Classic Apple Pie
A true American classic: a flaky, all-butter double crust wrapped around a mountain of spiced apples that bake down into a tender, jammy filling with a clean, sliceable set. A mix of tart and firm-sweet apples keeps the flavor bright and the slices from turning to mush, while a proper cooling rest lets the juices thicken so every wedge holds its shape.
Make an all-butter dough and chill it, then toss about 1.1 kg of mixed peeled, ¼-inch-sliced apples with granulated and brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and lemon juice and let them macerate 15 minutes; roll a bottom crust into a 9-inch plate, mound in the apples with their juices, dot with butter, lay on a vented (or lattice) top crust, crimp the edges to seal, brush with egg wash and sprinkle with coarse sugar; bake at 220°C/425°F for 20 minutes, drop to 190°C/375°F for another 35-40 minutes until the crust is deep golden and the juices bubble thickly through the vents, then cool at least 2-3 hours so the filling sets before you slice.
- Use a mix of tart (Granny Smith) and firm-sweet (Honeycrisp) apples so the filling holds its shape and tastes balanced.
- Bake on a preheated baking sheet on a low rack to blast the bottom crust and prevent a soggy base.
- Cool the pie completely, 2-3 hours — cutting it hot means a soupy filling that won't hold a slice.
Equipment
- 9-inch pie plate
- Rolling pin
- Large mixing bowls
- Vegetable peeler
- Pastry blender or food processor
- Rimmed baking sheet
- Aluminum foil or pie shield
Ingrediënten
For the all-butter crust
- 315 g all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
- 12 g granulated sugar
- 6 g fine sea salt
- 227 g unsalted butter, very cold, cut into cubes
- 120 ml ice water, add as needed, about 6–8 tbsp
For the apple filling
- 1.1 kg baking apples, peeled, cored, sliced 6 mm thick; mix Granny Smith and Honeycrisp
- 100 g granulated sugar
- 55 g light brown sugar, packed
- 24 g all-purpose flour, or 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 4 g ground cinnamon
- 1 g ground nutmeg, freshly grated if possible
- 1 g fine sea salt
- 15 ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 28 g unsalted butter, cut into small pieces, for dotting
For finishing
- large egg, beaten with 1 tbsp milk, for egg wash
- 12 g demerara or turbinado sugar, for sprinkling
Bereiding
- STAP01
Whisk the flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Scatter the cold cubed butter over the top and cut it in with a pastry blender (or pulse in a food processor) until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs with some pea-sized flecks of butter still visible. Drizzle in the ice water a tablespoon at a time, tossing with a fork, until the dough just holds together when squeezed. Divide into two portions — one slightly larger for the bottom — shape into flat disks, and wrap tightly.
- STAP02
Refrigerate the disks for at least 1 hour, or up to 2 days. Cold dough is the key to a flaky crust: it keeps the butter firm so it forms steam pockets in the oven rather than melting into the flour.
- STAP03
Peel, core, and slice the apples about 6 mm (¼ inch) thick and pile them into a large bowl. Add both sugars, the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and lemon juice, then toss until every slice is coated. Let the apples sit for 15 minutes so they release some juice and settle — this shrinks the gap that otherwise opens up between the fruit and the top crust as they bake.
- STAP04
On a lightly floured surface, roll the larger disk into a 30 cm (12-inch) round and ease it into a 9-inch pie plate, leaving the overhang draped over the rim. Spoon in the apples, mounding them slightly in the center, and pour over any juices that collected in the bowl. Dot the surface evenly with the pieces of butter.
- STAP05
Roll the second disk into a 28 cm (11-inch) round and lay it over the apples (or cut into strips for a lattice). Trim the overhang to about 1 cm, fold it under itself, and crimp to seal. Cut four or five steam vents in a solid top with a sharp knife. Brush all over with the egg wash and sprinkle generously with coarse sugar.
- STAP06
Place the pie on a preheated rimmed baking sheet on the lower-middle rack. Bake at 220°C (425°F) for 20 minutes, then reduce to 190°C (375°F) and bake 35-40 minutes more, until the crust is deep golden and the juices bubble thickly through the vents. Tent the edges with foil or a pie shield if they brown too fast.
- STAP07
Transfer the pie to a wire rack and cool for at least 2-3 hours before slicing. This wait is non-negotiable: the hot filling is still liquid and needs time to thicken and set, so your slices come out clean instead of collapsing into a puddle.
Make ahead
The dough disks can be made up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated, or frozen for up to 3 months (thaw overnight in the fridge before rolling). You can also assemble the entire unbaked pie and freeze it solid, then bake straight from frozen — no need to thaw — adding 15-20 minutes to the bake time.
Storage
Store the cooled apple pie loosely covered at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerate for up to 4 days. Warm individual slices in a 160°C (325°F) oven for about 10 minutes to re-crisp the crust before serving.
Variations
Dutch Apple (Crumb-Top) Pie
Skip the top crust and cover the filling with a streusel made from 100 g flour, 55 g brown sugar, and 85 g cold butter rubbed into coarse crumbs. Bake as directed for a buttery, crunchy topping.
Vegan Apple Pie
Swap the butter in the crust and filling for a firm vegan block butter or chilled coconut oil, and brush the top with plant milk plus a little maple syrup instead of egg wash. Everything else stays the same.
Salted Caramel Apple Pie
Drizzle 80 ml of thick salted caramel over the apples before adding the top crust, and finish the cooled pie with a pinch of flaky salt for a richer, gooier filling.
Serve with
Nutrition per serving
Nutrition values are estimates based on the metric measurements. Adjust as needed.
Veelgestelde vragen
What are the best apples for apple pie?
Use firm, tart-to-sweet varieties that hold their shape. A blend of Granny Smith (tart and sturdy) with Honeycrisp, Braeburn, or Golden Delicious gives an apple pie with balanced flavor and slices that keep some bite instead of turning to mush. Avoid soft, watery apples like Red Delicious.
How do I keep my apple pie from being runny?
Three things: toss the apples with flour or cornstarch to thicken the juices, don't skip the 15-minute macerating step, and — most importantly — let the apple pie cool for at least 2-3 hours. The filling only reaches its final, sliceable set as it cools, so cutting in warm almost always gives a soupy result.
How do I avoid a soggy bottom crust?
Bake the pie on a preheated baking sheet set on the lower rack. Starting at a hot 425°F for the first 20 minutes sets and browns the base quickly before the filling juices can soak in, giving you a crisp bottom under a fully baked apple pie.
Can I make apple pie ahead of time or freeze it?
Yes. You can freeze the unbaked, assembled pie and bake it straight from the freezer, or bake it fully, cool, and freeze for up to 3 months. A baked apple pie also keeps for a couple of days at room temperature, and a quick warm-up in the oven brings back the flaky crust.
Do I need to pre-cook the apples?
No — this recipe bakes the apples raw, which keeps the process simple and the fruit flavor fresh. Slicing the apples a consistent ¼ inch thick and letting them macerate helps them cook evenly and shrink less, so you avoid the hollow gap that sometimes forms under the top crust.
Cooked this? Rate it.
Real ratings from real cooks. We only show a score once enough of you have weighed in — no fabricated stars.