Your go-to Apple Pie Recipe using fresh apples in a homemade crust with very little added sugar.
This recipe is so simple that even the most basic cook can master this recipe the firs time. You can use any fresh apples you have and any crust you like. It’s so easy you’ll be making it every night for dinner.
Classic Apple Pie Recipe
A basic apple pie recipe is simple and the end results are just plain tasty. It’s a recipe that everyone should have in their collection. This apple pie doesn’t use a lot of added sugar and you don’t have to cook the apples before adding them to the crust.
This pie has about an inch or inch-and-a-half of sliced apples inside the crust, which I think is a nice amount. I think apple pies that are 3 or 4 inches high and stuffed with apples are gorgeous, but I like a more even crust-to-apple ratio myself. When you don’t have that many apples in the crust, you don’t have to precook the apples because there are a lot less in there to shrink and put out extra liquid.
Need a crust recipe to make your apple pie? I got you covered!
I wrote a huge post all about pie crust! This basic apple pie recipe is a staple in our house and I hope you love it. You can find this recipe plus SEVEN other pie recipes in one post if you are looking around for something that looks perfect for your Thanksgiving table.
There’s something magical about pulling a pie made from scratch out of the oven. It seems to take you back to a time when life was simpler and homemade pie was standard fare in American kitchens.
Plan to take an afternoon to bake and you just might love how grounding the whole process is for you. And you’ll have a beautiful pie to enjoy after dinner or to share with friends, and that’s a pretty great reward, too.
What are the best apples to use for pies?
Try to find a firm apple to use in this recipe. I like a mix between sweet and sour apples. You can use Granny Smith, Jonathan, Jonagold, Winesap, Golden Delicious, Honey Crisp, Gala, or Rome Beauty. I used a mix between Golden Delicious and some kind of tart firm apples from our trees for this pie, and it was great. It’s very forgiving, so experiment!
- Granny Smith – Tart, green, flavorful, and perfect for apple pie
- Jonathan – red on yellow, bright flavor, and juicy
- Golden Delicious – Softer, sweet, and yellow in color
- Gala – light red, crispy, and mildly sweet
Should I let the apple pie cool before I serve it?
If you want this pie to slice nicely (and not have some of the fruit ooze out onto the pie plate after you remove a slice), then let it cool to room temperature before serving. Hot apple pie is delicious but the apples will slice and stay inside your pie if you wait. It’s up to you. Sometimes I cut into hot pie and just scoop some of the apples out of the pie plate, and sometimes I wait. It’s up to you.
Can I use a store bought pie crust?
If you don’t want to make a Perfect Pie Crust at home, a packaged pie crust will work just fine. Just brush the top with one egg white mixed with 1 tablespoon of water and give it a little sprinkle of sugar (extra chubby or sparkling sugar is really fun if you have it!)
Ingredients in apple pie:
- granulated sugar, only 3 tablespoons for the whole pie!
- thinly sliced apples, it’ll take about 8-10 medium apples
- just a bit of butter and cinnamon
- Double pie crust
- granulated or chubby sparkling sugar if you want the top to be extra pretty
How to make an apple pie from scratch:
- Mix first 5 ingredients together in a medium bowl.
- Roll out and place an uncooked pie crust in the bottom of a deep 9-inch pie plate.
- Place the apple mixture in the uncooked pie shell. Place small pieces of butter on top of apple mixture.
- Top with second pie crust, crimp the edges, and then cut a few slits in the top crust to allow steam to vent.
- Mix the egg white and 1 tablespoon of water together in a small bowl and then brush the top with water and sprinkle with sugar before baking.
- Bake at 450 for the first 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350 and continue cooking for an additional 30 to 40 minutes.
- Cool for 10 minutes before serving.
Basic Apple Pie Recipe
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 45 mins
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 8-10 servings 1x
Description
My go-to apple pie recipe made with fresh apples! Homemade, flaky crust with juicy apple filling. Makes a delicious pie that goes perfectly with ice cream!
Ingredients
- About 5 cups thinly sliced apples (peeled and cored), 8-10 medium apples
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1–2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
- Double pie crust
- 1 egg white + 1 tablespoon water
- granulated or chubby sparkling sugar, optional
Instructions
- In a medium bowl add the sliced apples. Sprinkle with the sugar, flour, cinnamon, and salt and toss gently to combine well.
- Roll out and place an uncooked pie crust in the bottom of a deep 9-inch pie plate.
- Place the apple mixture in the uncooked pie shell. Place the small pieces of butter on top of apple mixture.
- Top with second pie crust, crimp the edges, and then cut a few slits in the top crust to allow steam to vent.
- Mix the egg white and 1 tablespoon of water together in a small bowl and then brush the top with water and sprinkle with sugar before baking.
- Bake at 450 for the first 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350 and continue cooking for an additional 30 to 40 minutes, or until the top is golden brown.
- If the edge of the crust starts to brown more quickly than the center, carefully cover the edge with foil for the last 15-20 minutes of baking to prevent over-browning.
- Let the pie cool for 10 minutes before serving. Can be made ahead of time and served at room temperature.
Notes
- Here’s a post about how to cut apples if you need it. If you peel them first and then cut them this way, it’s the fastest way to get your apples prepped. You’ll want to cut these apples about 1/4 inch thick.
