Easy Homemade Apple Pie Recipe (2024)

Bless This Mess Recipes Desserts

By Melissa

4.97 from 27 votes

on Oct 03, 2021, Updated Sep 27, 2023

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Your go-toApple Pie Recipe using fresh apples in a homemade crust with very little added sugar.

This recipe is so simple that even the most basic cook can master this recipe the firs time. You can use any fresh apples you have and any crust you like. It’s so easy you’ll be making it every night for dinner.

Easy Homemade Apple Pie Recipe (2)

Table of Contents

  • Classic Apple Pie Recipe
  • Ingredients in apple pie:
  • How to make an apple pie from scratch:
  • Storing Leftovers:
  • Basic Apple Pie Recipe Recipe
  • If you love apple pie, you might also like these recipes:

Classic Apple Pie Recipe

A basic apple pie recipe is simple and the end results are just plain tasty. It’s a recipe that everyone should have in their collection. This apple pie doesn’t use a lot of added sugar and you don’t have to cook the apples before adding them to the crust.

This pie has about an inch or inch-and-a-half of sliced apples inside the crust, which I think is a nice amount. I think apple pies that are 3 or 4 inches high and stuffed with apples are gorgeous, but I like a more even crust-to-apple ratio myself. When you don’t have that many apples in the crust, you don’t have to precook the apples because there are a lot less in there to shrink and put out extra liquid.

Need a crust recipe to make your apple pie? I got you covered!

I wrote a huge postall about pie crust!This basic apple pie recipe is a staple in our house and I hope you love it. You can find this recipe plus SEVEN other pie recipes in one post if you are looking around for something that looks perfect for your Thanksgiving table.

Easy Homemade Apple Pie Recipe (3)

There’s something magical about pulling a pie made from scratch out of the oven. It seems to take you back to a time when life was simpler and homemade pie was standard fare in American kitchens.

Plan to take an afternoon to bake and you just might love how grounding the whole process is for you. And you’ll have a beautiful pie to enjoy after dinner or to share with friends, and that’s a pretty great reward, too.

How many apples do you need for apple pie?

You need 10 medium sized apples to make this apple pie. It has a great apple pie filling to crust ratio (not too many apples but not too few at the same time). You’ll need about 5 cups of apples total once they are sliced.

Easy Homemade Apple Pie Recipe (4)

What are the best apples to use for pies?

Try to find a firm apple to use in this recipe. I like a mix between sweet and sour apples. You can use Granny Smith, Jonathan, Jonagold, Winesap, Golden Delicious, Honey Crisp, Gala, or Rome Beauty. I used a mix between Golden Delicious and some kind of tart firm apples from our trees for this pie, and it was great. It’s very forgiving, so experiment!

  • Granny Smith –Tart, green, flavorful, and perfect for apple pie
  • Jonathan – red on yellow, bright flavor, and juicy
  • Golden Delicious –Softer, sweet, and yellow in color
  • Gala – light red, crispy, and mildly sweet

Should I let the apple pie cool before I serve it?

If you want this pie to slice nicely (and not have some of the fruit ooze out onto the pie plate after you remove a slice), then let it cool to room temperature before serving. Hot apple pie is delicious but the apples will slice and stay inside your pie if you wait. It’s up to you. Sometimes I cut into hot pie and just scoop some of the apples out of the pie plate, and sometimes I wait. It’s up to you.

Can I use a store bought pie crust?

If you don’t want to make a Perfect Pie Crust at home, a packaged pie crust will work just fine. Just brush the top with one egg white mixed with 1 tablespoon of water and give it a little sprinkle of sugar (extra chubby or sparkling sugar is really fun if you have it!)

Easy Homemade Apple Pie Recipe (5)

Ingredients in apple pie:

  • granulated sugar, only 3 tablespoons for the whole pie!
  • thinly sliced apples, it’ll take about 8-10 medium apples and you can use whatever you like or have on hand! Granny Smith apples are always a popular choice and I have wonderful Golden Delicious apples in my orchard I always use
  • just a bit of butter and cinnamon
  • Double pie crust
  • granulated or chubby sparkling sugar if you want the top to be extra pretty
Easy Homemade Apple Pie Recipe (6)

How to make an apple pie from scratch:

