Classic Apple Pie Recipe
This classic apple pie recipe features a sweet apple filling packed inside a delicious flaky pie crust. The perfect pie for fall or Thanksgiving!
Do you have a favorite pie? If I had to choose, my top three pies would have to be pumpkin, pecan, and apple. Since fall is just around the corner, I thought it would be the perfect time to share my favorite apple pie recipe with you!
While there are a few steps to making this pie, I promise that it’s not too difficult. The filling is incredibly easy to make and sweet, but not too sweet. I love to top this apple pie with a lattice design, but you could cut out some pie crust to decorate the top or just cover it with a full piece of pie crust.
This apple pie is also a fantastic recipe to make the day before so that you have dessert ready the next day. If you love apple pie, I guarantee this homemade version will be your new favorite!
Ingredients You’ll Need For This Recipe
This easy apple pie recipe uses simple ingredients that you likely have on hand. Let’s discuss each ingredient to ensure that your pie turns out perfect!
- Pie Crusts: I wanted to make this a homemade apple pie so I used my pie crust recipe. My recipe makes two pie crusts so it works perfectly here! If you want to save a little time, feel free to use store-bought pie crusts.
- Apples: I like to use a mix of Honeycrisp and Granny Smith apples for my pie, but any kind of baking apples that you prefer will work fine. Just be sure to slice your apples about 1/4-inch thick, so they hold up well and don’t end up mushy.
- Lemon Juice: Fresh lemon juice is best, but bottled will work in a pinch. This helps to brighten up the flavor of the filling and cut down on the sweetness just a bit.
- Sugar: There’s a mix of brown sugar and granulated sugar in this recipe. I typically use light brown sugar because it’s what I keep on hand but dark brown sugar works just fine.
- Flour: This helps to thicken up the filling so that it’s not too juicy.
- Spices: I use a combination of ground cinnamon and ground nutmeg because it pairs beautifully with the apples. Feel free to increase the amount of cinnamon if you really love it!
- Butter: The butter is completely optional here, but I love to cube a tablespoon and dot it on top of the filling before adding the top pie crust.
- Egg & Milk: These two ingredients are whisked together and brushed on top of the of the pie crust to give it a beautiful golden brown color.
- Coarse Sugar: I love to sprinkle some coarse sugar on top of the pie crust before it goes into the oven. If you don’t have any coarse sugar, you can just sprinkle a little granulated sugar on top or skip this step.
How To Make Apple Pie
To make this apple pie, you’ll start by adjusting an oven rack to the lower third position in your oven. This will help the bottom of your pie crust get crisper and prevent the top from getting too browned. Next, preheat your oven to 400°F (204°C). The initial high temperature will help ensure that you end up with a super flaky pie crust. Don’t worry though, you’ll reduce the temperature after 20 minutes so your pie doesn’t end up over baked!
I also recommend making the filling first so that it has time to sit for about 15 to 20 minutes while you roll out and prep your pie crust. This will allow the apples to release some of their juices so that it doesn’t all end up in your pie.
To make the apple pie filling, simply combine your sliced apples and lemon juice in a large mixing bowl and toss the apples to coat them with the juice. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, granulated sugar, flour, and spices until they’re fully combined. Then, sprinkle the mixture on top of the sliced apples and mix until all of the apples are coated. Once the filling is ready, set it aside while you prepare the pie crusts.
To prepare the pie crusts, roll both of them out, place one in a 9-inch pie dish, and trim off any excess dough. For the other pie crust, you can either cut it into strips or leave it whole, it’s up to you.
Now it’s time to assemble your pie! At this point, the apples will have released some of their juices into the bowl you mixed them up in earlier. It’s best to use a slotted spoon to scoop the filling into your pie crust so that you leave some of the excess juice in the bowl. This will help ensure that the bottom of your pie is nice and crisp and doesn’t end up soggy.
Then, just dot the filling with some small pieces of butter and decorate the top however you like. I topped this pie with a lattice topping, here is my tutorial for how to make one. You can also leave the top crust whole, but if you do I recommend cutting some slits into the pie crust so that the steam can release as it’s baking.
