This classic apple pie recipe features a sweet apple filling packed inside a delicious flaky pie crust. The perfect pie for fall or Thanksgiving!

A baked apple pie in a white pie dish with one slice removed and put on a plate.

Do you have a favorite pie? If I had to choose, my top three pies would have to be pumpkin, pecan, and apple. Since fall is just around the corner, I thought it would be the perfect time to share my favorite apple pie recipe with you!

While there are a few steps to making this pie, I promise that it’s not too difficult. The filling is incredibly easy to make and sweet, but not too sweet. I love to top this apple pie with a lattice design, but you could cut out some pie crust to decorate the top or just cover it with a full piece of pie crust.

This apple pie is also a fantastic recipe to make the day before so that you have dessert ready the next day. If you love apple pie, I guarantee this homemade version will be your new favorite! 

The ingredients needed to make apple pie sitting on top of a white surface.

Ingredients You’ll Need For This Recipe

This easy apple pie recipe uses simple ingredients that you likely have on hand. Let’s discuss each ingredient to ensure that your pie turns out perfect!

  • Pie Crusts: I wanted to make this a homemade apple pie so I used my pie crust recipe. My recipe makes two pie crusts so it works perfectly here! If you want to save a little time, feel free to use store-bought pie crusts.
  • Apples: I like to use a mix of Honeycrisp and Granny Smith apples for my pie, but any kind of baking apples that you prefer will work fine. Just be sure to slice your apples about 1/4-inch thick, so they hold up well and don’t end up mushy. 
  • Lemon Juice: Fresh lemon juice is best, but bottled will work in a pinch. This helps to brighten up the flavor of the filling and cut down on the sweetness just a bit.
  • Sugar: There’s a mix of brown sugar and granulated sugar in this recipe. I typically use light brown sugar because it’s what I keep on hand but dark brown sugar works just fine.
  • Flour: This helps to thicken up the filling so that it’s not too juicy.
  • Spices: I use a combination of ground cinnamon and ground nutmeg because it pairs beautifully with the apples. Feel free to increase the amount of cinnamon if you really love it!
  • Butter: The butter is completely optional here, but I love to cube a tablespoon and dot it on top of the filling before adding the top pie crust. 
  • Egg & Milk: These two ingredients are whisked together and brushed on top of the of the pie crust to give it a beautiful golden brown color.
  • Coarse Sugar: I love to sprinkle some coarse sugar on top of the pie crust before it goes into the oven. If you don’t have any coarse sugar, you can just sprinkle a little granulated sugar on top or skip this step.
A glass mixing bowl holding sliced apples that have been coated in spices.
A white pie dish holding a pie crust filled with seasoned sliced apples.

How To Make Apple Pie

To make this apple pie, you’ll start by adjusting an oven rack to the lower third position in your oven. This will help the bottom of your pie crust get crisper and prevent the top from getting too browned. Next, preheat your oven to 400°F (204°C). The initial high temperature will help ensure that you end up with a super flaky pie crust. Don’t worry though, you’ll reduce the temperature after 20 minutes so your pie doesn’t end up over baked!

I also recommend making the filling first so that it has time to sit for about 15 to 20 minutes while you roll out and prep your pie crust. This will allow the apples to release some of their juices so that it doesn’t all end up in your pie.

To make the apple pie filling, simply combine your sliced apples and lemon juice in a large mixing bowl and toss the apples to coat them with the juice. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, granulated sugar, flour, and spices until they’re fully combined. Then, sprinkle the mixture on top of the sliced apples and mix until all of the apples are coated. Once the filling is ready, set it aside while you prepare the pie crusts.

To prepare the pie crusts, roll both of them out, place one in a 9-inch pie dish, and trim off any excess dough. For the other pie crust, you can either cut it into strips or leave it whole, it’s up to you. 

Now it’s time to assemble your pie! At this point, the apples will have released some of their juices into the bowl you mixed them up in earlier. It’s best to use a slotted spoon to scoop the filling into your pie crust so that you leave some of the excess juice in the bowl. This will help ensure that the bottom of your pie is nice and crisp and doesn’t end up soggy.

An apple pie topped with a lattice crust and coarse sugar ready to go into the oven.

Then, just dot the filling with some small pieces of butter and decorate the top however you like. I topped this pie with a lattice topping, here is my tutorial for how to make one. You can also leave the top crust whole, but if you do I recommend cutting some slits into the pie crust so that the steam can release as it’s baking.

Once the pie is ready, whisk together the egg and milk and brush it on top, then sprinkle on the coarse sugar. The pie will bake for 20 minutes at 400°F, then you’ll reduce the temperature to 375°F (190°C) and continue baking the pie for another 35 to 40 minutes. If the top of your pie begins to brown too much before it’s done baking, simply cover it with a piece of foil until it’s finished.

Once the pie is fully baked, it’s best to let it cool completely before slicing into it. You can also serve this pie with some salted caramel sauce or a big scoop of ice cream!

