The BEST Classic Apple Pie (with expert tips!)

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Nothing smells like a warm hug more than a freshly baked pie and my recipe for The Best Classic Apple Pie is so easy and foolproof that you will want to make it all year round. I don't make apple pie often enough, and when I make one I am reminded of just how good it is. The way it smells as it bakes, and the combination of buttery flaky pastry with spiced stewed apples... Cinnamon and nutmeg are non-negotiable. They do things to apples in pie that trigger the most soothing emotions and create an entirely new flavor experience. A great crust is the foundation of an outstanding pie. If you feel like amping your pie game then check out my detailed article on How to Make Flaky Pie Crust.

side view of best apple pie slice on plate with fork and lattice crust

SHOULD I USE CORN STARCH OR FLOUR TO THICKEN APPLE PIE?

Here's the debate: Should you use corn starch or flour to thicken the filling? The answer is: both! I prefer a blend of equal parts corn starch and flour. 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. A blend is best. Corn starch also needs to reach boiling to thicken to its fullest capacity whereas flour will set the filling sooner so that there is less leakage.

WHAT TYPE OF APPLES ARE BEST FOR APPLE PIE?

The best apples for making pie are medium-firm tart apples. I prefer Granny Smith. Sometimes I use a blend of Granny Smith and Braeburn or Empire, but really a whole bunch of those bright green tart apples is my choice. And apple pie doesn't need that much sugar - just ½ cup in total is plenty for 2 ½ to 3 lbs of apples. Even for tart apples like Grannies! It's when the tartness is balanced by the sugar that makes this filling stand out. No need for lemon juice here. Just apples, white sugar, brown sugar and spice.

top view of best apple pie with slice on a plate

INGREDIENTS FOR BEST APPLE PIE

Here are notes of some of the key ingredients. For a full list of ingredients, see the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

All purpose flour - regular unbleached all-purpose flour works wonderfully for pie crust. It makes a nice flaky crust and the correct technique means it will also be tender. If you wish for even more tenderness, you can replace half of the flour with pastry flour that has a lower protein content, but I find AP flour works great.
Butter - I love making pastry with all butter. I also make pie dough with half lard or shortening sometimes because it does give you the flakiest texture, but with the right technique you can get ultra flakiness with all butter. Then you also get the bonus of so much delicious buttery flavor. Use unsalted butter so that you can control the amount of salt that you add, although I am not opposed to using salted butter. You will certainly need to reduce the salt by quite a bit in this case.
Granulated sugar - simple granulated sugar adds the right amount of tenderness and sweetness to the crust.
Brown sugar - you can use light brown or dark brown sugar for the filling, and I really like dark brown sugar when baking with apples for the extra molasses flavor that it brings. Dark brown sugar has twice as much molasses as light brown sugar.
Spices - cinnamon and nutmeg are the classic spices used for apple pie and it will make your house smell incredible!
Apples - thinly slice your favorite tart apples for the filling. For baking, I recommend Granny Smith, Ida Red, Royal Gala, Pink Lady or Braeburn.
Corn starch - a blend of starch and flour makes the perfect thickness for the filling. Cornstarch adds gloss and strong thickening power while flour helps create opacity for more of an 'applesauce' type of consistency with the juices.

EXPERT BAKING TIPS FOR BEST APPLE PIE

Use cold butter and cold water for the pastry. Cold ingredients will help with flakiness and also reduce the chances of gluten formation when water comes into contact with flour. This will ensure a tender crust.
Blend a fraction of butter into the flour so it is well incorporated. This creates tenderness as the fat coats the flour particles to prevent excessive moisture absorption which limits gluten formation. The result is a "short" texture which is a baking term for tenderness as it relates to a "short bite", meaning that you don't need to pull much to break off a piece.
Blend the remaining fat into larger, flattened pieces. This creates flakiness as the flattened pieces of fat will become laminated into the dough to create layers of dough with fat in between that will separate them and create flakes.
Slice cold butter into thin sheets. This is my favorite technique for pie crust. I take a block of butter straight from the fridge and use a small sharp serrated knife to slice it thinly. This creates cold sheets of fat that you can easily and quickly work into the flour so that it doesn't get too warm from your hands. The thin pieces also help create a laminated effect for extra flakiness.
Do not over-mix the pie dough. Over-working the dough will activate gluten which will make the dough more stretchy and tough. You only need to fold the dough over itself once or twice and then press and compress it together. Do not knead.
Peel the apples. I know it's a bit of extra work, but it really makes a difference. The apples will cook more evenly and softer if peeled and they will also have a nicer texture since the peels can be kind of chewy and tough.
Fit the apples into the crust snuggly. The apples will shrivel as they cook down during baking and if there are a lot of gaps to begin with, then that means that the level of cooked filling will be much lower than how it started and there will be a wide open space between the filling and the top crust in the finished baked pie.
Cut slits in the top crust for venting. It's important to allow steam to escape since there is so much moisture in the apples which will accumulate under the crust. Vents will allow the crust to bake down against the apples to prevent that gap and also help with keeping it crisp.
Bake very hot for the first few minutes. This will help to set the crust especially on the bottom to minimize chances of sogginess. High temperatures will help with flakiness as well.
Tent the pie with foil if browning too quickly. If the top crust is already very brown and the filling still hasn't started bubbling, place a large piece of aluminum foil over the pie to protect it from direct heat as the pie continues to bake.
Do not under-bake. Bake 5-10 minutes longer than you think. A pie is truly ready when the crust is nicely golden and even singed around the edges with a browned bottom and bubbling juices.

