Easy Apple Pie Recipe

Slice of apple pie with vanilla ice cream on a white plate.

5 from 22 votes

Easy Apple Pie Recipe

What could be better than a slice of homemade apple pie? Made with tart apples and a buttery pie crust, my double-crust pie makes the perfect apple pie and is guaranteed to become a family favorite.

Prep Time15

Cook Time55

Total Time1 10

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 456kcal

Author: Chef Dennis Littley

Equipment

deep dish pie plate

Ingredients

Pie Dough

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon table salt
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
8 oz butter chilled and cut into small cubes (1 cup = 16 tbsp)
½ cup very cold ice water

Pie filling

7 large Granny Smith apples peeled, cored, and sliced into ½ inch slices.
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup light brown sugar
2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 large large egg lightly beaten for egg wash
2 tablespoon pearl or sanding sugar -optional for decorating pie (coarse sugar can also be used)

Instructions

Pie Dough

Add the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt to the bowl of a food processor.
Pulse the dry ingredients 4 times to fully mix the ingredients.
Add the pieces of very cold butter to the dry ingredients and pulse at one-second intervals until the butter is mixed in, forming buttery pebble size pieces.
Add ¼ cup of the ice-cold water to the mixture and pulse until the dough forms a ball on the blade of the food processor.
Turn the dough out of the food processor onto a floured surface (be careful with the blade).
Divide into 2 even dough balls. Press them into discs with smooth edges, wrap them in plastic, and chill until ready to use (preferably at least an hour, up to overnight.)

Pie Filling

Place an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 400°F
Add the sliced apples, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, lemon juice, and lemon zest to a large bowl and toss to combine, coating the apple slices evenly.
Remove the pie dough from the refrigerator and let it rest at room temperature for 5-10 minutes. On a lightly floured surface, roll one disc into a 12" circle that is ⅛" thick. Carefully lay the crust into the bottom of a deep dish pie plate.
Spoon the apple pie filling over the bottom crust, discarding any juices that may have gathered in the bottom of the bowl.
Roll out the second disc of pie dough until it's ⅛" thick and lay it over the top of the apple pie filling.
Using a sharp knife, trim the edges of the pie dough along the outside of the pie plate.
Lift the edges where the two pie crusts meet and gently press them together to seal and fold them under. Rotate the pie plate and repeat this process until the edges are neatly tucked under themselves.
Cut four slits in the top of the pie dough to allow the steam to vent. Place the finished pie on a baking sheet (to catch the drippings).
Brush the top of the pie crust with the lightly whipped egg wash and sprinkle with sugar.
*Use pearl sugar, sanding sugar, or coarse sugar to top the pie crust. This step is optional.
Cover the edges of the pie crust with a pie shield or a strip of aluminum foil to keep the outer edges of the crust from over-browning.
Place the pan on the center rack of the preheated oven and bake for 25 minutes.
Carefully remove the pie from the oven and remove the pie shield. Reduce the oven temperature to 375°F and continue to bake for an additional 30-35 minutes or until the top of the pie is golden brown and the juices are bubbly.
Place the finished pie on a wire rack to cool for at least 3 hours.

Nutrition