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    Home » Recipes » Fall

    May 14, 2021

    Classic Homemade Apple Pie

    This post may contain Affiliate Links. Please see my Disclaimer for more details.

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    This Apple Pie Recipe is magical. It’s effortless to make and has a fantastic pie crust that will have your guest asking for more. It’s perfect for National Apple Pie day on May 13th.

    If you're looking for more apple desserts to serve. Here's a list of a few great recipes. Apple Cobbler, Apple Fritters, Fried Apple Pies, Apple Pie with Graham Cracker Crust, Apple Crisp, and Apple Cinnamon Biscuits. 

    Classic Homemade Apple Pie with a slice missing.

    Latest Recipe Video:

    Jump to:
    • Latest Recipe Video:
    • Key Ingredients
    • How Do You Make A Homemade Apple Pie?
    • How To Store Apple Pie
    • Substitution Options:
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • More Delicious Desserts
    • 📖 Recipe

    Key Ingredients

    If you're going to make an apple pie that's impressive, you'll need these ingredients:

    • Apples: With all the apples on the market, picking the right apple to bake with can be overwhelming. My go-to's are Honeycrisp and Galas because they're naturally sweet and hold up well to baking.
    • Cinnamon: You cannot have apple pie with cinnamon.
    • Nutmeg: Nutmeg and cinnamon are flavor pals, so where there's one, the other should be close.
    • Vodka: This will make your pie crust flaky and delicious. If you do not consume alcohol swap it out for white distilled vinegar.
    • Lemon Juice: This is important because it will keep your apples from oxidizing (turning brown) during prep and baking.
    Classic Homemade Apple Pie on a plate with whipped cream.

    How Do You Make A Homemade Apple Pie?

    Making homemade apple pie has several steps to it but with proper planning it can be a breeze.

    Step 1: To make the pie crust: In a food processor blend, add flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, and salt pulse 2 times. Add shortening in tablespoons and butter, pulse 6 times.

    Step 2: Cut food processor on low and slowly pour in water and Vodka, mix in the dough, until dough forms a ball. Add 1 tablespoon of flour if the dough is too wet.

    Step 3: Divide into 2 pieces and form into a disc shape and wrap each in plastic wrap, place in the fridge for 1 hour. 

    Step 4: While the pie dough is in the fridge, make the apple filling. Turn on the heat to medium in a large skillet, melt butter, add apples, and cook for 2 minutes. In a small mix together sugar, cornstarch, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Add sugar blend, lemon zest, lemon juice, and water to apples. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Cool for 20 minutes. Stir every couple of minutes; this will help cool faster.

    Step 5: On a lightly floured surface, add 1 dough ball. Cover it with wax paper and roll out until it’s slightly larger than the pie plate. Lift the wax paper and transfer the dough to a 9-inch pie plate. Make sure the dough is securely packed inside the rounded corners of the pie plate. The dough should hang over the pie shell. Fold excess dough in the pie shell. 

    Step 6: Prick the inside of the dough. Cover loosely with wax paper. 

    Step 7: Then they roll out the second dough slightly larger than the pie plate. Keep in between wax paper, transfer to a baking sheet, and place both doughs in the fridge for 30 minutes.

    Step 8: Preheat oven to 425°F. Add the apple filling inside. In a small bowl, beat egg and water together. Brush the edge of the dough with egg wash. Then place the larger crust over the top and press the crust together. Fold the access crust on top of itself. You can crimp the edges with a fork or make a design with the dough. Make a few cuts in the dough so steam can release. 

    Step 9: In a small bowl, mix 1 tablespoon of sugar and ½ teaspoon cinnamon. Brush dough with egg wash and evenly sprinkle with 1 tablespoon cinnamon sugar. Transfer to a baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 375°F and bake for 25 to 30 minutes; you may need to rotate your baking sheet if the crust is browning unevenly. Cool for 2 hours before serving warm with ice cream or whipped cream.

    Classic Homemade Apple Pie on a plate with whipped cream.

    How To Store Apple Pie

    Fridge: Pie Crust: You can be make your pie crust three days in advance. Place in the freezer if you will need longer to make your pie.

    Apple Filling: You can be make the apple filling one day in advance. Filling will be good for 7 days.

    Apple Pie: You can be make the apple pie one day in advance. Pie will be good for 7 days.

    Freezer: Pie Crust: Keep the pie crust wrapped in wax in a freezer storage bag for 3 months. Thaw 24 hours before using.

    Reheating: Apple Pie: The best way to reheat pie is not in the microwave but the oven. Reheat apple pie in a 350°F oven for 5-8 minutes.

    Substitution Options:

    Feel free to use Jonathan, Golden Delicious or Gala apples as a swap for the Honeycrisp and Granny Smith.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Here are the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about making a classic apple pie.

    How to make flaky pie crust?

    There are several secrets to getting flaky pie crust. Vodka is my secret ingredient for a crust that’s flaky. Vodka helps create a crispy, flaky pie crust because the alcohol keeps the gluten from forming, which gives us a tremendous flaky dough. Don’t worry; the alcohol will cook out during baking, and you can use white vinegar if you do not cook with alcohol.

    How to do you keep apples from shrinking during baking?

    The best way to prevent your apples from shrinking during baking is to pre-cook your apples. Cooking helps the apples retain their size and will keep the apples from shrinking while baking. We are not going to impress friends and family with apples that shrunk away from the crust. 

    What are the best apples for apple pie?

