A Classic Apple Pie filled with granny smith apples in an easy buttery flaky pie crust. The filling is made simply with apples and cinnamon and the pie crust is an all-butter pie crust.
This recipe is designed to let the flavor of the apples and the buttery flaky crust shine. There is no pre-cooking the apples, nor does the pie crust require any finicky cold butter, yet it still results in a tender flaky crust.
Apple pie is not always easy to get right because so much depends on how sweet and fresh the apples are and how much water content they have. The sweeter the apples the less sugar you need in the filling.
The higher the water content, the more important it is to ensure that excess water drains from the apples before adding them to the pie.
This pie is great for the fall and holiday seasons. I make it every year, either during apple picking season in September or for Thanksgiving, unless I'm tempted to make this Dutch Caramel Apple Pie instead. For an easier apple dessert with all the classic flavors or apple pie, I'll make this Apple Crostata, which is less of an investment when it comes to making the crust.
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🌟 Why You'll Love This Classic Apple Pie
Simple Apple Filling: This pie has a simple apple filling spiced only with cinnamon and not too much sugar, which lets you really taste the apples.
Easy Buttery Pie Crust: The pie crust doesn't take loads of effort or even cold butter. It's ever so slightly sweet, with a pinch of salt to balance it all out. I've found that what matters more for a great crust is not cold butter, but the proportion of butter to flour. This is what gives you those golden, buttery, flaky layers.
🍏 Apple Varieties
I tend to rely on two apple varieties for apple pie: Granny Smith Apples and Honeycrisp Apples. Both are relatively easy to find year-round and are hearty and hold up well when baked, rather than turning mushy.
- Granny Smith Apples: They are super reliable, crisp, and more sour than other apples. I love to use Granny Smith Apples because they are not overwhelmingly sweet.
- Honeycrisp Apples: These are sweeter apples, but also crisp. They have a stronger "apple" taste and are great for pies or baked apple treats.
🛒 Ingredients
Below are the ingredients needed to make this Classic Apple Pie.
Pie Crust
- Butter: I use salted butter that has been softened to a cool room temperature.
- Flour: Use all-purpose, unbleached flour.
- Salt: To balance and bring out flavor. If you prefer less salty, reduce the salt to 1 tsp.
- Sugar: For a slightly sweet crust.
- Ice Water: Add as little as needed to bring the pie dough together and to ensure it is not crumbly.
Apple Filling
- Granny Smith Apples: Choose Granny Smith Apples that are lighter green in color. Darker green apples will be more sour.
- Granulated Sugar: I prefer a pie that is less sweet, so this recipe calls for ⅔ cup of granulated sugar, some of which drains off with the excess water of the apples after they are sliced. I still find that ⅔ cup of sugar is enough. The sugar and salt also help to draw excess water out of the apples prior to adding the apples to the pie crust.
- Cinnamon: I highly recommend using high-quality Ceylon cinnamon. I use Ceylon cinnamon from a company called Simply Organic, which can be found at Whole Foods and some other specialty grocery stores.
- Lemon Juice: The acidity helps to balance the sweetness of the apples and sugar.
- Salt: To help balance flavor.
Egg Wash
- Egg White: For brushing the pie crust before it bakes to create a shiny crust. I've tried using a whole egg for an egg wash, and I prefer using just an egg white.
- Water: To thin out the egg white slightly to make it easier to brush on the pie crust.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
📝 How to Make a Classic Apple Pie
Below are the step-by-step instructions and photos for how to make a Classic Apple Pie including a detailed look on how to make a lattice crust.
*Note: The recipe card with instructions, ingredient list, and quantities is included further below these step-by-step photos.
Step 1. Prepare the Crust: Add the butter, flour, salt, and sugar together in a large mixing bowl. Combine the ingredients by hand or with a large spoon until you get a crumb-like consistency.
Add the Water starting with 3 tablespoons and combine. Continue adding 1 tablespoon at a time as needed to bring the dough together and to ensure the dough is not crumbly or dry. If it is crumbly now, it will be crumbly and hard to roll out later without cracking.
Divide the Dough and shape it into two equal-sized discs. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour or overnight.
Tip: Shaping the dough into round flat discs makes it easier to roll out the pie dough later.
Step 2. Prepare the Apples: Peel and slice the apples into ¼-inch slices. Add them to a large mixing bowl. Add the granulated sugar, flour, cinnamon, lemon juice, and salt and toss to combine.
