Homemade Apple Pie Recipe

Here is our favorite apple pie recipe, with an easy, no-fail, buttery, flaky homemade pie crust, and a filling with a mix of different types of apples, spices, vanilla, and a splash of brandy.

This apple pie is my family’s most requested pie during the holidays. I usually make two of them so we can enjoy one for leftovers. Nothing better than pie for breakfast, right?

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Watch How to Make Apple Pie

What Are the Best Apples for Apple Pie?

It’s best to use a mix of different types of apples in your pie. Some apple varieties cook up faster than others. Some cook up firm, some more soft; some apples are more tart, some more sweet.

By combining them, you’ll get a more complex, deeper flavor. Look for a combination of tart and sweet apples, and a combination of apples that cook up firm and soft. That said, some apples are better for cooking into a pie than others. I like to use:

• Granny Smith – Green and tart, Granny Smith apples have wonderful flavor, but they they often lose their shape and turn mushy when cooked. So use no more than 2 Grannies in your pie, and combine with other varieties.
• Jonagold – A cross between a Golden Delicious and a Jonathan, Jonagolds have a lovely aromatic flavor, they’re both sweet and sharp, and they hold their shape with baking.
• Fuji – Crisp, firm, juicy, balance of sweet and tart, holds its shape in baking.
• Golden Delicious – Yellow and sweet, holds its shape after baking
• Braeburn – Sweet and crisp, bakes up firm and juicy
• Cortland – Juicy and tart, relatively soft, great all purpose apple for baking.
• Honey Crisp – Honey sweet and tart flavor, crisp and juicy, holds shape in baking.
• Avoid Red Delicious apples for pies, they don’t cook well.

Simply Recipes / Annika Panikker

Make the Crust Ahead

To make apple pie, start with the crust. If you are making a homemade crust, you can make the dough a day or two ahead, and keep the dough disks chilled in the refrigerator. The dough recipe I’m recommending for this apple pie uses sour cream along with butter, and is especially delicious, flaky, and easy to make. If you would like to make an all-butter crust instead, see our All Butter Crust.

If using a store bought frozen crust, follow the directions on the crust package for working with the crust.

Tips for Making Apple Pie

• To make it easier to roll out the dough, remove the dough disks from the refrigerator 10 to 15 minutes before using.
• Always place a baking sheet under the pie to catch any juices that bubble over so they don’t land on the bottom of your oven.
• The apple pie is not done until the juices are noticeably bubbling. If you have an instant read thermometer, insert it into the center of the pie. A reading of 200°F is done.
• If the top of the pie begins to brown too much before it’s fully cooked, tent it with foil.
• Want to make a lattice crust? We can help you with that.

Simply Recipes / Annika Panikker

Best Toppings for Apple Pie

There’s nothing better than a slice of warm apple pie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, right? For something a little different, try cinnamon ice cream instead. You could also top it with homemade whipped cream or caramel sauce.

How To Store and Freeze Apple Pie

Apple pie will easily last a couple of days, lightly covered with plastic wrap or aluminum foil, on your counter at room temperature. (Keep the any wrapping loose, so the crust can breathe. Otherwise it will loose its crispness.)

After a couple days, you can keep the pie chilled for a few more days in the fridge. If you want, warm the pie in a 350°F oven for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

• To freeze the unbaked pie, wrap the assembled pie in plastic wrap, with as much air pressed out as possible. Then wrap the pie in a layer of foil; this will help keep the plastic wrap in place. Freeze for up to a month. When ready to bake, remove it from the freezer, unwrap, and place it into the oven. Bake as directed, adding on about 15 minutes to the baking time, or until the top is golden and the filling is bubbling.
• To freeze a baked pie, wrap and freeze the pie as above. When ready to serve, unwrap and let the pie thaw at room temperature. Warm it up in a 350°F oven for about 15 minutes to crisp up the top and warm the filling.

Simply Recipes / Annika Panikker

More Great Apple Pie Recipes