Apple Pie

I'm sharing step-by-step instructions and tips for making the perfect classic apple pie! The buttery pie crust tastes incredible with rich and melty apple filling. 

📌 Perfect Classic Apple Pie

The best flaky pie crust

The buttery crust is perfectly flaky. It is the only pie crust recipe I use for various pies, such as quiche, pumpkin pie, blueberry pie, and pecan pie.

Easy apple pie filling

You can make the apple filling with easy steps and simple ingredients. The melty filling is not overly sweet and has the just-right texture - not too soggy or too thick!

Apple pie has been my favorite baked dessert since I was little. There is something about the combination of melty-cooked apples, cinnamon, and buttery crust. The smell, texture... I can never get tired of them! I love apple pies SO MUCH that I used to sell them locally during the Holiday season about 15 years ago. (It was the first time I actually made money with my baked goods!)

I love various kinds of apple pies, such as apple hand pies, caramel apple pie, apple galette, and classic Dutch apple pie. And this is the most basic, classic apple pie. Enjoy this delicious pie for many occasions, such as Holidays, Dinner desserts, or to treat yourself if you are an apple pie lover like me!🍎

Making homemade apple pie is easy, but things can go wrong when we don't know the crucial baking tips. Soggy apple filling, a shrunk crust, a messy look... have you experienced it before? If so, you are in the right place! In this post, I'm sharing in-depth instructions and troubleshooting tips for making the perfect apple pie.

Let's get started!

📌 Apple Pie Troubleshooting Tips

Why isn't my pie crust flaky? 

This often means the butter got completely pasted into the pie dough. The flaky texture is made when the tiny pieces of cold butter remain in the pie dough. When baked in the oven, the butter in the pie dough melts and gets absorbed into the flour or falls down, leaving hollows that create "layers" in the crust. 

To keep the butter in pieces in the dough, use very cold butter and cold water (ideally, cold flour as well!), and combine them quickly so that the butter won't start getting too soft.

Why is my apple pie filling soggy? 

Oftentimes, it is because the filling is undercooked. Each oven acts differently, so try baking it for a longer time if necessary. 
Or that could be because the filling was not pre-cooked enough. Cook it until the apples get softer.
Also, wait 2 -3 hours longer before slicing the pie. The filling gets thickened more as it gets settled and cools down. 

Why did my pie crust shrink a lot in the oven?

There are 3 main causes for this issue:

1. The crust shrinks often when the gluten in the flour is not rested enough. Be sure to rest the pie dough before rolling it.
2. The pie was not chilled in the fridge before baking. Chilling the butter in the pie dough completely helps to hold the pie shape better in the oven while baking.
3. The pie dough did not fit into the bottom corner of the pie plate. The sides of the dough slide down in the oven when there are gaps between them. 

The apple filling was under-baked. How do I know if it is done baking? 

The crust should be a nice dark golden brown, and good amounts of the filling should start bubbling out from the top and edge of the crust, usually from more than a couple of spots. From my experience, it's always better to bake a little bit more whenever you are not sure if it is baked enough!

The edges of the pie crust got burnt. 

Each oven acts differently; the surface of the crust gets toasted quicker than others. Try baking it at a slightly lower temperature, covering the edges with aluminum foil toward the end, or baking the pie on a lower rack in the oven. Also, do not apply a lot of eggwash or sugar on the edges since they brown the crust more.

How can I avoid a messy pie when slicing an apple pie?

The filling can be too loose to cut right after it's baked, when it's extremely hot. It slowly gets thickened as it cools down - I recommend waiting for about 2 to 3 hours before slicing it. I also recommend using a slated knife to cut the flaky crust more neatly. Ensure that the edges of the pie crust and the bottom crust are cut through since they are often still attached to the pie plate. I must say the first slice is always messy. One sacrifice to be made!

📌 What Types of Apples Are Best For Apple Pie?

