I love this classic apple pie recipe because it’s simple and timeless, something I imagine grandmas were making 150 years ago. Butter. Apples. Cinnamon. Sugar. Nutmeg. It just takes you back to a different place and time and a happy place at that. Let it cool down for as long as you can stand it and then cut a slice and add a scoop of vanilla ice cream. For dessert. Or Dinner. Or breakfast. No, I’m not joking.
Ingredient and Equipment Notes
- Pie Crust – For this recipe, you’ll need a double pie crust (make your own or buy two crusts–making our own is so delicious and easier than you might think!)
- Spices – You’ll also need some cinnamon and nutmeg or apple (or pumpkin) pie spice.
- Apples- Tart baking apples, like Granny Smith, are perfect here, but other varieties would work as well.
- Apple Peeler Corer – While not a requirement, one of these gadgets will make this recipe significantly easier. If you’ve never used an Apple Peeler Corer (or similar product), your life is not complete, especially if you cook with apples a couple times a year. Heck, if you have one, you’ll look for excuses to cook with apples because it’s just so amazing. It peels. It cores. It slices. It can even be used on potatoes. It’s magic.
How to Make a Classic Apple Pie
- If you’re making your own crust, roll half of the double crust to about a 1/8″ thickness.
2. Lay a rolling pin across the middle and gently drape the dough over the rolling pin to transport it to a 9″ pie plate (I’m using this Fiesta pie plate and it is one of my all-time favorite kitchen items!)
Gently cover the bottom of the pie plate with the pie crust and run a sharp knife around the edge of the pie plate to trim the crust. Set aside.
3. Slice all of those apples up and toss them with lemon juice.
4. Then whisk together your flour, brown sugar, white sugar, and spices.
Toss the mixture together with the apples and pop them in the prepared pie crust. Dot top of apples with butter.
5. All that’s left to do is place another crust on top. If you’re using a full crust, then make sure to slit the top for a vent (or you can use small cookie cutters to cut decorative shapes in the crust.) You can also follow the instructions shown in the pie crust recipe for a lattice crust like shown below.
6. If desired, brush the top of the crust with a little melted butter and sprinkle some sugar on top. Then pop it in the oven to bake. Make sure to keep an eye on it (especially if you’ve sprinkled with sugar) and place a piece of foil on top if it starts to brown too early.
And that’s it. Easy as Pie! Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Related Recipes
Check out some other Our Best Bites apple favorites!
Apple Spice Sour Cream Bundt Cake
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Apple Pie
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: Serves 8-10
Description
This classic apple pie is easier to make than you might think. This is definitely something everyone needs in their recipe arsenal!
Ingredients
Pastry for double-crust pie (store bought or make your own)
6 cups peeled, sliced Granny Smith apples (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon*
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg*
2 tablespoons cold butter, chopped
Instructions
Roll half of the pastry to 1/8″ thickness on a surface that’s been sprayed with cooking spray. Gently place in a 9″ pieplate; set aside.
Preheat your oven to 450. Combine lemon juice and apples in a large bowl. Combine white sugar, brown sugar, flour, and spices and mix well. Spoon over apple mixture, tossing gently. Spoon filling evenly into pastry shell and dot with chopped butter.
Roll remaining pie crust 1/8″ thick (check out our pie crust tutorial for ideas on how to top your crust, including instructions on how to make a lattice crust). When your top is how you want it, bake at 450 F for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 and bake 50 minutes more. Definitely keep an eye on the pie; you may need to loosely cover the darker parts with aluminum foil if it starts getting too brown. If you get worried, go ahead and make a square of foil, cut a center out of the foil, and place it on the pie so the foil covers the edge of the pie.
When done, remove from oven and allow to stand. The pie will be runny until it cools completely, but warm pie is never a wrong choice. Serve with ice cream or sweetened whipped cream.
Notes
*The cinnamon and nutmeg can be replaced with 3/4 teaspoon apple pie or pumpkin pie spice
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
Questions & Reviews
I made this for Thanksgiving this year-my first pie EVER. I even made the lattice top from the tutorial in the book. It was such a hit!!! I was a little full of myself and took pictures and showed them to everyone who wasn’t privileged enough to make it to our Thanksgiving. I was just so proud of myself! Thanks for the help!
I need to freeze the pie to take it out of town before Thanksgiving. I want to freeze it before it is baked. Should I let it thaw first or cook it frozen? If cooking frozen, how does this change the cooking time and temperature?
If you use canned or frozen apple pie filling, how do you adjust baking time? Thank you.
