This apple pie recipe has a tender, lightly spiced apple filling and a flaky, buttery crust. Choosing the right apples is key to get a delicious apple pie with a wonderful filling and a perfect sweetness. Therefore I use a mix of different kind of apples.
A slice of warm apple pie with a cup of coffee is already very delicious. Especially when the cake is still warm, I love to serve it with vanilla ice cream or some homemade Caramel Sauce.
Tools & Equipment
- 22,9cm / 9-inch pie plate
- Colander
- Cutting board
- Food processor
- Heavy rimmed baking sheet
- Kitchen shears
- Large bowl
- Large pot
- Peeler
- Pastry brush
- Plastic wrap
- Small bowl
- Rolling pin
- Sharp knife
- Silicone spatula
- Spatula
Recipe Tips
Pie Crust: you can prepare the dough a day ahead and keep the disks in the fridge overnight.
Choice of Apples: use a mix of different apples. Choose a combination of apples that cook up firm and soft; also sour and sweet apples. When you combine them, you get a more balanced, deeper flavor. I used Granny Smith (sour, great flavor, but often lose their shape and become mushy when cooked. Therefore use max. 3 of them in one pie) and Braeburn (sweet, juicy and bakes up firmly).
Cornstarch: for a looser, juicy pie use about 30g. For a firmer filling use up to 60g of cornstarch. It also depends on the type of apples you are using.
Freezing: wrap the baked pie in plastic, press as much air out as possible. Then wrap it in a layer of foil and freeze for up to 1 month. When ready to serve, unwrap and let the pie thaw at room temperature. Warm it up in the oven at 177°C / 350°F for about 5-10 minutes.
How to Make Apple Pie
Start with the Crust
Prepare all of your ingredients. In a food processor combine 235g of the flour with sugar and salt and pulse twice to incorporate.
Spread the butter chunks evenly on the surface and pulse until no dry flour is left. The dough should just form small clumps.
Spread the dough evenly in the food processor and add the remaining flour. Pulse until the dough is just broken up.
Transfer the dough into a large bowl and sprinkle with water. Fold and press the dough with a silicone spatula until it forms a ball and divide into two halves. Form each half into a 10cm / 4-inch disk and wrap in plastic. Place in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
Make the Filling
Prepare all your ingredients. Peel, core and cut the apples into slices or cubes. Transfer into a large pot and pour boiling water directly over them. Cover and set aside for 10 minutes at room temperature.
Drain the apples well and leave them in a sieve, tossing them occasionally back and forth until completely dry. Transfer them to a large bowl, add sugar, cinnamon, salt and cornstarch and toss until the apples are evenly covered. Set aside.
For the Pie
Preheat the oven to 218°C / 425°F and place a heavy, rimmed baking sheet in the lower middle position of the oven.
Remove one disk of dough from the fridge and roll it out to a circle of 30.5 cm / 12 inches in diameter. Transfer to a pie plate.
Press the dough gently along the edges and bottom of the pan.
Spread the apple filling evenly and discard any excess juice at the bottom of the bowl.
Take the second disk out of the fridge and also roll it into a circle with a diameter of about 30.5 cm / 12 inches. Place it over the filling. Use a kitchen scissor to trim the edges of both pie crusts. Fold the edges of both pie crusts together and work all the way around until everything is well tucked in. With the index finger of your left hand and the thumb and index finger of your right hand, crimp the edges. Use a sharp knife to cut 5 slits in the top for ventilation.
Brush an even layer of lightly beaten egg white over the entire surface of the pie and sprinkle with a tablespoon of sugar.
Place the pie in the oven and bake for about 20 minutes until light golden brown. Reduce the heat to 190°C / 375°F and continue baking until it is deep golden brown, about 25 minutes longer. Remove from the oven and let it cool at room temperature for at least 2 hours.
Storage: you can keep your apple pie lightly covered in plastic or aluminium foil at room temperature for up to 3 days. ( just cover loosely so that the crust can breathe. Otherwise it loses its crispness). After that you can keep the pie in the fridge for up to 3 days. If you like, heat up the pie in the oven for 5-10 minutes at 177°C / 350°F before serving.
My Summary for Apple Pie
Difficulty: easy to intermediate.
Taste: buttery and fruity, with a perfect sweetness.
Texture: the pie crust is very crispy and the filling has a great consistency. The apples are not to soft or to firm. Just right.
PROS: the pie tastes delicious and fresh and you can store it for up to 1 week. Unless, the pie has been eaten before, obviously. In my case, it’s usually gone a lot faster.
CONS: making the pie crust for the first time can be a challenge. The butter should be cold and the dough should not be overmixed to get the best result. Rolling out the dough and folding the edges can also be a bit difficult the first time.