Classic Apple Pie
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.
Equipment
- 9" pie plate
- mandolin slicer optional
Ingredients
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.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!