How To Make Homemade Apple Pie

How to make a Homemade Apple Pie is less intimidating than you think. It just takes a little time in the kitchen!

Creating this apple pie:

This recipe is fool proof and will result in a delicious homemade pie with flaky pie crust and a drool-worthy apple pie filling.

The apples are layered with warm Autumn spices like cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger and the crust is buttery and flaky.

We love making homemade apple pie for the holidays and this pie in particular always gets requested. A real crowd pleaser!

Tools needed:

• 9-inch pie pan
• Rolling pin
• Pie weights (If you don’t have pie weights you can use dried beans!)
• Large working surface
• Food processor
• Mixing bowls
• Measuring spoons

Ingredients needed for homemade apple pie

For the crust:

• Flour
• Butter
• Salt
• Sugar
• Crisco or Shortening
• Ice cold water
• Apple cider vinegar

For the apple pie filling:

• Apples: What are the best apples to use for homemade apple pie? I love using a mix of Granny Smith and Honey Crisp or Northern Spy.
• Sugar
• Flour
• Lemon zest & juice
• Ground ginger
• Ground cinnamon
• Ground allspice & cloves

How to make apple pie from scratch

Let’s make the dough first!

Step 1: Weigh out 10 oz. of flour using a food scale. (A little over 2 cups) Add in 1 tsp. salt and 2 1/2 Tbsp. sugar.

Step 2: Pour flour, salt and sugar into food processor and pulse 3-4 times.

Step 3: Add the grater attachment to your food processor so we can grate the cold butter into the flour.

Step 4 & 5: Grate 12 Tbsp. unsalted cold butter.

Step 6: Pour into a clean bowl and add in 3 Tbsp. Crisco (shortening)

Step 7: Using clean hands incorporate the Crisco and butter into the flour. Squeeze with your fingers until pea-sized pieces of butter form.

Then, slowly add ice cold water into the dough. Don’t add all the water in at once, add in intervals. You may not need all the water. Add just enough until dough comes together.

Step 8 & 9: Using clean hands again, start to mix the water into the mixture until a dough like consistency forms. Dough shouldn’t be wet. Add a touch more flour to the dough and your hands if it is.

Step 10: Fold and form the dough gently. Knead dough until somewhat smooth. Don’t over work the dough, you won’t get flakey pie crust that way.

Step 11: Wrap your dough in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for 1 hour.

Step 12: While dough is chilling, make the filling! Peel, core and slice 3 pounds of Granny Smith apples (about 6-7 medium to large apples). Slice the apples in a uniform thickness, about 1/4 inch thick.

Step 13: To the apples add 3/4 cup sugar, 3 Tbsp. flour, zest and juice from 1 lemon, pinch of salt, 1/2 tsp. ground ginger, 1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon, a sprinkle of ground Allspice and ground cloves.

Step 14: Mix well.

Step 15: Grab dough from fridge once it’s chilled and cut in half. Half the dough is for bottom crust, half is for the top crust.

Step 16: On a floured surface, use a rolling pin to roll the dough out for the bottom crust.

Step 17: Transfer the crust to your 9 inch pie baking dish.

Optional Pro tip: Brush your dough with an egg wash; this serves as a protective layer that will keep the apple’s juices from destroying your crust.

Step 18 & 19: Make the crust pretty: Using your pointer finger and thumb, pinch the outside of the dough and using the knuckle of your other hand push the dough up between the pinch of your fingers.

Step 20: Bake your crust in the oven at 425° F for 8 minutes. I recommend placing a piece of foil down and using pie weights. Use dried beans or rice if you don’t have pie weights handy.

Step 21: While pie crust bakes, roll out the top layer of the crust into a circle.

*Note: if you don’t use the cut outs or want to create a lattice, top the apples with the second rolled out pie crust & seal and crimp the edges (see video). Then be sure to cut a few slits on the top for ventilation!

Step 22: Fill the pie with the apples. You can layer the apples to avoid large gaps in your pie, or just dump all the apples in if that seems too tedious!

Step 23: Place the top layer of crust over the apples. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with coarse sugar, if using.

Step 24: Bake at 425° F for 45-55 minutes or until the crust is golden. You may need to cover with foil loosely or use a crust shield so crust doesn’t burn. Let completely cool before slicing.

What is the best way to store apple pie?

Store tightly sealed in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Why is my apple pie watery?

Here are a few reasons ands tips:

• You need to use a thickener in the apples (in this recipe we use flour). The apples break down in the pie, which creates that liquid but having a thickener helps makes it into that ooey-gooey goodness.
• Don’t add in all of the juices from the apples when filling the pie. Leave some of the juice and liquid behind in the bowl.
• Also, there are varieties of apples tend to be juicier than others. Use Golden Delicious, Pink Lady, Granny Smith or Honeycrisp. There are many others you can use but these are most common.
• You might also need to let the pie sit for longer before cutting it to allow the filling time to set. I recommend at least 3 hours.

