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Mastering the best apple pie isn’t just about the recipe. It has a great deal to do with technique and a little to do with baking science. Learn all of the ins and outs of how to create the best apple pie from scratch!

a slice of apple pie with vanilla ice cream on top

Overview

There are endless apple pie recipes out there and the world doesn’t need another one. But what the world does need is a very detailed look at apple pie execution and a guide to mastering it.

I have made apple pie after apple pie in the last few weeks in order to prepare for this article. I have read numerous apple pie recipes, tips, consulted all of the experts I could think of. And today, I am here to challenge you to master the best apple pie!

a whole apple pie before slicing

Why this is the best apple pie recipe

  • The crust! My perfect all-purpose pie crust is flaky, salty, and the perfect component to pair with sweet apple filling.
  • The filling! My best apple pie is filled with a combination of sweet and tart apples, warming spices, and fresh lemon juice all baked to perfection.
  • The tips! In this article, I will break down the components and ingredients, tips for making them perfect, and troubleshooting help.

It Starts with the Crust

2 pie doughs wrapped in plastic wrap

Now you might be thinking to yourself, “doesn’t the best apple pie start with the apples?“. The answer is no, it does not. Pie crust is absolute key to good apple pie, or any pie really. The apples are extremely important, and we will get there, but the crust is what we are mastering first.

In my journey to mastering the best apple pie, I got a little side tracked with pie crust. I hadn’t considered how vast the topic was until I started writing about it and quickly realized it needed its own article.

If you are a little shaky with your crust making skills, I highly suggest heading over to my Complete Guide for How to Make Pie Crust. This thorough article will give you confidence and set you up for success in making the best apple pie!

Double Crust vs. Crumb Crust

The type of pie I’m teaching you how to make today is an American apple pie meaning that it is covered by a top crust. Another common type of apple pie is called Dutch Apple Pie which has a streusel crumb topping. If you’d prefer a streusel topping, head over to my Dutch Pear Pie and swap the pears for apples.

How to Make a Double Pie Crust

The double crust for this pie is all about the flakiness. You want to be very gentle when working with your crust to avoid creating a tough pastry. This will give you the perfect structure for the filling of your apple pie.

The best apple pie crust, in my opinion, is a slightly salty crust with mostly butter and a little bit of shortening for extra flakiness. The butter helps the crust literally melt in your mouth and the saltiness balances out the sweetness of the filling.

Watch the video!

Watch the video below to see exactly how to make perfect pie dough, how to roll and shape the bottom crust, and how to make a lattice top crust.

The Best Apples for Apple Pie

With seemingly endless varieties of apples to choose from, it is important to note that not all apples work for apple pie.

In preparation for this recipe, I actually took a day to test a wide variety of apples to see how well they work for apple pie filling. To see my apple testing results, check out my Best Apples for Apple Pie article.

It’s my firm belief that what makes something “the best” or “perfect” has mostly to do with personal preference. Some people believe that apple pie should only be made with apples that hold their shape while others actually prefer a very soft apple filling. I personally lean heavier on the apples that hold their shape.

Pie Apple Varieties

I suggest thinking about what perfect apple pie tastes like to you. Is it very tart, very sweet, or balanced between the two? Do you only want firm apples, do you like a soft filling, or do you want a balance of both textures?

Use the guide below to help you pick apples for your perfect pie. It’s important to take note of not only what you personally prefer but also what is in season. Not all apple varieties are available at all times and in every region.

Firm Pie Apple Options

  • Granny Smith
  • Honeycrisp
  • Cortland
  • Winesap
  • Northern Spy

Soft Pie Apple Options

  • McIntosh
  • Golden Delicious (does hold shape but becomes very soft)
  • Braeburn (holds its shape but becomes soft)
  • Jonathon

Tart Pie Apple Options

  • Granny Smith (very tart and citrus-y)
  • Honeycrisp (some sweetness to balance)
  • Cortland
  • Winesap (good balance of sweet and sour)

Sweet Pie Apple Options

  • McIntosh
  • Golden Delicious
  • Winesap (good balance of sweet & sour)
  • Jonathon
  • Northern Spy

My Favorite Mix

Unbaked pie filling

I personally love a pie filling that is more on the tart side with a strong apple flavor. My favorite combination is Granny Smith and Honeycrisp. Granny Smith and Honeycrisp hold their shape well and are both tart although, Honeycrisp balances out the tartness of Granny Smith.

