The Best Easy Apple Pie Recipe (2024)

This is the Best Apple Pie Recipe you will ever taste!This easy apple pie has been in our family for generations and it’s sure to please your family and friends! If you just need apple pie filling, you will also find an easy apple pie filling recipe that you can make and freeze and then just pop into a pie crust when you’re ready to make it!

The Best Easy Apple Pie Recipe (1)

This easy apple pie recipe makes the absolute best apple pie you will ever taste! Starting with a classic old-fashioned flaky pie crust and then filled with the perfect balance of sweet and apple flavors, it is the ideal pie for the most important holiday get togethers!

This apple pie recipe has been in our family for 75 yearsor more and still takes the #1 spot at any meal where it is served. This family favorite is the pie my grandmother made and my mom still makes one every year! When I first met him, my husband used to only eat chocolate pies, but after he tasted this apple pie, he started requesting it every year!

Best Apples For Apple Pie

People often ask me what are the best apples for apple pie.What kind of apples do I use? Some people are dogmatic about what kind of apples they use and will only use baking apples, like Granny Smith apples for pies. I’m not so fussy and I use whatever apples are on sale or that I happen to have on hand.

I personally don’t like the super tart taste from baking apples and I always needed to add more sugar when I used them. It also seems to take longer to bake using baking apples.

My favorite thing to do with this easy apple pie recipe is to use a couple of different kinds of apples. Don’t have a heart attack but, yes, I have used Golden Delicious apples before.

Personally, I think the best apples to use for the best apple pie are Gala apples or Envy apples and they work perfectly with our easy apple pie recipe below. One of our viewers recently suggested using Pink Lady apples for the best apple pie, but I have not tried them yet.

Also, my mom likes to dehydrate all kinds of foods for easy storage. She sometimes uses dehydrated apples for apple pies and the dehydrated apples can make the pie taste sweeter. (If you use dehydrated apples to make apple pie, you do NOT need to add more liquid to the recipe.

The Best Easy Apple Pie Recipe (2)

Here are a couple of tips before you start making your homemade apple pie:

  • No recipe is set in stone.You can make some modifications to the ingredients in this apple pie recipe to adjust to your tastes. For example, you might add more or less cinnamon or you might use all white sugar or less sugar.
    For your first try, though, I suggest that you make this easy apple pie recipe exactly as it is written and then adjust to your tastes the next time you make one.
    When people adjust things before making the apple pie recipe the way it is, I often hear, “My pie didn’t turn out well but I made it just like you said. I only changed this and this and this…” and by the time she has finished explaining, I discover that she has only used one of the original ingredients. : )
  • One of the best things I have discoveredafter years of baking pies is to cook my fruit pie filling in the microwave for 2-3 minutes first and then pour it into the crust. Two of my pet peeves about pies are soggy crusts and partially cooked apples in a pie. If you don’t partially cook the apple pie filling ahead of time, the crust will sometimes start turning too brown before the apples are done cooking. Pre-cooking the pie filling prevents overbrowning the crust.
  • If you make a mistake, it is not necessarily a disaster. Mom once made this apple pie recipe but accidentally left out the sugar. It looked beautiful but obviously didn’t taste right. We discovered that we were able to sprinkle some sugar over the top and it tasted great. My husband also found that if he put a scoop or two of ice cream on top of it, that provided plenty of sugar to give it a wonderful taste! So if you think you have made a mistake, see if you can improvise before throwing it away!

Easy Apple Pie Crust Recipe

The best pies start out with the best pie dough!Mom’s apple pie crust is light and flaky and melt in your mouth delicious! This pie crust is perfect for all kinds of pies, but I use it most for this easy apple pie recipe.

This pie dough is so much better than a store bought crust that you will wonder why you ever bought a pre-made one. It takes a little but of work but is surprisingly easier than you might think because grandma appreciated easy recipes even more than you do!

This crust has a delicious flavor with a flaky and delicate melt in your mouth consistency! It has a homemade taste that is even better than a fancy bakery pie. If you make the easy apple pie recipe according to the recipe below, this pie crust is never soggy.

The Best Easy Apple Pie Recipe (3)

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The Very Best Pie Crust Recipe

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Here’s mom’s famous homemade pie crust recipe which really is the VERY BEST! Super light and flaky, this pie crust is melt in your mouth delicious! Everyone raves about it! Make some extra to freeze and use later and you’ll cut your preparation time for your next pie!

Ingredients

Units

3 cups flour
1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 1/4 cups shortening, cold
1 egg, cold
1 Tbsp. vinegar, cold
5 Tbsp. cold water
sugar

Instructions

  1. Mix flour, salt and 2 Tbsp. sugar in a bowl.
  2. Cut in shortening with a pastry blender or 2 knives.
  3. Add egg, vinegar and 3 tablespoons water.
  4. Mix lightly with your hands. Don’t over mix. If the dough is too dry, add more water. Mix just until the dough sticks together.
  5. Divide into thirds.
  6. Roll out to make 3 pie crusts.
  7. When using the crust for the top of the pie, sprinkle sugar on top.

