How to Make the Best Homemade Apple Pie
I used to be a total Apple Pie hater. It’s always too mushy and bland. But no longer! I’ve found the perfect method to make the Best Homemade Apple Pie of your life! This classic recipe has a double crust (you won’t miss that crumble), a cooked filling for the best texture and flavor, and is super easy. I’ll show you how to make it from scratch! Originally published on November 16, 2011. UPDATE! Don’t miss the Dutch Apple Pie version of this recipe!
How’s everyone’s October coming along? It’s finally cooling down here. We finished summer off strong just last week with a steak of 97 degree days, of course. Totally normal here in Sacramento, but it seems to surprise us every year anyway. “The Target dollar section is telling me that it’s fall! What even is this 100 degree day??”
My brother sent me this tweet yesterday that said, “Why would I spend $5 on a bag of apples at the store when I can wear warm fall clothes in 88 degrees weather and pay $36 for our family to pick them ourselves.” Ha! That one got me. (Because it’s not as Instagrammable to take your family photos in the produce section at the grocery store??)
We did indeed head up to Apple Hill a couple weeks ago. It’s a bunch of apple farms all next to each other, where you can pick your own apples and eat doughnuts and pretend it’s not hot. We always buy a ridiculous amount of apple cider so that we can boil it down to make these Caramel Apple Cider-Reduction Milkshakes. (We added a slice of today’s Apple Pie to the shake this time, too. HEAVEN.)
Best Apple Pie Recipe with a Double Crust
We bought a ton of apples too, and I had so much fun testing pies to find my favorite one. To be perfectly honest, apple pie has never been a huge favorite of mine. There are just so many ways it can go wrong: mushy apples, undercooked apples (a worse problem, in my opinion), under spiced, over spiced. Most of the time I find that most apple pie recipes are just plain boring when it comes to flavor. I usually much prefer apple pie when it has a custard or a crumble of some kind, like in this classic Dutch Apple Pie or even this Apple Custard Pie with Cinnamon Streusel.
What makes this the best Apple Pie recipe:
But, I wanted to give double crust apple pie recipe a fair shot, so I got to testing. Here are the tips I’ve compiled to make the BEST apple pie, that is the perfect balance between tart and sweet, with a wonderful texture, where the apples get a chance to shine:
- Cook your apple pie filling. Many recipes call for adding RAW apples to a pie crust and popping the whole thing in the oven. I just don’t love it. For one, you risk under baking your apples. Secondly, apples have a lot of water, and all that water ends up in your pie if you don’t cook some of it off first. This means your apple pie is not as flavorful. I know it’s inconvenient (even more inconvenient when I tell you that you’re going to have to cool that filling before adding it to the pie) but hey, you didn’t sign up to make an apple pie because you needed a quick dessert, did you? Take the extra 20 minutes to cook the filling. You won’t regret it.
- Use lemon, or even lime for a fun and subtle twist. This keeps your apples from browning while you are slicing, but it also brightens and enhances the flavor of the apples themselves.
- Make your apple pie with a homemade flaky pie crust. There are two elements to this pie: the filling and the crust. If your crust sucks, it doesn’t matter how great your filling is. There is a time and place for store bought crusts, like when you’re making a chocolate pie that has tons of flavor. But for something more subtle like apples, you need the buttery support of a high quality crust.
- Add a bit of cardamom to round out the cinnamon. This is my favorite flavor to add to cinnamon desserts. (I even add it to my cinnamon rolls.) Cardamom is so underrated in the US. I love the sophisticated flavor it adds, and it compliments the cinnamon and apples so well. It is optional, but I hope you’ll consider it if you are on the fence. My brother tasted one of my tests and immediately said, “Something is different about this pie and I like it. What is it?” It was the cardamom he was noticing.
- Speaking of butter: don’t add any to your filling. Many recipes I researched saute their apples in butter, but I find that the butter flavor competes with the apple flavor rather than enhancing it, making your pie more muted. I love me some butter, but I just don’t like it in my apple pie filling. Save it for the crust.
The Best Apples for Pie
- Use a LOT of apples. Most apple pie recipes call for 3 pounds of apples. My recipe calls for 5 pounds. This is because when you cook the filling, the apples shrink. If you want a nice tall pie that doesn’t fall in the middle, use a lot of apples. Also, more apples=more flavor. APPLE is the star of this pie, not a sneaky streusel tricking you with butter and sugar. Let the apples shine.
- And on that note: be sure to use a variety of apples. I used Granny Smith (very tart), Gala (very sweet), and Golden Delicious (middle of the road). Using only one type of apple gives you only one flavor profile. Using a blend means your pie will land somewhere perfectly in the middle of tart and sweet. Here is a list of common apple varieties, listed from most tart (Granny Smith) to sweetest (Fuji).
▪️Granny Smith
▪️Braeburn
▪️Macintosh
▪️Honeycrisp
▪️Red Delicious
▪️Golden Delicious
▪️Ambrosia
▪️Gala
▪️Fuji
Try to get a few tart apples, a few sweet apples, and a few in between apples.
What apples should not be used for apple pie?
I can’t think of a single one. Use the kind that you like best, and as long as you use a variety of tartness levels, you are going to be fine.
That said, Red Delicious Apples and McIntosh apples tend to be rather mealy and mushy when cooked, and you definitely wouldn’t want to make a pie out of JUST Red Delicious, for example. But if you toss a couple Reds in with a majority Fuji and Granny Smith (for example), then your pie is going to turn out fine.
Is it OK not to peel apples for apple pie?
I’m gonna go with a hard NO on this one guys. I mean, you CAN leave on the peels and tell yourself you’re getting more nutrients and cutting down on prep time, but will this be a decision you look back on and love? No. You will regret it. The texture of the peel is all wrong, and the apple slices may even heat unevenly. Don’t go there my friends!
The Best Apple Pie recipe ingredients
See recipe card below for all the details!
