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Classic Homemade Apple Pie with Flaky Crust

A generous slice of Classic Homemade Apple Pie showing thick, spiced apple filling and a golden, flaky, sugared crust.
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Follow this reliable recipe for a traditional double-crust apple pie featuring the perfect balance of tart and sweet apples for a quintessential American dessert.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, very cold and cubed
  • 1/2 cup ice water, plus more if needed
  • 6 medium apples (a mix of Granny Smith and Honeycrisp recommended)
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 large egg, beaten (for egg wash)
  • 1 tablespoon milk or cream (for egg wash)

Instructions

  1. Prepare the pie crust: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Cut in the cold butter using a pastry blender or your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces of butter remaining.
  2. Gradually add the ice water, one tablespoon at a time, mixing until the dough just comes together. Do not overmix. Divide the dough in half, form each half into a disk, wrap in plastic, and chill for at least 1 hour.
  3. Prepare the apple filling: Peel, core, and slice the apples about 1/4 inch thick. In a large bowl, gently toss the apple slices with the granulated sugar, brown sugar, 2 tablespoons of flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and lemon juice until evenly coated.
  4. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
  5. On a lightly floured surface, roll out one disk of dough into a 12-inch circle. Carefully transfer the dough to a 9-inch pie plate. Trim the edges, leaving a 1-inch overhang.
  6. Pour the apple filling into the bottom crust, mounding the apples slightly in the center.
  7. Roll out the second disk of dough for the top crust. Place it over the filling. Trim the top crust overhang to match the bottom. Crimp the edges to seal the top and bottom crusts together. Cut several slits in the top crust to allow steam to escape.
  8. In a small bowl, whisk the egg and milk together to create an egg wash. Brush the top crust lightly with the wash and sprinkle with a little extra granulated sugar, if desired.
  9. Bake for 15 minutes at 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Then, reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and continue baking for another 40 to 50 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbling. If the edges brown too quickly, cover them loosely with aluminum foil.
  10. Let the pie cool on a wire rack for at least 2 hours before slicing and serving.

Notes

  • For the flakiest pie crust, keep all ingredients, especially the butter and water, as cold as possible during mixing.
  • Use a mix of apples; Granny Smith provides necessary tartness, while Honeycrisp or Fuji offer sweetness and hold their shape well during baking.
  • If you prefer a lattice top instead of a full top crust, cut the second dough disk into strips and weave them over the filling.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://hearthbite.com/classic-homemade-apple-pie-recipe/