This Easy Homemade Apple Pie blends a from-scratch apple filling with a buttery, flaky pie crust. It’s warm, comforting, and perfect for cool autumn evenings.
Apple pie is a classic fall favorite and a staple for Thanksgiving. This recipe highlights tender apples seasoned with cinnamon and nutmeg, baked in a flaky crust. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream for a traditional finish.
If you enjoy apple desserts, try my other apple recipes like Apple Coffee Cake and Apple Cinnamon Streusel Muffins.
Table of Contents
- Ingredients
- How to Make The Recipe
- Precooked Apple Pie Filling
- Helpful Pie-Making Tips
- Recipe FAQs
- More Delicious Pie Recipes
- The BEST Homemade Apple Pie Recipe
Ingredients
Below are the ingredients used to make this easy homemade apple pie. See the recipe card for exact quantities and measurements.
- Apples. Granny Smiths are ideal for pie. A mix of Granny Smith with Gala, McIntosh, Honeycrisp, or Golden Delicious also works well.
- Lemon juice. Prevents browning and brightens the filling. Fresh or bottled lemon juice is fine; lime juice can substitute.
- Light brown sugar. Adds depth and caramel notes.
- Cinnamon. Use a mild, sweet cinnamon you like—this complements baked apples nicely.
Quantities and step-by-step instructions are in the recipe card below.
How to Make The Recipe
Here’s a concise overview of the process. The full printable recipe with measurements is in the recipe card.
Recipe Tip: You can use store-bought refrigerated pie crusts if you prefer to skip making crust from scratch.
Step 1. Make the pie crusts. Combine all-purpose flour, salt, cold cubed butter, and cold shortening until you have pea-sized pieces. Add ice-cold water one tablespoon at a time until the dough holds together. Form into two discs, double-wrap, and chill in the refrigerator at least 1 hour (overnight is best). Dough can be frozen for longer storage.
Recipe Tip: For long-term storage, double-wrap the dough discs in plastic and freeze up to a month.
Recipe Tip: Precooking the filling isn’t required, but it produces a more reliable texture and reduces excess juices.
Step 2. Pre-cook the apple pie filling. Whisk together light brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. In a skillet, melt butter and stir in the sliced apples. Reduce heat and cook gently about 5 minutes until they start to soften. Stir in flour, cornstarch, and lemon juice to coat the apples. Transfer filling to a bowl and cool completely before filling the crust.
Recipe Tip: Preheat a jelly roll pan or cookie sheet on the middle oven rack to help the bottom crust begin baking immediately and reduce sogginess.
Step 3. Assemble and bake. Roll one chilled crust to 12–14 inches and line a 9-inch pie plate. Fill with cooled apple filling and top with the second crust—use a lattice, cut-outs, or a single top crust. Crimp edges, brush with an egg wash, and bake at 425°F for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven to 350°F and bake another 30–35 minutes until golden. Add a pie crust shield or foil around the edges for the last 15–20 minutes to prevent over-browning. Cool completely before slicing.
Precooked Apple Pie Filling
Precooking the filling offers several benefits:
- Reduces excess juices. Precooking helps evaporate some liquid so the pie is less likely to bubble over.
- Softens the apples. The apples will be tender but still hold their shape, avoiding crunchy or gappy results.
- Creates a thicker filling. Precooking concentrates the filling so it sets more evenly in the baked pie.
Helpful Pie-Making Tips
- If you have hand pain, a food processor speeds up dough making. You may need slightly less water when using a processor. Finish mixing and form discs in a bowl.
- Chill the crust at least 1 hour; overnight is even better.
- After fitting the bottom crust into the pie plate, refrigerate or briefly freeze it before adding the filling to help the crust hold its shape.
Recipe FAQs
I used 1-inch alphabet cutters to spell out “APPLE PIE.” Work with well-chilled dough and dust the cutter with a little flour. Use a toothpick or paring knife to ease pieces out of the cutter.
