With a mountain of gooey cinnamon apples nestled under a perfectly buttery and flaky pie crust, this is most certainly my favorite apple pie recipe. To bring out the best apple flavor and texture, pre-cook the filling for about 5 minutes on the stove. Bake and cool the pie, and then top with vanilla ice cream for the ultimate homestyle dessert.
I originally published this recipe in 2018 and have since added new photos, a video tutorial, and several helpful success tips. I also added an optional pre-cook step for the apple filling.
One reader, Sami, commented: “THE best apple pie recipe EVER!!!! I made this for Thanksgiving, and it was a huge hit. I love the use of different apple types and went with four Granny Smith, two Fuji, and two Honeycrisp. Each apple type has a different flavor and a different texture when cooked, which my family absolutely loved. ★★★★★”
I’m a published cookbook author, and I bake as a profession. So you can imagine I’m often asked about my *favorite* dessert. And, without hesitation, my answer is ALWAYS homemade pie.
In particular, apple pie. Below you’ll find my favorite pie… and baking recipe… on the planet. It’s my #1 choice out of all the Thanksgiving pies, but I certainly don’t limit it to the fall season. I’ve been making this recipe for years, and after testing multiple different fillings, spices, apple varieties, and other little tweaks, I consider the recipe below to be my very best apple pie.
Here’s what a few more readers are saying:
Alexia commented: “WOW! The best apple pie I have ever had or made. As with all of the recipes I’ve tried from Sally, it’s a keeper for sure! ★★★★★“
Sofia commented: “Everyone I make this for says it’s the best apple pie they’ve ever had!! ★★★★★“
Caitlin commented: “My FAVORITE apple pie! I have tried a handful of other recipes and felt none of them got it quite ‘right.’ This one was a hit and I can’t wait to make it over and over again! ★★★★★“
Here’s Why You’ll Love This Apple Pie, Too
- Classic recipe, without any complicated ingredients
- Golden flaky double pie crust provides a crisp contrast to the soft and juicy filling
- Caramelized filling peeking through the lattice
- Deliciously sweet, cinnamon-spiced filling
- Tall slices with oodles of tender apples that aren’t overly mushy
- Comforting, nostalgia-filled flavor
- Completely out-of-this-world with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top
This pie is deep-dish style, but you don’t need a super special pie dish to get started. Any 1.5- to 2-inch-deep pie dish works here. You’ll simply pile those apple slices nice and high!
Let’s get started.
Begin With Quality Pie Crust
You need a sturdy crust to hold in the mountain of apples. Whether you’re a pie crust beginner or pro, I encourage you to read through my pie crust recipe. There’s nothing quite like homemade pie crust and my grandmother’s recipe has consistently proven its authority over the past several decades. It’s our family’s favorite, and I’ve been using it ever since I could lift a rolling pin.
This recipe uses both butter and shortening to provide a quality combination of sturdy, flaky, and buttery. I also have an all butter pie crust if you’re interested. But for best taste and texture, I swear by using both shortening and butter. You can taste the difference.
Key Ingredients You Need
Once you have your pie dough ready, you can gather the rest of the ingredients. My apple pie recipe has a deliciously gooey, sweet, and spiced apple filling. The ingredients in the filling are my go-to choices for most apple pie recipes including my apple cheddar pie and salted caramel apple pie, too.
- Apples – It’s best to use a variety of apples in apple pie. Just like when we make apple cake or apple cobbler, I recommend using half tart and half sweet. I love tart Granny Smith apples paired with a sweet variety such as Pink Lady, Honeycrisp, Jazz, or Fuji. Here is a complete list of the best apples for baking.
- Spices – Apple pie isn’t apple pie without warm spices like cinnamon and nutmeg. I always add allspice to the filling for a little something extra.
- Lemon – A touch of lemon is crucial here. You don’t use enough to actually taste the lemon; add a splash to prevent the apples from browning and to keep the flavor bright. (Flavor is a bit flat without it, so do not skip this!)
- Sugar – Sugar sweetens the pie filling. You can actually use white granulated sugar or brown sugar here. I typically use white sugar so the apple and spice flavors really shine.
- Flour – Flour thickens the pie filling.
Do you crave extra flavor? You’ll love this apple cranberry pie or chai-spiced apple pie.
What Are the Best Apples to Use for Apple Pie?