- 1 homemade double pie crust
- Lemon zest
- Juice from half a lemon
- 5 pounds apples. See above to pick a good variety
- Brown sugar
- Granulated sugar
- All purpose flour
- Cinnamon
- Nutmeg
- Cardamom. Optional
- Vanilla
- Milk. For brushing on pie
- Egg. Optional. For brushing on pie
- Raw sugar
- Kosher salt
How to make Apple Pie
Apple Pie Filling
First gather up all your apples. You need 5 pounds before coring and peeling. That’s about 11 large apples to make 5 pounds.
Here’s how I slice my apples. You can use a mandolin if you want, but be sure to use a metal glove. Those suckers are sharp!
Keep slicing around the core until you have these segments. Then slice to about 1/8 inch. You can slice thicker than that if you like (you may have to cook longer), but I love thin apples in my pie.
Should you cook apples before making apple pie?
Yes, we’re cooking up these apples on the stovetop before we add them to the pie dish. This is the secret to the best apple pie! We need to cook out some of the water to let the apple flavor shine.
As you are slicing up the apples, toss them in a 12-inch high sided skillet (heat should be off) with the lemon juice and zest. Give it a stir to coat the apples with lemon.
See, 5 pounds is a ton of apples! You could never fit this many raw apples into a pie crust. Time to cook it down. Add some sugar, brown sugar, flour, salt, and spices. NO extra liquid, the apples will release plenty.
Place it over medium heat and let cook for about 20 minutes. Cover the pan, but stay nearby because you’re going to have to stir the mixture every couple minutes, replacing the lid each time. This keeps the steam in and helps cook the apples. You are going to get this glorious caramel-y sauce going.
Something magical happens when you gently cook the apple pie filling over a longer period of time like this. The pectin in the apples is converted to a heat-stable form. (Thanks Cooks Illustrated!) That means when you cook the apples again in your pie in the oven, the apples won’t become mushy. Whatever level of “al dente” they are at when you finish cooking them on the stove, that’s how it will taste in your pie. So you can adjust the cooking time a bit to reach your level of apple perfection. Cook longer if you like softer apples; shorter if you like them more firm. You don’t have to calculate for further cooking in the oven. Crazy, right? Science!
Once the apples have cooked for about 20 minutes, remove from heat and add the vanilla. Spread the mixture across a pan or two (two pans makes it cool faster, but it will fit on one pan just fine.) I stuck mine in the freezer to chill for about 20 minutes. You can put it in the fridge, or just leave it in the pan you cooked it in and wait for it to come to room temperature (a couple hours), if you are not in a hurry.
Apple Pie Crust
Once the filling is completely cool, pour it into your pie crust. I’ve got all the details for rolling out pie crust on this Homemade Flaky Pie Crust post.
I topped my pie with a lattice crust. See my How to Make a Lattice Pie Crust post for all the details! But you can just use a whole crust and put it on top, no problem. Don’t forget to vent the top.
Brush with egg/milk and sprinkle with sugar before popping it in the oven.
How to keep pie crust from browning too fast?
The best way to get an evenly browned crust that doesn’t burn on the edges is to use a pie shield made out of tin foil. They sell pie shields made of metal or silicone, but I prefer foil because it is so lightweight, there is no chance of crushing your crust.
Get a square of tin foil that is the same size as your pie. Fold it in half, then in half again. Cut out the center. Open it up again. You should have a square of foil with a circle cut out of the center. See pie crust postunba for photos. It’s so easy and the perfect way to make sure your crust doesn’t get burned on the edges.
How to tell when your Apple Pie is done
The nice thing about this recipe is that your apples are already cooked exactly how you want them, so you only need to worry about getting the crust baked right. (If you used raw apples, you would have to be sticking a fork in your pie to make sure they were tender.)
The pie is done when the edges of the crust are a deep golden brown, and the top of the pie is just turning golden. Be sure to use a pie shield made of tin foil as discussed above to get even browning.
And voila! A beautiful apple pie for fall! Here is the hard part: don’t slice into your pie for 2-4 hours. I know, I know, it’s tough. But the liquid in your pie needs time to come to room temperature so it doesn’t completely fall apart when you cut into it. You can put it in the freezer to speed up the cooling process if you want.
Does Homemade Apple Pie need to be refrigerated?
Not for the first couple days! The sugar in the pie acts as a preservative. You can leave it on the counter in the pie plate you baked it in, covered with plastic wrap or one of these handy pie covers. After two days, transfer to the fridge, where it will last another 2 or 3 days.
How to freeze Apple Pie filling
If you want to save your apple pie filling for a rainy day, let it cool and then put it in a gallon size ziplock bag. Then place the bag in the pie plate you intend to bake the pie in. Freeze in the pie plate. Once it’s frozen, you can put the pie plate back in your cupboard. This will make the apples freeze in the shape of your pie plate. Later, roll out your pie crust and add the frozen apples on top. You can bake it straight from frozen. Add about 20 minutes to the total bake time, and remember to cover your pie toward the end so it doesn’t burn.
How to freeze an entire Apple Pie
You can freeze an entire unbaked apple pie for another day. Top with the second crust, but don’t brush with egg/milk or sprinkle with sugar. Put the pie in the freezer for an hour to flash freeze, then wrap with plastic wrap, and wrap it again. Then wrap in foil. Freeze for up to 3 months.
You can bake it straight from frozen. Brush with egg/milk, sprinkle with sugar, and pop it in the oven according to the recipe. Add about 20 minutes to the total bake time, and remember to cover your pie toward the end so it doesn’t burn.
And that’s it! Now you know how to make an epic apple pie! Don’t forget to check out the sister recipe, Dutch Apple Pie! I use this same method to get the most epic Dutch version with amazing streusel on top.
Here are some other recipes that might be useful:
For the perfect pie:
- How to Make Flaky Pie Crust << allll the details you need to make the perfect flaky crust, every time.
- How to Make a Lattice Pie Crust << it’s so pretty, and really not as hard as it looks!
- My Favorite Caramel Sauce << nobody’s going to say no to apple pie with caramel sauce.
More apple desserts you will love!
- Apple Pie Bars << the only thing better than apple pie is being able to eat it with your hands.
- Apple Custard Pie with Cinnamon Streusel << my other favorite apple pie recipe. Custard for the WIN.
- Apple Crisp, with a Ridiculous Amount of Streusel << if your going to streusel…go all in.