Try simple cut-out shapes, a lattice top, or slits cut into a rolled-out top crust for an easy finish.
Yes. Use one package with two crusts. Let the crusts come to room temperature before unrolling and roll to about 12–14 inches if needed.
Yes. Once cooled, store the filling in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to one week, or freeze up to three months.
Thin slices about the thickness of potato chips work well and create a tender filling. If you prefer thicker slices, slice by hand or adjust cooking time. Use care when stirring thin slices so they don’t break.
More Delicious Pie Recipes
Easy Lemon Cream Pie
Homemade Cherry Pie
Perfect Pumpkin Pie
Blueberry Crumble Pie
If you try this Homemade Apple Pie Recipe, please leave a star rating and share your thoughts in the comments below. Thanks for visiting!
The BEST Homemade Apple Pie
Ingredients
Homemade Pie Crusts (makes 2, 9-inch pie crusts)
- 2 cups All-Purpose Flour
- 1 tsp Salt
- 6 tbsp Unsalted Butter, cold and cut into cubes
- 1/2 cup Vegetable Shortening, cold and cut into cubes
- 4–6 tbsp Ice Cold Water
Apple Pie Filling
- 3 tbsp Unsalted Butter
- 2 1/2 lbs Apples, peeled, cored, and sliced into thin wedges
- 1/2 cup Light Brown Sugar, lightly packed
- 1/4 cup Granulated Sugar
- 1 tsp Cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp Nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 2 tbsp All-Purpose Flour
- 1 tbsp Cornstarch
- 1 tbsp Lemon Juice
Egg Wash
- 1 large Egg Yolk, lightly whisked (for pie crust shine)
- 1 tbsp Water
Instructions
Homemade Pie Crust – Part 1
- In a large bowl, use a pastry blender or two forks to mix flour, salt, cold cubed butter, and cold shortening until you have pea-size pieces.
- Add 1 tablespoon of ice-cold water at a time, working it into the mixture until the dough holds together. Use just enough water to bring the dough together.
- Divide into two discs, pat each to 1–1½ inches thick, double-wrap, and refrigerate in the coldest part of the fridge for at least 1 hour.
Apple Pie Filling
- Whisk light brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a bowl.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter and add apple slices, stirring to coat. Add the whisked sugar-spice mixture and combine.
- Reduce heat to low and cook gently about 5 minutes until the apples begin to soften.
- Add flour, cornstarch, and lemon juice; stir a few times to coat the apples. Remove from heat and transfer to a bowl to cool completely.
Homemade Pie Crust – Part 2
- Roll out the first dough disc to about 11–12 inches on a lightly floured surface and fit it into a 9-inch pie plate. Trim, leaving about 1/2 inch to fold under.
- Chill the pie plate with the dough in the freezer or refrigerator to firm up, then roll out the second disc for the top crust.
Assembling the Apple Pie
- Preheat the oven to 425°F and place a jelly roll pan or cookie sheet on the middle rack.
- Remove the chilled bottom crust, spoon in the cooled apple filling, then top with the second crust. Trim and crimp the edges, and cut vents or create a lattice.
- Brush the top with egg wash. Bake at 425°F for 15 minutes, then reduce to 350°F and bake 30–35 more minutes until golden. Add a pie crust shield or foil around the edges for the last 15–20 minutes to prevent over-browning.
- Remove from the oven and cool completely before slicing.
Video
Notes
- Chill the pie crust for at least 1 hour; overnight is ideal.
- After fitting the bottom crust, refrigerate again before adding filling.
- Store-bought crusts are fine—allow them to come to room temperature before unrolling and roll to 12–14 inches if needed.
- Once cooled, the baked pie can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to one week or frozen up to three months.
Nutrition
Calories: 339 kcal | Carbohydrates: 44 g | Protein: 3 g | Fat: 18 g | Sugar: 23 g
Nutritional information is an estimate and will vary based on ingredients used.