  1. Mix first 5 ingredients together in a medium bowl.
  2. Roll out and place an uncooked pie crust in the bottom of a deep 9-inch pie plate.
  3. Place the apple mixture in the uncooked pie shell. Place small pieces of butter on top of apple mixture.
  4. Top with second pie crust, crimp the edges, and then cut a few slits in the top crust to allow steam to vent.
  5. Mix the egg white and 1 tablespoon of water together in a small bowl and then brush the top with water and sprinkle with sugar before baking.
  6. Bake at 450 for the first 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350 and continue cooking for an additional 30 to 40 minutes.
  7. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Storing Leftovers:

If you have leftovers you can store them covered in the fridge for up to 5 days. The crust gets a little soft when it sits but I like to heat up a slice in the microwave before eating it. And my kids LOVE apple pie for breakfast so if I don’t have too much leftover I’ll just store it covered on the counter to be eaten the next morning for breakfast, sugar is a great preservative, I have no issues leaving it out overnight.

Easy Homemade Apple Pie Recipe (7)

More Pie Recipes:

  • How to Make a Lattice Pie Crust
  • Pumpkin Pie Recipe
  • Easy Homemade Cherry Pie Recipe
  • Old Fashioned Buttermilk Pie
  • North Carolina Lemon Pie

If you’ve tried thishomemade apple pie recipeor any other recipe on Bless this Mess, then don’t forget torate the recipeand leave me a comment below! I would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some pictures of it, share it with me onInstagramso I can repost on my stories AND add your photo to your comment so that other can see your creation.

Here’s a video on how to make apple pie from scratch:

Easy Homemade Apple Pie Recipe (8)

4.97 from 27 votes

Basic Apple Pie Recipe

By: Melissa Griffiths

My go-to apple pie recipe made with fresh apples! Homemade, flaky crust with juicy apple filling. Makes a delicious pie that goes perfectly with ice cream!

Prep: 15 minutes mins

Cook: 45 minutes mins

Total: 1 hour hr

Servings: 8

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Ingredients

  • about 5 cups thinly sliced apples, peeled and cored, 8-10 medium apples
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1-2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
  • Double pie crust
  • 1 egg white + 1 tablespoon water
  • granulated or chubby sparkling sugar, optional

Instructions

  • In a medium bowl add the sliced apples. Sprinkle with the sugar, flour, cinnamon, and salt and toss gently to combine well.

  • Roll out and place an uncooked pie crust in the bottom of a deep 9-inch pie plate.

  • Place the apple mixture in the uncooked pie shell. Place the small pieces of butter on top of apple mixture.

  • Top with second pie crust, crimp the edges, and then cut a few slits in the top crust to allow steam to vent.

  • Mix the egg white and 1 tablespoon of water together in a small bowl and then brush the top with water and sprinkle with sugar before baking.

  • Bake at 450 degrees F. for the first 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350 degrees F. and continue cooking for an additional 40 to 45 minutes, or until the top is golden brown.

  • If the edge of the crust starts to brown more quickly than the center, carefully cover the edge with foil for the last 15-20 minutes of baking to prevent over-browning.

  • Let the pie cool for 10 minutes before serving. Can be made ahead of time and served at room temperature.

Video

Notes

  • You’ll want to cut these apples about 1/4 inch thick.
  • Want to make a pretty lattice pie crust? Here’s how to do that!
  • Try to find a firm apple to use in this recipe. I like a mix between a sweet and sour apple. You can use Granny Smith, Jonathan, Jonagold, Winesap, Golden Delicious, Honey Crisp, Gala, or Rome Beauty. I used Golden Delicious from our trees for this pie and it was great.
  • In the world of pies, this one has a very low amount of added sugar. If you are using tart apples you might need to double the amount of sugar. Just taste and see. Feel free to add up to 1/3 cup of sugar to this recipe.
  • You can use apple pie spice in place of the cinnamon if you’d like.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 of 8 slices, Calories: 290kcal, Carbohydrates: 38g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 14g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 8mg, Sodium: 276mg, Potassium: 136mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 13g, Vitamin A: 131IU, Vitamin C: 4mg, Calcium: 17mg, Iron: 1mg

Like this recipe? Rate and comment below!