If Honeycrisp aren’t available then I will use Golden Delicious.

The Best Apple Pie Filling

Once you have chosen your apples, it is time to combine them with your other filling ingredients. Again, creating your very best apple pie depends greatly on your preferences. I love a stronger molasses flavor with my apples so I always opt to use dark brown sugar. But if you prefer a more subtle molasses flavor, you can stick with light brown sugar or none at all and use granulated sugar.

In my opinion, the only must-have spice in apple pie is cinnamon. The rest of the spices are up to you! My favorite combination is cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. I also sometimes like to throw in a dash of cardamom. It is such a wonderful compliment to the cinnamon and gives a really nice depth of flavor.

If you like a more traditional apple pie flavor, you can also use allspice, nutmeg, and cloves. I highly recommend not overdoing spices in apple pie. If you have picked out a good variety of apples that meet your expectations for what the best apple pie should taste like, let them shine!

Common Issues and how to troubleshoot

a closeup of the inside of an apple pie

Preventing Pie Gap

One of the dreaded challenges of making apple pie, or any double crust pie, is how to prevent the filling from shrinking so much that there is a large gap between the crust and the filling once baked.

Most of the challenges with the pie gap occur due to the type of apple used. Some of the best apples for pie shrink quite a bit in the oven while others tend to hold their shape. One of the more common pie apples, McIntosh, shrinks a great deal in the oven but don’t let that stop you from using them in your pie!

Here are some tips for preventing the pie gap.

Macerating the Apples

In all of my apple pie research, I looked to many experts for their knowledge so that I could truly master this skill. One of my favorite lessons I learned was from Rose Levy Beranbaum. In her apple pie recipe, she instructs you to combine the apples with the sugar so that they will release their juices before they go into the crust. This liquid is then cooked down on the stovetop to thicken and added back to the apples before filling the pie.

The apples shrink as they release their juices so this is a way to jump start that process so they don’t shrink quite as much once they hit the oven.

If you don’t plan to cook the apple filling beforehand, and not how I instruct in my apple pie recipe below, then it’s important not to combine the apples with the sugar long before adding to the filling. You don’t want too much liquid to be drawn out before it goes in the oven.

Baking Science Fact: Sugar is hygroscopic meaning it pulls in moisture. When sugar is mixed with fruit, it absorbs the moisture on the outside of the fruit and in return the fruit releases the moisture it is holding inside through the process of osmosis.

Use a Crust Recipe with Butter

If you have opted for apples that will become soft, this means they will shrink and you might need to really pay attention to the pie gap possibility. One of the ways you can help this is to intentionally make your top crust shrink.

If you have studied my Complete Guide for How to Make Pie Crust, then you know that a crust with butter will shrink more than a crust made with lard or shortening. However, in this case shrinking of the top crust will work in your favor to help reduce the pie gap.

Butter has a lower melting point (about 90°F/ 32°C) compared to lard and shortening and therefore, it will melt faster in the oven and cause the crust to shrink. This would help a pie with apples that do not hold their shape well because the crust will more easily follow the shape of the filling.

For my perfect crust, I like to use a combination of mostly butter and a little bit of shortening.

Stretch the Top Crust Slightly

If you are using apples that become soft in the oven, then it is also beneficial for you to pull the top crust a little tighter over the filling. Don’t do this too aggressively but applying a little tension to the top crust when you are covering the filling will cause the gluten strands to retract in the oven and allow the top crust to shrink.

