Homemade Apple Pie Recipe
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There is nothing like making a homemade apple pie from scratch during the fall and winter holidays. My version has a rich double crust and a filling made with tart and sweet apples that caramelize perfectly in the oven. I like to top each slice with a scoop of ice cream and a drizzle of caramel for a dessert that always has my family asking for seconds.
I grew up watching my family make pies from scratch, and now it is one of my favorite traditions to bake at home. And honestly, who can resist ending a meal with a sweet treat made from fresh fruit? Hands up here! If you are the same, take a look at my homemade peach focaccia and my classic old fashioned apple crisp recipe for a nice alternative to this pie.
Apple Pie
I would define apple pie as a classic sweet recipe made with freshly sliced apples tossed in cinnamon and sugar, then baked inside a pie crust until golden brown. Yes, it really is that simple.
This traditional dessert originated in England and first appeared as a written recipe in the 1300s. It was influenced by France, the Netherlands, and the Ottoman Empire. What I find interesting is that apple pie did not make its way to the United States until the late 18th century.
This now All-American favorite is commonly made two ways. British style, as I do in my recipe, with a second pie crust covering the apples, or Dutch style with a sweet streusel topping. No matter how you make apple pie, it is, in my humble opinion, a must have at holiday celebrations. Now let me show you step by step how I make my apple pie. The prep takes about 20 minutes and the bake is about one hour, and then it is ready to serve.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Pie Crust – I use my homemade pie crust recipe for this apple pie. You can use your favorite recipe or even pre-made store-bought pie dough. Substitute the bacon fat or lard with all unsalted butter.
- Apples – I like to combine sweet and tart, so Fuji and Granny Smith apples were my go-to. Other great apples are McIntosh, Gala, Honey Crisp, and Golden Delicious.
- Lemon – A little freshly squeezed lemon juice helps brighten the flavor of the apples and keeps them from browning.
- Egg – I use a whisked egg to brush over the top crust before baking.
- Butter – I always use unsalted butter in my cooking and baking so I can control the amount of salt myself, and not a butter company.
- Sugar – I like using a mix of light brown sugar and regular sugar for the filling. You can swap the light brown sugar for dark if you prefer a deeper flavor. I also sprinkle turbinado sugar on top before baking for a light crunch, but regular sugar works just fine too.
- Cinnamon – I love how the ground cinnamon enhances the flavors of the apples.
- Flour – This ingredient is a must to help thicken the apple filling and for the crust.
- Corn Starch – I use cornstarch as a thickener for the filling to help stabilize it after slicing.
How to Make Apple Pie from Scratch
Make the dough: I add the all-purpose flour to a food processor along with the cold unsalted butter, cold rendered bacon fat, salt, and sugar.
Pulse: I pulse the ingredients until they start to come together and the butter pieces look about the size of peas or grains of rice. Then, I slowly drizzle in cold water while pulsing until the dough forms a smooth ball.
Chill: I divide the pie crust in half, wrap each piece in plastic, and place them in the refrigerator to chill until I am ready to use them.
Prepare the apples: I start by peeling the apples with a peeler or a paring knife. Then, I slice around the core to remove it and cut the apples into slices about ¼” to 1/8” thick.
Mix the filling: I place the sliced apples in a large bowl and add the lemon juice, melted butter, brown sugar, sugar, cinnamon, flour, and cornstarch.
Combine and chill: I mix all the ingredients thoroughly, making sure every apple slice is well coated. Then, I place the bowl in the refrigerator until I am ready to use the filling.
Roll the dough: I take one of the chilled pie doughs and roll it out on a clean, floured surface until it is about 1/8” thick.
Shape the crust: I transfer the dough to a fluted 9” pie, pressing it gently into the bottom and along the edges. Then, I trim away any excess dough to keep the crust neat.
Add the filling: I spoon the apple pie filling into the prepared crust and spread it out evenly so the apples are level across the pan.
Cover the pie: I roll out the second chilled pie dough on a clean, floured surface until it is about 1/8” thick. Then, I place it over the apples, press the edges together to seal, and trim away any extra dough for a clean finish.
Brush the crust: I lightly brush the top of the pie with the whisked egg to give it a beautiful golden color as it bakes.
Vent the pie: I cut four small slits in the center of the top crust to let steam escape while the pie bakes.
Bake: I sprinkle 1 to 2 tablespoons of turbinado sugar over the top crust, then place the pie on the lower third rack in a 400° oven. After 30 minutes, I reduce the heat to 375° and continue baking for another 30 minutes until the crust is golden and the filling is bubbling.
Cool and serve: I let the pie cool completely to room temperature so the filling sets. Then, I slice it and serve it with my favorite toppings. Check my serving suggestions below to see what I love to pair this pie with.
chef tip + notes
I highly recommend for making my apple pie recipe to always keep the butter and bacon fat cold in the pie crust before rolling out the dough. When the fats stay cool, the crust bakes up flaky and stay intact in the oven.
- Use the right dish: I like to bake my apple pie in a deep casserole dish because it gives plenty of room for the filling and helps the crust bake evenly.