Firmer apples are ideal for baking a pie. Avoid soft, mealy, and mushy apples. For depth of flavor, it’s best to bake with a mix of tart and sweet apples. For apple pie, I usually use 4–5 tart and 4 sweet.
- Tart apples for baking: Granny Smith (in my opinion, this is the best overall apple for baking), Braeburn, Jonathan, and Pacific Rose
- Sweet apples for baking: Jazz, Pazazz (sometimes harder to find but delicious!), Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, and Fuji
For a detailed list of my favorite apple varieties and when to use each, you can visit my post The Best Apples for Baking.
In Pictures: How to Make Perfect Apple Pie
Roll out the bottom pie dough. Tuck the dough into a deep-dish pie plate. Refrigerate as you prepare the filling. Remember, cold pie dough is key to pie-making.
Make the filling. Stir all of the filling ingredients together in a large bowl. An optional step, and something I’ve been doing more recently, is to pre-cook the filling on the stove for just a few minutes. This begins to soften the apple slices, and helps to meld the flavors together. I find it makes for a juicier, and even more flavorful filling!
Pile the filling into the pie dish. Don’t just pour in the apples. Instead, make sure the slices are compact inside. Tuck them in tightly so there’s hardly any air pockets. The filling is already so juicy:
Add the top pie crust. I have a whole tutorial on how to lattice pie crust, which is how I top the pictured pie. You’ll need a pastry wheel, pizza cutter, or sharp knife to make the lattice strips. A pair of kitchen shears is also handy for trimming any excess pie dough overhang.
Alternatively, you can make a double-crust pie by laying the second rolled-out pie crust on top. Slit some vents on top with a sharp knife.
Don’t want to mess with a top crust? Try my apple crumble pie, or make an apple galette.
Flute the edges. Here is my video for how to flute pie crust. You could also simply crimp the edges with a fork, a method I show in the same video.
Brush with egg wash. Egg wash is a combination of egg and milk, and it’s what gives the pie crust its golden sheen. Pie crust looks very dull without the egg wash. For a little crunch and sparkle, I always add a sprinkle of coarse sugar on top, too.
Bake: Bake the apple pie until the crust is golden brown, and the filling is bubbling through the vents, about 1 hour. Baking the pie at an initial high temperature helps set the crust. After about 25 minutes, reduce the oven temperature as the recipe card instructs below.
When I lower the oven temperature, I add a pie crust shield. You can buy one, or you can make a DIY pie crust shield out of aluminum foil. Tear off a large square of aluminum foil, fold it in half, and then cut a half-circle in the center of the folded edge. Unfold it and place it on the pie. This will protect the edges, to ensure the crust doesn’t burn.
How Do I Know When Apple Pie Is Done?
A visual cue is helpful when determining the pie’s doneness. If the crust is golden, and the filling is bubbling around the edges, the apple pie is done. If you want to be precise, the internal temperature of the filling taken with an instant read thermometer should be around 200°F (93°C) when done.
Cool the pie: The longer you let apple pie cool, the more the filling will set. I recommend cooling for at least 3 full hours before slicing and serving. I know, it’s nearly impossible to wait!
4 Apple Pie Success Tips
- Uniform-Size Apples: Make sure your apple slices are uniform in size. Why? You don’t want some thick solid apples and some thin mushy apples. You want them all to be tender, while retaining some texture. Aim for about 1/4-inch-thick slices. If the apple slices are too thin, they’ll just pack themselves down and you’ll be on your way to making an applesauce pie. For best texture, make sure to peel your apples, too.
- Use a Ton of Apples: You will be surprised how many apple slices can fit into a pie crust. Pile them so high that it looks ridiculous. I’ve made this recipe hundreds of times, and I’m still shocked with how many I can squeeze in!
- Use the Correct Pan: My all-time favorite pie dish is deep-dish style, but also perfect for regular (non-deep-dish style) pies as well. You want a pie dish that’s at least 1.5 to 2 inches deep.
- Flute or Crimp the Edges: To adhere the top and bottom crust together, and to seal in the juicy filling, be sure to flute or crimp the pie crust edges.
Top the slices with vanilla ice cream and, if desired, a drizzle of salted caramel… because we don’t mess around when it comes to dessert. A dollop of whipped cream would be excellent here, too!
If you’re looking for individual-portion desserts, you may love these apple turnovers, apple pie baked apples, individual apple crumbles, or my apple hand pies. No shortage of apples around here.
