My Best Apple Pie recipe makes a bakery-style pie with a flaky crust and perfect filling that's easy at home—skip store-bought forever.
- 2 recipes My Best Ever Pie Crust recipe
- Egg wash
- 7 medium Granny Smith apples (about 2 ½ lbs/1125 g) , peeled and cubed to about ½ inch (1 cm)
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
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Make 2 x Best Ever Pie Crust Recipe according to the instructions.
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On a floured surface roll out the first pie crust into an 11 inch (28 cm) round and line a 9 inch (23 cm) pie pan with it. Place in the refrigerator.
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Roll out the second pie crust into a 10 inch (25 cm) round and chill until needed. This will be the lid of your pie.
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In a large bowl toss the apples with the brown sugar, cornstarch and vanilla until evenly coated.
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Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C).
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Fill the prepared pie crust with the apple mixture.
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Egg wash the rim of the pastry then lay the second crust over the apples and seal the edges using a fork.
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Egg wash the top crust and cut a few slits in the center to allow the steam to escape.
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Place your pie on a baking tray to catch any spills that might happen during baking.
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Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbling.
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Allow to cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing.
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Enjoy warm with whipped cream or Vanilla Ice Cream. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Watch the Recipe Video!
- Blind bake crust. If you like, you can Blind Bake your bottom pie crust first. Line the unfilled crust with parchment paper and fill it with pie weights or dried beans. This ensures the bottom crust gets a head start and doesn’t absorb moisture from the filling.
- After blind baking, you can brush the base of the crust with beaten egg white and return it to the oven for a few minutes. This creates a protective barrier that keeps moisture from seeping in.
- Pre-cook the filling. You can pre-cook apple pie filling if you'd like. your filling to release excess moisture before baking. This reduces the liquid that could potentially make the crust soggy.
- Keep the pastry cold. Cold dough makes a flaky pie crust, because the butter remains in small pieces until it hits the oven and melts, creating steam that makes those flaky layers.
- If your pastry is getting too warm as you're working with it at room temperature, pop it back in the fridge for a few minutes.
- Cut the apples evenly. Uniform apple slices will ensure the filling is perfectly tender throught the pie.
- Use cornstarch. Be sure to include cornstarch (or one of the suggested substitute ingredients) in your filling mixture to thicken the juices. This will help reduce the chance of any sogginess as the apples bake down.
- Decorate the top crust. For a fun finishing touch, use cookie cutters to cut apple shapes and place them on top. You can also make it a lattice crust, or check out more of my simple, beautiful ideas in my guide to Impressive & Easy Pie Design.
- Don’t skip the egg wash. It gives the pie a finished, glossy look and golden color
- Look for bubbling juices. Don’t go by the color of the crust to determine that the pie as done. You want to see actively bubbling juices through the vents before removing the pie from the oven.
- Cool pie. Allow to cool for at least 30 minutes before enjoying.
- Serving ideas. Serve Apple Pie with Whipped Cream, Vanilla Ice Cream, or Salted Caramel Sauce or Vegan Caramel Sauce.
- Make crusts in advance.
- Roll out the dough into rounds, stack them with parchment paper between each layer, and freeze them in resealable bags.
- Pie dough can stay frozen for up to three months.
- Thaw in the fridge overnight when you’re ready to use.
- Freeze fully-assembled, unbaked pies.
- Wrap them tightly in plastic and foil, freeze for up to two months, and pop them into the oven directly from the freezer when you’re ready to bake.