A single slice of apple pie on a plate with the rest of the pie in a white dish behind it.

FAQ’s

What are the best type of apples to use?

I used a mixture of Honeycrisp and Granny Smith apples for this recipe. Some other great options are Fuji, Pink Lady, Braeburn, or Golden Delicious apples. You can use just one type of apple if you prefer, but I like to use a mix of sweet and tart apples in this pie.

How many apples will I need for this recipe?

The amount you will need will depend on the size of your apples. I find that one medium apple usually yields about 1 cup of sliced apples. Since this recipe calls for 7 cups of sliced apples, you will need about 7 medium apples or 5 to 6 large apples.

Does this pie need to be refrigerated?

It’s not necessary to refrigerate this pie, but it will help it stay fresh longer. Once the pie has cooled completely, you may cover it and store it at room temperature for 2 to 3 days. If you need to store it a day or two longer, then I recommend storing it in the refrigerator and reheating individual slices in the microwave.

Can you freeze it?

One the pie has been baked and cooled completely, you can freeze it! I recommend wrapping it tightly with plastic wrap and storing it in a large freezer bag. You may freeze the pie for 2 to 3 months and just thaw it to room temperature when you’re ready to enjoy it. 

A close up image of a single slice of apple pie showing the crust and apple layers.

Baking Tips

  • Make sure to prep your apple pie filling first, then prepare your pie crusts. This will give the sliced apples time to release their juices.
  • When slicing the apples for the filling, I recommend cutting them into 1/4-inch thick slices. It’s also best to slice the apples all the same thickness so they bake evenly in the oven.
  • When spooning the filling into the apple pie, make sure to use a slotted spoon and leave as much juice as possible in the bowl that you used to prepare the filling.

More Pie Recipes To Try

Video Tutorial

An overhead view of an apple pie with one piece removed.

Apple Pie Recipe

5 from 11 ratings
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 55 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
This classic homemade apple pie features a sweet apple filling packed inside a delicious flaky pie crust. The perfect pie for fall or Thanksgiving!
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Ingredients

Servings: 8 slices
  • 7 cups (840 grams) sliced apples (peeled, cored, and sliced into 1/4-inch slices)
  • 1 tablespoon (15 ml) fresh lemon juice
  • 1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup (50 grams) light brown sugar packed
  • 1/4 cup (32 grams) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 2 pie crusts homemade or store-bought
  • 1 tablespoon (15 grams) butter cut into pieces
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tablespoon milk
  • Coarse sugar for sprinkling on top optional

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C). Adjust your oven rack to the lower third position. 
  • Add the sliced apples and lemon juice to a large mixing bowl and toss until well combined. Set aside.
  • In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg until well combined. Pour over the sliced apples and mix until the apples are fully coated with the dry ingredients. Set aside for 15 to 20 minutes while you prep the pie crusts.
  • Roll one of the pie crusts out to about 12 inches in diameter, transfer to a 9-inch pie plate, gently fit it in the dish, and trim any excess dough from the edges. Place in the refrigerator. Roll out the second pie crust dough and either cut lattice strips, decorations or leave whole to fully top the apple pie.
  • Remove the pie plate from the refrigerator. Using a slotted spoon, scoop the filling into the pie crust (making sure to leave as much juice as possible in the bowl) and spread around into one even layer. Dot with the pieces of butter. Top with the second pie crust and decorate the edges (if topping with a full piece of pie crust, make sure to cut some slits in the top).
  • Whisk together the egg and milk until well combined. Brush on top of the pie and around the edges. Sprinkle with coarse sugar if desired.
  • Bake in the lower third of the oven at 400°F (204°C) for 20 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 375°F (190°C) and bake for an additional 35 to 40 minutes or until the top of the pie is golden brown and the filling is bubbly. Cover the edges of the pie with a pie crust shield if needed to prevent excess browning. You may also cover the top of the pie with aluminum foil to prevent it from browning too much before it's finished baking. 
  • Once the pie is done baking, remove it from the oven, and place it on a wire rack to cool completely. Once cooled, slice and enjoy!

Notes

Storing Instructions: Once the pie has cooled completely, you may cover it and store it at room temperature for 2 to 3 days. If you need to store it a day or two longer, I recommend storing it in the refrigerator. You may reheat individual slices in the microwave in 20 to 30 second intervals.
Freezing Instructions: One the pie has been baked and cooled completely, wrap tightly with plastic wrap and store it in a large freezer bag. You may freeze the pie for 2 to 3 months and thaw it to room temperature when you're ready to enjoy it.
Apples: I used a mixture of Honeycrisp and Granny Smith apples for this recipe. Some other great options are Fuji, Pink Lady, Braeburn, or Golden Delicious apples. You will need about 7 medium apples or 5 to 6 large apples.
Cuisine: American
Course: Dessert
Author: Danielle Rye
Did you make this recipe?Mention @livewellbakeoften on Instagram or tag #livewellbakeoften.