Once the pie is ready, whisk together the egg and milk and brush it on top, then sprinkle on the coarse sugar. The pie will bake for 20 minutes at 400°F, then you’ll reduce the temperature to 375°F (190°C) and continue baking the pie for another 35 to 40 minutes. If the top of your pie begins to brown too much before it’s done baking, simply cover it with a piece of foil until it’s finished.
Once the pie is fully baked, it’s best to let it cool completely before slicing into it. You can also serve this pie with some salted caramel sauce or a big scoop of ice cream!
FAQ’s
What are the best type of apples to use?
I used a mixture of Honeycrisp and Granny Smith apples for this recipe. Some other great options are Fuji, Pink Lady, Braeburn, or Golden Delicious apples. You can use just one type of apple if you prefer, but I like to use a mix of sweet and tart apples in this pie.
How many apples will I need for this recipe?
The amount you will need will depend on the size of your apples. I find that one medium apple usually yields about 1 cup of sliced apples. Since this recipe calls for 7 cups of sliced apples, you will need about 7 medium apples or 5 to 6 large apples.
Does this pie need to be refrigerated?
It’s not necessary to refrigerate this pie, but it will help it stay fresh longer. Once the pie has cooled completely, you may cover it and store it at room temperature for 2 to 3 days. If you need to store it a day or two longer, then I recommend storing it in the refrigerator and reheating individual slices in the microwave.
Can you freeze it?
One the pie has been baked and cooled completely, you can freeze it! I recommend wrapping it tightly with plastic wrap and storing it in a large freezer bag. You may freeze the pie for 2 to 3 months and just thaw it to room temperature when you’re ready to enjoy it.
Baking Tips
- Make sure to prep your apple pie filling first, then prepare your pie crusts. This will give the sliced apples time to release their juices.
- When slicing the apples for the filling, I recommend cutting them into 1/4-inch thick slices. It’s also best to slice the apples all the same thickness so they bake evenly in the oven.
- When spooning the filling into the apple pie, make sure to use a slotted spoon and leave as much juice as possible in the bowl that you used to prepare the filling.
More Pie Recipes To Try
Video Tutorial
Apple Pie Recipe
Ingredients
- 7 cups (840 grams) sliced apples (peeled, cored, and sliced into 1/4-inch slices)
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup (50 grams) light brown sugar packed
- 1/4 cup (32 grams) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 pie crusts homemade or store-bought
- 1 tablespoon (15 grams) butter cut into pieces
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon milk
- Coarse sugar for sprinkling on top optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C). Adjust your oven rack to the lower third position.
- Add the sliced apples and lemon juice to a large mixing bowl and toss until well combined. Set aside.
- In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg until well combined. Pour over the sliced apples and mix until the apples are fully coated with the dry ingredients. Set aside for 15 to 20 minutes while you prep the pie crusts.
- Roll one of the pie crusts out to about 12 inches in diameter, transfer to a 9-inch pie plate, gently fit it in the dish, and trim any excess dough from the edges. Place in the refrigerator. Roll out the second pie crust dough and either cut lattice strips, decorations or leave whole to fully top the apple pie.
- Remove the pie plate from the refrigerator. Using a slotted spoon, scoop the filling into the pie crust (making sure to leave as much juice as possible in the bowl) and spread around into one even layer. Dot with the pieces of butter. Top with the second pie crust and decorate the edges (if topping with a full piece of pie crust, make sure to cut some slits in the top).
- Whisk together the egg and milk until well combined. Brush on top of the pie and around the edges. Sprinkle with coarse sugar if desired.
- Bake in the lower third of the oven at 400°F (204°C) for 20 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 375°F (190°C) and bake for an additional 35 to 40 minutes or until the top of the pie is golden brown and the filling is bubbly. Cover the edges of the pie with a pie crust shield if needed to prevent excess browning. You may also cover the top of the pie with aluminum foil to prevent it from browning too much before it's finished baking.
- Once the pie is done baking, remove it from the oven, and place it on a wire rack to cool completely. Once cooled, slice and enjoy!
