Classic Apple Pie Dessert (Printable View)
Tender spiced apples baked in a flaky buttery crust for a classic sweet dish.
# Ingredient List:
→ Crust
01 - 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
03 - 1 teaspoon salt
04 - 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
05 - 6 to 8 tablespoons ice water
→ Filling
06 - 6 cups tart apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
07 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
08 - 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
09 - 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
10 - 1 tablespoon lemon juice
11 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
12 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
13 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
14 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
→ Assembly
15 - 1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)
16 - 1 tablespoon milk
17 - 1 tablespoon coarse sugar (optional, for sprinkling)
# How to Make It:
01 - Combine flour, salt, and sugar in a large bowl. Cut in cold butter with a pastry blender or fork until coarse crumbs form. Gradually add ice water one tablespoon at a time, mixing until dough holds together. Divide dough, shape into disks, wrap, and chill for at least 1 hour.
02 - In a large bowl, toss apples with granulated sugar, brown sugar, flour, lemon juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Set aside to release juices while rolling out the dough.
03 - Heat oven to 400°F (200°C).
04 - On a lightly floured surface, roll one dough disk to fit a 9-inch pie plate. Line the plate with dough, leaving an overhang.
05 - Fill the crust with the apple mixture and dot with butter pieces.
06 - Roll out second dough disk and cover apples. Trim excess dough, crimp edges to seal, and cut slits for steam to escape.
07 - Brush beaten egg mixed with milk over crust. Optionally, sprinkle with coarse sugar.
08 - Bake at 400°F (200°C) for 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 350°F (175°C) and bake an additional 35 to 40 minutes until crust is golden and filling bubbles.
09 - Allow pie to cool on a wire rack for at least 2 hours before slicing.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- The crust is buttery and flaky enough to shatter when you cut into it, but sturdy enough to actually hold the filling together.
- Mixing Granny Smith apples with their tartness keeps the pie from tasting like dessert soup, and the spices remind you why fall exists.
- It tastes like you spent all day in the kitchen, but the actual hands-on time is surprisingly gentle.
02 -
- The most common mistake is not keeping your butter cold enough or not chilling the dough long enough; both of these are why crusts turn out tough instead of flaky, and both are easy to fix by just slowing down.
- When your filling looks juicy as you're assembling the pie, that's actually good—the apples are supposed to release liquid, and the flour in the filling will thicken it as it bakes.
03 -
- Brush your egg wash on right before the pie goes into the oven so it stays glossy and doesn't dry out during baking.
- If you're making pie on a humid day, add your ice water in smaller increments because moisture in the air affects how much liquid the flour actually needs.