- Caramel Apple French Toast Bake << apples for breakfast? Okay!
- 4 Ingredient Apple Cider Donuts << the glaze on this is so good.
- Caramel Apple Cider-Reduction Milkshakes << we make these every year with fresh apple cider! So good.
- Apple Cinnamon Rolls from Miss in the Kitchen
- Apple Carrot Muffins from Yummy Healthy Easy
More pie recipes to make!
- Easy Homemade Cherry Pie Bars << this is one of my absolute favorites.
- Peach Apricot Slab Pie << THIS is what to do with summer stone fruit
- Cranberry Custard Pie << I make this every Thanksgiving!
- Rhubarb Pie << all the other favorites I claimed were lies. This one is my favorite.
- Buttermilk Custard Pear Pie from Food for My Family
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Apple Pie Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 homemade double pie crust, 2 sheets of pie dough
- 1/4 teaspoon lemon zest
- juice from half a lemon, 2 tablespoons
- 5 pounds apples, 5 pounds before peeling and coring*
- 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 5 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 & 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 3/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon cardamom, optional
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 tablespoon milk, for brushing on pie
- 1 tablespoon beaten egg, optional, for brushing on pie
- 1 tablespoon raw sugar, for topping pie
Instructions
- Choose your apples. You need 5 pounds of apples for this recipe, which is about 11 large apples. I like to use a mix of apples for the best flavor. For this pie I used Granny Smith, Gala, and Golden Delicious.
- Make the filling:Use a microplane grater to zest 1/4 teaspoon lemon peel into a 12 inch high sided skillet.
- Add the juice from half the lemon to the skillet, about 2 tablespoons.
- Use a potato peeler or this handy apple peeler to peel the apples. Slice the apples into 1/8 inch pieces. Check out the photos above to see my method for slicing apples. I like to peel and slice one apple at a time so that they don't get brown; I peel one apple, then stop and slice it, add it to the lemon juice, and then move on to peeling the next apple. Stir the apples in the pan occasionally to coat everything with lemon juice.
- Once you have all the apples peeled and sliced in the pan, set it over medium heat on the stove.
- Add 3/4 cup packed brown sugar, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, 5 tablespoons flour, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1 and 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon, 3/4 teaspoon nutmeg, and 1/2 teaspoon cardamom. Stir it together gently so you don’t break all the apples.
- Once the mixture is all moistened and you don’t see patches of flour or cinnamon, set a timer for 20 minutes. Cover the mixture with a lid but don’t walk away. Stick around and stir the mixture every 3 minutes or so, Replacing the lid each time. Cook for 20 minutes, until the apples are fork tender but still hold their shape. The apples will not soften more while baking in the oven. So have a taste and see if you want to cook a longer or shorter time. Only you can know your apple al dente perfection level.
- Remove the pan from heat and stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla.*
- Transfer the apple pie filling (including the brown caramel gooeyness) to a half sheet pan, or any pan with a lip. Spread the apples all the way to the edges. Cool the apple pie filling completely by placing it in the fridge or the freezer, it only takes 30 minutes or so. (If you have plenty of time, you can just leave the apples in the pan to cool down; it will take a couple hours.)
- Roll out your pie dough and place in a 9 inch pie dish, with the excess hanging over the edges. See my pie crust post for lots of photos and details.
- Use a rubber spatula to scrape all the chilled apple pie filling into the pie dish. Don’t forget to scrape in every last bit of the gooey filling.
- Top your pie with the other pie crust. Follow this recipe for How to Make a Lattice Pie Crust, if you like. It's so pretty and not as hard as you think. You can also just toss the crust on whole. It's going to taste delicious either way! See my pie crust recipe for details on topping with a whole crust.
- Fold the edges in and crimp however you like. If you didn't do a lattice, make sure to vent your pie by poking the top a few times with a sharp knife.
- Place the whole pie in the fridge or freezer for about 20-30 minutes, for a really flaky crust.
- Place a baking sheet in the center rack of your oven and preheat to 425 degrees F. Let it heat up for at least 20-25 minutes to make sure it’s really hot.
- Right before putting it in the oven, brush the crust of your pie all over with milk or egg, or both. I like to use 1 tablespoon milk beat together with 1 tablespoon beaten egg that I have leftover from making my homemade pie crust. You can just use milk if you don't have beaten egg lying around. Milk will help your pie crust brown but will stay matte; egg will add gloss and shine to your pie crust.
- Sprinkle the whole pie with raw sugar, or regular sugar is fine too.
- Place the chilled pie onto the baking sheet in the oven and let bake for 15 minutes. The crust on the edge should be turning light brown.
- Meanwhile, get a square of tin foil that is the same size as your pie. Fold it in half, then in half again. Cut out the center. Open it up again. You should have a square of foil with a circle cut out of the center. See pie crust post for photos.
- Reduce the heat to 350 degrees F. Remove the pie from the oven and place the foil on top. Loosely crimp it around the crust on the edge. This will protect it from burning.
- Don’t forget to lower the oven temperature to 350. Place the pie back on the baking sheet in the oven and bake at 350 for 40-45 more minutes.
- You will know the pie is done when the edges are brown and the center is light golden brown. If you did a lattice crust, you should see the filling bubbling away nicely.
- Let the pie cool on a wire rack for about 4 hours. I know, this is killer. But if you cut into it now, the juices will be lava hot and way too liquid-y. You have to wait for it to cool to room temperature to get the right texture for the filling. Pie! A lesson in patience indeed.
- Once the pie is completely cool, slice and serve! My husband Eric considers it a crime to serve this without vanilla ice cream, and I tend to agree. Treat yoself right. Add in some caramel sauce for a really decadent treat!
- Store the pie on the counter for up to 2 days, covered with plastic wrap. After that transfer it to the fridge.
Notes
Nutrition
This apple pie post has been on my blog since 2011. Here is the original story I wrote to go along with it, for memory’s sake. Although maybe I shouldn’t be committing such a faux pas to memory, ha!
I have a terrible confession. Sometimes when I give people CD’s for birthdays or Christmas I open them up and listen to them before wrapping and tying the bow.
