This homemade apple pie recipe is the best I’ve ever made! With a golden, flaky pie crust filled with the most delicious, perfectly spiced apple filling, your search for the perfect apple pie is over.
I’m over the moon with this apple pie, and I cannot wait until you give it a try. The apples are perfect, the sauce is insanely delicious, and the crust is out of this world.
My recipe for apple pie is easy but takes some time. For a quick apple dessert, try this simple apple tart or apple cobbler.
Key Ingredients
- Pie crust: You can use homemade or store-bought pie crust. I use my favorite homemade pie crust to make this apple pie. It’s made with butter and hasn’t failed me yet.
- Apples: For the best apple pie, use a lot of apples (we use over 4 pounds) and try using two varieties to add extra flavor and texture. I love Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, Jonagold, and Golden Delicious.
- Sugar: I use brown sugar and granulated sugar in this pie. If you only have one or the other, use it. The pie will still taste great.
- Spices: I love a hint of spice in this pie, so I use cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, allspice, nutmeg, and salt.
- Cornstarch: We need cornstarch to thicken the pie filling. Below the recipe, I have included tips for using tapioca flour as a substitute.
- Butter: A tiny bit makes the filling shiny and extra delicious.
- Egg wash: I usually use egg yolk and cream for my egg wash, but this apple pie has a longer baking time. For this pie, I whisk an egg and a splash of water. This and the longer baking time create the lovely golden brown crust in our photos.
How to Make the Best Apple Pie
I do not cook our apples before making apple pie from scratch. Instead, I toss peeled and sliced apples with sugar, salt, and spices in a large bowl. When the apples are well coated, set the bowl aside and let them sit for about an hour.
As the apples sit, the sugar and salt help them release their delicious liquid (you can see how much in our photos and the video). The apples also soften quite a bit. We use the same method when making apple bread. Here is a photo of the apples after one hour of sitting in the salt, sugar, and spice mixture:
To guarantee that our apple pie filling isn’t too runny, we toss in some cornstarch before adding the apples to our pie dish. The starch mixes with all that liquid released by the apples and will help thicken it as the pie bakes in the oven.
I’ve followed a few apple pie recipes that ask you to throw away some or all of that delicious liquid before filling the pie. There’s so much flavor there!
With our recipe, you can use all of the liquid, which turns into a thick sauce with our slightly longer bake time. I consistently get about 3/4 cup of liquid in the bottom of my bowl (a little more or a little less is okay).
I bake apple pie in a 400°F oven for about 75 minutes. You can tell it is done when the filling is bubbling out of the crust and looks thick.
One of the biggest complaints about apple pie is that the filling is too runny. This recipe for apple pie has a long baking time, guaranteeing that the liquid in the pie filling has enough time to simmer and thicken.
Storing Apple Pie
Leftover apple pie will keep at room temperature for 2 to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to a week. Rewarm slices in a 350°F oven for 5 to 10 minutes before serving them.
To freeze baked apple pie, let it cool completely, wrap it in foil, and place it in freezer-safe bags for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight, and reheat in a 350°F oven. You can freeze whole pies or individual slices.
To freeze unbaked apple pie, wrap the assembled unbaked pie in a few sheets of foil, then place it into a freezer-safe bag. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw the pie overnight in the fridge, then bake according to our recipe below.
Best Apple Pie We've Ever Made
- PREP
- COOK
- TOTAL
I love apple pie, and this easy recipe is the best I’ve made. We do not precook our apples. Instead, we let them sit with sugar, salt, and spices to soften before adding them to our pie crust and baking. You can use any pie crust for this apple pie but, for the best results, we highly recommend our flaky pie crust.
Watch Us Make the Recipe
You Will Need
1 (9-inch) double crust homemade pie crust, our recipe makes 2 crusts (one for the top and one for the bottom)
4 ¼ pounds (1925g) baking apples, about 8 large apples
1/2 cup (100g) light or dark brown sugar
1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
2 tablespoons (16g) cornstarch
1 tablespoon (14g) butter
1 large egg
Directions
- Make Apple Filling
1Peel, quarter, and core the apples, then slice into 1/4-inch slices. Place them into a very large bowl.
