or use your favorite double-crust pie crust recipe. Let the dough chill for at least an hour before rolling it out.
2. Make the Bottom Crust: Roll out one piece of your dough into a 12-inch circle on a lightly floured surface. Place it into a 9-inch pie dish.
3. Egg Wash: To protect the crust from moisture, brush it with egg wash. Then place the pan in the fridge while you make the filling. At this point, you can also preheat the oven to 425°F/220°C.

1. Melt Butter: Add a stick of unsalted butter to a medium saucepan and melt it over medium heat.
2. Add Flour: Stir in 1/4 cup of all-purpose flour and simmer for 1 minute. Whisk until the flour is fully incorporated.
3. Finish the Sauce: Add water, granulated sugar, and brown sugar to the pan. Stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 3 minutes. Stir the mixture occasionally until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat and stir in vanilla extract. Set aside to cool as you prepare the apples.

7. Season the Apples: Whisk together the spices and salt in a small bowl. Sprinkle the spice mixture evenly over the apples, then stir to coat well.
8. Mix the Apple Pie Filling: Pour the slightly cooled caramel sauce over the apples, and gently stir to coat.
9. Fill the Pie: Pour the apple pie filling into the prepared pie crust, and set aside.

10. Cover: Roll out the other piece of crust dough into a 12-inch circle. You can use it like this, or make a lattice top crust for your pie as shown here. Trim away the excess dough, and crimp or flute the edge. Brush the top of the pie with the reserved egg wash, and sprinkle with turbinado or coarse sanding sugar.
11. Bake: Bake the apple pie for 20 minutes at 425°F/220°C, then reduce the heat to 375°F/190°C and continue baking for 30 minutes, or until the pie is golden brown and the fruit is bubbling. Allow to cool for at least 3 hours before serving.

Recipe Tips

• Make the Crust Ahead: Make my Homemade pie crust dough up to 2 or 3 days ahead of time. Store it in the refrigerator until you’re ready to use it.
• Taste your Apples: Honeycrisp apples are quite sweet, so I can make this recipe with less sugar. If you’re using Granny Smith apples or another tart apple, you may want to add some additional sugar to the filling mixture. You might also just want a very sweet pie, and that’s okay too!
• Flour is Key: Be sure to mix the flour into the butter mixture. This is what thickens the filling and keeps it from becoming runny.
• Try Pie Shields: You might find that the outside edges of the crust will be finished cooking before the rest of the pie is. No problem! Use pie shields if you have them, or cover the crust edges with pieces of foil when they’re perfectly browned.
• Let it Cool: You don’t want to burn your mouth with hot apple pie! Be patient, it’s all going to be worth it.
• Serve Apple Pie with Ice Cream: A big, creamy scoop of vanilla ice cream is the perfect topping for this pie. Apple Pie A La Mode is the best way to enjoy it.

Storing Homemade Apple Pie

Once baked and cooled, you may keep the pie covered, on the counter, at room temperature for up to 2 days. I suggest using a pie or cake dome, or a pie pan that comes with a cover.

Otherwise, store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Freezing Homemade Apple Pie

• Freeze the Pie Unbaked or Baked. Unbaked apple pie should be wrapped in plastic wrap, then with foil, and stored in the freezer for up to a month. You can also freeze baked pie the same way.
• Bake After Freezing. If your pie is unbaked, unwrap it, and bake it from frozen as directed here, but add about 15 minutes to the baking time. If the pie has already been baked, let it thaw overnight in the fridge or at room temperature, then bake at 350°F/180°C for 15 minutes to get the top crispy again. 

What To Serve With Apple Pie

Homemade Apple Pie is a delicious apple dessert that will be more than welcome at the end of any meal.

I particularly love making apple pies in the fall when apples are the tastiest. Try making this recipe for Thanksgiving, along with your Roast Turkey and holiday side dishes.

Need more Thanksgiving pie ideas? My Pumpkin Pie and Pecan Pie recipes are always a hit. Or, you can combine the two into one amazing Pumpkin Pecan Pie instead!

More Classic Fruit Pies

Cherry Pie

Blackberry Pie

Peach Pie

Blueberry Pie

All Pie Recipes →

FAQs

I can’t wait to hear about how much everyone loved your apple pie this year! Be sure to Pin this recipe so you never lose it.

Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!

Recipe

5 from 7 votes

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Apple Pie

Prep Time: 35 minutes mins

Cook Time: 50 minutes mins

Cooling Time: 3 hours hrs

Total Time: 4 hours hrs 25 minutes mins

Author: Diana

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Print Rate Recipe

This is the best homemade apple pie recipe! Golden crust is artfully wrapped around a buttery, sweet, caramel apple pie filling. Get ready to bake an apple dessert that is as beautiful as it is delicious.

