This is hands-down the Best Apple Pie recipe. The filling is loaded with just the right amount of apples and sweetness. The flaky butter crust is unbelievably scrumptious.
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The Best Apple Pie with Butter Crust
I have a little confession. Despite my affection for all things sweet, cooked apples aren’t what my sweet teeth run to. Fresh ‘n crisp fall apples just off the tree – those, I adore. I just don’t typically prefer them cooked. That puts me in the tiny category of people who [used to] regularly pass up the apple pies on the dessert buffet.
Alas, I wasn’t destined to stay that way. I gave this magical apple pie with flakiest butter crust a whirl, and new door opened up. This best apple pie recipe was a game changer for me. Now, there’s no turning back.
Hubby would never have imagined I’d eat, let alone bake, an apple pie. I’d happily devour this creamy banana cream pie and this luscious blueberry pie. But my better half has never seen me dart for the apple one.
For reasons still mysterious, I began searching high and low for the best apple pie recipe maybe because I wanted to like apple pie. After digging through countless variations, I settled on this tried and true version. And now I’m forever done searching.
Watch This Apple Pie in Action
Hello, flaky All-butter crust
What makes this apple pie extra memorable is the fabulous flaky butter crust. We always prefer using butter rather than shortening whenever possible.
This is our go-to recipe for a flaky butter crust; perfect for any sweet or savory pies. Technically, one could use store bought pie dough. But it wouldn’t be right if I didn’t say this out loud: store-bought pie dough won’t produce the buttery deliciousness of a homemade crust. And I am a crust fiend. Fiend, I tell ya.
So if anything, save this recipe for the crazy awesome all-butter crust that you’ll drape over all future pies from now and forever more.
Best Apple Pie and Pie Dough Tips
The pie dough needs a bit of time to chill. If you plan ahead for that, you’re good. Try to stick with Granny Smith apples for best texture and balance of tart vs. sweet. Granny smith apples also hold up to baking well, unlike some varieties.
You’ll love that this apple pie can be totally prepared ahead of time. In fact, it’s best after it’s had some time to sit and set.
Bake it and let it set overnight or at least several hours, so the filling has time to cool and thicken. The pie reheats beautifully, especially if you’re going for a’ la mode. Vanilla bean ice cream and warm pie.
Add this to your dessert list for the holidays… or really any day. Ever heard of leftover apple pie for breakfast? Been there, done that. Highly recommended. Apple pie lovers in your life will go nuts over this one.
Best Apple Pie
Commonly Asked Questions
It’s important to allow baked apple pie to come to room temperature completely, to allow the filling to set and thicken.
Granny smith apples are perfect for baking, as it can withstand cooking temperatures without becoming overly mushy. It retains its shape well, and gives a great balance of tart and sweet.
Ideally, you would bake the pie in the afternoon or early evening and let it rest at moderate room temperature overnight. Keep leftover pie covered in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Often, pies collapse in the center when cooled too quickly from oven to fridge. Allow baked pie to cool gradually at moderate room temperature.
The best visual cue for a finished pie is the bubbling of filling juices through the top crust vents. If top crust browns too quickly, cover it loosely with foil and continue baking until apples are soft.
More to Bake and Eat
- Fresh Strawberry Pie – there’s nothing quite like a fresh strawberry pie, with stabilized whipped cream
- Streusel Pumpkin Pie Recipe – the crispy, highly flavorful streusel makes all the difference in this pumpkin pie.
- Blueberry Pie – whether you choose to go with regular double crust or a lattice top, you cannot go wrong with this luscious blueberry pie. Great a’la mode, too.
- The Best Apple Pie Bars – if you want a large apple pie that feeds a crowd, look no further than these scrumptious apple pie bars. Yes, they’re 100% okay for breakfast, too.
Best Apple Pie with Flaky Butter Crust
Equipment
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1 Pie Pan
Ingredients
For the dough (double crust):
- 2 ½ cups all purpose flour
- ½ tsp table salt fine
- 1 TB sugar
- 1 cup butter chilled and diced
- ½ cup very cold ice water
For the filling:
- 8 small granny smith apples about 6 cups, peeled and cut into 1/4" thick slices
- ½ cup butter
- 3 TB all purpose flour
- ⅓ cup apple cider/juice or water
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup light brown sugar tightly packed
- 1 TB vanilla extract
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- ⅛ tsp nutmeg
Other:
- coarse sugar for topping
- cinnamon for topping
Instructions
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Prepare the Dough: In a large bowl, combine flour, salt, and sugar. Using pastry cutter or clean hands, cut in butter until dough mixture resembles coarse crumbs, with small pea-sized butter chunks in the dough.
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Gently add ice-cold water 1 TB at a time, just until mixture is soft/pliable so that when you pinch the dough, it holds together – should not be crumbly nor too sticky. Work the dough as sparingly as possible, just until it easily forms dough balls. Small pea-sized chunks of butter should still be visible in the dough.
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Gently form 2 dough balls, 1 slightly larger than the other. Press them into discs, wrap them in plastic, and chill until ready to use.
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Peel and slice apples; cover and set aside. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir in flour. Add juice or water, both sugars, vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Bring to a low boil, and immediately reduce to barely simmer. Keep sauce covered and warm while you roll out the crust.
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Preheat oven to 425F, with rack on lower middle position. Take dough discs out of fridge; if it's too firm to roll, let it rest at room temperature 5-10 minutes or until it's malleable but still cold. Roll the larger disc out to fit bottom and sides of a 9" pie pan, with a bit of overhang beyond pan edges. Press evenly into the bottom and up sides of the pan. Roll the smaller dough ball to fit over top of 9-inch pie pan, with a bit of extra overhang. Set aside.
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In a large bowl, combine apple slices with most of the warm butter-sugar sauce, reserving about 1/4 cup for brushing over top crust. Gently transfer apple pie filling into the prepared pie pan, forming a mound. Place top crust over filling and tuck excess edges of top crust under excess edges of bottom crust. Pinch or use fork to crimp very tightly all around edges to ensure a tight seal. Cut several slits in top crust. Brush remaining warm butter-sugar sauce over entire top crust (if needed, add a bit of water to thin it out to a glaze consistency). Sprinkle coarse sugar generously over entire top crust. Sprinkle a pinch of cinnamon on top, if desired.
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Place pie on a baking sheet and bake 15 minutes. Then reduce oven to 350F and bake about 45 minutes, until top crust is golden brown and crisp. Check halfway through bake time – if edges are browning too quickly, use a pie crust shield or tent loosely with foil.
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Cool completely before serving. Letting it cool on the counter overnight is best. Enjoy…it is totally worth your work!
Video
Notes
- When measuring flour and dry ingredients, it’s essential to measure accurately; use the scoop and level method explained here.
- Use a pastry cutter to cut cold butter into the flour; if it’s hard to do, use clean hands to combine butter with flour. Be sure to leave some pea-sized bits of butter in the dough.
- Apples can be peeled and sliced up to a couple hours ahead of time and sprinkled with lemon juice, to prevent browning.
Nutrition
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