An Easy, Homemade Apple Pie Recipe
Take home the cake (or should we say pie?) with this recipe for apple pie! A golden brown crust envelopes a cinnamon-sweet apple pie filling. We like to make our apple pie recipe from scratch using our perfected All-Butter Pie Crust, and of course a store-bought will do just fine here! It might seem impossible to wait to cut into your apple pie once you get a whiff of cinnamon-y comfort from the oven, but trust us, it’s worth the wait. Let the juices and filling thicken a little and you will be rewarded with the perfect slice. Take it to your next potluck, or serve it during the holidays – any way you slice it, it’s a timeless dessert. We like to top ours with a homemade whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. You could also try our Dutch Apple Pie with a crumble topping,
Bourbon Pecan Pie, or classic Pumpkin Pie, if you are wanting to switch it up a bit.
What Are The Best Apples to Use For Apple Pie?
The secret to the best pie is choosing the best apples! If you start with apples that are soft, mealy, or contain too much water (like Fuji), your fruit might bake with little texture. And we want a juicy, crisp, thick filling with hints of brown sugar and cinnamon! While you can use almost any apple to make an apple pie, and there are a variety to choose from, a few types of apples are better than others when it comes to making the best apple pie! At your local farm or grocery store, look for apples that are crisp and not too sweet, so they hold up to the delicious caramelized filling. Ideally, you’ll want an apple that is slightly tart, provides a good crunch, and is complex in flavor. For our homemade apple pie, we choose Granny Smith apples for their texture, juicy interior, and slight tartness. Make it your own by using a combination of apples for a variety of textures and flavors such as Cortland, Golden Delicious, or Honeycrisp.
Do You Cook Apples Before Putting Them in a Pie?
Short answer: it depends on your palate! If you cook the apples before putting them in a pie, it will result in a softer filling texture and a slightly more caramelized flavor. But a more common (and easier) method is to let the oven do its job! This allows the brown sugar filling to mingle with the apples, creating a thick and juicy filling without the added work. We prefer not to bake our apples in our easy apple pie recipe because it creates the perfect consistency and sweetness.
Apple Pie Ingredients
What do you need for a traditional apple pie recipe? These common pantry items paired with orchard fresh apples will help you make the best apple pie.
All-Butter Pie Crust or recipe for pastry crust
Granny Smith Apples (or a combo of your favorite fresh apples!)
Salted Butter
AP Flour
White and Brown Sugar
Cinnamon
Nutmeg (optional, but we think it adds a warming touch)
Fresh lemon juice
Eggs
How to Make an Apple Pie
We are here to give you the best apple pie recipe! There are two components to apple pie (crust and filling) but we’re going to focus on how to make apple pie filling! If you’d like to make everything from scratch, try using this recipe for All-Butter Pie Crust.
Prepare your apples! Peel, core, and cut into equal slices for consistent cooking time. This will ensure a soft crunch.
Make your filling! Rich brown sugar and butter combine with a pinch of cinnamon, to make our apple pie filling recipe. Pro Tip: For our thickening agent, we use flour. When the butter combines with the flour, allow it to cook for a full 1-2 minutes. Don’t worry if you’re not sure when it’s done - you’ll be able to smell the aromatic nuttiness of the butter and flour together, ensuring a perfect caramel-y thick base for your apples.
Prepare your pie crust! If you’re making your pie crust from scratch, this step needs to be done ahead of the filling, allowing ample time for it to chill in the fridge. It’s important to bake a chilled pie crust, or the crust will droop in the hot oven. Otherwise, store-bought works well, too! Just remember to keep the pie crust in the fridge until ready to fill.
Bake! Two different temperatures make for the ideal bake. We start with the oven on 425° F to crisp up the crust and then drop it down to 350° F to get the filling all yummy and bubbly. You can always tent aluminum foil over the top if you see your top crust getting a little too golden brown.
Cool and Enjoy! We know it’s impossible to wait once you smell the rich spices and fresh pie baking, but for the absolute best apple pie, we recommend waiting until completely cool to dig in.
Simple Tools You Need For Apple Pie From Scratch
Our Favorite Apple Forward Recipes
Love the freshness of an apple dessert? So do we! Take a look at a few of our faves!
An Apple A Day Keeps the Doctor Away!
Try this simple apple pie recipe and let us know what you think! We’d love to see how you slice it up. Tag us on Instagram using @themodernproper and #themodernproper. Happy eating!