The crust can be frozen in slightly flattened balls and then defrosted and rolled out when ready to use. Makes 3 crusts.

Here is my best apple pie recipe and as a bonus I will give you a recipe for French apple pie.You use the French apple pie when you have only 1 crust for the bottom and need something to top it with. It is a cross between a pie and apple crisp.

The Best Easy Apple Pie Recipe (5)

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Grandma’s Easy Apple Pie Recipe

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Ingredients

67 cups of medium apples, cored, peeled and thinly sliced
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
2 Tbsp. flour
2 Tbsp. butter

Instructions

  1. Mix all of the ingredients in a large bowl except the butter.
  2. Microwave this filling mixture 2-3 minutes.
  3. Pour into the pie crust.
  4. Dot with chunks of the butter.
  5. Top with the other crust.
  6. Cut steam slits in the top crust.
  7. Sprinkle the top with sugar.
  8. Bake at 450° for 15 minutes.
  9. Then turn down to 350° and bake for 35-45 minutes, until apples are tender and juices are bubbling nicely out of the steam slits.

French Apple Pie is the same as a regular apple pie except with a different topping. If you prefer French apple pie or you’d like to try something a bit different, make the French apple pie recipe below and sprinkle it over the top of your pie instead of using a top crust.

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Easy French Apple Pie Topping

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Ingredients

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup flour

Instructions

  1. Mix ingredients in a small bowl until crumble-like.
  2. Sprinkle over the top of the apples.
  3. Bake as usual.
The Best Easy Apple Pie Recipe (7)

How to make easy homemade apple pie filling

My mom makes the best apple pie.We have always loved it. I was talking to her and asked her how she makes it taste so good. She said “I used canned apples.” HA! All this time we thought it was some great secret and it was just canned apples!

If you are like me and have fresh apples piling up everywhere,here is a recipe I love that tastes amazing and freezes really well. I keep bags of it in the freezer to pop into a pie crust when I need it. Make this apple pie filling now and have it ready for those more hectic days during the holidays when you need a quick dessert or easy apple pie.

Part of the reason canned apples sometimes taste betterfor apple pile filling is because the apples are fully cooked and nice and tender, so make sure your apples are well cooked.

This easy apple pie filling recipe can be slow cookedin a crockpot on low until apples are tender or cooked as the recipe says in a Dutch oven.

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Best Apple Pie Filling Recipe

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  • Yield: Filling for two 9 inch pies

Ingredients

9 cups baking apples (I use what I have for apples), peeled, cored & sliced
1 1/2 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 1/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup cornstarch
5 cups water
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. nutmeg

Instructions

  1. Toss apples with lemon juice and set aside.
  2. Combine the rest of the ingredients in a Dutch oven.
  3. Bring to a boil for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
  4. Add apples and return to boil.
  5. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until apples are tender (6-10 minutes).
  6. Cool for 30 minutes.
  7. Then ladle into freezer containers or bake in pies. Makes enough for two 9 inch pies.

Alternatively, you can cook in the crockpot on low for 4 hours or until apples are tender.

For more delicious pies like this easy apple pie recipe, or ideas to make pie baking easier, check out these posts:

Easy Pie Recipes! 20 Of The Best Ever Homemade Pie Recipes

Pecan Cheesecake Pie Recipe

The Very Best Homemade Pie Crust Recipe

Best Chocolate Pie Recipe Ever!

You can make EASY and delicious meals at home in less time than eating out! You’ll save a ton of money on food and your family will thank you!

Click here to get our Dining On A Dime Cookbooks 25% Off NOW! They’re filled with tasty recipes and tips to make your life easier!

The Best Easy Apple Pie Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Should you cook apples before putting them in a pie? ›

The one trick with this apple pie recipe that makes all the difference? Baking the apple slices first. It's the magic key to a crispy base, superior flavour and perfectly-cooked-and-never-mushy filling. It's also how you get a generous amount of pie filling without the dreaded giant empty cavity under the lid.

What is the best thickener for apple pie filling? ›

All-purpose flour is an easy solution, as you're sure to have it in your pantry. Since it's lower in starch, you'll use more of it than you would higher-starch thickeners. Quick-cooking tapioca makes filling bright and clear, but also gives it a stippled and somewhat sticky texture.

Is it better to prebake pie crust for apple pie? ›

You also pre-bake a pie crust for no-bake FRESH fruit filled pies. (Think fresh strawberry pie lathered in sticky glaze.) You do not need to pre-bake a pie crust for an apple pie or any baked fruit pie really, but we do freeze the dough to help it stay put.

