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.
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, 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.
Keywords: apple pie
Is this apple pie baked on the middle rack?
Hi Donna, yes, you can bake this pie on the middle rack.
I followed this recipe along with your pie crust and lattice instructions and the results were amazing! I love to cook and bake but have always been intimidated by pie crust and latticework but your detailed instructions & videos gave me the confidence to tackle this. Thank you!
★★★★★
Hi Sally, would it affect the bake time if instead of doing the lattice for the top crust, I just do a regular top-crust? Thanks,
Not at all. Same bake time.
Can I assemble this pie and freeze the whole thing over night, and bake the next day? Also, I don’t have a pie plate quite as deep as the one you linked. Will this recipe still turn out?
Hi Sarah! See recipe notes for our recommended make-ahead instructions. The pie will turn out in a smaller dish, you may have some extra apples that don’t fit.
I made this pie for the first time after thawing the pie dough and filling I prepared ahead of time in the refrigerator over night. I followed the baking instructions and it is cooling now. I am worried the bottom pie crust is not cooked completely. Is there a way to fix that before I serve it? Can I cover the top and bake it again when I serve it?
Hi Lisa! There unfortunately isn’t much you can do at this point, but you can warm it up in the oven before serving. That may help bake the bottom crust just slightly more. Let us know how it turns out for you.
Can frozen sliced apples be used? Should they be thawed first?
For best results, I would thaw them first, and blot some moisture off before mixing with the other filling ingredients.
Hello, could I blind bake this pie crust, put the filling, and bake some more for the lattice?
Hi Kimberly! We don’t find it necessary to blind bake the crust in this recipe and it can be difficult to adhere the lattice to the par-baked crust. But it can be done if you prefer to par-bake!
I did blind bake the bottom crust and it was so good I’m sure I will do this from now on. That bottom crust was golden brown and so easy to get intact slices out of the pan. I’ve baked pies all of my life and this was the best one ever.
★★★★★
Is it possible to make the apple filling ahead of time and freeze? Would the consistency change?
Hi Kamie, Prepared fillings can also be frozen up to 3 months, thaw overnight in the refrigerator before using.
Hi Sally,
My family LOVES Dutch Apple Pie. Could this same recipe be used, but just substitute the top crust for the crumble topping that’s on the dutch apple pie? Would anything else have to change?
Thank you!
Hi Jenna! The recipes for our apple crumble pie and this pie are very similar. You can use either, the bake time should be about the same.
AMAZING!!!! Another perfect recipe Sally!! This is my 3rd time ever baking a pie from scratch and the first two didn’t turn out that great. This was my first time making this specific pie with this crust and both turned out AMAZING! I cannot thank you enough Sally! I bake multiple times a week, all using your recipes! I can’t wait to make this for Thanksgiving
★★★★★
So glad this pie turned out for you, Amanda! Thank you for making and trusting our recipes.
This was my first pie and came out great considering that. I had some tearing of dough as I rolled it out but it was super flaky. I struggled to get it large enough for the deep pie dish but will aim to get better with practice. I used 8 apples and agree that you have to stuff with apples and will use 9 next time.
Question? After reading the reviews do you recommend glass pie pans over metal and ceramic? The ceramic ones are so pretty but if you feel I will have better luck should I stick to the glass?
Thank you!
Hi Lou Lou! We prefer glass dishes for baking pies. Glass heats slowly, and this gradual heat is perfect to evenly cook pie, including the bottom of the crust, the filling, and the edges. You can also SEE the bottom of the crust browning, which is helpful for dishes with long bake times. Hope this helps!
Hi Sally! Super excited to try this tomorrow! Is there a reason for not par-baking the crust before filling? Would you cut down the bake time if par-baking before? Thank you!!
Hi Elizabeth, 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!
This is the best apple pie I have ever eaten! I could eat the filling for a regular snack. The pie crust was a huge success. I didn’t have shortening, so I just swapped the shortening for an extra 2/3 cup of butter and I really liked it!
★★★★★
Can I use lard instead of shortening ?
Hi Michelle, lard should work in place of the shortening without any other changes. Keep the butter. Enjoy!
Hi Kelly, you won’t have enough room in that pie dish for all of the filling. You could slightly reduce the filling or pile as much as you can into your pie dish and bake any extra in a separate dish, without crust.
The lattice recipe says to refrigerate the pie for 30 minutes before baking but this one does not say to. Should I?
Hi Steph, it never hurts!
I just went apple picking and have a ton of apples for pies and applesauce. When making ahead, do you recommend freezing prepared filling separate from the pie dough, a baked pie, or an unbaked pie? Which holds up best? Is there a particular apple pie filling that freezes better than others?