Is this the recipe you used for your pie pops (except grating the apple)? I was going to make the pie pops this weekend and I have never made apple pie from scratch and I don’t care for the canned filling.
Not exactly, but very similar!
I can’t wait to try this recipe!! P.s. I love your pie pan where did u find it?
Thanks Dawn! It’s Chantal brand, I buy their stuff at places like TJMaxx all the time and LOVE it!
Trying this tonight – so excited 🙂
so i mad emy pies and they were incredable!!!!!!!!!!!!!
oh yeah and im making two one for my family and one for some friends. My parents think that im going to mess something up lol but i want to prove them wrong. I m only 17 and i already love to cook 🙂
i just loved this site and made me want to make an apple pie. this will be my very first pie and im so nervouse. i went and bogth everything i just hope i do it right!:)
I have to tell you how this has opened me up to the world of pies! Thank you so much!! I’m good with cakes and cookies, cobblers and the like, but I’ve been sort of afraid of pie. Mainly the crust. This Thanksgiving I was asked if I could make an apple crumble. “Sure,” I said, while I racked my brain on where I had seen a tutorial. Then the spine of your wonderful cookbook stared me in face. I was a little nervous but the crust of the crumble was wonderful! Then for Christmas I was asked to make an old fashioned apple pie, since the crust was so yummy! I’m so excited to try out other fruits this summer! 🙂
Thank you for the recipe. My pie was delicious. i think it turned out pretty good for my first go @ making apple pie.
Just made my first pie ever from this recipe including making the pie crust following your recipe for that too. I can’t believe how wonderful it turned out!! It looks just as pretty as the picture. My husband is going to LOVE it!! Thank you!
Cathy–It really doesn't matter either way, although I probably would. 🙂
Do you recommend refrigerating this pie if you plan to serve it the day after baking it?
I love the recipes on this blog and have come to trust them, regardless of the "genre" of recipe. I wanted to make mini apple pies in muffin tins and adapted this recipe. They turned out great! Little lattice crusts and all. Thanks for all your hard work and creativity. This has come to be my first stop for all things cooking 🙂
I love the recipes on this blog and have come to trust them, regardless of the "genre" of recipe. I wanted to make mini apple pies in muffin tins and adapted this recipe. They turned out great! Little lattice crusts and all. Thanks for all your hard work and creativity. This has come to be my first stop for all things cooking 🙂
Awesome pie recipe, awesome crust recipe, I'm full from dessert :). Thx so much for the recipes!!!
This is the first apple pie I have made, and it was a LOVE. It turned out awesome.
I made this before but it didn't gel, which upset me. It still tasted quite good though, and I was surprised that the crust didn't even get soggy. I'm making it again right now and I upped to flour to 3T, so I'm hoping it'll be perfect this time
I’m a new reader of this blog, but I can already tell you that I love it! I made this apple pie recipe on Saturday night, and it was a huge hit. My husband’s exact words were…”Now this is how apple pie is supposed to taste!” Thanks so much for the clear explanations (and all the pictures). It makes it so much easier to attempt the recipes! I look forward to many more delicious meals thanks to the recipes on this site.
Well Kate, you finally convinced me to dust the 5 years worth of dust off of my Apple peeler, corer, slicer that I got at my bridal shower and give it a whirl. I think I’ve just been intimidated by the seeming complexity of the machine… But tonight I will assemble and conquer!
I haven’t made one in forever…looks like it’s about time! 🙂
Yum. There is nothing else that needs to be said.
I love how delectable those apples look in the last pic.
Oh ya. Totally agree about apple pie being breakfast food. I also think it counts as one of your daily fruit servings. Kate, that looks deeeeelish!
Apple pie is TOTALLY breakfast food. Mmm, I think I’ll make some tonight so I can have an excuse to eat the leftovers.
Hahaha, that’s funny. I bet your pie was really good! Sara and I just don’t collaberate on every recipe–she posts hers and I post mine and I’ve had this one sitting on my computer since I did the lattice pie crust a few weeks ago. So you weren’t being shafted by Sara! 🙂
***I know someone thought, “Who eats apple pie without ice cream!” I brought Sara a special container of dairy free ice cream.
A few weeks ago Sara challenged me to bring a *milk-free* dessert, while my husband challenged her to Southwestern Burgers! I made apple pie, and we joked to see who could make **blog-worthy** food! I would have to say I won, since Sara’s grill crapped out on us and we ordered pizza!!! So me and my hubby just laughed when we saw my apple pie didn’t make it! HAHAHA!