Step 3. Add the Apples to a Colander: The sugar and salt pull out excess water from the apples. Place the apples in a colander on top of a plate to catch the liquid that drains from the apples. Let the apples sit for 30-40 minutes. This will result in roughly ½ cup of excess liquid drained, which can be discarded.
Tip: Draining the excess liquid prevents the pie from being watery or soupy. I have cooked down the excess liquid to a syrup and added it back to the pie filling, but I find that this makes the pie excessively sticky and sweet.
Preheat the Oven: Once the apples have drained and the pie dough has chilled, preheat the oven to 375°F.
Step 4. Bottom Crust: Remove one of the two discs of pie crust from the fridge. Place it on a clean and lightly floured work surface or counter. Roll out the dough such that it fits the pie dish with a ½-1 inch overhang.
Tip: To roll out the pie dough, dust the counter, the dough, and the rolling pin with flour. Start from the center and roll outwards, careful not to press too hard at the edges creating tapered edges. Pick up the dough and turn it 90 degrees, adding flour under the dough as needed to prevent sticking.
If the dough is cold, you can use your hands or the rolling pin to bang on the crust and soften it. Don't be tempted to microwave the dough to soften it.
Fit the pie crust to the pie dish. Fill the pie crust with the apple filling, shimmying the apples to fill any gaps in the bottom crust.
Tip: For an extra savory apple pie you can top the apples with a few thin slices of butter before adding the lattice crust.
Step 5 Lattice Crust: To make the lattice crust roll out the remaining disc of dough. Cut the dough with a butter knife or a pizza wheel into 1¼-inch wide strips. Take the leftover dough and roll it out again to create more strips for the lattice.
Layer 4-5 strips of dough across the top of the pie. Take another strip of dough, and lay it crosswise over the initial strips. Lift the strips going crosswise and weave the stip over and under the existing strips of dough. Continue weaving strips of dough until you have created a lattice crust.
Tip: Once you have all the strips you need, you can use any remaining pie dough to reinforce the edge of the crust when crimping it.
Step 6. Create the Outer Crust: To shape the outer edge of the pie crust take the excess dough that is hanging off the edge from the bottom top crusts and fold it up, over, and inward, pressing it to create a raised crust. If you have excess dough you can add it strategically here to create a thicker reinforced crust.
Step 7. Crimp the Crust: Use the index finger of your non-dominant hand and the thumb and index finger of your dominant hand to press fluted indentations into the pie crust. For a more detailed look, see the Step 7. process picture in this Maple Chocolate Walnut Pie recipe.
Step 8. Egg Wash: In a small bowl combine the egg white and 1 teaspoon of water. Brush the top of the lattice crust with the egg wash mixture.
Step 9. Bake the Pie: Place the pie on a baking sheet to catch any filling that may bubble over (this is unlikely if you have drained the apples, but it's always good to have extra insurance).
Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour at 375°F or until the top crust is golden brown. Check the pie at the 30 and 45-minute marks to ensure that the crust is not burning. If it is getting too dark, cover the pie with aluminum foil.
Allow the pie to fully cool and set. To warm up, add the pie back to the oven for 15-20 minutes at 375°F until warmed through.
🍴 How to Serve, Store, and Freeze
- To Serve: Warm the pie in the oven at 375°F for 15-20 minutes. Slice and serve warm with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream (this combo is my absolute favorite dessert ever.)
- To Store: This pie can be stored for 1-2 days on the counter, loosely covered with aluminum foil. For longer than 2 days, cover the pie with aluminum foil and refrigerate for up to a week.
- To Freeze: Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and freeze for 1-2 months. Reheat in the oven at 375°F.
✏️ Classic Apple Pie FAQs
Yes, you can roll out the top dough and fit it over the pie filling. Then cut a few slits in the crust to allow steam to vent out.
Sure, you can absolutely add nutmeg. I prefer to leave nutmeg out when making any type of apple pie because I find that even a small amount can overpower the apples. But if it is a spice that you love, feel free to add it.
Yes, you can make this apple pie a few days in advance. Bake the pie, allow it to cool fully, refrigerate it, and warm it up in the oven before serving. Or you can make it the day before and leave it out, loosely covered on the counter. Then reheat it the next day right before serving.
🥧 A Quick Guide to Pie at Elle & Pear
Apple Pies: The largest collection of pies on this site is apple pies. There is a Dutch Caramel Apple Pie and a Graham Cracker Crust Apple Pie made with a bottom graham cracker crust and a crumb topping. There's also a Swedish Apple Pie made without a bottom crust and rather a thick cake-like topping, and the very easy Apple Crostata, which is a simpler apple pie made without a pie dish.