Hi Lisa! It really depends — all of those are fine options and we have details on how to do so in the recipe Notes section. Choose the method that fits best with your schedule, storage space, how much work you want to do when ready to eat/serve, etc. This filling freezes really well, and we include freezing instructions in all of our pie recipes if you are considering others. Hope you enjoy this one!
I have been baking for decades and have never attempted an apple pie (my mother has dominated that territory for all the holidays I can remember. I could never imagine coming close to her perfected dish), so I have been searching for a suitable starting point in which I could rely on my quality ingredients to bring a rustic farm worthy pie, rather than a fussy complicated showpiece. This was no disappointment. I was so worried about trying not to compete and it ended up a delightfully easy transition for all as well as a much needed break for Mom. Thank you for this delicious recipe and I look forward to trying more of your recipes.
★★★★★
This pie is always a good one but I’d say don’t LIGHTLY add the egg wash. Apply it liberally otherwise you won’t get the classic brown on top.
★★★★★
I’ve made this pie a few times. The inside is always delicious but my crust is a train wreck!! It never rolls out well and it cracks a lot. I feel like I add so much water but it isn’t enough?? Thanks! I love this site and have many baking successes. Pie crust is my weak spot!
Hi Dana, We have a full pie crust tutorial that you may find helpful!
So this was my second time making the pie and it turned out beautifully. The only issue I had again was the bottom of the crust didn’t cook all the way. I’m thinking the baking sheet is interfering with the bottom of the pie plate. Any suggestions?
★★★★★
Hi Sharon, It sounds as if the pie simply wasn’t baked long enough. What type of pie pan are you using? If you use a glass pan you will be able to see if the bottom is baked. If you try it again, you can cover the top with foil if the top is browning before the bottom is fully baked.
How much sugar and flour? I did not see a specified amount. Thanks.
Hi Stefanie! See the light gray recipe box with the detailed recipe above this comments section – enjoy!
Hello Sally,
I love your recipes and read a lot of questions folk have from which I am learning a lot, thank you
Thank you so much for your positive feedback, Tula – happy baking!
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 added extra lemon juice since I was using some sweet apples. I’ve been on a years long quest to find a pie crust recipe that gives me consistent, flaky results each time. This was my third time making Sally’s shortening/butter crust. It rolls out beautifully and was flaky perfection each time. I used butter flavored shortening this time and loved the results. I baked the pie for almost 30 minutes longer than it states in the recipe as I was waiting to see the juices bubble. I did throw in an extra apple, so maybe that’s why? I covered the pie loosely with foil to not over brown. Bottom and top crust were perfectly done. After cooling, the liquid thickened perfectly. This is such a HUGE deal. Imagine displaying a beautiful home-made pie, and after much anticipation, you cut into it only to have juices running everywhere. The horror! I am beyond happy to have found my go to recipe. Thank you!!!!!
★★★★★
Hi! Do you think that making the apple pie filling the night before baking it would be okay? I love all your recipes and I’m making both your pumpkin pie and apple pie for Thanksgiving tomorrow!
Hi Annabel, We are just getting to your question but wanted to answer for next time – It would be fine to make the filling one day in advance. You may have some extra juices in the bottom of your bowl so just spoon the filling into the crust and discard the leftover juices in the bottom of the bowl!
Hi, I assembled and froze this pie. My silicone crust protector says to place it right from the start. Would you recommend that or as you say in the recipe? Also, would the longer cook time be at the lower temperature? Thanks!
Hi Sue! We prefer to bake for a while to get a golden brown crust before adding the protector but you can do it either way! We recommend following the temperature instructions in the recipe regardless of when you place the crust protector on.
Hi! I’m about to make this with your buttery flakey pie crust. how thick to you roll the dough? and is it the same thickness for the top and bottom pieces? Thanks!
Just made the pie and filling is delicious! I will say my apples are a little crunchier than I would like it. I used Granny Smith apples and the slices Any way to reduce the crunchiness? Should I slice the apples into thinner pieces or cook the mixture in the stove top? Any suggestions would be great!
Hi Brittany, Either one of those options should work! Enjoy.
Will be making this tonight! I would like to know if you should peel the skin off the apples or do you leave it on. Thanks!
★★★★★
Hi! Have you tried making this sugar free? If so, what do you suggest? Will it change the taste/texture? Thank you!
Hi Krystal, you can try reducing the sugar if you’d like, but we don’t recommend leaving it out completely. You’re correct — reducing and/or removing will change the taste and texture of the final baked good, so keep this in mind if you decide to try it out!