Ah, apple pie—the quintessential comfort dessert, warm, sweet, and perfectly spiced. Here’s a classic recipe that’s approachable but yields that “homemade bakery” flavor.
Ingredients (for a 9-inch pie)
For the crust (or use store-bought):
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes
- 6–8 tbsp ice water
For the filling:
- 6 cups peeled, cored, and sliced apples (Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, or a mix)
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour (optional, for thickening)
Optional topping:
- 1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)
- 1 tbsp sugar (for sprinkling)
Instructions
- Prepare the crust:
- In a bowl, combine flour, salt, and sugar.
- Cut in cold butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Add ice water 1 tbsp at a time until dough comes together.
- Divide dough in half, shape into discs, wrap, and chill 1 hour.
- Preheat oven: 425°F (220°C).
- Prepare the filling:
- In a large bowl, toss apples with sugars, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, lemon juice, and flour until evenly coated.
- Assemble the pie:
- Roll out one dough disc and line a 9-inch pie dish.
- Add apple filling.
- Roll out second disc and cover the pie, crimp edges to seal.
- Cut slits in the top for steam to escape.
- Brush with egg wash and sprinkle sugar on top if desired.
- Bake:
- Bake 20 minutes at 425°F, then reduce heat to 375°F (190°C) and bake 35–40 minutes until crust is golden and filling is bubbly.
- Cool and serve:
- Let pie cool at least 2 hours before slicing so the filling sets. Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream for the classic experience.
💡 Tips:
- Mix apple types: Using a combination like Granny Smith (tart) and Honeycrisp (sweet) gives a more complex flavor.
- Prevent soggy bottom: Brush the bottom crust with a thin layer of egg white before adding filling.
- Make it rustic: Skip the top crust and make a crumble topping with butter, sugar, and oats.
If you want, I can also give a quick shortcut version of apple pie using pre-made pie crust and a simple filling that’s just as tasty but ready in under an hour.
Do you want me to do that?