- Try to find a firm apple to use in this recipe. I like a mix between a sweet and sour apple. You can use Granny Smith, Jonathan, Jonagold, Winesap, Golden Delicious, Honey Crisp, Gala, or Rome Beauty. I used Golden Delicious from our trees for this pie and it was great.
- In the world of pies, this one has a very low amount of added sugar. If you are using tart apples you might need to double the amount of sugar. Just taste and see.
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: Thanksgiving recipe, Thanksgiving dessert recipe, apple dessert, apple pie recipe, easy pie crust recipe
Want To Save This Recipe?
If you love apple pie, you might also like these recipes:
- 4 Recipes for a Perfect Pie Crust (my guide on all things pie crust!)
- Homemade Chocolate Cream Pie
- The Best Pecan Pie Recipe
- Easy Chicken Pumpkin Pot Pie (spoiler alert – it uses pre-made puff pastry instead of a pie crust!)
- The Best Easy Apple Cake
- No Bake Peanut Butter Pie Recipe
- Blueberry Pie Cookie Bars
- Dutch Apple Pie Recipe
- Homemade Coconut Cream Pie
- North Carolina Lemon Pie
- America’s Test Kitchen’s Fresh Strawberry Pie
- Soft Gingerbread Cookie Recipe
- Cranberry Orange Bread
- Caramel Apple Dip
Nothing says welcome home like a fresh pie on the counter, and this Apple Pie Recipe is just the one to try! You are going to love how easy it is to customize and how quickly it comes together. Happy pie making, friends, from my kitchen to yours!
Share Your Comments
Want to share a photo of what you’ve made? Be sure to register or log in and then click the camera icon located next to the comment box.
First time making a pie. The recipe is so simple yet so perfect!
We all loved it.
My daughter wanted to weave the top layer, so we gave it a try.
And yes, sliced the apples, Gordon Ramsey’s way.
Thank you for doing all the research on this recipe. I made it using all butter and white all purpose flour and red delicious apples.
Thank you!
★★★★★
Congratulations on your first pie, and a lattice top too! That’s impressive!
Delicious pie with the perfect amount of sweetness! I was worried it wouldn’t be sweet enough but it was perfect using gala apples! This was my first time making a pie and it turned out amazing!
★★★★★
I made this pie and its in the oven. My house smells like Heaven!! Im very excited to eat every last crumb.
★★★★★
I hope you have some ice cream on hand!
so i put to much butter what should i do
★★★★★
Hi Melissa
Pie is in the making. I am so excited. Question, do you need to pinch the bottom of the crust with a fork before putting the apple mixture? First timer apple pie maker in here. Thank you !
★★★★★
Nope it’ll be fine without doing that, I don’t. But if you happened to I’m sure it won’t hurt anything either! Happy pie making!!
Hello!!!
Question i messed up and put to much better should i had something to fix it or keep as is?
Thank you
Alagna
★★★★★
I bet it’ll be ok, I’d just bake it!
Hello,
I read your recipe and needs “Double pie crust”. I press the link and on the top of crust said “Traditional Perfect Pie Crusts Author: Melissa Griffiths Prep Time: 1 hour Total Time: 1 hour Yield: 2 pie crusts” (3 cups flour, 1 cup butter…….)
Do I have to make double crust (6 cups flours, 2 cups butter……) for one apple pie?!?!
Thanks. I read the text above “The recipe I have shared below is for a double pie crust. This means it makes enough dough for a top and a bottom crust.”
Ok, so you got it figured out, you’ll just need to 3 cups of flour pie crust recipe for this pie! ENJOY!
The crust recipe isn’t even here. Ridiculous
It’s hyperlinked in the recipe. Is it really that awful to click to a second page?
This pie is in the oven right now. I made it with 4 golden delicious & 4 Granny Smith apples and 2 9” crusts. Now what do I do with ALL of the leftover filling that wouldn’t fit in the pie-& I piled it high! Any suggestions?
LOL your apples must have been HUGE! That’s so fun. You could cook it down slowly on the stove top and have stewed apples with dinner. Sometimes I just chop it up and throw them in with oatmeal while the oats are cooking so that you get apple cinnamon oatmeal!
Made this for Christmas. It was too tart. I think it was confusing to know which apples to use or how much sugar to add to apples. Also my crust top was very high while the apples cooked down, leaving a large gap between the two. Maybe I just over worked the dough. May try crust again, but need to find more exact recipe for filling.
★★★
Exactly! I had the same issues, too tart and too high. It was a let down after all the work.
★★★
Victoria
★★★★★
I have made this recipe three times now. I love it and it is so easy.
★★★★★
Yay! I love hearing that. Happy pie making Rachelle.
Made this a second time and it’s still the best apple pie recipe I’ve tried! It’s easy to make and everyone goes back for second helpings. Seriously so happy I found this! Best with some vanilla caramel ice cream?
★★★★★
So easy right?! I’m glad you love it too! Happy Baking Barbara
It’s been a while, I needed to brush up on baking apple pie. Your recipe format was very hard to follow -skipping all over some here , some there. I managed to bake one in spite of it. I used the whole egg on my topping. It worked great.