I know what you’re thinking. Who in the name of technology buys those archaic CD’s anymore?
I can usually play it off. When they open it and see that the plastic wrap is gone, I hastily put in a, “Yeah, part of the present is that I took care of taking off that pesky plastic that is so annoying. I know, wow, above and beyond right?” Lies.
I was found out this weekend. For my friend Lauren’s birthday I got her Michael Buble’s new Christmas album. (which is awesome! I would know.) Eric was kind enough to wrap it for me since I was still frosting cupcakes. Halfway to her house I asked, So you put the CD in the case right? The response: What?
Toasted. I had taken it out earlier that day to listen to it and never put it back in. Oh the shame! The anticlimax! Poor Lauren.
Maybe in recompense I should have sung the whole album to her on the spot. Actually, that would be more like a punishment. Maybe I should just make her this pie instead.
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I was skeptical about cooking the apples first, but my Mother-in-law requested an apple pie for Mother’s day and I needed a full proof recipe. I followed the recipe exactly. She loved it! When I baked the pie, I made sure to put a cookie sheet underneath it, glad I did, a lot of that apple caramel juice leaked out. Not to worry, it still had a lot of juice. I thought it was a little too sweet, but everyone said it was perfect. My new go to apple pie recipe. Thanks Karen! ❤️
Hi there, I’m so excited to make your pie today. I made your pie crust recipe yesterday, and I’m chilling them in the fridge. I am delivering the pies to my mom tomorrow. Would you recommend I chill the pies on the counter for the 4 hours after baking and then put into the fridge overnight, or keep it on the counter the whole time?
Hi Erina! This is kind of up to you! I personally prefer room temperature fruit pies, and that’s usually how they are served in restaurants and bakeries. If I were you, I would let them cool on the counter, then cover and let rest on the counter overnight. But it’s really up to you! Seal well if it’s going in the fridge, you don’t want it drying out.
I’ve become the Pie Queen of the family with this recipe. The only suggestion I have is to add the sugars and spices to the apples a little at a time as you peel and slice them,. It is such a large pot of apples that this makes it easier to incorporate without smashing the apples (or dumping them on the floor). Otherwise, this recipe is perfect!!! Thank you!
Ooh good tip Eve! It is a little nerve wracking to start stirring that huge pot of raw apples! I’ll try that next time, thanks for chiming in Pie Queen :)
Can I pre make the filling and pie dough ans assemble and bake a day or 2 later
Hi Diane, yes you definitely can!
I love this recipe, however, others in the household felt that is was too sweet and the spice too strong. To modify, I cut the nutmeg to 1/2 tsp, and the cardamom to 1/4 tsp. I also added a dash of ground clove. Now the household loves the balance. If you love the spicer like me, the recipe is perfect as is.
Great receipe & flavor
I made this apple pie for Thanksgiving using Granny Smith and apparently it was so good that I didn’t get any. But my family said it was definitely an awesome recipe. For Christmas I made the same apple pie with less Granny Smith apples and Crimson delight sweet winter apples. My family loved the apple pie more with less Granny Smith apples, but I got the first slice and OMG it was awesome. Thank you so much for sharing your recipe. It’s now one of my families favorite dessert.
This looks delicious! Can I make the filling the day before and store it in the fridge overnight?
Hi Kristin! Yes you totally can!
This was my very first time ever making a pie let alone an apple pie! Amazingly enough it was a huge hit for our thanksgiving dessert.
Made for my very critical and experienced pie baking family. I made this pie and everyone was fighting over the last piece! Thank you!!! WIll be making again
Labor intensive but well worth the effort- delicious… thank you for sharing…
Hello
Thank you for the amazing recipe . It turned out really nice! I’m wondering is there any difference between adding flour vs constarch to the apple filling ?
Thank you!!!!
Hi Kate! I’m not sure, I haven’t tried this recipe with cornstarch!
The very best apple pie I have ever made. Everyone raved about it. It is a keeper. Thank you for this wonderful recipe
Hello,
I have made apple pies in the past and had used refrigerated pie crust. This year for Thanksgiving, I read your post and followed your directions for the apple pie with the lattice crust. I had never made homemade crust.
It was amazing!!! It was not quite as beautiful as the pictures but I received many compliments saying this was the best apple pie they had ever had!
I baked it on the pre heated cookie sheet as you recommended and the pie was absolutely delicious!
Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Michelle
Pies are a family tradition. This was the first year flying solo, making everything from scratch using this recipe. Lard and crisco for the crust and a Chai inspired flavor profile for the apple pie. Holy Crap! Perfection! Best pie EVER! Thank you!!
This recipe was actually way easier than I expected it to be and everyone loved it! Smells, tastes and looks amazing! I did a little sun design on mine which turned out really cute. Thank you for this recipe! Will definitely be my go to
Well I made the filling as directed. And I have to say lucky for the filling I don’t have ice cream in the house. But the pie is in the oven at the moment and it’s looking good. As I was going over the recipe I noticed the calories 465 per slice, now I can’t eat the whole pie… . darn. Thanks very much for the details on this recipe, it made so easy to make.xoxo. Happy Thanksgiving.
Hi!! I made this earlier in the year and everyone LOVED it. I want to make it again in a 9×13 pan and wondering what I should increase the measurements to for the ingredients.
Hi Josie, that’s a fun idea! You can use this slab pie crust (use some egg in place of the water if you want) and I’m not sure what to tell you on the apples. 5 pounds might be enough? Or maybe 1 and 1/2 it? Good luck, tell me how it goes!
Hey, there. My filling was very runny, not gooey or caramelly, when it was hot, but after cooling in the fridge, it’s much thicker. However, I am afraid it will thin right back out when I bake the pie. Should I take out the apples and try to thicken the liquid more before I bake the pie?
Hi Kathy! Remember, you are waiting until the pie is completely cooled before you cut into your pie. So the filling will thicken up again! I would make it as instructed!