Venting the Crust

If you are using a full top crust (and not a lattice crust that it naturally vented), make sure to vent the crust. The reasoning we do this is not solely for the purpose of letting out steam (which is important) so the crust doesn’t pop open. It also allows the crust to have some ability to move with the filling instead of puffing up into a dome.

Vent by cutting slits into the top crust before putting it into the oven. You can simply add a few lines or use the lines to form a decorative pattern. I like to use a small but sharp paring knife.

Preventing a Soggy Bottom Crust

Nothing would be worse with your apple pie endeavor than going through all the trouble of making one, cutting into it, and discovering a soggy bottom! So let’s review how to prevent a soggy bottom crust.

Bake on a Preheated Surface

Position your oven rack in the bottom third of the oven. This is usually the bottom rung. Place either a sheet pan or a baking stone inside to preheat with the oven. If you have the time, it’s ideal for your oven and the baking surface to preheat for at least 45 minutes. This can happen while you prepare the pie.

When ready, put the pie directly onto the hot surface. The bottom of the crust, which will take the longest to cook, will immediately start cooking. The bottom position of the oven will also keep the bottom of the crust in closer contact to the heat source.

Prolonged Baking Time

Here’s where the real secret lies with preventing a soggy crust: you need to bake it longer! A fruit pie can take a long time to bake and to make sure the crust is really done on the bottom, it needs much longer than you might think. If in doubt, leave it in the oven. Apple pie, with it’s jam-like filling, can stand up to a very long baking time.

If you are a new pie baker and still don’t quite have the feel for when your pie might be done, I highly suggest baking your pie in a glass pie plate. This way you can peek underneath it when you pull it out to see if it is done.

Cover the top crust with a piece of foil if it is getting too dark.

a whole apple pie before slicing

MORE RECIPES FROM BAKER BETTIE!

If you loved this recipe, you might like to try these other pie recipes.

You might also like to try these other delicious apple recipes.

a slice of apple pie with vanilla ice cream on top
Yield: 8 servings

The Best Apple Pie

Prep Time 2 hours
Cook Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time 3 hours 15 minutes

Follow this detailed recipe to make the very best apple pie from scratch. This recipe details all of the techniques needed to master the perfect apple pie! 

NOTE: I highly recommend reading this recipe in it's entirety several times before starting the pie. There are multiple moving parts and it will set you up for success to have a full understanding of the recipe!

Ingredients

For the double crust (or use 2 store-bought crusts)

  • 360 grams (3 cups) all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 170 grams (12 tablespoons, 1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, cold and cut into small pieces
  • 60 grams (5 tablespoons) shortening
  • 114-168 grams (8-12 tablespoons, 120-180 milliliters) ice water

For the filling

  • 900 grams (2 pounds) sliced apples (peeled, this is the weight of the fruit actually going in the pie. Make sure to account for extra weight when purchasing as the core will be discarded. I recommend a combination of tart and sweet apples. I am using Granny Smith and Honeycrisp.)
  • 100 grams (½ cup) granulated sugar or brown sugar
  • 30 grams (¼ cup) cornstarch
  • 1 ½ teaspoons apple pie spice *see note for substitution
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 30 grams (2 tablespoons) lemon juice, from about 1 medium lemon
  • 28 grams (2 tablespoons) butter, cut into small pieces

Instructions

Make the pie crusts

PREP

  1. Measure out all of the ingredients for the double pie crust.
  2. Cut the butter (170 grams/ 12 tablespoons) into small pieces, about ½-inch (1 cm) size. Make sure it is very cold. If it has started to warm up, you can place it in the freezer for a few minutes before starting.