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Other apple recipes you might like:

• How to make a galette
• Apple Cinnamon Rum Monkey Bread
• Instant Pot Pumpkin Applesauce
• Apple Pie Bars
• Cranberry Applesauce

the goods

Pie Weights

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Pie Pan (9″)

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Homemade Apple Pie

Learn step by step how to make this delicious homemade apple pie with flakey pie crust.

5 from 4 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate

Prep Time: 2 hours

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours 35 minutes

Servings: 8 slices

Calories: 394kcal

Author: Tawnie Graham of Kroll’s Korner

Ingredients

For the crust:

• ▢ 10 oz. flour
• ▢ 12 Tbsp. butter, cold, unsalted
• ▢ 1 tsp. salt
• ▢ 2 1/2 Tbsp. sugar
• ▢ 3 Tbsp. Crisco (shortening)
• ▢ 3/4 cup ice cold water*
• ▢ Splash of apple cider vinegar
• ▢ egg wash (egg whisked with 1 Tbsp. water to brush on dough)

For the apple pie filling:

• ▢ 3 lb. Apples, ~6-7 total (use a variety for better flavor, such as Pink Lady, Granny Smith, or Honey Crisp)
• ▢ 3/4 cup sugar
• ▢ 3 Tbsp. flour
• ▢ 1 lemon juice & zest
• ▢ 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon, ground
• ▢ 1/2 tsp. ginger, ground
• ▢ 1/8 tsp. cloves, ground
• ▢ 1/8 tsp. Allspice, ground

Instructions

For the dough:

• Pulse 10 oz. flour with salt and sugar in a food processor. Pour this into a bowl and add 3 Tbsp. Crisco (shortening) and use your clean hands to incorporate into the flour.
• Then add the grater attachment to your food processor and grate the butter into the flour mixture.
• Pour this into a bowl and add 3 Tbsp. Crisco (shortening) and use your clean hands to incorporate into the flour.
• Add a splash (~1/2 tsp.) of apple cider vinegar to the water. In intervals, slowly add the ice cold water into the dough. Add a little water, mix, water, mix, repeat. Mix until dough like consistency forms. Dough shouldn't be wet, add a touch more flour to the dough & your hands if it is.
• On a lightly floured surface, gently start to fold and form the dough. Knead dough until somewhat smooth. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for 1 hour.

For the apple filling:

• Preheat the oven to 425°F. Peel, core and thinly slice 3 pounds of apples.
• Add sugar, flour, lemon zest, lemon juice, ground ginger, ground cinnamon, allspice and cloves to the apples. Mix well and set aside.
• Take the dough from the fridge once it's chilled and cut it in half (bottom layer, top layer). Roll one half of the dough on a lightly floured surface into a circle that is about 12 inches diameter using a rolling pin.
• Transfer the dough to a 9 inch pie dish. Trim, seal and crimp the dough. (Use the images and video for guidance). Use scraps to repair dough if needed.
• Place a piece of foil on the bottom crust and top with the pie weights. (Use dried beans or rice if you don't have pie weights). Bake the pie crust for 8 minutes.
• While the bottom crust bakes, roll out the top layer of the crust.
• Fill the pie with the apples, leaving the liquid behind in the bowl. Some of the juices are OK to add but not all of it.
• Place the top layer of crust over the apples and brush with an egg wash and a sprinkle of coarse sugar (optional). Cut a few slits on the top for ventilation.
• Bake for 45-55 minutes or until the crust is golden and the internal temperature reaches 175 °F. Place foil or a pie crust shield around the edges of the pie crust if they begin to brown or burn.
• Allow the pie completely cool, at least 3 hours, before slicing. Serve with ice cream and enjoy!

Video

Notes

You may not need the entire 3/4 cup of ice water. Add just enough until the dough comes together and doesn’t feel wet. 

Cover leftovers tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Slice the apples in a uniform thickness.

Slide a baking sheet under the pie in case any of the juices spill over while the pie bakes in the oven. 

Be sure to use the step by step photos in the blog post to help assist you!

Crimping pie crust: You can use your favorite method: create a lattice, use shape cut outs, classic scalloped, large scalloped, rope pie, simple angled, use a fork, etc. 

 

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Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 394kcal | Carbohydrates: 57.8g

Hi, I’m Tawnie!

Welcome to my tiny “korner” on the Internet! I am a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist who loves cookies as much as kale. (OK, maybe I like cookies a little bit more but shh, don’t tell anyone). I am so glad you’re here! Follow along for hassle free, realistic and approachable recipes.

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