I made this pie a couple weeks ago as as test for Thanksgiving. I found the 5lbs of apples to actually be too much so I’ve taken it down to 4lbs this round. I’m still anticipating the possibility of having extra apples so I wanted to ask if you think it would throw off the recipe too much if I used a 1-1 GF flour for the apple mixture? My sister is GF and I’d love to give her any of the extra apples I can’t fit into the pie. Thanks so much. LOVE the flavor of both the apple mixture and the crust!
Hi April! That’s a good idea, yeah it’s a small amount of flour in the filling and I think it would be fine to use a GF flour in the filling (not the crust). Enjoy!
My filling is made and my dough disks are in the fridge chilling. Now as long as I don’t mess up rolling out the dough too much I’d say this was pretty easy to do especially being 8 months pregnant and trying to prepare ahead of time for Thanksgiving. Hubby tried an apple from the filling and I had to practically beat him to get him out of the kitchen lol although I did not realize until assembling the spices for the filling that I somehow ran out of nutmeg so after a quick Google search I used a little bit of ginger mixed with ground cloves.
Best Apple Pie Ever!!!!! Cardamom really takes it to a whole new level. Apples were as you said still firm and not mushy. I personally will reduce the cardamon to 1/4 tsp. for my taste. What an incredible yummy pie…..one problem is I ate most of it, I could not control myself. Looking forward to more of your recipes to try. Thanks Cyndy
So appreciate the step by step directions! I’ve been baking pies for 50+years and this recipe took me to school!! Some of things I didn’t know: pre-cook the filling to your own taste (the apples won’t soften any more as it bakes!), chill the filling and then chill the whole pie before baking, no butter please, wait until the pie is fully cooled before cutting. f course, there will be ice cream, but I also love a good hunk of sharp cheddar on the side!
Thank you!!
I love Apple pie!!!
(Sigh) I guess this is now my go to recipe. 😂 I had a recipe that my family loved but since they tasted this one, this is what they prefer. The sigh is because this one takes a little more time from start to finish but in the end it really is worth it. Well the apples are now cool. So time to getting the rest done. Thanks for sharing this recipe.
I love this recipe. I have madecit about 5 times, but I used more lemon and add a combination of light/dark brown sugsr.
I tried this last year and am making it again today :) when it comes out of the oven when it’s partially cooled can I put it in the fridge to speed up the cooling process? Or would that cause any issues within the pie?
Great recipe!
Hi Joley! So glad you are loving the recipe, thanks so much for reviewing! And yes you can absolutely refrigerate the pie to speed up the cooling process! I always do this!
This is most definitely the best apple pie I’ve ever had or made.
cardamom is that whole or ground?
Hi David, ground cardamom is what you want! Enjoy!
Is it ok to put a glass pie dish in oven straight from refrigerator?
Hi Holly! This is indeed a concern. Make sure you are using a HIGH QUALITY glass baking dish, or better yet, a ceramic pie dish. The Pyrex company has changed it’s formula for the glass they use. You can find a lot of chatter about this on the internet. Read more about it here. Long story short, you need bakeware made from borosilicate glass. (good luck finding that on the label though.) Ceramic is a way to avoid the problem altogether.
This is a great recipe :) – is the 581 kcal per serving or for the entire pie?
Hi Ella, thank you so much for reviewing! I’m glad you enjoyed it! 581 calories is for one slice, but that is if you divide the pie into only 8 servings, which is a pretty hefty slice. Pie crust has a whole lotta butter in it :) totally worth it though!
Your recipe sounds delicious! I do have a couple of questions before I do my trial run though. Would you recommend light or dark brown sugar? Also, unsalted or salted butter? Thank you! I look forward to making this!!
Light or dark sugar are both going to work great, just depends on how deep of a molasses flavor you like. And I always use salted butter! Enjoy!
Omg, this pie recipe is amazing! I made apple pie for the first time ever and it was divine. Thanks.
My goodness was this pie delicious! I used store bought pie crust to save time (and I’m slightly intimidated by homemade). My son declared, “It’s perfect!” And my husband who isn’t normally very enthusiastic in his food critiques said, “Oh, wow! This is really amazing!” So, five stars from my crew. Thanks!
I made this pie exactly as written and while it tasted awesome, the bottom crust was too mushy and there was a too much juice. The top crust wasn’t crisp enough for me. Kind of sad because I wanted it to be perfect for my brother in laws birthday.
I used granny, Macintosh and Fuji apples
This is the best apple pie filling recipe I have ever made. I was hesitant to use all the spices, but they were perfect. Also, I have never used brown sugar in the filling for apple pie. I did weigh the apples to make sure I had 5 pounds. Also, I used Granny Smith and Fuji apples because that is what I had on hand. Since some of my family members don’t like lemon zest, I omitted it, but I did use the lemon juice. It was great! I will use this recipe for all my apple pies in the future. Thanks for sharing.
I am about to make this apple pie. It sounds delicious! How much apples should there be once peeled and cored?
Hi Kathleen! I’m sorry I didn’t take the time to measure that out. You will just have to go by the photos that you see here on the post of the raw apples in the pan and use your best judgment. Enjoy!
Thank you . I loved reading your cute/funny comments through the Apple pie recipe about your wins & failures. They were NOT failures but were words of encouragement I better change that …. Cannot wait to try this Apple pie. & I HATE making crust much less. OMGoodness. Lattice. 😪. Thanks. Sharon Sammons
Do I need to make slits in the pie crust if I’m not doing the lattice topping?
Hi Kathie! Yes, use a sharp knife to vent the top of the pie. Great question! Enjoy!
Hi! I’m making this pie for thanksgiving. I usually use raw apples, but find the pie has to bake for a long time in order for the apples to soften. Wondering if I can make this filling and keep it in the fridge overnight. Then make my pies the next day?
Hey Sarah! Yes you can totally make the filling in advance! Store covered in the fridge. Enjoy!
I had recently received an order of Ceylon cinnamon and was looking forward to using it when I came across this recipe. This is a little more work and takes more patience then the recipes I normally use but I am glad I made it. It really is delicious. Not sure it will be my go to but I will definitely make it again. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
I enjoyed reading all the comments on your recipe for the apple pie you’re very thorough and down to earth you make it very interesting thank you I’m best homemade apple pie sounds delicious and easy I will definitely try it
This sounds almost identical to the way I make apple pie. Therefore, I couldn’t give it any less than three stars. My problem is the Granny Smith apples. Granny Smith apples have very little flavor and very seldom cook up. I really hate crunchy apples in my pie. This may be because I live in Washington state and have the pick of so many varieties of apples. I especially love earligolds, ginger golds, zestar, Macintosh and Golden delicious. I definitely will try cardamom in my next apple pie. Thanks for that hint.