Here are popular apples for apple pies:

• Granny Smith: The green apple is very tart and holds its shape well when cooked. The cooked apples are not too firm yet pleasantly soft. Granny Smith apples are by far the most popular apple for apple pie.
• Golden Delicious: The yellow apple has deep sweetness and mild-tart flavor and creates an enchanting, melty texture when cooked. It breaks down a bit with heat but stays its shape mostly. Mix it with Granny Smith to add more tartness and texture to the apple pie filling.
• Braeburn: It has a good balance of sweetness and tartness and holds its shape well when cooked. 
• Jonathan: It is sweet with a bit of tartness. It breaks down a bit with the heat, so it's often best to mix it with other firmer apples.  
• Jonagold: It tastes like between a Jonathan and a Golden Delicious apple. 
• Honeycrisp: It is very sweet with a mild tartness. It doesn't break down with heat and stays firmer than many other apples.
• McIntosh: It is also very sweet and has a mild tartness. It breaks down very easily with heat. It's best to mix it with other firmer apples to balance out the texture.  

Besides them, Gala, Rome, Pink Lady, Red Delicious, and Cortland are also popular apples for apple pies.

I personally like to mix up Granny Smith and Golden Delicious for apple pies. Mixing up the two creates a delicious apple filling with a balanced texture and tartness. It also adds layers to the flavor.

But ultimately, apple pie is a taste of home!🏠 - Everybody has their preference for the firmness, sweetness, and tartness of apple pie filling. I hope you'll give this recipe a try and try different types of apples if needed to suit your liking!

📌 Tips For Apple Pie Ingredients

Pie Dough

• All-purpose flour: Use regular all-purpose flour. Chilling it in the fridge in advance helps to keep the butter cold.
• Granulated sugar: It is not a must, but I like to add a small amount of sugar to add a little bit of sweetness.
• Salt: I used regular table salt.
• Unsalted butter: Use very cold butter to prevent it from getting too soft while making the dough.
• Icy-cold water: The cold water helps to keep the butter cold.
• Oil: I used olive oil today, but you can use other regular oils.

Can I use a store-bought crust instead?

Yes, you can use a premade pie crust when you need to whip it up quickly. I recommend using homemade crust when you have time, to get the best taste!

Apple Filling

• Apple: Blend granny smith and golden delicious (2:1 ratio) to create a not-too-mushy yet melty texture with well-balanced tartness and sweetness. If you can not find golden delicious, use other types of apples as an alternative. (See the section above to learn more about the types of apples.)
• Granulated sugar: You can alternate some of the sugar with brown sugar. I feel I can taste more clear, natural apple flavors with white sugar, such as granulated sugar and caster sugar.
• Salt: It adds depth in flavor.
• All-purpose flour: It helps to thicken the filling.
• Cornstarch: Cornstarch also thickens the filling. All-purpose flour gives a slightly chunkier texture, while cornstarch gives a gel texture like a jam. I like to blend both of them.
• Cinnamon: It's the magic spice for apple desserts - The sweet and warm aroma goes perfectly with cooked apples.
• Nutmeg: It's often added to pies to add a warm and spicy aroma.
• Lemon zest: The refreshing flavor is a perfect match with the apple pie filling. I highly recommend adding it since I feel it makes a very noticeable difference in taste.
• Lemon juice: You can adjust the amount depending on how tart your apples are.

Assembling

• Butter to apply over a pan: Use softened butter.
• Butter to place on top of filling: It adds a rich flavor.
• Egg whites for eggwash: Use only egg whites to prevent the surface from getting too dark in the oven.
• Granulated sugar: It adds a nice crispiness and a beautiful caramelized surface on top of the crust.
• Cinnamon: Make cinnamon sugar by mixing the granulated sugar and cinnamon.

📌 How To Make Pie Dough

Make one batch of my pie dough recipe. Follow the steps and tips in the post to make it successful.

Chill the pie dough.

Divide the dough in half and wrap each with plastic wrap. Chill it in the fridge for at least 1 hour but ideally for more than a few hours to rest gluten in the flour. By resting it well, you can roll out the pie dough more easily and minimize the shrinkage of the crust in the oven.

📌 How To Make Apple Filling

Peel the skin and slice apples. 

Add the sliced apples, sugar, salt, all-purpose flour, cornstarch, cinnamon, and nutmeg to a large pan and roughly mix. 

Add lemon zest and lemon juice. 

Cook them at medium heat until the apple slices get softer and slightly transparent. Be careful not to cook them until mushy. Transfer it to a large bowl.