2Scatter brown sugar, granulated sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, allspice, and nutmeg over the apples. Toss well, then set aside on the counter for 1 hour.
- Prepare Pie Crust
1Roll out half of the pie dough to fit a 9-inch pie dish. To prevent sticking, sprinkle flour on your work surface and rolling pin. Roll from the center outwards for even thickness, lifting and rotating the dough by a quarter turn as you go. Check the size by inverting the pie dish over the dough (it should be 1 ½ to 2 inches larger).
2Carefully place the dough into the pie dish without stretching it, and trim the edges to within 1 inch of the dish.
3Roll out the second half of the dough to a similar size as before and transfer it to a large parchment-lined baking sheet.
4Keep the pie dish and second sheet of pie dough in the refrigerator until needed.
- Assemble the Pie
1Position an oven rack towards the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Set aside a baking sheet and line it with foil or parchment paper (you will bake the pie on this).
2Toss the cornstarch with the apples. Transfer most (if not all) of the apples into the prepared bottom crust, using your hands to really pack them down into the pie. Fill the pie until apples are mounded at the same height or a little higher than the edge of the pie crust, tucking in as many as you can. If you have too many apples, save them (see notes). See our video showing how high we pile the apples.
3Pour the juices accumulated at the bottom of the bowl over the apples. (If there’s more than 3/4 to 1 cup of liquid, leave some behind, see notes below.)
4Cut a tablespoon of butter into 8 or so small pieces and dot them over the pie.
5Place the second pie dough round over the filling or cut it into strips and lattice the top (see our video in the article above or read this tutorial for how to lattice a crust. If you are not adding a lattice crust and are adding the top crust in one piece, use a sharp knife to cut a few slits in the top of the crust to allow steam to vent.
6Trim excess dough from the top crust or lattice strips, then fold the overhang underneath, forming a thick rim. Press it together or crimp it with your fingers (or use a fork).
7Whisk the egg with a tablespoon of water, and then use it as an egg wash by lightly brushing the top crust. This egg wash adds shine and helps the crust brown.
- Bake the Pie
1Place the prepared pie on the baking sheet and bake for about 75 minutes, turning a few times for even browning.
2If you notice that the pie crust is browning too quickly, mold a large piece of foil over a bowl that’s been placed upside down to make a foil dome. Place the foil dome over the pie for the remaining bake time. This will slow the browning.
3Apple pie is done when the juices are bubbling through the vents of the top crust or lattice. If you do not see bubbles, the pie needs more time. Another way to check for doneness is to use an internal thermometer. Pierce the pie in the middle, then test the temperature. The pie is done when it reads 195°F. Piercing the pie is also an excellent indication of how soft the apples are. If they feel too crunchy, the pie needs more time.
4Cool the pie without slicing it for at least 2 hours, preferably longer. Keep in mind that the pie filling does not fully thicken until it is completely cooled. Waiting to cut into the pie until cool will prevent a soggy slice.
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- Best apples to use: I use 2 different types of apples for the best flavor. You can choose any baking apple. I also love Honeycrisp, Granny Smith, Pink Lady, and Golden Delicious.
- Cornstarch substitute: Use 4 tablespoons (30g) tapioca flour.
- Leftover apples: If you have too many apples for the filling, add them to a skillet with a splash of water and butter or coconut oil, and cook until softened. Serve over ice cream or oatmeal.
- Liquid amount: We consistently get about 3/4 cup of liquid at the bottom of the bowl. A little more or a little less is fine, but if you find that your apples released much more, consider leaving a little behind.
- The recipe has been inspired and adapted by BraveTart’s apple pie.
- The nutrition facts provided below are estimates.
You May Also Like...
I’ve made this twice with your amazing crust recipe and it was amazing!!!
I wish I could post a photo of how beautiful my very first applie pie turned out to be. I received rave reviews at Thanksgiving. It was delicious. We will make again. And I seen where someone made apple turnovers with this – great idea!
