Easy Apple Pie Recipe
Sugar and spice and everything nice make up my easy apple pie recipe. A buttery-flaky homemade pie crust, different kinds of apples for flavor variations, and sweet holiday spices deliver an unforgettable fall celebration!
Yes, I love apple pie. However, it is my sister’s obsession. So anytime I want to make her happy, apple anything will do the trick. And, of course, I want to share the happiness.
The Best Apples for Making Pie
Doing the same thing all the time is monotonous. The same is true for apples. While I wish there were one perfect pie apple, a variety of apples, some tart and some sweet, delivers a perfectly balanced pie. The only apples I’d avoid are the ones that turn to mush. Talking to you, Red Delicious.
Apples that are firm, sweet with some tartness, and intense flavor make the best pies. My favorites that are most commonly available are: Braeburn, sweet but firm enough to stand the heat. Golden Delicious has excellent flavor but tends to get slightly mushy. Gala also has great flavor, but is a little grainier. Granny Smith adds tartness but lacks intense flavor. A combination of 2-3 varieties will give you the best balance.
How to Make Apple Pie
- Prep the pie crust, lining your pie pan with one of the crusts, and slicing the other into strips for later. Chill until ready to fill. (Photo 1)
- Peel and slice the apples, putting them in a bowl of lemon water as you go to prevent them from turning brown. Drain the apple slices and place them in a large bowl. (Photos 2-4)
- Add the brown and granulated sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice, salt, and lemon juice. Mix well, then mix in the cornstarch. (Photos 5-6)
- Arrange the apples evenly in the pie pan, then add the butter pieces over the apples. (Photo 7)
- Create a lattice with pie crust strips or cover it with a whole pie crust. Lightly brush it with the egg wash, then sprinkle it lightly with the turbinado sugar. (You could also use a plain top crust. I did one of each.) (Photos 8-9)
- Bake in a preheated 375℉ (190℃) oven for 40-45 minutes or until the pie is bubbly and the crust is golden brown. Remove the foil 15 minutes before the pie has cooked through. Serve warm with ice cream. (Photo 10)
Tips and Tricks
- If using a top crust instead of the lattice, cut some slits into it so the steam can escape.
- Blind baking the crust is optional, but it will help the bottom crust stay crisp.
Making-Ahead and Freezing Instructions
Apple pie stores well for a day or two at room temperature, a week in the fridge, and 3-4 months in the freezer. I love making two or three pies, and then freezing one before baking. Pies can typically go straight to the oven from the freezer. Add a few minutes to the baking time, and you have an easy, made-ahead dessert.
More Amazing Apple Recipes to Try
By Imma
Watch How to Make It
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This blog post was originally published in November 2020 and has been updated with additional tips, new photos, and a video.
Easy Apple Pie
Ingredients
The Pie
- 1 double pie crust (homemade and store-bought both work)
- 7-8 apples (about 3½ pounds)
- ½ cup (105g) brown sugar
- ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon (3g) ground cinnamon (more if desired)
- ¼ teaspoon (<1g) ground nutmeg (more if desired)
- ¼ teaspoon (<1g) ground ginger
- ⅛ teaspoon (<1g) ground allspice (more if desired)
- ½ teaspoon (3g) salt
- 2 tablespoons (30ml) fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons (28g) cold unsalted butter, divided
- 3 tablespoons (24g) cornstarch
The Egg Wash
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon (15ml) heavy cream or whole milk
- 1 tablespoon (10g) coarse sugar or turbinado sugar for sprinkling
Instructions
- Roll out one of the prepared pie crusts into a 12-inch disk for the bottom crust. Roll the other one out, and cut it into long strips for the lattice. Or you can save time on the lattice, leave it whole, and slice a design into it so the steam escapes.
- Transfer the first disk to a 9-inch pie plate, gently fit it in, trim any excess dough hanging on the edges, and decorate the edges as desired. Chill the pie crust and lattice strips until ready to bake (45 minutes is ideal).
- Peel the apples, then core and slice them ¼-inch to ½-inch thick. Place the slices in a bowl of lemon water to prevent them from turning brown until you're ready to make the filling.
- Thoroughly drain the apple slices and place them in a large bowl. Add the brown and granulated sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice, salt, and lemon juice. Mix well, then mix in the cornstarch.
- Place the filling in the prepared pie pan, arrange the apples to distribute evenly, then add the butter pieces over the apples.
- Preheat the oven to 375℉ (190℃).
- Create a lattice with pie crust strips or cover it with a whole pie crust. Mix the egg and cream for the egg wash, then lightly brush the top pie crust and edges with it. Sprinkle lightly with the turbinado sugar.
- Cover the edge of the crust with foil or a pie shield to prevent excessive browning if desired.
- Place the pie on a baking sheet to prevent it from bubbling over onto the bottom of the oven.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes or until the pie is bubbly and the crust is golden brown. Remove the foil 15 minutes before the pie has cooked through. Serve warm with ice cream.
Tips & Notes:
- Store-bought pie crust works great, but if you want the extra special touch of homemade, try my buttery pie crust recipe.
- Yes, making a lattice pie is a lot of work, but it’s so beautiful. If you want to skip that part, use the whole pie crust, but you can cut out decorative shapes before assembling so the steam can escape while baking. Or you can cut slits into the crust in a decorative pattern.
- Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary considerably based on the ingredients used.