Hi Jackie! So you’re giving me 3 stars for a recipe you haven’t tried because I use Granny Smith? I talk a lot in this post about how it’s important to use a variety of apples. Did you read the post? ;)
Wow, are you right! I must’ve been in a mood. I really have made your apple pie minus the cardamom which I plan to put in next time. It’s practically a twin of my apple pie. Your pie deserves at least a four, maybe a 4 1/2 if that were possible. Don’t know what I was thinking! I apologize.
Sure why it’s still only three stars. I did not put that there. I hope you’re happy with four stars.
I’m super excited to try this pie, it’ll be my first apple pie. However, It’s in the oven now, and I am just now seeing the “Let it sit for 4 HOURS” part. I’m really wishing there was some kind of warning for amateurs like me, at the beginning of the recipe but that’s just my opinion!
Hi Taylor, there is so much information on this post, I’m not sure what the most important thing would be to put in a warning at the top. It’s the cook’s job to read the recipe all the way through before starting 💕 I hope you enjoy the pie even if it’s a little later than you anticipated! Also, hot pie still tastes good, it just won’t be firm.
Okay, now I want this pie at 7am!! I’m super excited to make this pie this fall! Question (perhaps a silly one)- if you let it cool for 2-4 hours, won’t it have to be reheated for serving?
Hi Jasmine! Yes, if you want to serve it warm it will need to be reheated. Fruit pies are usually served room temperature. But if you want it hot, preheat the oven to about 250 and put the pie on a baking sheet in the oven when it’s hot. Bake for about 15-20 minutes or until warmed through. Enjoy!
I only have 4 lbs of apples. How should I adjust the recipe?
The cardamom makes for a really good apple pie!
Hello! I haven’t made this yet, I plan to today though, as it looks delicious. I’m just curious- how do the apples not get any softer once you put the pie in the oven? It’s making me a little nervous to cook the apples before hand to the tenderness that I want, and then put them in the oven again.
Hi Samantha! Something magical happens when you gently cook the apple pie filling over a longer period of time like this. The pectin in the apples is converted to a heat-stable form. (Thanks Cooks Illustrated!) That means when you cook the apples again in your pie in the oven, the apples won’t become mushy. Whatever level of “al dente” they are at when you finish cooking them on the stove, that’s how it will taste in your pie. So you can adjust the cooking time a bit to reach your level of apple perfection. Cook longer if you like softer apples; shorter if you like them more firm. You don’t have to calculate for further cooking in the oven. Crazy, right? Science!
Thanks for getting back to me! I made the pie yesterday and it turned put great!
I made this pie for my sons Birthday because he does not like cake and I really do not care for apple pie! This pie is delicious however the crust from the store is to thin for this pie and cracked so I would suggest definitely making her recipe for the crust. Everyone enjoyed it🥰
My big apple tree branch fell, forcing me to pick apple too early. I decided I wanted to try an apple pie, so I found your recipe (the picture sold me). I followed everything absolutely perfect. This was my very FIRST time making a homemade apple pie with the crust. My boyfriend was helping me with the crust and I kept talking like I knew what I was doing lol. I read the apple filling and dough recipe a few times and really felt knowledgeable about what I was doing. It was absolutely delicious!!!! I am so thankful you shared this with the world!! You know your pies. Thank you very much!!
The pie is very good but when I make it again I’ll use less sugar. A bit to sweet for me.
Would I have to do/ add anything extra In order to can the filling? I made this pie for thanksgiving last year and it was a huge hit, everyone said it was the best apple pie they’ve ever had! (I’ve never made apple pie so this was the first recipe I tried and glad I did!)
I’d love to can some to have on hand, but I don’t want it to go bad if I don’t add anything extra? Please help!
Hi Kaitlin! I have not tried canning this filling. I think it would work just fine though! You can also freeze it in ziplocks, but I know how handy it is to have it be shelf stable. Let me know how it goes!
I really like all
Of your hints etc.I have always made my apple pie with raw apples until my daughter made hers cooking the apples beforehand. Love love love this.
Can you please post of share the actual recipe measurements and all. I cannot find option to “jump to recipe” or the recipe for all the ads. I missed the cool the filling direction! My pie is in the oven. Going to make a second pie later today and would prefer to follow the recipe. Many thanks!
Hi Tricia! The recipe with all measurements is at the bottom of the post! Scroll all the way down.
Found your homemade apple pie filling recipe on pinterest. We made it and it was so delicious. Will be making it again soon for sure now that we know how easy it is to make. I searched your site for a blueberry filling but couldn’t find one. thanks again for the great recipe.
Hi Gina, so glad you are enjoying the recipe! I don’t have a blueberry pie recipe on the site yet, it’s on my list!! Thanks for chiming in! PS I do have this amazing Blueberry French Toast Breakfast Casserole you might enjoy though!
I made this recipe exactly as instructed. The flavor was great but it was dripping out of the pie pan, way overfull. I’d recommend only 4 lb of apples.
I followed as directed. The one exception, I bought the pie crust (Sorry). This was an overwhelming success. I passed the wife, daughter and three grandson test to high acclaim. Making it again tonight for weekend guests. Thanks
Don’t be sorry Bob! I’m glad it worked out so well with a store bought crust! Thanks for the feedback!
I forgot to read the whole recipe and bought pre-made pie crusts that say to bake before filling… shall I still do that or just fill and bake for 15 and then put the foil and bake again for 40-45?? Thank you!
Hi Kelly! I haven’t tried this we pre made pie crusts. are they the kind that come rolled up, like pillsbury? I would just follow the baking instructions in my recipe. Hope this helps!
Hi there! I would like to follow this recipe exactly but instead of using a 9” pan I would spread out between 5” pans. How much Apple filing do you suggest to put in each 5” pie?
