Homemade Apple Pie
The ultimate comfort dessert — tender spiced apples inside a flaky, buttery double crust. Served warm with vanilla ice cream, it's pure joy.
Ingredients
Pastry for double crust:
- 2 ½ cups (315g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup (225g) cold unsalted butter, cubed
- 6–8 tbsp ice water
Apple filling:
- 3 lbs (1.4kg) apples — mix of tart and sweet (Granny Smith + Honeycrisp works best), peeled, cored, sliced ¼-inch thick
- ⅔ cup (135g) granulated sugar — adjust to taste
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into small bits
To finish:
- 1 egg + 1 tbsp milk (egg wash)
- 1 tbsp coarse sugar
Instructions
- Make the crust: Mix flour, sugar, salt. Cut in cold butter until pea-sized lumps remain. Sprinkle with ice water 1 tbsp at a time, tossing gently, until dough comes together. Divide into 2 disks, wrap, chill 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Place a baking sheet on the lower rack to catch drips.
- Roll one disk out to 12 inches. Gently lay over a 9-inch pie dish. Trim edges to 1-inch overhang.
- Toss apples with sugar, flour, cornstarch, spices, salt, and lemon juice. Let sit 10 minutes, then pile into crust. Dot with butter bits.
- Roll second disk. Lay over filling. Trim edges to 1½-inch, fold top crust under bottom crust, crimp to seal. Cut 4–5 vents on top.
- Brush top with egg wash, sprinkle with coarse sugar. Bake 25 minutes at 400°F, then reduce to 375°F (190°C) and bake 25–30 more minutes until crust is golden and filling bubbles through vents.
- Cool at least 3 hours before slicing — the filling needs time to set! Serve slightly warm if possible.
Baker's Tips 💡
- Use a mix of tart and sweet apples — it gives balanced flavor and better texture.
- Chilling the dough at every stage = flaky crust. Don't skip it!
- Letting it cool completely is non-negotiable — otherwise the filling will run when you cut it.