You don’t have to pre-cook the filling before spooning it into the pie crust, but it’s a quick step I recommend. Just 5 minutes on the stove begins the softening process, and also helps the flavors start to mingle. I’ve never regretted taking this step, and it’s certainly catapulted my apple pies from good to great.
You don’t have to pre-bake the bottom pie crust for this pie. There’s simply no need to take this extra step because the apple pie bakes for a really long time in the oven. If your pies have soggy crusts, you may not be baking them long enough. See How Do I Know When Apple Pie Is Done above. Additionally, and this is important, I strongly recommend using a glass pie dish. Glass conducts heat slowly and evenly, and you can literally *see* if the bottom crust is done.
Skip traditional pie crust and make my salted caramel apple pie bars, caramel apple cheesecake pie, or my classic apple crisp recipe instead. You might also enjoy my baked apples!
Homemade apple pie—with its combination of sweet, juicy apples and warm, comforting spices all encased in a buttery, golden crust—is such a quintessential American dessert. Every delicious bite evokes a sense of home, nostalgia, and tradition, and I know you’ll love it as much as I do!
PrintMy Best Apple Pie Recipe
- Prep Time: 3 hours (includes pie crust)
- Cook Time: 1 hour, 5 minutes
- Total Time: 7 hours (includes cooling)
- Yield: 8-10 servings
- Category: Pie
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
With a mountain of gooey, cinnamon-kissed apples nestled under a perfectly buttery and flaky pie crust, this is most certainly my favorite apple pie recipe. To bring out the best apple flavor and texture, pre-cook the filling for only about 5 minutes on the stove. Bake and cool the pie, and then top with vanilla ice cream for the ultimate homestyle dessert.
Ingredients
- Homemade Pie Crust or All Butter Pie Crust (both recipes make 2 crusts, 1 for bottom and 1 for top)
- 10 cups (1250g) 1/4-inch-thick apple slices (about 8 large peeled and cored apples)*
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar (or packed brown sugar)
- 1/4 cup (31g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1 Tablespoon (15ml) lemon juice
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon each: ground allspice & ground nutmeg
- egg wash: 1 large egg beaten with 1 Tablespoon (15ml) milk
- optional: coarse sugar for sprinkling on crust
Instructions
- The crust: Prepare either pie crust recipe through step 5.
- Make the filling: In a large bowl, stir the apple slices, sugar, flour, lemon juice, cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg together until thoroughly combined.
- Optional pre-cook: Pour the apple filling into a very large skillet, or dutch oven, and place over medium-low heat. Stir and cook for 5 minutes until the apples begin to soften. Remove from heat and set aside. This step is optional, but I’ve found it makes for a juicier, more flavorful filling because it helps begin to soften the apples. If you can, take the few extra minutes to do this, because the flavor is worth it!
- Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C).
- Roll out the chilled pie dough: On a floured work surface, roll out one of the discs of chilled dough (keep the other one in the refrigerator). Turn the dough about a quarter turn after every few rolls until you have a circle 12 inches in diameter. Carefully place the dough into a 9-inch pie dish that’s 1.5 to 2 inches deep. Tuck the dough in with your fingers, making sure it is smooth. Spoon the filling into the crust. It’s ok if it is still warm from the precooking step. It will seem like a lot of apples; that’s ok. Pile them high, and tightly together.
- Finish assembling: Remove the other disc of chilled pie dough from the refrigerator. Roll the dough into a circle that is 12 inches diameter. Using a pastry wheel, sharp knife, or pizza cutter, cut strips of dough; in the pictured pie, I cut 12 1-inch-wide strips. Carefully thread the strips over and under one another, pulling back strips as necessary to weave. (Here’s a lattice pie crust tutorial if you need visuals.) Use a small paring knife or kitchen shears to trim off excess dough. Fold the overhang back towards the center of the pie, and pinch the edges to adhere the top and bottom crusts together. Crimp or flute the pie crust edges to seal.
- Lightly brush the top of the pie crust with the egg wash. Sprinkle the top with coarse sugar, if using.
- Place the pie onto a large baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes. Then, keeping the pie in the oven, reduce the oven temperature down to 375°F (190°C). Place a pie crust shield (see Note for homemade shield) on the edges to prevent them from over-browning. Continue baking the pie until the filling is bubbling around the edges, 35–40 more minutes. This sounds like a long time, but under-baking the pie means an unfinished filling with firm apples with paste-like flour. If you want to be precise, the internal temperature of the filling taken with an instant read thermometer should be around 200°F (93°C) when done. Tip: If needed towards the end of bake time, remove the pie crust shield and tent an entire piece of foil on top of the pie if the top looks like it’s getting too brown.