If you love apple pie, you might also like these recipes:

  • 4 Recipes for a Perfect Pie Crust(my guide on all things pie crust!)
  • Homemade Chocolate Cream Pie
  • The Best Pecan Pie Recipe
  • Easy Chicken Pumpkin Pot Pie(spoiler alert – it uses pre-made puff pastry instead of a pie crust!)
  • The Best Easy Apple Cake
  • No Bake Peanut Butter Pie Recipe
  • Blueberry Pie Cookie Bars
  • Dutch Apple Pie Recipe
  • Homemade Coconut Cream Pie
  • North Carolina Lemon Pie
  • America’s Test Kitchen’s Fresh Strawberry Pie
  • Soft Gingerbread Cookie Recipe
  • Cranberry Orange Bread
  • Caramel Apple Dip

Nothing says welcome home like a fresh pie on the counter, and this Apple Pie Recipe is just the one to try! You are going to love how easy it is to customize and how quickly it comes together. Happy pie making, friends, from my kitchen to yours!

About Melissa

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Easy Homemade Apple Pie Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Should you cook apples before putting in pie? ›

Should you cook the apples before baking apple pie? You don't have to pre-cook the filling before spooning it into the pie crust, but it's a quick step I recommend. Just 5 minutes on the stove begins the softening process, and also helps the flavors start to mingle.

What must you invent to make an apple pie from scratch? ›

Carl Sagan once quipped, “If you wish to make an apple pie from scratch, you must first invent the universe.” But finding the ultimate recipe for apple pie means answering some big questions: What is matter really made of? How did it escape annihilation in the fearsome heat of the Big Bang?

How to make an apple pie from scratch book summary? ›

Inspired by Sagan's famous line, How To Make An Apple Pie From Scratch sets out on a journey to unearth everything we know about our universe: how it started, how we found out, and what we still have left to discover . . . Will we ever be able to understand the very first moments of the world we inhabit?

What combination of apples make the best pie? ›

My best apple pie would include a combination of these three: Cortland, for flavor; Russet, for texture; and Granny Smith, for its combination of the two.

Should I Prebake the bottom crust for apple pie? ›

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. Pre-baking the pie crust is only required when making a custard pie OR when making a fresh fruit pie.

Is it better to slice or dice apples for apple pie? ›

Recipes invariably tell you to slice your apples thinly, then toss them in a bowl with sugar and spices.

What should be done to the crust before baking a fruit pie? ›

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.

How much does it cost to make an apple pie from scratch? ›

Pie is a time-honored staple of Thanksgiving around the country. U.S. consumers baking a homemade apple pie this year can expect to pay about $8.76 for the ingredients, an increase of about 19.5 percent from 2021. Prices increased for all ingredients.

What makes a good pie apple? ›

The key to making a perfect homemade apple pie is to look for an apple with sweet-tart flavor and firm texture that won't turn into applesauce after it bakes.

What is the apple pie rule? ›

Apples, Cheese, and Law

According to law firm Nicolet Law, it's often cited that Wisconsin legally requires apple pie to be served with a slice of cheese. While that's not a bad idea and does sound very Wisconsin, it's not a law. But Wisconsin did come pretty close to it back in the 1930's.

What apples should not be used for apple pie? ›

There are a few apples that don't make the cut. While great for snacking, Gala, Fuji and Red Delicious are the most common apples that won't hold up in the oven and will give you a watery-mushy pie, tart or cake.

What is the sweetest apple for pie? ›

Honeycrisp apples are known for their intense sweetness and crisp snap. They're a delicious apple to incorporate into either pie or crisp filling because they pack a bold punch in the flavor department and are neither too wet nor too firm when cooked.

What makes apples mushy in an apple pie? ›

There are two essential factors, the type of apple you choose and the cooking method. Some varieties of apple turn to mush when cooked. Macintoshes and Red Delicious are among these. Granny Smiths stay firm but are tart.

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

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

How do you keep apples from browning when making a pie? ›

Any type of citrus juice—lemon, lime, or orange juice—will work here; pineapple juice will do the trick too. These fruit juices contain citric acid, which slows the chemical reaction and prevents browning. (You can also sprinkle the fruit with powdered citric acid, but it may leave a strong sour flavor.)

How do you soften apples before baking? ›

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.

Does it matter if apples brown before baking? ›

The brown apples and the fresh apples baked up equally tender and juicy and were similar in flavor, and—surprisingly—all had pretty much the same light golden color.

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