Classic Apple Pie (All Butter Double Crust!)

This Classic Apple Pie recipe is a Thanksgiving staple, but it’s good at any time of year. With a flaky double crust and a deliciously spiced filling, it’s perfect in every way.

_{9/24: This recipe has been updated with new images and baking method for the most tender, delicious apple filling. Original photos are at the bottom of the page.}

Thanksgiving day preparations are in full swing around these parts, and the Mr. and I have more dinner invites than we can shake a stick at.  My contribution to the feast(s) will likely be dessert, so I figure now is a great time to brush up on my pie-making technique. It’s also feels good to add a classic recipe to the blog roster.

Classic apple pie should be in every baker’s recipe box. I really love this one. I make my pie crust from scratch, but feel free to use a ready-made refrigerated double crust (I’ll never tell!).

Make the Pie Crust

Making pie crust in the food processor is a snap! Place the dry ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and whiz until combined. Add the cold butter and pulse until pea-sized pieces of butter form in the flour. Then, drizzle in a few tablespoons of ice water and pulse until the mixture just comes together. Form the dough into 2 disks, cover with plastic wrap and then refrigerate for 1 hour. After that’s done, you’re ready to roll!

Cut the dough in half and flour a work surface. Flour a rolling pin and roll half of the dough to a 14-inch round. Roll the dough onto the rolling pin and carefully unroll over a 9-inch pie plate. Gently fit into bottom and up sides of plate.

Apple Pie Filling

You’ll need five large apples or 8 small for this pie. I went for the largest, firmest apples I could find, which turned out to be Gala apples at my grocery store. Granny Smith is also an excellent choice for pies.

Stir together the sugar, flour, apple pie spice, and nutmeg in a large bowl. Add the sliced apples and toss to coat. Pour the mixture into the prepared pie crust and dot with butter. Return to the refrigerator.

Remove the second pie crust from the refrigerator and roll to 1/4-inch thickness. Place the second crust over the pie filling. Fold the edges under and crimp with fingers or a fork.

Cut four vent holes into the top crust using a small sharp knife.

Using a pastry brush, lightly cover the entire crust with egg wash.

Bake it Twice!

Bake at 425°F for 30 to 35 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. Tent the entire pie with aluminum foil.
Reduce the heat to 350°F. Bake for an additional 20 minutes, or until the apples are soft. You can check this by poking a skewer through one of the vent holes. There should be little to no resistance when pierced.

Is there anything better than buttery, cinnamon-kissed, classic apple pie? I don’t think so! Just look at all that apple goodness inside. There are many ways to vary this pie, but I like it best with a dollop of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. A drizzle of salted caramel never hurt anything, either!

Related recipe: Mini Apple Pies

Classic Apple Pie

Heather Baird

Everyone needs a trusty, classic apple pie recipe, and this one is deliciously simple. You'll need 5 large, or 8 small cooking apples for this pie. I went for the largest, firmest apples I could find. Granny Smith is an excellent choice for pies.

Be sure to slice the apples thinly. This is important so they cook down well inside the pie. Use a mandolin to slice the apples thinly if you have one (3-4 mm thin).

Also note that this pie is baked twice – once for 30 minutes at 425°F. Then it's tented with foil, and the temperature is reduced to 350° F and cooked for 20 minutes.

5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 35 minutes mins

Cook Time 55 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 8

Equipment

• 9" pie plate
• mandolin slicer optional

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

Pie crust (yields 2 crusts)

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour plus more for dusting
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 cup cold unsalted butter cubed
• 4 tablespoons ice water additional as needed

Pie filling

• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon apple pie spice
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 5 cups thinly sliced peeled apples about 5 large or 8 small apples
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• Egg wash: 1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water

Instructions

 

Pie Crust

• In a food processor combine the flour, salt, and sugar; pulse several times to combine. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal, with just a few pea-size pieces remaining.
• Remove the lid and sprinkle 2 tablespoons ice water over the mixture. Re-attach lid and pulse until the dough is crumbly but holds together when squeezed with fingers (if needed, add up to 2 tablespoons more ice water, a little at a time).
• Turn dough out onto a work surface and divide in two equal pieces. Form each piece of dough into a 3/4-inch-thick disk. Wrap tightly in plastic, and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour.
• Unwrap 1 dough piece; place on a floured surface. Flour a rolling pin and roll the dough to a 14-inch round. Roll the dough onto the rolling pin and carefully unroll over a 9-inch pie plate. Gently fit into bottom and up sides of plate.
• Place in the refrigerator.

Filling

• Preheat the oven to 425°F.
• Stir together the sugar, flour, apple pie spice, and nutmeg in a large bowl. Add the sliced apples and toss to coat. Pour the mixture into the prepared pie crust and dot with butter. Return to the refrigerator.
• Remove the second pie crust from the refrigerator and roll to 1/4-inch thickness. Place the second crust over the pie filling. Fold the edges under and crimp with fingers or a fork. Cut four vent holes into the top crust using a small sharp knife. Using a pastry brush, lightly cover the entire crust with egg wash.
• Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. Tent the entire pie with aluminum foil.
• Reduce the heat to 350°F. Bake for an additional 20 minutes, or until the apples are soft. You can check this by poking a skewer through one of the vent holes. There should be little to no resistance when pierced.
• Remove from the oven and remove foil. Let cool about 20 minutes. Serve warm with ice cream or whipped cream. When pie is completely cool, cover with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator. Bring slices to room temperature, or re-warm in the microwave for 30 seconds before serving.

Notes

If you find the edge of the pie crust is becoming too brown, cover it gently with aluminum foil or a pie crust shield.

Keyword all butter crust, american apple pie, apple pie with double crust, cinnamon, classic apple pie, fall baking recipe, gala apples, granny smith apples, thanksgiving pie recipe

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Fancy Crust option: Cut the top crust into leaves for a pretty Thanksgiving pie. I’d like to tell you that I slaved over the leaf cut-out crust, but it’s really quick work when you use these little gizmos. If you have experience cutting out sugar cookies, then you can certainly make this fancied-up pie crust. It’s all a matter of layering the cut-outs near the edge of the pie, and working your way inward.