Servings:

12

There's nothing quite like an old-fashioned apple pie. It's a comforting dessert that's just right for the holiday table or a dinner party, and makes any meal special. (Some fans even prefer this apple pie to birthday cake!) The combination of a buttery pastry crust encasing a filling of Granny Smith apples tossed with butter, sugar, and spices truly can't be beat. As the pie bakes, the kitchen is filled with the cozy smell of apples, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Then comes the hard part: waiting for the pie to cool before slicing it. To make this apple pie even sweeter, serve it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

The Best Apples for Apple Pie

There is a lot of debate about the best apples to use for an apple pie. Should you use one variety or a combination? Should you slice or dice the apples for the filling? We kept it simple with this apple pie recipe, using one readily available type of apple: Granny Smiths are tart, firm apples that hold up well to baking.

For an even better filling, swap two or three of the Granny Smiths for MacIntosh, another widely available apple. The MacIntosh has a wonderful apple flavor, but its texture is not as firm as the Granny Smith. Or try Gala or Golden Delicious in place of two or three of the Granny Smiths.

Prepping the Apples

Some apple pie recipes do not call for peeling the apples, but we peel the Granny Smiths for this pie because they have a thick skin that would not cook down nicely in the filling.
Be sure to slice the apples evenly to avoid any undercooked pieces in the filling.

Making Ahead

We do not recommend prepping the pie ahead of time as the filling would make the crust soggy. If you want to get ahead, make the crust, roll it out, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate it up to three days ahead. You can prep the apple filling up to three hours ahead.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
Pâte Brisée (Pie Dough)
12 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
¾ cup sugar, plus additional for pie top
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
½ teaspoon nutmeg
Pinch ground cloves
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large egg, beaten

Directions

Ingredients for Old Fashioned Apple Pie — Rachel Marek

Preheat oven and roll dough:

Heat oven to 375°F. On a lightly floured surface, roll out pâte brisée into two 1/8-inch-thick circles to a diameter slightly larger than that of an 11-inch plate.

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Fit dough into pie plate:

Press one pastry circle into the pie plate. Place the other circle on waxed paper, and cover with plastic wrap. Chill all pastry until firm, about 30 minutes.

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Make filling:

In a large bowl, combine apples, sugar, lemon zest and juice, spices, and flour. Toss well.

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Place filling in pie plate:

Spoon apples into pie pan. Dot with butter.

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Place remaining pastry over filling:

Cover pie with remaining pastry circle to create top crust.

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Cut vents in top crust and crimp edges:

Cut several steam vents across top. Seal by crimping edges as desired.

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Brush with beaten egg, and sprinkle with additional sugar.

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Bake:

Bake until crust is brown and juices are bubbling, about 1 hour. Let cool completely on wire rack before serving.

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Storing

Store any leftover apple pie, lightly covered, at room temperature for one to two days. After that, transfer the pie to the fridge for one to two more days if needed. Note that the longer the pie sits, the more moisture the crust absorbs and the drier the edges become.

Reheating

Tent the pie with foil to prevent further browning and reheat in a preheated 350 degrees Fahrenheit oven for about 15 minutes. This will bring back some of the freshly baked flavor.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best thickener for a fruit pie?

We use all-purpose flour as the thickener for the filling of this old-fashioned apple pie. You need to use about twice as much flour as cornstarch or tapioca for the same thickening effects, but it works well with fruits that are less juicy and naturally high in pectin—such as apples and blueberries—where you do not need to add much thickener.

Do you put an egg wash on pie crust?

Yes we do. An egg wash is a nice finishing touch before baking a pie. Brushing on beaten egg mixed with water or milk or cream helps give the pastry a glossy finish. And if you are sprinkling the crust with sugar prior to baking, the egg wash acts like a glue to hold the sugar in place.

How soon can you cut an apple pie after baking?

Apple pie needs to be cooled completely before slicing. Cutting any fruit pie that's still warm is a messy business; the filling continues to thicken as the pie cools, and if you cut it too soon it will be runny. It will take several hours for the pie to cool.