Notes
Hello,
A question about the crust. Do I blind bake it before putting the apple filling in? First pie baking attempt.
Thank you!
It’s not necessary for this pie. Just make sure to prep the filling first and let it sit while you prepare the pie crust. Then, just use a slotted spoon to spoon the filling into the pie crust and leave any excess juice in the bowl.
Is it okay to not add the nutmeg?
Yes, that’s fine!
Excellent Recipe. I reduced the left over Juices and it turned into a thick cinnamon caramelish sauce. Perfect to drizzle over the vanilla ice cream I put on top of the pie!
Just made this apple pie and it was delicious! I reduced the leftover apple spice juice on the stove top, allowed it to cool and then folded it into some whipped cream. This spiced whipped cream on top of a slice of this warm pie sent it to a whole new level of awesome!
That sounds fantastic, Rosemary! I’ll have to try that!
Is it salted or unsalted butter?
I always use unsalted butter, but since it’s such a small amount, either one is fine!
Just wondering about starting the pie in the lower part of the oven. Is your oven gas or electric? And does that even matter?
My oven is electric. If your gas oven has a metal plate over the heating element, I imagine it would be okay. If you’re worried about placing it that low, you can certainly adjust your oven rack a little higher. I do think the pie would be just fine if you bake it on a slightly higher oven rack.
Thank you so much for answering me. I have electric also so I should be able to follow the recipe exactly as written. Yay!
When I rolled out my pie crust it separated what did I do wrong! Thank you
Hi, Tina! Did you use my homemade pie crust recipe? If so, it may be a little dry and need a little more water. You can wet your fingers and try to push it back together and see if that helps.
Hello..I always love your recipes..Do you have any non sugar ones???
Thank you
Thank you! I actually don’t have any sugar free recipes, but I’m happy to point you to some other great blogs that do!
I substitute monkfruit sweetener & coconut sugar for the sugars & I get a similar result!:)
Hi!
I don’t have any lemon juice… I forgot at the store. Will it be okay if I don’t use it?
Thanks!
Yes, that’s fine!
I always use fresh squeezed orange juice- and I add raisins to the filling. The left over juices from the filling will be made into a caramel sauce.
Happy to try this & your pie crust recipe (my 1st attempt at making apple pie entirely from scratch). Was confused about the earlier comment—I’m following your pie crust RE iOS, but not sure if I make this apple pie with raw pie crust (I.e. roll out the chilled dough & place in a pie pan, then add the apple filling without baking the pie crust at all), or if I’m to partially or fully bake the pie crust dough (with the pie weights, etc) before adding the pie filling.
You can just roll out the pie crust, place it in the pan, and add the filling! There’s no need to partially bake the pie crust for this recipe.
Can you freeze this pie?
Yes, absolutely! It will freeze well for up to 3 months, just thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before serving.
First time I tried this recipe I used store bought pies crust and it turned out fantastic. Today I tried Her Pie crust recipe, I will never go back to store bought. Love the flavors.
Thank you for sharing this wonderful apple pie recipe.
So glad you liked the apple pie recipe, Tom!
Do you think it would be OK to prepare the pie filling a day ahead of time and keep in the refrigerator?
I haven’t tried it, but I probably wouldn’t for this recipe.
THE BEST PIE IVE EVER HAD. Tip: I only used butter for the crust. it was perfectly flaky and amazing. I cooked it exactly as recommended, expect only cooked it 30 min the second half. It was perfectly done! I am soo happy about this pie! Thanks for the great recipe!! Also, we made a whipped topping with the juices from the apples, and heavy whipping cream. A wonderful treat!!!
So glad you enjoyed the pie, Olivia!
Tried this recipe with the flour replaced with whole wheat completely measure by measure.
My parents loved it, so tried again with my bible study friends, and among just 4 people, they all killed in one sitting, asking if I made more by any chance.
And since it’s all pretty much kosher, excited to bring to my TEFL class! Went and checked all the ingredients just to make sure it was all kosher so that even those that are Muslim in my class can actually enjoy it without worry!
