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A freshly baked apple pie with a golden, flaky crust on a cooling rack.

Best way to grow perfect Apple Pie in 3 steps

A classic, comforting apple pie recipe with a buttery crust and a spiced apple filling, perfect for any occasion.
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 8 slices
Calories: 400

Ingredients
  

For the Pie Crust
  • 2 1/2 cups All-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon Salt
  • 1 cup Unsalted butter (2 sticks), very cold and cubed
  • 1/2 cup Ice water (approx.)
For the Apple Filling
  • 6-8 medium Apples (e.g., Granny Smith, Honeycrisp), peeled, cored, and sliced
  • 1/2 cup Granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup Brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons All-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon Nutmeg
  • 1 tablespoon Lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons Unsalted butter cut into small pieces
For the Egg Wash (optional)
  • 1 Egg
  • 1 tablespoon Water

Equipment

  • Large mixing bowls
  • Pastry blender or fork
  • Rolling pin
  • 9-inch pie plate
  • Paring knife
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • Whisk

Method
 

Prepare the Pie Crust
  1. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Cut in the cold, cubed butter using a pastry blender or your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces of butter remaining. Gradually add ice water, one tablespoon at a time, mixing until the dough just comes together. Divide the dough in half, flatten each half into a disk, wrap in plastic, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
Make the Apple Filling
  1. In a large bowl, combine the peeled, cored, and sliced apples with granulated sugar, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and lemon juice. Toss gently until the apples are evenly coated.
Assemble and Bake the Pie
  1. Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). On a lightly floured surface, roll out one disk of chilled pie dough into a 12-inch circle and carefully transfer it to a 9-inch pie plate. Pour the apple filling into the crust and dot the top with the small pieces of butter. Roll out the second dough disk and place it over the apple filling. Trim and crimp the edges of both crusts together to seal, then cut a few slits in the top crust to allow steam to escape. For an optional golden finish, whisk the egg and water to create an egg wash, and brush it lightly over the top crust. Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 375°F (190°C) and continue to bake for 35-45 minutes more, or until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbly. Let the pie cool completely on a wire rack before serving.

Notes

For best results, use a mix of sweet and tart apples. Chilling the pie crust dough is crucial for a flaky crust. If the crust browns too quickly, cover the edges with aluminum foil to prevent burning.