Hi Jenny I haven’t tried that! You are just going to have to eyeball it. Fill all the pies at the same time and use your best judgment to make sure they are about all even! Enjoy!
Hello. Thinking about canning this beautiful filling. Any suggestions or additions? Or can it be canned as it is?
Thank you
Hi Lynn! I think you can can it as is! Let me know how it goes!
This pie filling is so great I made a second deep dish pie the next day.
This is without a doubt the best apple pie I’ve ever made. I didn’t use the pastry recipe as I have my Mum’s recipe already in my freezer but the filling was so delicious! I did find that the lattice would have been better if I’d rolled it much thinner. I rolled it about 4mm (8th of an inch) and the places where the strips overlapped we under cooked. I would imagine if I rolled it half the thickness it would have been perfectly done. Thank you for my new go to recipe for apples. This filling would work beautifully in so many different apple desserts.
Next time I will use less sugar in filling. My apples were already very sweet.
Prettiest pie I’v ever made
Is it possible to pre bake the crust and pour the fully cooked apple filling onto the crust without any baking?
I haven’t tried that Josephine! Not sure how it would go. Let us know if you try it! Here is my recipe for blind baking a pie crust.
Serious bizness 🤓 … I’m an ok cook but nothing really special. I retired recently so I’ve been trying to kick it up. I made your pie and crust and my bunch loved it more than they’ve ever liked anything before! My Mr and oldest daughter are not at all hard to please but my younger daughter has always been a food snob. I made it again at Christmas and they loved it so much that it’s now my special occasion “go to!” Thanks so much for sharing the recipes with us – sure made a mama happy!
This apple pie is the best I’ve ever had! I’ve even made it sugar free with Swerve sugar substitute and it was amazing. This is a time consuming recipe, but is worth your effort and time. All other apple pies will be measured against this pie as being the best. If you just want apple pie, go to your corner market. BUT if you want delicious show stopping, stunning pie this is the one.
I love this pie with maple walnut ice cream. The best!!!
Maple walnut ice cream!! Sign me up Connie! So glad you enjoyed the pie :) Thanks for reviewing!
What are your thoughts on making the filling and crust ahead of time? I am making this for my mother in laws birthday tomorrow, but would like to prepare it today and bake it tomorrow.
Hi Nichele! You can totally make it ahead. Just chill the pie crusts as discs and roll out when you need them. Alternatively, you can shape the entire pie and then freeze overnight. then bake from frozen as indicated in the post. Hope this helps! Enjoy!
Is it really necessary to cool the apples completely before putting them in the crust? I’ve made this pie twice now…it is our favorite! I refrigerated the filled pie before baking the second time and could not tell the difference isn’t flakiness it was delish both ways.
If it’s working for you then totally skip that step Susie! I required the chill step so that beginner bakers don’t destroy their pie dough by melting it. But if you don’t feel it’s necessary then skip it. I feel like it makes a difference :)
I made this apple pie, I followed your directions exactly. Great pie, my family loved it. It’s a process but I will make it again. Thanks
So happy to hear it was a success Brenda! It’s true, pie is a bit of a process. But so worth it in the end! So glad you enjoyed it. Thank you for taking the time to review!
Amazing recipe , 5 stars thank you.
The cardamom just elevates it beautifully.
S glad you love the cardamom Zaheda! It’s not for everyone but I think it’s so delicious! Thanks for the review :)
The bottom crust was mushy and the filling was liquid. The spices are fine, the technique is awful, going back to old recipe.
I made this apple pie for our family Sunday dinner and it was a big hit. I have been looking for the best apple pie recipe and this is it! I also followed the recipe for the crust. Completely worth it. Although I had to go to the store twice, once to get more apples and then again to get butter flavored shortening. Which no surprise, they do not carry at Trader Joe’s. We couldn’t wait the 4 hours for the pie to cool and ate it warm which although a little runny was still amazingly delicious. One piece was leftover the next day and I ate it room temperature- complete heaven
I’m so glad the pie was a success Jennifer! Wow tow store trips, you are super dedicated ;) Thank you so much for reviewing my recipe!
This Apple pie was amazing! It was a blast to make and so delicious! I have never used cardamom before but I loved the flavor it added! I baked the pie in a deep glass pie dish but have been itching to make an apple pie in my cast iron skillet to see how it will affect the crust. Have you tried your pie crust in a cast iron? I am from Southern US so we try to put everything in cast irons 🙂.
Hi Brianna! I haven’t tried this in a skillet! Sounds amazing. I think you should try it! So glad you are enjoying the recipe :)
I just made this pie and it is delicious!! My children are circling like predators to get some before dinner!
Children turn into wolves when there’s pie around, right?? I feel you. ;)
I made this pie for Christmas and I thought it was amazing. However, my husband thought it was way too sweet for him. Is it possible to cut the sugar amount a bit and still get the same gooey pie filling results?
hi Melissa! Yeah I think you could cut the sugar a bit. It will just take some testing for you guys to see what you like best!You could also try using a higher ratio of very tart apples, like granny smith.
Hi! I made this pie with a lattice crust for Thanksgiving and it was amazing!
I am wondering… could I make a Dutch apple pie version of this? Would I follow the same recipe but just do the brown sugar crumb topping? Help!
Hi Amber! I haven’t tried this as a dutch apple pie but I’m sure it would be delicious! Make the apple filling as is and top with a crumb topping. You may have to adjust bake times!
Omg I just made this for our Christmas party tomorrow, it’s in the oven now. I’m so excited such a fun recipe and loved how you were very detailed , it helped much! I’m just wondering since I made it a day before ,do I reheat it tomorrow and for how long if I do! Going to keep this a recipe forever for my family! Thanks so much !
Thanks , Nicki
I’m so happy to hear you are enjoying the recipe Nicki! Great question. I haven’t reheated an entire pie before but after some google sleuthing here’s what I’ve learned: Preheat the oven to about 250 and put the pie on a baking sheet in the oven when it’s hot. Bake for about 15-20 minutes or until warmed through. Let me know how it goes! I’m going to try it next time!
