Homemade Apple Pie

Homemade apple pie is a double-crust pie with tender, flaky pastry and a filling of spiced apples thickened with a small amount of cornstarch. The crust bakes until golden brown while the filling stays juicy but not runny, with the apples soft enough to cut with a fork.

Ingredients for Homemade Apple Pie

All-purpose flour builds the structure of the crust. Butter, kept cold, creates pockets that turn into flaky layers. Salt seasons the dough and strengthens gluten. Ice water brings the dough together without warming the butter. Granny Smith apples and Honeycrisp apples provide tart and sweet notes with good texture. Granulated sugar and brown sugar sweeten the filling. Cornstarch thickens the apple juices so the pie is not watery. Lemon juice brightens flavor and prevents browning. Ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and ground allspice add warmth. Vanilla extract deepens the apple taste. Egg washes the crust for shine. Coarse sugar adds crunch to the top.

Why This Homemade Apple Pie Works

The crust is made by rubbing cold butter into flour until the mixture looks like breadcrumbs, then adding ice water until it just comes together. This method keeps the butter in small, distinct pieces. When the pie bakes, the butter melts and steam pushes up between the flour layers, making them separate and flake.

The filling uses a mix of tart and sweet apples so you get complexity instead of one-note flavor. Cornstarch absorbs the juice released as the apples soften, thickening the filling without making it gluey or starchy-tasting. The spices are toasted into the filling before baking, which deepens their flavor.

Both the bottom and top crusts bake at a high heat, turning golden and crisp. The filling stays inside the crust instead of leaking out because the cornstarch holds the liquid. The pie is left to cool for hours so the filling sets and you can slice it cleanly.

Mistakes To Avoid

Overworking the dough makes the crust tough and chewy instead of tender and flaky. Mix the dough only until it just comes together, then stop. If the dough tears, patch it with a small piece of dough pressed into the hole.

Letting the butter warm during mixing ruins the flaky texture. If your kitchen is hot or you are working slowly, refrigerate the flour mixture for 15 minutes before adding water. Cold ingredients make the job easier.

Filling the crust too full causes the filling to bubble over the sides and burn on the oven floor. Leave about half an inch of space at the rim so the filling can bubble up without spilling.

Cutting into the pie while it is still hot makes it fall apart instead of holding together. Cool it completely on a wire rack, at least 4 hours, so the filling sets. You can speed this up by chilling the pie in the refrigerator for 2 hours.

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Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups (312 grams) all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (226 grams) unsalted butter, cold and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 6 to 8 tablespoons ice water
• 6 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and sliced 1/4 inch thick
• 4 medium Honeycrisp apples, peeled, cored, and sliced 1/4 inch thick
• 1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup (55 grams) packed brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 large egg
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 tablespoon coarse sugar

Step-by-step Instructions

1. Mix 2 1/2 cups flour and 1 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Add 1 cup cold butter cubes and rub with your fingertips until the mixture looks like breadcrumbs with some pea-sized pieces visible, about 5 minutes.
2. Add 6 tablespoons ice water and stir with a fork until the dough just comes together, adding up to 2 more tablespoons water if needed. Do not overmix. Form the dough into two disks, wrap each in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to overnight.
3. Peel, core, and slice 6 Granny Smith apples and 4 Honeycrisp apples into 1/4-inch slices. Toss them in a large bowl with 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 3 tablespoons cornstarch, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon allspice, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Let sit for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the apples release juice.
4. Position an oven rack on the lowest level and preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). On a lightly floured surface, roll one disk of dough into an 11-inch circle about 1/8 inch thick. Transfer it to a 9-inch pie pan, letting the excess hang over the sides.
5. Pour the apple mixture and all its juices into the crust, mounding slightly in the center. Roll the second disk of dough into a 10-inch circle, place it over the filling, and press the edges together. Trim the overhang to 1 inch all around, then fold the edges under and crimp with your fingers or a fork to seal.
6. Whisk 1 large egg with 1 tablespoon water and brush the egg wash over the top and sides of the crust. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon coarse sugar. Cut 4 slits in the top crust for steam to escape.
7. Bake at 425°F (220°C) for 20 minutes until the crust begins to brown. Reduce the heat to 375°F (190°C) and bake for 30 to 40 minutes more until the crust is deep golden brown and juices bubble slightly from the slits. If the edges brown too fast, cover them loosely with foil.
8. Cool the pie on a wire rack for at least 4 hours at room temperature, or refrigerate for at least 2 hours, before slicing. The filling will continue to set as it cools.