I was a Thanksgiving dessert rockstar thx to you and this recipie. Made the flaky butter pie crust (excellent) for this apple pie. Did a traditional top crust with slits, followed the foil dome tip and in the end, my pie looked like something on the cover of a cooking mag. It tasted fantastic! This recipie is a keeper. Thank you
Great pie
The pie is in the oven and smells great. But the temperature is way off and almost burned the crust. I think 375 is about right. I’ve covered the pie with foil while it finishes to stop the browning.
Oh no! I’m sorry to hear the pie is baking too quickly. It sounds like your oven might be running hot. Lowering the temperature to 375°F is a good idea, and covering the pie with foil will definitely help prevent the crust from burning further. Keep a close eye on it as it finishes baking, and maybe even check it a little earlier than the recipe suggests, just to be safe. Hopefully, with the foil and lower temperature, it will turn out perfectly! For next time, consider an oven thermometer for your oven (they are around $15).
It is the best recipe without the Ginger. I am not a ginger fan but, I made two pie’s one with the ginger and one without and the one without the ginger is the best. Skip adding the ginger and you have the best pie! Thanks for the recipe. It was fun to make.
Hello! I am using this receipe for Thanksgiving this year … very excited. I do want to make the dough and apple filling in advance. My thought is to keep the crust/filling seperated until I’m ready to bake on Thursday morning to make sure the crust doesn’t get soggy. If I do this, do you recommend I follow the apple pie filling recipe up until adding the extra cornstarch … and then add the cornstarch right before I’m ready to fill the pie crust and bake on the morning of Thanksgiving? Or just follow the receipe including the cornstarch and just assemble/bake when I’m ready? Thank you!
I’d follow the recipe and stop right before assembly. (Although, if you did it the other way, I think you would be fine, too).
This is truly the best apple pie recipe!!! I have made this a few times now and everyone has loved it. The apple mix is by far better than any and I would venture to say competes with any of the top pastry chefs. They have done it!
Wow, Rebecca! That’s high praise. Thank you so much for coming back and sharing.
I’ve made this a few times and it comes out great! Has anyone baked and then froze this pie? Or put it together and freeze then bake? Would love your thoughts!
I’m so excited to make this pie, it gets such rave reviews! I prefer to make my pies in two sittings, make the crust on day one, and then do the filling and bake the next. How long can the dough be refrigerated prior to baking? I’ve also read mixed reviews about the oven temperature…I have a conventional gas oven. I read someone say 350 and I know you recommend 409 degrees. As you can tell, I’m hoping to achieve the amazing results that I’ve read about. This recipe sounds like it’s everyone’s favorite! I’m excited to try it! :). Thank you in advance!
It’s wonderful you’re excited about the apple pie! Making the crust a day ahead is a great idea, and you can keep it in the fridge for up to 2 days. As for the oven, 400°F is generally right, but if you’ve noticed your oven tends to bake things quickly, reducing the temperature to 375°F (190°C) is a good idea. You can also use an oven thermometer to check the actual temperature inside your oven. Trust your instincts, and happy baking! I can’t wait to hear how it goes.
This sounds absolutely delicious and the reviews are compelling!! I’m thinking of making the is pie and traveling on a 5 hour road trip to thanksgiving and then cooking the next morning… Any issues with that, any suggestions?
Bringing a homemade apple pie to Thanksgiving is a great idea! To keep it safe during the 5-hour drive, transport it in a cooler with ice packs, and protect the crust with a sturdy carrier. Safe travels and happy Thanksgiving!
Old surfer dude back with a side note . After reading the other reviews let me say – just follow the recipe. Period. I started out using the convection oven and about 10
Minutes in I had that same question about convection vs. Conventional and changed back to conventional because the recipe says several times that the pie is a slower cook. That saved me and it was perfect. My fiance was so impressed that we…. we’ll never mind. You get the drift…😉
Wasn’t a fan with the cardamom in it. I feel it overpowered the other spices. I will try again without it though.
Hi Cris Ann, I appreciate the feedback! It’s true that cardamom can be a polarizing spice—some people love it, and others find it overpowering. Taste is subjective, and it’s great that you’re willing to experiment to find what you like best. I’m sure the pie will be delicious without the cardamom too!
Hands down the very best crust ever. So easy to work with too. I used the trimmings for apple turnovers. Now the turnovers have become a staple on our boat charters. Thank you!!!