This is a classic apple pie recipe made with a blend of Granny Smith and Golden Delicious apples cooked in browned butter and flavored with warming cinnamon and nutmeg.
This Is Truly the Best Ever Apple Pie
Flaky, buttery crust, tender apples, and a warming blend of cinnamon and nutmeg. What can possibly taste better than a slice of classic apple pie after a filling holiday meal?
With that being said, I’m most definitely not a fan of apple pies with a soggy bottom or a jelly-like filling. No, thanks! To prevent those problems in my own pie, I dusted off a few of the baking tricks I always keep tucked up my sleeve.
First, I cooked half the apples in brown butter before tossing them with the remaining raw apples. It’s an extra step, sure, but the payoff is a better texture and delicious caramel undertones that make every bite taste a little more special.
I also used my homemade butter pie crust because it’s miles better than store-bought by (but store-bought works beautifully, too!). A combination of flour and cornstarch thickens the filling without making it cloudy or gummy.
Enjoy!
Heidi’s Tips for Recipe Success
Brown the butter for depth of flavor. Apple pie filling is a simple mixture of sliced apples, spices, and some kind of thickener. To give it a more nuanced, rich flavor I browned the butter instead of just melting it.
Par-cook some of the apples for the best texture. Half of the apples are cooked in browned butter before being mixed with the remaining raw apples. Mixing the cooked apples with the raw creates unmistakable slices and more texture.
Start the pie in a hot oven, then lower the temperature. I found it best to bake the apple pie at 425ºF for the first 20 minutes, then lower the temperature (while the pie is in the oven!) and bake it at 375ºF for another 40 minutes. Starting the pie at a higher temperature sets the crust so the bottom doesn’t get soggy, and it jumpstarts the filling so it’s fully cooked and thickened by the end of the bake time.
Key Ingredients
The full recipe, with amounts, can be found in the recipe card below.
- Pie crust — You’ll need two sheets of pie dough since this is a double crust apple pie. For special events like Thanksgiving, I make my flaky butter pie crust recipe, but on occasions when I’m short on time I’ll buy a quality pie crust from the store.
- Apples — You’ll need 7 to 8 medium-sized apples to make the pie filling. I used a mix of Granny Smith (for tartness and structure) and Golden Delicious (for sweetness and apple flavor).
- Butter — Browning the butter adds just 2 – 3 minutes to the prep time and adds so much warm, nutty flavor to the pie.
- Sugar — Using a blend of granulated sugar and brown sugar gives the filling caramel undertones.
- Cornstarch + flour — The apples release lots of moisture as they bake, and tossing them with a little cornstarch and flour thickens the filling. I prefer using a blend of thickeners since cornstarch alone gives the filling a jellied texture, and using all flour makes it super cloudy.
- Spices — Ground cinnamon and nutmeg add warmth.
- Lemon juice — Prevents the apples from browning and brightens their flavor.
How to Make a Classic Apple Pie
- Prep the apples. Always peel your apples when making apple pie, then core and slice them about ¼ inch thick. You don’t want them so thin that they turn to mush when cooked.
- Brown the butter. The filling calls for 2 tablespoons of butter, which takes just 2 – 3 minutes to brown.
- Cook half the apples in the butter. Cooking half of the apples in nutty browned butter gives them a caramel-flavored head start.
- Make the apple pie filling. Toss the cooked apples with the reserved raw apples, flour, cornstarch, spices, and lemon juice.
- Assemble the pie. Roll out the bottom pie crust and fit it into a 9-inch pie plate. Turn the apple filling into the crust, then place the second crust on top.
- Chill before baking. Just 15 minutes in the freezer firms up the butter in the pie crust so it bakes up even flakier.
- Bake until done. The pie goes into a screaming hot 425ºF oven, and the temperature is lowered to 375ºF after the first 20 minutes of baking. You’ll wind up with the flakiest, golden brown crust imaginable if you do this.
- Cool before serving. Apple pie tastes best after it’s been allowed to rest at room temperature for 3 hours; the filling needs time to set and become sliceable.
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below, leave a comment to tell us what you think, and tag me on Instagram @foodiecrush.
Classic Apple Pie Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 double-crust pie dough , homemade or store-bought
- 3 pounds apples , about 7-8 medium, preferably half Granny Smith and half Golden Delicious or McInstosh
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ¼ cup packed light brown sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 tablespoon coarse or turbinado sugar
Instructions
- Prep the apples. Peel, core, and slice the 3 pounds apples about ¼-inch thick. Divide the apples in half.
- Cook half of the apples. Melt 2 tablespoons unsalted butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook until the butter is golden brown and smells nutty. Add half of the apples, ¼ cup packed light brown sugar, and ¼ cup granulated sugar, and cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the apples just begin to soften. Transfer to a large bowl and stir in the remaining raw apples, tossing to coat. Set aside to cool while you prepare the crust.
- Roll out the pie crust and make the filling. Roll out half of 1 double-crust pie dough and fit it into a 9-inch pie dish. To the just-warmed apples, add 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg, and 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice. Toss well to coat the apples.
- Assemble the pie. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Spoon the apple filling with 1-2 tablespoons of its liquid into the crust, spreading the apples evenly to the edges and mounding them slightly in the center. Discard any extra liquid from the apples. Roll out the second crust and place over the filling. Trim and crimp the edges, then cut several slits in the top to vent. Freeze for 15 minutes or refrigerate for 30 minutes while the oven preheats.
- Finish the crust. Whisk 1 large egg with 1 tablespoon water and lightly brush over the top crust. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon coarse or turbinado sugar.
- Bake the pie. Place the pie on a baking sheet on a rack in the lower third of the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 375°F and bake for another 40-50 minutes, until the crust is deep golden brown and the filling is bubbling through the vents. Cover the edges loosely with foil if they brown too quickly.
- Cool and serve. Transfer the pie to a wire rack and cool for at least 3 hours before slicing. This gives the apple filling time to thicken and set.
Notes
Nutrition
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