Citrus Pies: I love citrus-based pies, with Key Lime Pie with Graham Cracker Crust being one of my early favorites, but this Lemon Pie Without Meringue is one of the most popular recipes on the site.
Chocolate Pie: Nothing quite beats a Chocolate Cream Pie and this one comes with an easy graham cracker crust. There's also a Maple Chocolate Walnut Pie and a Ginger Pie, which while it doesn't contain chocolate it is made with maple syrup, brown sugar, and ginger. Both pies are great for the fall or winter holidays.
Blueberry Pie: You can use this same recipe for a blueberry pie, but adjust the filling by combining 6 cups fresh blueberries, the zest of 1 lemon, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, ½ cup sugar, ¼ cup flour, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, and ¼ teaspoon salt.
If You're Looking For More Pie Recipes, You May Love These:
If you've tried this Classic Apple Pie or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. I'd love to hear from you!
Classic Apple Pie
Ingredients
Crust
- 1½ cups salted butter softened
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoon sugar
- 6-8 tbsps ice water
Apple Filling
- 7 Granny Smith apples
- ⅔ cup sugar
- ¼ cup flour
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice or 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- ½ teaspoon salt
Egg Wash
- 1 egg white
- 1 teaspoon water
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine butter, flour, salt, and sugar. Add the water starting with 3 tablespoons. Then add 1 tablespoon at a time until the dough comes together. Shape the dough into two round discs, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 1 hour or overnight.
- Peel and thinly slice the apples into ¼-inch slices and place them in a large mixing bowl. Add the sugar, flour, cinnamon, lemon juice and salt. Coat the apples in the mixture.
- Add the apples to a large colander with a plate underneath to catch the excess water that drips off.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Bottom Crust: Remove one of the two discs of pie crust from the fridge. Place it on a clean and lightly floured work surface or counter. Roll out the dough such that it fits the pie dish with a ½-1 inch overhang.
- Fit the pie crust to the pie dish. Fill the pie crust with the apple filling, discarding the excess liquid that dripped off and shimmying the apples to fill any gaps in the bottom crust.
- Top Lattice Crust: To make the lattice crust roll out the remaining disc of dough. Cut the dough with a butter knife or a pizza wheel into 1¼-inch wide strips. Take the leftover dough and roll it out again to create more strips for the lattice.Layer 4-5 strips of dough across the top of the pie. Take another strip of dough, lay it crosswise over the initial strips, and weave it over and under the existing strips of dough. Continue weaving strips of dough until you have created a lattice crust.
- To shape the outer edge of the pie crust, take the excess dough hanging over the edge of the pie dish from the top and bottom crusts, and press them together, over, and inward to create a raised crust. If you have excess dough you can add it strategically here to create a thicker reinforced crust. Crimp the outer edge to create a fluted design.
- Using an egg white and water, make an egg wash and brush over the top of the pie. Place the pie on a large baking sheet as a precaution to prevent any overflow into the oven.
- Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour at 375℉ or until golden brown on top. If the crust starts to burn, cover with tin foil.
Notes
- Cinnamon: I highly recommend using high-quality Ceylon cinnamon. I use Ceylon cinnamon from a company called Simply Organic, which can be found at Whole Foods and some other specialty grocery stores.
- Shaping the Pie Dough: Shaping the dough into round flat discs makes it easier to roll out the pie dough later.
- Apple Filling: Draining the excess liquid prevents the pie from being watery or soupy. I have cooked down the excess liquid to a syrup and added it back to the pie filling, but I find that this makes the pie excessively sticky and sweet.
- Pie Dough Consistency: Be sure to add enough water to the dough so that it is not crumbly. If it is crumbly before you refrigerate the dough, it will be crumbly when you try to roll it out and it will be more likely to crack and fall apart.
- Rolling Out the Dough: To roll out the pie dough, dust the counter, the dough, and the rolling pin with flour. Start from the center and roll and press outwards. Pick up the dough and turn it 90 degrees, adding flour under the dough as needed to prevent sticking.
- Cold Pie Dough: If the dough is cold, you can use your hands or the rolling pin to bang on the crust and soften it. Don't be tempted to microwave the dough to soften it.
- Adding Butter to the Filling: For an extra savory apple pie you can top the apples with a few thin slices of butter before adding the lattice crust.
- Excess Pie Dough: Use any remaining pie dough to reinforce the edge of the crust when crimping it.
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