This Apple Pie recipe has sweet-tart apple slices tossed with cinnamon sugar all nestled in a flaky pie crust. 

Bake and enjoy or make ahead of time; this pie freezes well either before or after baking.

plated slice of Apple Pie

Ingredients for Apple Pie

  • Pie Pastry: Start with a double crust pastry, or use a store-bought or frozen crust.
  • Apples: I love Granny Smiths for their tartness, but any firm apple will do. Feel free to mix apple types.
  • Sugar: Adjust based on your apples and taste preference.
  • Flour: Helps thicken any juices from the apples in the filling.
  • Warm Spices: Cinnamon or apple pie spice are the perfect addition to apple pie.
ingredients for an apple pie recipe

How To Make Apple Pie

This apple pie recipe really is as easy as pie!

  1. Prep Apples – To make apple pie filling, peel the apples and slice them between 1/4″-1/8″ thick. Toss them with sugar, spices, and flour per the recipe below.
  2. Roll Pie Crust – If you made homemade pie dough, roll it into a 12-inch circle (1/8 inch thick) and line a 9-inch pie plate.
  3. Fill & Bake – Fill the crust with the apple mixture and top with a second crust (or a lattice crust) and bake.
Uncooked apples and cinnamon in a pie crust

Prep Tips for a Perfect Pie

  • Peel the apples first for pie; apple peels can be chewy when baked.
  • Unlike strawberry rhubarb pie or blueberry pie, you don’t need to worry about adding tapioca or other thickening agents. Apples don’t release a lot of juices as berries do.
  • Use a whole top crust or a lattice crust. If using a full crust, cut a few slits in the crust with a knife to allow the steam to escape.
  • The pie can sometimes bubble over the top of the pie dish. Place it on a parchment-lined baking sheet to save the oven from any mess.
  • Starting the apple pie at a higher temperature keeps the crust from getting soggy.
  • Brush the crust with an egg wash to make it glossy. Add a sprinkle of sugar if you’d like.
How Long to Bake Apple Pie?

Bake homemade apple pie at 425°F for 15 minutes and then reduce the heat to 375°F for an additional 35-40 minutes or until the apples are tender and the pie crust is golden.

How Many Apples for Apple Pie?

This apple pie needs 6-7 cups of sliced apples which is about 5 medium apples.

Does Apple Pie Need to be Refrigerated?

Apple pie can be left at room temperature for about 24 hours after baking. If you will be keeping it longer than that it’s best stored in the fridge.

What Apples are Best for Apple Pie?

My preference is granny smith because they hold their shape well and have a nice sweet-tart flavor. Any firm apple will work.

Choose apples that are firm enough to hold their shape but still become tender when baked. Granny Smith is my first choice for homemade apple pie.

Other options are any combination of Braeburn, Jonagold, Honeycrisp, Golden Delicious, Northern Spy, Idared, or Pink Lady.

How Long Does Apple Pie Last?

You can keep apple pie in the fridge for up to 5 days. If you’d like to keep it longer, store it in the freezer.

Can You Freeze Apple Pie?

Like most pies, this apple pie can be frozen either before or after baking. Wrap in plastic wrap and freeze.

Apple pie on a white plate with vanilla ice cream on top

How to Freeze Apple Pie

To bake from frozen, preheat the oven to 425°F.  Place the pie on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Decrease the heat to 375°F and bake an additional 40-55 minutes or until the crust is golden and the apples are softened. If the top begins to brown too much, loosely cover it with foil.

If freezing after baking, allow the pie to thaw in the fridge overnight. It can be gently reheated in the oven.

More Perfect Pies

Did you enjoy this Apple Pie Recipe? Be sure to leave a comment and a rating below!

image of Everyday Comfort cookbook by Holly Nilsson of Spend With Pennies plus text
plated Homemade Apple Pie Recipe
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Homemade Apple Pie Recipe

 A classic apple pie recipe with tender apples in a flaky crust.
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Cool Time 30 minutes
Total Time 2 hours
Servings 8 slices
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Ingredients  

Crust

Filling

  • 6 to 7 cups sliced apples about 2 pounds
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
  • teaspoon ground nutmeg

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 425°F.
  • Peel the apples and cut them into quarters. Remove the core and slice the apples ¼-inch thick.
  • In a large bowl, combine the apple slices with lemon juice, sugar, flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg, and toss well. Set aside.
  • Roll out half of the pastry dough into a 12-inch circle. Line a 9-inch pie plate with the dough and fill it with the apple mixture.
  • Roll out the remaining dough and cover the apple filling. Pinch the edges to seal, trimming any excess. Style the edges as desired by crimping or pressing with a fork.
  • Cut 4 to 5 slits on top of the crust to allow the steam to release. Whisk the egg with 2 teaspoons of water or milk and brush over the crust.
  • Bake at 425°F for 15 minutes. Then, reduce the temperature to 375°F and continue baking for 35-40 minutes more, or until the crust is golden and the apples are tender.
  • Remove from the oven and rest for at least 30 minutes before serving. Serve with vanilla ice cream if desired.

