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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.
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 you can get overwhelmed with picking the right apple to bake with. My go to is honeycrisp and galas because of they’re naturally sweet and hold up well with 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.
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.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about making a classic apple pie.
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.
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.
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.
Can you make it ahead?
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.
Latest Recipe Video:
Substitution Options:
Feel free to use Jonathan, Golden Delicious or Gala apples as a swap for the Honeycrisp and Granny Smith.
what to serve with Apple Pie?
Meal Ideas:
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.
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Recipe:
Classic Homemade Apple Pie
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.