What are the three best apples for apple pie? ›

The best apples for making apple pie
  • Braeburn. This apple is a descendant of Granny Smith, but slightly sweeter. ...
  • Cortland. ...
  • Crispin (Mutsu). ...
  • Golden Delicious. ...
  • Granny Smith. ...
  • Honeycrisp. ...
  • Jonagold or Jonathan. ...
  • Northern Spy.
Oct 8, 2021

How do you keep the bottom crust of apple pie from getting soggy? ›

Coating the inside surface of the bottom crust will create a barrier to prevent sogginess. Adding a layer of corn syrup or a slightly beaten egg white before pouring in the filling will form a seal between the pie dough and the filling and will help make the crust crisp and flaky.

How do you keep apples from getting mushy in a pie? ›

Some experts will tell you to par-cook apples before filling a pie by pouring boiling water over cut apples and soaking them for 10 minutes. Others say to roast them to reduce water content. Still, others say to let cut apples sit for 30-40 minutes to drain natural juices.

Is it better to use flour or cornstarch for apple pie? ›

Which one you use is a matter of personal preference. Cornstarch makes for a shiny, glossy filling. A little goes a long way because it has twice the gelling power of flour. Flour thickens nicely but leaves more of a matte finish.

Why add flour to apple pie filling? ›

Corn starch lends a glossy thickness and adds sheen to the filling while flour adds opacity and some mouthfeel so that it has a sort-of creaminess. With all corn starch the filling reminds me too much of store-bought pies with that gloopy clear gel-like texture and with all flour it can get too lumpy and stodgy.

Why is my apple pie filling mushy? ›

Softer apples like Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, or Macintosh break down too much in the heat of the oven, basically turning into applesauce. So avoid those, and opt for a variety that's firm and crisp like Granny Smith, Fuji, Gala, or Honeycrisp. They'll turn velvety soft while still retaining their shape.

Should you poke holes in the bottom of pie crust? ›

With docking, the holes allow steam to escape, so the crust should stay flat against the baking dish when it isn't held down by pie weights or a filling. Otherwise the crust can puff up, not only impacting appearance but also leaving you with less space for whatever filling you have planned.

How long should I prebake my pie crust? ›

Line the crust with foil, parchment, or a paper coffee filter. Fill it about two-thirds full with dried beans, uncooked rice (or other uncooked grain berries), pie weights, or granulated sugar. Bake the crust in a preheated 375°F oven for 20 minutes, set on a baking stone or steel if you have one.

Should you blind bake the bottom crust of a fruit pie? ›

If you don't blind bake the crust, the liquid from the filling will prevent the pastry from becoming flaky and crisp. You'll be left with a pie that has a soggy bottom. (It tastes just as bad as it sounds).

What kind of apples does mcdonalds use for their pies? ›

So you can put away your Granny Smiths and Red Delicious if you think you can just whip up McDonald's signature dessert at home. Instead, Mickey D's makes their pies with six different types of apples — Jonagold, Fuji, Golden Delicious, Gala, Rome, and Ida Red, all of which are homegrown in the U.S.

Can you mix different apples for apple pie? ›

The key word is “mix.” Instead of selecting one variety of apple, it's best to opt for a few, which will give the filling a more balanced and nuanced flavor. You'll want some sweet and some tart, and most should be firm enough to hold their shape when baked. No one wants a mushy pie!

Do you peel apples for apple pie? ›

Peeled apples will give you a delicately soft pie with no tough surprises, but some people argue that you lose the apple's nutritional value once the peel is removed.

Should you cook fruit before putting in pie? ›

Why you should cook your fruit filling first. The two recurring issues with pie recipes that use a raw fruit filling are a soggy lower crust and the formation of a giant air pocket between the fruit and the upper crust.

Why are the apples in my pie hard? ›

Underdone, and the apples are crunchy and the liquid is runny—the thickener doesn't have the chance to do its magic. Overdone, and the boiling juices break the crust and ooze all over the bottom of your oven, making an awful smoky mess.

How to soften apples before baking? ›

Cut apples into same-sized pieces (about ½-1” cubes). Put apples pieces into a skillet with 2 TBS water. Cover the pan and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the apples become slightly soft and water is absorbed.

How to keep apple pie from being runny? ›

Here are some tips to prevent runny apple pie.
  1. Precook the filling. ...
  2. Reduce the juice. ...
  3. Experiment with different thickeners. ...
  4. Vent the top crust. ...
  5. Try a lattice or crumb top crust. ...
  6. Bake thoroughly — and then some. ...
  7. Let the pie cool completely — preferably overnight.
Sep 19, 2018

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