- Remove pie from the oven, place on a cooling rack, and cool for at least 3 hours before slicing and serving. Filling will be too juicy if the pie is warm when you slice it.
- Cover and store leftover pie at room temperature for up to 1 day or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Make Ahead / Freezing Instructions: A couple ways to make ahead of time! Make 1 day in advance: After it cools, cover tightly and keep at room temperature. The pie crust dough can also be prepared ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Baked pie also freezes well for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature before serving. Prepared filling can also be frozen up to 3 months, thaw overnight in the refrigerator before using.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Apple Peeler | Glass Mixing Bowl | Rubber Spatula | Large Skillet or Dutch Oven (for optional pre-cook) | Rolling Pin | Pie Dish | Pastry Wheel or Pizza Cutter | Kitchen Shears | Pastry Brush | Coarse Sugar | Large Baking Sheet | Pie Crust Shield | Cooling Rack | Instant Read Thermometer
- Apples: See blog post above for the best apples to use. I usually use 4 Granny Smith and 4 Honeycrisp or Pink Lady apples.
- Aluminum Foil Pie Crust Shield: You can purchase a pie crust shield or make one from aluminum foil. Cut a 14-inch square of aluminum foil. Fold in half. Cut out a 5-inch semi-circle on the folded edge. Unfold. Carefully fit the aluminum foil over the pie crust edges, securing down on the sides as best you can (careful, the pie is hot!), leaving the center of the pie exposed.
- Hand Pies: If you want to make smaller individual apple pies, try my apple hand pies recipe.
I used my favorite snack apple variety, Cosmic Crisp, for this pie. I took it to a Friendsgiving gathering, and the guests raved. Two whose favorite dessert is apple pie said it was the best they’d ever had, which blew my mind because it was the FIRST apple pie I’d ever made in my life. They said, “No way you’ve never baked one before.” I just shrugged. By the way I swear I could eat the baked crust all by itself. It’s just soooo good! LOL Thanks for a great recipe all around, Sally.
All I have to say is WOW. This is the best dessert I’ve ever made, and I’ve tried a lot of Sally’s recipes with amazing results. This paired with pie crust and whipped cream? Outstanding. This was also my first time ever making a pie and I’m shocked how easy it was. Can’t wait to make this for Thanksgiving!
I loved this recipe and can’t wait to try out others. The best part of your recipes is that you give the amount of main ingredients in cups, AS WELL in grams. I usually follow recipes of French chef, the more exact the better. Thank you for making effort to point out all the possible mistakes etc. And those reminders regarding some imperfection that might happen for amateurs are very comforting. Thank you!
Jully, I’m glad to read this! Let me know which other recipes you try.
This is the best apple pie recipe ever ! We now have our own apple tree and was wondering what the best way to freeze apple pies ? Want to make a few . Should I bake them first if freeze them uncooked ?
Hi Liz, Baked pies freeze well for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature before serving.
How would the cooking time change if using a disposable pie pan versus a glass dish?
Hi Mindy, We prefer to bake with glass so we can see how the browning is coming along on the crust. But you can absolutely use a disposable pie pan here and the cooking time should be about the same!
I made this recipe with my girlfriend last Thanksgiving, and it was amazing! Probably the most beautiful tasty pie we’ve ever made / had
One issue we had was that all the apple filling had shrunk in size, but the top of the pie stayed the same shape as it was when it was assembled before baking.. so there was this gap between the top of the pie and where the apple filling was. Any idea how to prevent this?
Hi Goose, this can usually happen if (1) there isn’t enough apples in the filling and/or (2) the pie as over-baked so the apples softened too much and lost shape. Do you think you over-baked the pie? If not, try adding another apple to the filling (no need to increase the other filling ingredients; there is plenty).
This also happened to me. I used my thermometer to gauge the temp of the filling and after the total recommended cook time was reached, the middle was 180. I put it back in, tented it, for 5m. At 375 and It got to 190…so then I put it back in 3m without a tent and it finally reached 200. Maybe this caused my apples to overcook and deflate.
Hello! I don’t have a glass pie dish, would a 9 inch round metal cake pan, 9 inch square glass pan or a 10 inch springform work?
Hi AL, a pie dish really is best here. Instead, you could try our apple crisp or apple galette recipe—that one is like a free-form pie. Let us know what you try!