Video

Notes

  • For easy clean-up, bake on a parchment-lined pan to catch any spills. 
  • If the crust starts to brown too much, tent with foil or use a pie crust shield to cover. 
  • Apple pie can be frozen before or after baking. Wrap in plastic and freeze for up to 6 months.
To Bake From Frozen: Bake in a preheated oven (425°F) on a rimmed baking sheet for 20 minutes. Reduce temperature to 375°F and bake another 40-55 minutes or until the crust is golden and the apples are softened.
4.97 from 152 votes

Nutrition Information

Calories: 318 | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 3mg | Sodium: 193mg | Potassium: 147mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 22g | Vitamin A: 95IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 14mg | Iron: 1.4mg

Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

Course Dessert, Pie
Cuisine American
Apple Pie on a plate with a title
Apple Pie slice with ice cream and writing
close up of Apple Pie with writing
baked Apple Pie and slice on a plate with writing

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About the author

Holly Nilsson is the creator of Spend With Pennies, where she creates easy, comforting recipes made for real life. With a passion for nostalgic flavors and simplified techniques, Holly helps busy home cooks create delicious meals that always work. She is also the author of “Everyday Comfort,” which promises to inspire even more hearty, home-cooked meals.
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Comments

  1. Loved the ease of making this apple pie. I did not use a top crust at all. I sprinkled the sugar, flour, cinnamon mixture on a sliced apple and arranged it in a layer in the crust. I repeated until I was happy with the amount of apples. Arranging the apple slices in layers makes it attractive.5 stars

  2. I made this but it’s missing something. It was good, but I feel like it could be tastier. Brown sugar maybe? Not sure4 stars

    1. Brown sugar sounds like a delicious addition! We would love to hear how it turns out for you, Deana.

    1. I haven’t tried diced in this recipe so I can’t say for sure how it would affect the cook time Lexi. If you try it I would love to hear how it turns out!

    1. Oh no! I am sorry to hear that Sandi. Did you make sure your apples were sliced thin enough? I slice them between 1/4″-1/8″ thick. If it needed to be baked a little further but the crust was getting too brown, you could cover the edges with foil or a pie crust shield. I hope this helps!

      1. Yes, exactly! Same thing happened to me. I did not slice the apples 1/8″ and that was why the pie crust cooked and all but the apples were crunchy. I would not recommend dicing apples for the same reason. But I learned what went wrong and make sure they are sliced thin. I like a little extra spice so put in a sprinkling of ground clove. Added a touch more cinnamon to mine as well. And I also used both Granny Smith and Pink Lady apples. I used 1/4 C. white sugar and 1/4 C. densly packed dark brown sugar. Just my preference. Great recipe. Marie Callendar’s frozen crust as well.5 stars

  3. Question : I want to make this, but want to freeze it for Thanksgiving 2022. Should I cut slits in top crust, do egg wash and sugar before freezing so it will be completely ready to bake from frozen ? I’ve never made an Apple Pie before, but it’s my families favorite. Please help me to please my family. Thanks !!!

    1. Hi Barb, this pie freezes well. I would fully prepare then freeze the pie. To bake from frozen, preheat the oven to 425°F. Place the pie on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Decrease the heat to 375°F and bake an additional 40-55 minutes or until the crust is golden and the apples are softened. If the top begins to brown too much, loosely cover it with foil.

  4. my recipe is similar to this. the problem I have been having is the bottom crust does not cook. what could I be doing wrong. I use the same cook time as is in the recipe.

    1. Do you also do a two-temp baking Dianne? I start at 425°F and then reduce to 375°F. Additionally, are you using a lattice crust or whole top crust? If you’re using a whole top crust are you cutting in enough slits to allow the steam to escape properly?

  5. This recipe was perfect! Not too sweet and worked with store bought pillsbury crust. Used Macintosh and was great. Thank you!5 stars

  6. Hello Holly, LOVE your recipes! Quick question: How would your pre-made recipe for Apple Pie filling be used in this recipe as opposed to uncooked apples? Thanks in advance!5 stars

  7. My go-to classic apple pie recipe. Very simple to make and less sugar than other recipes so apple flavor can take center stage, as it should! Apple pie is my husband’s favorite and he loves this version!5 stars

      1. Hi TC, you’ll find information about the best apples to use in the post in the section The Best Apples for Pie. My personal favorite is Granny Smith. Enjoy the pie!

  8. We only used the apple filling part of the recipe with a pre-mixed pastry mix, but the filling was AMAZING and the top of the pastry tasted fantastic too!!5 stars