An easy Apple Pie recipe with step-by-step photos and tips for making homemade apple pie filling and apple pie crust (either traditional or lattice). This pie is the ultimate crowd pleaser, and just can't be beat!
Peel, core, and thinly slice apples. I use a johnny apple peeler which does all three at once. Make sure the apple slices are relatively thinly.
Make apple pie filling: Whisk together the cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, salt and ¾ cup sugar, and set aside. Melt butter in a large pan/skillet over medium-high heat. Once melted, add the apples and sprinkle the sugar mixture over the top. Gently stir to coat the apples.
Cook: Lower to medium heat and cook the apple mixture for 3-5 minutes, until the apples are slightly tender. Sprinkle the flour and cornstarch over the apples and toss until well combined. Remove the pan from heat and stir in lemon juice. Optional: Pour the apple pie filling out onto a baking sheet to allow it to cool faster while you prepare your pie crust.*
Preheat oven: Place a large baking sheet on the middle rack of oven and preheat the oven (with the pan inside) to 425 degrees F. (This is optional, but cooking the pie on a hot baking sheet will help the bottom crust cook and not be soggy.)
Prepare crusts: Remove one disc of dough from the refrigerator and roll it out to about 12 inches in diameter. Fit this crust into a 9-inch pie plate. Place the pie plate, with the dough, in the fridge while you roll out the second crust. Roll out the remaining dough on a lightly floured surface.
Add filling: Remove the pie crust from the fridge or freezer and pour the apple pie filling into it.
Add Top Crust: Cover with the second, top layer of dough. You can either place the entire circle of pie dough over the filling and cut a few slits in it to allow the steam to vent, or you can make a simple lattice crust. Pinch and fold the bottom and top crust edges together to create a nice crust and seal them together. Crimp pie edge.
Brush with egg wash: Lightly brush the top of the pie with egg wash and sprinkle with remaining tablespoon of sugar.
Bake: Place pie in oven on top of hot baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Leave the pie in the oven and reduce temperature to 375 degrees F. Continue to cook until the filling is bubbling and the crust is golden, about 30 to 40 more minutes.
Cool: Remove the pie from the oven and allow it to cool completely, at least 2-3 hours. This allows the filling to set up so it wont fall apart when slicing.
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Notes
Apple Filling: Allow it to cool a little before adding it to the pie pan so that the fats in the pie crust stay cold, creating a flakey crust.Storing Instructions: Store baked apple pie on the counter for a day or in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.Make Ahead Instructions: The pie dough can be made several days in advance, or frozen for months ahead of time. The pie filling can be made a day ahead, stored in a covered container in the fridge. The entire pie can also be made a day ahead of time. Once cool, cover and refrigerate.Freezing Instructions: The pie crust and apple pie filling can be frozen, separately, for up to 3 months. Thaw completely in the fridge and then assemble. Baked apple pie can also be frozen once it has cooled completely. Cover it well with plastic wrap and then aluminum foil and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw for about 1.5 days in the refrigerator before serving.Recipe adapted from NY Times.