- Add water if needed: If the pie crust does not hold together when I pinch it, I drizzle in a little cold water while pulsing until it does.
- Prep ahead: When I want to prep early, I keep the sliced apples in pineapple juice to prevent them from browning for up to two days.
- Skip pre-cooking: My recipe does not require cooking the apples before baking, so I keep them fresh and let the oven do the work.
- Cooling time: I allow the pie to cool completely, which can take 6 to 8 hours, so the filling sets perfectly before serving.
- Turbinado sugar: Sugar in the raw is another name for turbinado sugar, and it adds a nice crunch to the top of the pie.
Serving Suggestions
My daughter and I love enjoying this apple pie the classic way, warm or cold, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of homemade caramel sauce. It is simple, comforting, and something we never get tired of sharing after dinner.
When I make a hearty dinner like my Osso Bucco served with my creamy polenta, this apple pie is always the perfect way to end the night. So good! I also love baking it for fall gatherings along with my easy baked apple slices recipe for a complete dessert moment. Highly recommended!
Make-Ahead and Storage
Make-Ahead: For freshness, this pie overall can be made up to 3 days ahead.
How to Store: This will hold in the refrigerator, covered for up to 7 days. Likewise, it freezes well, covered in plastic for up to 3 months. Completely thaw in the refrigerator for 1 day before slicing and serving.
How to Reheat: It can be served cold, but if you like it warm, simply heat up a slice in the microwave for 30 seconds.
More Dessert Recipes
Video
Homemade Apple Pie Recipe
Ingredients
For the Pie Crust:
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 stick cold unsalted butter, cut up
- ½ cup cold rendered bacon fat
- pinch coarse salt
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- ¼ cup cold water
- 1 whisked egg
For the Apple Pie Filling:
- 5 medium-sized cored and sliced Granny Smith apples
- 5 medium-sized cored and sliced Fuji Apples
- Juice of 1 large lemon
- 6 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
- 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons corn starch
- 1 whisked large egg
- 1 tablespoon turbinado sugar
Instructions
For the Crust:
- Add the all-purpose flour to a food processor along with some cut up cold unsalted butter, cold rendered bacon fat, salt, and sugar.
- Pulse the ingredients until it is combined, and the butter is about the size of a pea or rice and slowly drizzle in water while pulsing. The pie crust should come together to form a ball at this point.
- Divide the pie crust in half, wrap in plastic and refrigerate until ready to use.
For the Apple Pie:
- Start by peeling the apples using a peeler or a paring knife. Next, you want to remove the apple from the core by slicing around and then slicing it about ¼” to 1/8” thick.
- Add the sliced apples to a bowl and add lemon juice, melted butter, brown sugar, sugar, cinnamon, flour, and corn starch.
- Mix all of the ingredients thoroughly ensuring the apples are completely coated. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- Roll out 1 of the chilled pie doughs on a clean surface dusted with flour until it is about 1/8” thick.
- Transfer the dough to a fluted 9” pie pan and form it to the pan and flutes cutting off and discarding any excess dough.
- Add the apple pie filling to the pie pan and flatten out until even.
- Roll out the second chilled pie dough on a clean surface dusted with flour until it’s about 1/8” thick. Place the dough on top of the apples completely covering it and pinch the outside edge to the other pie dough cutting off and discarding any excess.
- Brush the top of the pie dough with 1 whisked egg.
- Cut 4 slits in the center of the pie to help it bake and rise.
- Sprinkle 1 to 2 tablespoons of turbinado sugar on top and then bake at 400° on the lower third rack for 30 minutes, then turn down the heat and bake the pie at 375° for 30 minutes.
- Completely cool the pie to room temperature before serving with vanilla ice cream and caramel.
Notes
Add water if needed: If the pie crust does not hold together when I pinch it, I drizzle in a little cold water while pulsing until it does. Prep ahead: When I want to prep early, I keep the sliced apples in pineapple juice to prevent them from browning for up to two days. Skip pre-cooking: My recipe does not require cooking the apples before baking, so I keep them fresh and let the oven do the work. Cooling time: I allow the pie to cool completely, which can take 6 to 8 hours, so the filling sets perfectly before serving. Turbinado sugar: Sugar in the raw is another name for turbinado sugar, and it adds a nice crunch to the top of the pie. Make-Ahead: For freshness, this pie overall can be made up to 3 days ahead. How to Store: This will hold in the refrigerator, covered for up to 7 days. Likewise, it freezes well, covered in plastic for up to 3 months. Completely thaw in the refrigerator for 1 day before slicing and serving. How to Reheat: It can be served cold, but if you like it warm, simply heat up a slice in the microwave for 30 seconds.
Wondering if I could use cast iron skillet to cook this pie if possible what oven temperature should I use and how long? Thanks!
Give it a try and see! I’d love to hear how it turns out.
What can you use for the crust, if you don’t have rendered bacon fat?
Butter
I did a trial run for Thanksgiving. I used a mandolin to slice the apples. I also used Raw sugar for the sugars. Turned out great. Except the apples were somewhat crunchy. Should the apples be cooked with spices and sugar prior to baking?
nope.