I have apples I really need to use but am not gonna have time to make the crust soon (and don’t want to buy one). Do you think I could prepare the filling (including the precook) and freeze it to be used once I can make the crust?
Hi Ana, you certainly can! Prepared filling can also be frozen up to 3 months, thaw overnight in the refrigerator before using. See the recipe notes for more make ahead/freezing instructions.
I thought the recipe was easy and self explanatory, but still a little too tart for my taste. I’ll maybe use 2 granny smith and 6 honey crisp. My favorite is macintosh, but hard to find in the Summer months. I know not recommended for apple pie, but I think it makes the most delicious apple pie!
Hi can I use Soft light brown sugar instead of granulated sugar for the filling?
Hi Christine, you sure can! Expect a slight flavor change.
I came here to say that I made this pie for a holiday last fall and not only did it get SEVERAL compliments, it is still being talked about to this day as the favorite and is being requested again. I had NEVER made a pie before this one and the whole crust seemed so intimidating to me, but Sally explained it VERY well and I was able to follow along easily. It felt great to have it come out a success!
I’ve made this recipe twice and we love it! Quick question, when I roll out the pie crust to do the lattice, there are large pieces of butter on each strip that melt in the oven and the strip doesn’t stay intact. How can I avoid that?
Hi Anna, We are glad you enjoy the crust! If you need to slightly knead the pie dough with your hands for your lattice to break up the extra large chunks, you can do that.
This was my first lattice crust pie! Finally the confidence to try one. Thanks for the inspiration and instruction!
I’m so glad to read this! Thank you so much for reporting back and sharing.
I am making the apple crumb pie., (unable to leave a comment/question). Is it recommended to precook the apples? It doesn’t say to, but you do for your apple pie recipe…thanks again for all of your wonderful, easy to follow recipes!
Hi Stephanie, you certainly can if you prefer them to be softer! Let us know what you think if you give it a try.
I really appreciate being able to get great recipes any time, thank you!
I wasn’t able to message you on the apple crumble pie recipe. I am wanting to make some changes to that recipe. Can I use an oat/pecan topping like what you use for your crisps? Can I add blueberries with the apples & if so what ratios apple/blueberries? Would the blueberries give it more of a sweet tart flavor? Any other changes? Thank you!
Hi Stephanie, you can certainly use an oat/pecan topping instead of a crumble. The topping from our blueberry crumble pie uses oats. You can also swap out some of the apples for blueberries, keeping the total amount of fruit about the same. No need to pre-cook the blueberries. What a delicious combination!
I have made this recipe with the all butter crust 3 times in the past 1.5 weeks and it is a hit! Every version, I have used less sugar and it was still delicious. My last one only had 1/8 cup sugar and it was superb!
I halved the recipe and it smelt so good I had it at 10pm, and I don’t regret it. The all butter crust is difficult to handle but totally worth it. And I would follow her recommendation on pre cooking the apples to give them a slight head start.
where is the pie baked in the oven, the rack position?
Hi Carol, we typically bake this pie on the middle rack, but keep in mind that all ovens can be a bit different. Anywhere from the middle to bottom third of the oven should work great.
I love your attention to detail I have learned so much from you
A huge thank you from Bonnie Scotland
Hi Sally, your recipe stood out to me not only because everything you bake is amazing but also because most recipes use 1 cup of sugar and yours uses 1/2 cup. I’ve had bad luck with soggy pie crusts. If I wanted to prebake the pie crust, how long would I bake the actual pie for?
Hi Vanessa, , There is no need to par-bake the bottom crust for this recipe. The filled pie is in the oven long enough to properly cook it. However, if you would like to par bake the crust, you certainly can. It’s tricky to attach the top crust after par baking. We’re unsure of how much to reduce the bake time afterwards. Here’s our guide to Par-Baking Pie Crust. Enjoy!
I’ve been making this pie every weekend because it’s delicious and I want to perfect it! Really appreciate the detailed instructions on the pie and your shortening crust. I’ve been pre-cooking the filling as instructed, but I end up with clumps of cooked filling (flour+spices+sugar) that remain in clumps in the finished pie. Any ideas for how to prevent this?
Hi Emily, We are glad that you have been enjoying this pie! When you mix the dry ingredients with the apple slices be sure to mix them very well. During the optional pre-cooking step for the apples you can continue to gently mix them as they cook and that should also help!