Autumn is here...the leaves are falling, the air is crisp, and goodies are baking in the oven. Thereβs no better time of year than now to make the world's best apple pie, from scratch. Now, this may sound ambitious, but I assure you, itβs easy as pie!
This is actually my favorite pie to make, not only because it's so delicious, but also because it's the easiest!
While one-crust apple pies have their merits, my favorite is a two-crust apple pie, piled high with fresh fall apples, with the top crust finished with a sugary crunch like you'll find on a good bakery pastry.
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π€ The best apples for an apple pie
Letβs start with the most obvious ingredient for your apple pie...the apples! There are so many different types to choose from, but my recommendation is that the best apples for an apple pie are the ones you like the best, whether thatβs Macintosh, Granny Smith, Gala, or our personal favorite, Macoun. For a pie, I like to mix it up and use mostly sweet apples mixed with a few tart ones, like Granny Smith.
Fall is a beautiful time of year to be outside, so find a local apple orchard and go apple picking! Youβll not only discover delicious new varieties, but the prices are comparable to the supermarket. Plus, you can even taste-test while youβre among the rows of trees (shhh, you didnβt hear that from me!)
When you get back home from your beautiful adventure outdoors, itβs time to make the crust. Of course you can always use a pre-made or frozen crust from the supermarket, but thereβs nothing like a homemade crust (not to mention bragging rights...your friends will be seriously impressed by this).
π§Ύ Ingredients
Pie crust
- All purpose flour
- Salt
- Granulated sugar
- Unsalted butter, cut into pea-sized pieces
- Ice water
- Extra butter for greasing pie pan
Apple pie filling
- Apples
- Granulated sugar
- All purpose flour
- Unsalted butter
- Cinnamon
- Nutmeg
Pie topping
- Egg
- Heavy cream
- Coarse sugar
See the recipe card below for full list of ingredients and their measurements.
π§ Pie crust
The crust I use is a basic butter crust. You can mix this all by hand if you like, but I prefer to use a food processor...it makes short work of mixing up the dough.
To begin, simply mix together the flour, salt, and sugar in a food processor.
Next, add in the cold pieces of butter and briefly pulse a few times to mix them in, just until they're covered with the flour mixture.
Lastly, gradually add the ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time until it all starts to stick together without crumbling apart.
If you went a little overboard with the water and it gets too sticky, just add a little more flour until it gets to the right consistency (not sticking to your hands but not crumbling apart either).
Separate the dough into two equal balls. Wrap each ball in plastic wrap and place in the fridge for up to an hour.
π Apple pie filling
I know, I know, those apples look so beautiful, but theyβre going to taste even more wonderful in your apple pie, so itβs time to slice them up! The easiest way to do this is to use a 3-in-1 apple slicer, corer, and peeler. It does all the hard work for you in a snap!
Once thatβs done, break the spirals apart with your hands or a knife and throw them all into a bowl.
Toss on some sugar, flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg (freshly ground is amazing!).
Now let the messy part commence: Toss the whole concoction together with your hands, then lick your fingers...yummy goodness!
At this point, preheat your oven to 425β.
π₯ Rolling out the dough
Take the dough out of the fridge after about 45 minutes. Iβve found that if you leave it in there longer than that, it gets brittle and crumbly. Simply toss some flour on the countertop and over your rolling pin and get rolling!
Working quickly, roll out one at a time and leave the other ball in the fridge, so the butter in the dough doesnβt get too warm in the meantime.
As you roll it out, youβll notice those little pats of butter here and there throughout. This is going to make your dough so flaky and rich at the same time! Can you believe youβre doing this? I know, right!
π₯£ Putting it all together
Place the bottom crust in a lightly greased pie pan and dump all that apple-y goodness inside.
Place a few pats of butter on top of it all and then your top crust goes on top. Slice a few steam vents on top and create whatever artistic edge youβd like on your pie crust.
Brush the top with an egg wash (beat one egg and a splash of cream and brush it all over the top crust).
The final step is to cover the top of the pie with a crazy amount of coarse sugar, which you can find at a bulk spice store (this gives the crust that crunchy sweet goodness that you thought only fancy bakeries could accomplish!)
β²οΈ Baking
Bake your apple pie for 40 to 50 minutes or until it smells so delicious you can't take it anymore...the nose knows!
π½ Serving
Whip up some homemade whipped cream while youβre waiting for the pie to bake.
Now youβre ready to serve a little slice of apple pie with a mountain of whipped creamβ¦or is it just me who does that?
Enjoy the deliciousness and revel in the pride that you did this!
Looking for more great dessert recipes? Check out a few of our favorites now!
- Mom's Jewish Apple Cake Recipe
- Mini Apple-Pear Pies
- Peach Upside-Down Cake
- Homemade Cinnamon Rolls
- Easy Fudge Recipe
- Chocolate Cake in a Mug (ready to eat in 5 minutes!)
- Pumpkin Cheesecake
- Quick & Easy Blueberry Crisp
- Sour Cream Coffee Cake
- Mom's Best Chocolate Chip Cookies
Did you make my World's Best Apple Pie recipe? Let us know in the comments below!
π Recipe
World's Best Apple Pie
Ingredients
Pie Crust
- 2 Β½ cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into pea-sized pieces
- Ice water
- Extra butter for greasing pie pan
Apple Pie Filling
- 6 to 7 apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ΒΌ cup all purpose flour
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 Β½ teaspoons cinnamon
- ΒΌ teaspoon nutmeg
Topping
- 1 large egg
- Splash of cream
- Coarse sugar
Instructions
Pie Crust
- To begin, simply mix together the flour, salt, and sugar in a food processor.Β
- Next, add in the cold pieces of butter and briefly pulse a few times to mix them in, just until theyβre covered with the flour mixture.Β
- Lastly, gradually add the ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time until it all starts to stick together without crumbling apart.Β
- Separate the dough into 2 equal balls. Wrap each ball in plastic wrap and place in the fridge for up to an hour.
Apple Pie Filling
- Place apple slices in a bowl and toss with sugar, flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
- Toss everything together with your hands
- At this point, preheat your oven to 425β.
Rolling Out the Dough
- Take the dough out of the fridge after about 45 minutes.Β
- On a lightly floured surface, working quickly, roll out one at a time and leave the other ball in the fridge, so the butter in the dough doesnβt get too warm in the meantime.Β
Putting It All Together
- Place the bottom crust in a lightly greased pie pan and dump all that apple-y goodness inside.
- Place a few pats of butter on top of it all and then your top crust goes on top. Slice a few steam vents on top and create whatever artistic edge youβd like on your pie crust.
- Brush the top with an egg wash (beat one egg and a splash of cream and brush it all over the top crust).Β
- The final step is to cover the top of the pie with aΒ crazyΒ amount of coarse sugar, which you can find at a bulk spice store.
- Bake your apple pie for 40 to 50 minutes or until it smells so delicious you canβt take it anymoreβ¦the nose knows!
- Serve with ice cream or homemade whipped cream.
Notes
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Savannah
Ok, this really is my favorite apple pie. I made it for Thanksgiving too and everyone was asking me for the recipe!
maplewoodroad
Oh, that makes me so happy! Thanks so much for letting us know and so glad you all enjoyed it! π