Make the dough

  1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour (360 grams/ 3 cups), and salt (1 teaspoon).
  2. Add the shortening (60 grams/ 5 tablespoons) and cold butter to the bowl and toss with your hands so all of the fat is coated with flour. Continue working the fat through the flour until all of the fat has been worked through and ranges in size from peas to walnuts throughout. 
  3. Add the ice water little by little into the mixture starting with the smaller amount listed (114 grams/ 8 tablespoons). Fold the mixture gently with a silicone spatula to incorporate. Use a light hand to slowly hydrate the flour as you add more water. You may not need all of the water. Once large clumps of dough start forming, gather the dough up and press it together. If it crumbles then you need to add a little more water. If it holds together then you are ready to chill the dough. 
  4. Bring the dough together on your counter and press into one mass and knead very gently for one or two turns to bring it into a cohesive dough. Divide it in half. 
  5. Press each piece of dough flat into a round disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill in the refrigerator for a minimum of 30 minutes, but preferably an hour, to allow the gluten to relax and the flour to fully hydrate. 
  6. Take out 1 crust, lightly flour a clean work surface and place on top. Lightly flour the top of the dough and your rolling pin. As you roll the dough, lift it up, turn it, and redistribute flour underneath it every few rolls to prevent sticking. Roll the dough out to about 1 ½ - 2-inches (4 -5 cm) wider than your pie dish all the way around. This is important so that your dough doesn’t need to stretch to fit down into the plate, which can cause it to shrink.
  7. Set the rolling pin in the middle and fold the dough in half over the rolling pin. Gently transfer it into the pie plate, unrolling it off the rolling pin. 
  8. Lift up on the sides of the crust to allow it to fall naturally into the pie plate without having to stretch it. Do not crimp the edges and place back in the refrigerator.

Prep the oven

  1. Position an oven rack in the bottom third of the oven and place a sheet pan or baking stone inside to preheat. The pie will bake on the preheated surface which will prevent a soggy crust. 
  2. Preheat the oven to 400°F/205°C. 

Make the filling

  1. Prepare the apples by peeling and coring them. Slice them to about ¼-inch (0.6 cm) thick. You should have 900 grams (2 pounds). 
  2. Combine the apple slices, sugar (100 grams/ ½ cup), cornstarch (30 grams/ ¼ cup), apple pie spice (1 ½ teaspoons), salt (¼ teaspoon), and lemon juice (30 grams/ 2 tablespoons). Gently stir with a spoon or spatula until everything is evenly incorporated. 
  3. Add the filling to your pie plate with your raw bottom crust. Dot the butter (28 grams/ 2 tablespoons) all around the top of the filling.

Roll out the lattice top crust

  1. Take out the 2nd dough from the refrigerator. If it's too cold to roll, let it sit out for a few minutes. Roll the dough out to about 1-inch (2.5 cm) wider than your pie dish all the way around and about ⅛-inch thick.
  2. Cut the dough into strips that are equal in width- about 1-inch (2.5 cm) each. 
  3. Take every other strip and lay them going one direction over your filled pie, spaced about 1-inch (3 cm) apart. 
  4. Fold every other strip half way back, and lay a strip of dough down the center of the pie, going the opposite direction.
  5. Unfold the pieces of dough back down over the new piece. Now fold back the other pieces that were not folded back the first time. Lay another piece of dough over the filling. 
  6. Repeat this process until you have the top covered with woven pieces of dough. 
  7. Trim the edges of your dough to about ½-inch wider than your pie plate. Fold the edge under all the way around, pressing to seal the top and bottom crust together. 
  8. Crimp as you would with a single crust. 
  9. Brush with an egg wash and sprinkle with granulated sugar if desired.

BAKE

  1. Place the pie on a sheet pan lined with foil (to catch any spillage) and place it on the preheated surface. Bake at 400°F/205°C for 30 minutes then turn down the heat to 350°F/175°C and bake for an additional 20-35 minutes until the filling is rapidly bubbling in the center, not just on the edges. Watch the crust and lay a piece of foil over the top of the pie once it is finished browning, usually around the 45 minute mark.
  2. Remove from the oven to a cooling rack and let cool for a minimum of 3 hours before slicing to allow the filling to thicken. 
  3. Apple pie can be stored covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. 

Notes

*You can make homemade apple pie spice if you do not have any on hand or substitute with 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ground ginger, and ¼ teaspoon nutmeg.

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© Bettie
Category: All Recipes