best apple pie slice on plate with fork and lattice crust

HOW TO MAKE FLAKY PIE CRUST FOR THE BEST APPLE PIE

You can read my full article for all the details on how to make perfect pie crust. To summarize you want to follow these simple rules:

1) Use cold fat
2) Slice a block of cold butter into thin sheets
3) Keep your hands cold
4) Make the bowl cold by placing it in the freezer for 5-10 minutes
5) Keep the liquid ice cold
6) But, have your oven hot. Start at 425 degrees F
7) Add the water gradually and stop once the mixture holds together in clumps when squeezed. Do not add TOO much liquid as it will encourage gluten formation and make a dense, pasty, doughy crust.

If you want to brush up on your pastry skills, here's all you need to know:
How to make the very Best Flaky Pie Crust.

RECIPE FAQ

What baking dish should I use for the best apple pie?

This doesn't normally seem important, but it will affect your baking time. I always recommend baking pies in glass pie dishes or aluminum pans. You may have lovely decorative ceramic pie plates that will present beautifully to the table, and by all means use them! Just note that it may take 10-20 minutes longer for your pie to bake and you will definitely want to use very high heat at the beginning to seal in that crust (especially the bottom crust). If you have a bottom heating element in your oven, place the pie on the lower-third rack. Ceramic is a great insulator so it will keep your pie warm for longer, but this also means it takes longer to heat through.

Do I need to refrigerate pie dough?

It is absolutely crucial to rest the dough in the fridge for at least 2 hours. This serves a few purposes:
1) It makes the dough easier to handle and roll out smoothly.
2) It allows the flour to hydrate evenly and pick up the little amount of liquid that is in the mixture.. So, even though initially the mixture will look a bit dry, it will come together during this resting time.

What type of apples are best for baking apple pie?

I recommend Granny Smith, Ida Red, Royal Gala, Pink Lady or Braeburn apples for baking.

Can I use shortening in pie crust for apple pie?

I use all butter in this recipe because I like the flavor of butter, but you can absolutely replace half of the butter with shortening. This will give you a flakier texture since shortening has a higher melting temperature and will resist melting.

Can I use lard in pie crust for apple pie?

You can replace half of the butter with lard in the pie crust. This will give you a flakier texture since lard has a higher melting temperature than butter and will resist melting. It also adds rich flavor.

How to get tender and flaky pie crust?

The key to tender AND flaky pie crust is to cut the butter into the flour in two stages. The first stage is incorporating a little bit of the butter into the flour evenly so it is broken down and well incorporated to coat the flour for tenderness. The mixture will look like fine bread crumbs. The second stage is incorporating the butter in larger pieces and flattening them between your fingers to give flakiness.

How to make a 9-inch pie crust?

This recipe makes enough pastry for an 8-inch pie crust. If you want to make a 9-inch pie, follow this recipe instead using the same instructions as indicated in the recipe card at the bottom of the post:

Pastry for 9-inch Pie Crust:
2 ⅔ cups (380g) all-purpose flour
2 tablespoon (30g) brown sugar
2 tablespoon (25g) granulated sugar
¾ teaspoon salt
¾ tsp ground cinnamon
¾ tsp ground ginger
¼ tsp each ground nutmeg and ground clove
1 cup (227g) unsalted butter
½ cup (120ml) ice cold water

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