    The best apple for apple pie is using a combination of apples. This list is made from easiest to find to most difficult to find. Honeycrisp, Granny Smith, Gala, Golden Delicious, Ambrosia, Braeburn, Cortland, Jonathan, and Winesap.

    These apples have different textures, levels of sweetness, firmness, and tartness that make them perfect for apple pie.

    Have fun, break the rules and use your favorite apple pairing to make the best apple pie. For example, you can use granny smiths and Honeycrisp, Galas and Golden Delicious, Jonagold and Winesap. Any of these apple pairings will yield an excellent pie. 

    What to serve with apple pie?

    Hennessy Whipped Cream
    Vanilla Ice Cream
    Apple Spiced Mint Julep Ice Cream
    Easy Caramel Sauce
    Hot Fudge Sauce

    Classic Homemade Apple Pie on a plate with whipped cream.

    More Delicious Desserts

    If you need more desserts to serve, these should satisfy your sweet tooth.

    • Key Lime Cheesecake
    • Pineapple Upside Down Sticky Buns
    • Peach Bread Pudding with Caramel Sauce
    • Deep Fried Cheesecake
    • Sweet Potato Cheesecake
    • Hot Fudge Brownie Sundae

    Go get your ingredients and make this magical Apple Pie Recipe. It will be the hit of your National Apple Pie day celebration! And if you’re not celebrating National Apple Pie day, well then, just have a regular old Tuesday and make this pie because it’s amazing any day of the week.

    Click here to subscribe to MY Weekly Recipes for easy and free recipes right into your inbox! 

    To pin this recipe and save it for later, you can use the Pin button on the recipe card, the sharing buttons above or below this post, or any of the photos above. 

    Tag me @kennethtemple_ and use #LezEat on Instagram to share your remakes with me, and don't forget to leave a star rating and comment below. 

    📖 Recipe

    Apple Pie_Classic

    Classic Homemade Apple Pie

    Kenneth Temple
    This apple pie recipe is magical. It’s effortless to make and has a fantastic pie crust that will have your guest asking for more. It’s perfect for National Apple Pie day on May 13th.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins
    Cook Time 1 hour hr
    Cooling 2 hours hrs
    Total Time 4 hours hrs 30 minutes mins
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American, Southern
    Servings 12 persons
    Calories 503 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    Pie Crust:

    • 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour plus more for rolling out
    • 3 tablespoons raw cane sugar
    • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
    • 1 cup shortening
    • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
    • ½ cup cold water chilled
    • 1 tablespoon vodka
    • 1 large egg lightly beaten
    • 1 tablespoon water
    • ½ teaspoon cinnamon

    Apple Filling:

    • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
    • 4 medium Honeycrisp apples peeled, cored, sliced medium
    • 4 medium Granny smith apples peeled, cored, sliced medium
    • 1 ½ cup raw cane sugar
    • ½ cup cornstarch
    • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
    • 3 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
    • ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
    • zest and juice of 1 medium lemon
    • 1 ¼ cup water

    Instructions
     

    • To make the pie crust: In a food processor blend, add flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, and salt pulse 2 times. Add shortening in tablespoons and butter, pulse 6 times.
    • Cut food processor on low and slowly pour in water and Vodka, mix in the dough, until dough forms a ball. Add 1 tablespoon of flour if the dough is too wet.
    • Divide into 2 pieces and form into a disc shape and wrap each in plastic wrap, place in the fridge for 1 hour.
    • While the pie dough is in the fridge, make the apple filling. Turn on the heat to medium in a large skillet, melt butter, add apples, and cook for 2 minutes. In a small mix together sugar, cornstarch, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Add sugar blend, lemon zest, lemon juice, and water to apples. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Cool for 20 minutes. Stir every couple of minutes; this will help cool faster.
    • On a lightly floured surface, add 1 dough ball. Cover it with wax paper and roll out until it’s slightly larger than the pie plate. Lift the wax paper and transfer the dough to a 9-inch pie plate. Make sure the dough is securely packed inside the rounded corners of the pie plate. The dough should hang over the pie shell. Fold excess dough in the pie shell.
    • Prick the inside of the dough. Cover loosely with wax paper.
    • Then they roll out the second dough slightly larger than the pie plate. Keep in between wax paper, transfer to a baking sheet, and place both doughs in the fridge for 30 minutes.
    • Preheat oven to 425°F. Add the apple filling inside. In a small bowl, beat egg and water together. Brush the edge of the dough with egg wash. Then place the larger crust over the top and press the crust together. Fold the access crust on top of itself. You can crimp the edges with a fork or make a design with the dough. Make a few cuts in the dough so steam can release.
    • In a small bowl, mix 1 tablespoon of sugar and ½ teaspoon cinnamon. Brush dough with egg wash and evenly sprinkle with 1 tablespoon cinnamon sugar. Transfer to a baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 375°F and bake for 25 to 30 minutes; you may need to rotate your baking sheet if the crust is browning unevenly. Cool for 2 hours before serving warm with ice cream or whipped cream.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 503kcalCarbohydrates: 74gProtein: 4gFat: 24gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 2gCholesterol: 31mgSodium: 399mgPotassium: 183mgFiber: 4gSugar: 41gVitamin A: 266IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 24mgIron: 2mg
    Keyword apple desserts, apple pie, apple pie recipe at home, classic apple pie, classic apple pie recipe, homemade apple pie recipe
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    I am a "Food Networks Chopped Champion" from New Orleans, Louisiana, and I love cooking the best Southern Creole classics from scratch.

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