I’m so excited to make this for thanksgiving! If I make it on Sunday, will it still be good on Thursday?
It probably will if you keep it refrigerated, but I would recommend making it closer to Thanksgiving if you can.
Can i Make the pie, freeze it, and then bake it on thanksgiving?
I haven’t tried it with this recipe. You can freeze the baked pie though and then thaw it overnight in the refrigerator.
Hi, 7 cups of apples is about how many…?
And, can I make this on Tuesday AM for Wednesday dinner (Dessert)?
Thank you!
It’s about 6-7 large apples. You can make this the day before too.
Hi Danielle,
Your pie looks amazing and I am going to attempt making this…My first time ever making an apple pie! Do I use a 9″ by 1 – 1/2 inch or a 9″ by 2″ pie pan? I have both sizes in my cupboard and don’t even bake pies…wonder how they got in there…lol!
Thank you,
Brenda
I think either one would be fine, but I used one that’s 2-inches deep for this recipe.
Thank you for sharing this recipe! I made it last night and it was amazing!! My husband and father in law love the taste. I was looking for the perfect apple pie recipe, my very first apple pie recipe I found I did not like. This is the recipe I have been looking for!!! I will be making this pie a lot. I already have 4 more to bake by the end of the week and I know I will have a lot more to make in the future!!!
This might be a silly question but do I need to peel the apples before baking?
Yes, I do recommend peeling them before you slice them.
Is it ok if I buy an already made pie crust for the bottom but buy pie dough for the top
It would probably be hard to connect the topping to it if you do.
What size pie pan did you use, and was it a deep dish pie pan? I noticed in the photo that you used 7 apples, so I’m just wondering what would work best. We love Apple Pie, so I’m definitely going to try yours.
Hi, Angela! This is noted in the recipe, I use a 9-inch pie dish that’s about 2 inches deep.
I have made this twice and both times it was excellent! Thank you for this delicious recipe!
I’d like to know if it’s okay to prepare the apple pie a day in advance and than bake the next day?
I wouldn’t recommend it for this recipe because the bottom of the pie crust may turn out soggy. You can bake it the day before, then just warm it up in the oven if needed.
I’m making this tomorrow for Thanksgiving, but had a question. This may be silly to ask, but it’s my first ever pie. Do I need to grease the pie plate before putting the crust down? Thank you!
It’s not necessary, pie crust has a lot of fat in it so it won’t stick.
Hi. I made this and it was delicious. By any chance does anyone know how many calories if we sliced it 6 ways?
So glad you enjoyed the recipe, Jessica! I’m not sure about the nutritional information, but you can plug everything into an online calculator to get an estimate.
I followed this recipe to a T but silly me forget to add the 1 tablespoon of butter bits before I slapped on the top crust…. and guess what? It still turned out perfectly! This was my first time baking a pie from scratch and I’m so darn proud of myself… so proud, I forgot to take a picture! 😉 Guess you’ll just have to trust me on it. Anywho… thank you so much for the recipe and the inspiration to bake a pie from scratch. Cheers!
What is the pie supposed to taste like mine always come out bland so I hoping your will come out better. What to do for flavor
Like an apple pie 🙂 The brown sugar, spices, and homemade pie crust really add a lot of flavor to this recipe.
Hiiii! I’ve made apple pie using this recipe before and it was SO FLIPPIN GOOD! I’m planning on making it again for a Friendsgiving dinner this weekend. Would it be okay to substitute the milk with almond milk by any chance? Will that totally ruin the consistency?
Thanks for this, the pie crust, AND the lattice instructions! My mom didn’t believe that I made it all from scratch because your recipes were THAT good.
Thank you, Sabrina! It would be fine to substitute the milk for almond milk!
Hi Danielle! Thanks for sharing this recipe. I made it for Thanksgiving this year and while I’ve made plenty of Pumpkin and Pecan pies in the past, I’ve never made apple pie before. It was a hit! Everyone loved it and I got requests to make it again next year. Your tutorial on creating the lattice was also really helpful. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you, Jasmine! Glad you found the tutorial helpful too!