8 slices

This is the best homemade apple pie recipe! Golden crust is artfully wrapped around a buttery, sweet, caramel apple pie filling. Get ready to bake an apple dessert that is as beautiful as it is delicious.

Equipment

• 9-inch pie dish
• Saucepan
• Rolling Pin
• Mixing Bowl
• Pastry brush

Ingredients 

1/2x1x2x3x

• ▢ 1 all butter double pie crust click here for the recipe
• ▢ 1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter
• ▢ ¼ cup all purpose flour
• ▢ ¼ cup water
• ▢ ¼ cup granulated sugar
• ▢ ¼ cup dark brown sugar packed
• ▢ 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ▢ 7-8 Honeycrisp apples about 3 lbs, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
• ▢ 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
• ▢ ⅛ teaspoon ground ginger
• ▢ ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon salt
• ▢ 1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water for egg wash
• ▢ ½ tablespoon coarse sanding sugar for topping

Instructions 

• Prepare your favorite double pie crust recipe. Refrigerate the dough for at least 1 hour before using.
  1 all butter double pie crust
• Roll out half of the dough into a 12-inch circle on a floured surface. Then place into a 9-inch pie dish.
• Make an egg wash by whisking together one egg and a tablespoon of water. Brush over the crust using a silicone pastry brush and then place the crust in the fridge until ready to use. Save the rest of the egg wash to use again on top of the pie.
  1 egg
• Preheat the oven to 425°F/220°C and then prepare the sauce for the filling. Place a medium saucepan over medium heat and melt 1 stick of unsalted butter.
  1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter
• Stir in ¼ cup of all purpose flour and cook for 1 minute, whisking until fully incorporated.
  ¼ cup all purpose flour
• Add ¼ cup of water, ¼ cup of granulated sugar, and ¼ cup of brown sugar. Stir to combine. Bring it to a boil then reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Then remove from the heat and mix in 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Set aside to cool as you prepare the apples.
  ¼ cup water, ¼ cup granulated sugar, ¼ cup dark brown sugar, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• In a small bowl, whisk together the spices and salt. Sprinkle the mixture over the sliced apples. Stir with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until evenly coated.
  1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon, ⅛ teaspoon ground ginger, ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon salt, 7-8 Honeycrisp apples
• Cover the apples in the slightly cooled sauce and stir to coat evenly.
• Pour the apples into the prepared pie dish and set aside.
• Remove the second pie dough from the fridge and roll into a 12-inch circle on a floured surface. Use a pastry wheel, pizza cutter, or sharp knife to cut the dough into long strips that are about 1 ¼ inches wide. Make a lattice top by weaving and alternating the pieces. Trim the excess dough and crimp or flute the edges.
• Sprinkle the top with coarse sanding sugar then bake the pie for 20 minutes at 425°F/220°C. Reduce the heat to 375°F/190°C and continue baking for 30 minutes. After baking, allow the pie to cool down for at least three hours before serving.
  ½ tablespoon coarse sanding sugar

Notes:

• You can make apple pie with any apples that are flavorful, firm, and hold their shape when baking. Instead of Honey Crisp, try Granny Smith, Jonagold, or Golden Delicious apples. 
• Taste the apples, as you may want to add more sugar if they aren’t particularly sweet. This recipe was developed using very sweet Honeycrisp apples. 
• If you don’t want to make a lattice crust, you can add a solid crust to the top of the pie instead. Just be sure that you cut holes to allow steam to vent from the top. 
• Be sure to let the pie cool completely before serving it. Pie that is fresh from the oven is much too hot to enjoy! 
• For best results, serve apple pie a la mode, with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. 
• To Store: Once baked and cooled, you may keep the pie covered, on the counter, at room temperature for up to 2 days. I suggest using a pie or cake dome, or a pie pan that comes with a cover. Apple pie can also be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days.
• To Freeze: An unbaked apple pie can be wrapped in plastic wrap, then with foil, and stored in the freezer for up to a month. A baked pie can also be stored the same way. 
• To Bake a Frozen Pie: If the pie is unbaked, unwrap it, and bake it from frozen as directed here, but add about 15 minutes to the baking time. If the pie has already been baked, let it thaw overnight in the fridge or at room temperature, then bake at 350°F for 15 minutes to get the top crispy again. 

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1slice, Calories: 259kcal, Carbohydrates: 49g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 7g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Trans Fat: 0.01g, Cholesterol: 21mg, Sodium: 172mg, Potassium: 215mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 30g, Vitamin A: 120IU, Vitamin C: 7mg, Calcium: 27mg, Iron: 1mg

This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.

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