Wrap the surface and chill it in the fridge until it cools to room temperature.

Is it necessary to precook the apple filling? 

It's possible to make this pie without cooking apples. I did that before, but I have to say, it tastes more delicious when you precook them! The filling gets more melty, and the flavor gets deeper. That's at least how I feel! 

📌 How To Roll Out Pie Dough

I recommend leaving the pie dough at room temperature for about 10 to 20 minutes to soften it a little bit to roll it out faster.

Roll the dough on a lightly floured surface. Follow my tips in pie dough post for rolling it out successfully.

The dough should be wide enough to cover the side of the plate entirely.

Roll out the second pie dough in the same way. I typically roll out the dough for the top layer first and chill it in the fridge until right before use since assembling it is much easier when it's cold and firm.

📌 Assemble Apple Pie

Apply a good amount of butter over a pie plate so the pie comes off more easily after it's baked. It also prevents the crust from getting too soggy. Set it aside in the fridge. 

Fold a pie sheet in half, place it on a pie plate, and open it up, ensuring it's in the center. 

Fold the bottom corner of the dough to ensure it's fit on the plate.

Press the sides of the dough with a thumb to attach it entirely to the plate.

When it is too long, trim the edge with a scissor.

I cut out little apples using the excess dough after trimming the edge. This is something I always like to add on top of an apple pie.🍎

When the side of the dough is not long enough, add a piece of pie dough on the lower side and push it up. Do not attach it to the top because it can come off more easily.

Cut off leaves on the second layer. (It's optional!)

Pour the apple filling into the pie dish.

Place pieces of butter on top. 

Apply egg whites on the edge as glue and place the second layer on top. Press the edge really well to seal the filling. 

Roll and tuck in the edge under. Pinch it with your fingers to make it sharp.

You can finish right here or shape it with your fingers to make a ruffle pattern. (Watch the video tutorial to understand the movement fully!)

Attach the cut-out apples and leaves on top (Use egg whites as glue!) Make cuts (or holes) on the surface of the pie.

Apply eggwash all over the surface except on the edges of the dough and sprinkle cinnamon sugar. 

TIP💡: Steam can get out from the cuts or holes on the top crust while baking the pie. Without the exits, the pie crust can crack from random places, and too much of the filling tends to overflow while baking it!

Chill the assembled pie in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before baking it. 

📌 How To Bake Apple Pie

Place the assembled apple pie on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. (The apple filling will start bubbling out from the side and top of the pie once fully baked. Lining the baking sheet with parchment paper makes it easier for you to clean it later!)

Bake (Preheated) at 425ºF (218ºC) for 10 minutes, turn it down to 375ºF (190ºC), and bake for another 60 - 70 minutes until good amounts of the filling start bubbling out from the top and edge of the crust, usually from more than a couple of spots. 

Adjust the oven temperature and baking time depending on the size of the pie, the strength of the oven heat, etc.

📌 Uses For Apple Pie

Enjoy this delicious classic apple pie for many occasions, such as:

• Thanksgiving
• Christmas
• Other home parties
• Snack time for kids
• A way to consume seasonal apples

The warm apple pie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream tastes nothing like others. I sometimes like to eat it without any topping or go wild with ice cream, caramel sauce, and toasted pecans. It totally depends on my mood!😋

Mini apple pies

You can also bake it as mini apple pies! I can enjoy the flaky pie crust 360°. (It's the best thing!)

📌 Frequently Asked Questions

How should I store leftover homemade apple pie? 

Enjoy it within that day for the best taste (ideally in 2 - 3 hours). When you need to store it, wrap the surface and store it in the fridge for 3 - 4 days. I do not recommend storing it at room temperature since it contains lots of apple liquid.

How should I store homemade pie dough? 

Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and store it in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for a few months.

What size of a pie dish did you use? 

I used a 9-inch pie plate.

📌 VIDEO: Watch How To Make It!

Watch the video tutorial to learn how to make the delicious apple pie visually and deeply understand each step and technique!

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💬 If you loved this homemade apple pie recipe, please share your feedback on this post! I always love hearing how you enjoyed it with your friends and family.