Hello!! I have a quick question. Can I make the apple pie filling, let it chill and then put it in the refrigerator to bake the next day? I made the crust yesterday and that’s already in the fridge waiting too. Thank you!
Taryn
Yes absolutely Taryn! Great make ahead idea!
Hi,
I have made this pie twice now and it is just amazing. I do have one question both times I feel like I need more crust I just did have enough to make the nice side crust like in you pictures is there a way to get a little more pie crust dough I did want to mess with the recipe because it is spot on?
Thanks,
Serg
Hi Serg! A couple tips: when you separate your pie crust dough into 2 discs, make one slightly larger than the other. Use the larger half for your top crust. The other thing is to just roll out your bottom crust just a little bit larger than you have been, to make sure you have lots of crust hanging over the edge to work with. Hope this helps!
How do I leave a.pic of my superbomb apple pie!!!
i would love to see it Fran!! Tag me @thefoodcharlatan on Instagram!!
Hello,
I made your apple pie for my daughter’s 25th birthday. It was amazing. I shared this post on my blog. I am a brand new blogger so I hope I am doing this correctly. Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful recipe!
Your blog looks so fun Stacia! Thank you for sharing! So glad you loved the pie :)
Thanks for checking out my blog! I appreciate the encouragement.
Stacia
I’m so disappointed. I followed every step to the T. Pulled the chilled out from the freezer, brushed with milk/egg mixture-sprinkled with sugar and placed in the preheated 425F oven. 11 minutes in-glass dish shatters. Spent the whole day on this…
I’m so sorry to hear this Adrienne. That is immensely frustrating. I would be so mad! Next time try using a ceramic pie dish. The Pyrex company has changed it formula for the glass they use. You can find a lot of chatter about this on the internet. Read more about it here. Long story short, you need bakeware made from borosilicate glass. (good luck finding that on the label though.) Ceramic is a way to avoid the problem altogether.
Hi
I just read about your apple pie it sure did sadden me, where you able to locate a worthwhile pie dish??? I would love to invest in one please advise where. Thank you Dianna
I used this recipe and your crust recipe to make my first pie. I had help from my husband but it was fabulous. I agree with the other comments on how your step by step – with pictures- was incredibly helpful and gave me a little less anxiety 😊. I mixed my apples – Granny Smith, Braeburn, red delicious, juice (new variety) and a pink lady. I wasn’t sure it was all going to fit into my 9” pan but it did. I had a little problem with the crust edges breaking apart and falling as it cooked but it could be we put the egg/milk on top we used too much. Will have to work on that.
Thank you again for this awesome recipe I will make it again some day but will use the crust recipe going forward.
Thanks for making me believe that I CAN make an apple pie. Your recipe writing is perfection (eg including the measurements again in the cooking directions 👌). The recipe turned out excellent. I personally will reduce the sugar and cinnamon a smidge next time but absolute perfection. Thank you for making be able to have a taste of home when I can’t BE home. 🤗
This is the best apple pie I have ever made. The crust was flaky, buttery, tender. The filling was sweet and tangy and juicy without being soggy. It is not difficult to make but you need to follow the instructions because it’s the little things in the recipe that makes this pie so delicious!
This pie was an absolute hit! Thank you for the detailed instructions for both the pie and your incredible pie crust! They were both amazing!!! This will definitely remain a family favorite! My dad is typically the pie maker in our family and has always made his own crust, but he loved this one so much he asked for the pie crust recipe 😊
This was the best apple pie filling ever! Cooking the filing is brilliant and ensures that you get the texture you want. I used a different crust recipe and, thing it was not bad, I’ll be trying your recipe next time. Also, I normally scroll past all of the blathering in a post to get to the record details, but the post was incredibly informative and helpful – well worth the read. Thank you!!!!
Hello! Just wanted to say that I made your apple pie and it came out great! I was worried about doing the lattice as it’s been many years since I’ve baked, but it came out really pretty (take a look on Instagram @jcavhooper). Thanks again!
My girls and I made your apple pie and homemade pie crust for Thanksgiving today and it was a hit! Absolutely delicious! We are not bakers by any means but your step by step directions for both recipes were so informative and easy to follow! Thank you for posting!
I’m so glad it was a success Kim! And glad to know the directions were clear and easy to follow :) Thank you so much for reviewing! Happy Thanksgiving!
I never read the whole recipe and I added the apples hot from the pan. Oh no, I hope it turns out. I also stored in the vanilla after it was in the pie pan. Oops. Might have a soggy crust but other than that I hope it’s good.
Hi Cindy! How did it turn out? Hopefully it was okay in the end!
So officially in a food coma from Thanksgiving but we all made room for your apple pie recipe. I made it a week ahead of time and froze the whole pie raw. Took longer to bake however my mother took one bite and yelled “oh man, blue freaking ribbon” my husband said “sweet Jesus” with a happy dance and little girl giggle. Everyone loved it and it’s officially renamed in our family the Sweet Jesus Apple Pie!!! Haha I get a kick out of that. You crust was unlike any I’ve ever tried! Unbelievably flaky! The apples were out of this world delicious and completely cooked. I made two pies with 12lbs of apples. The only thing I changed was I had clear jel rather than cornstarch or flour for my apples. We served it warm with cinnamon ice cream that I made. So yet again well done to you!! Fabulous recipe and so easy. A very Happy 2020 Thanksgiving to y’all!
Okay that’s it, I’m changing the title of this recipe to “Sweet Jesus Apple Pie” haha!! I love it! Thanks so much for reviewing! I like the idea of using clear jel, thanks for sharing that idea. Umm also, homemade cinnamon ice cream??? You are KILLIN IT
I made this pie yesterday for Thanksgiving. I definitely would make again but would use less sugar next time. It’s borderline too sweet as is. Other than that, great recipe!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it Johanna! Thanks for your input. Happy Thanksgiving!
I read your story of the pie and I was thinking nice sales pitch on the flavor. I must admit the work paid off. I have never answered the question, what is your favorite pie? I now have a favorite pie. Your apple pie have great spice and apple flavor I can’t wait to taste it with pie filling with the crust.
I have my apples already peeled and frozen from this fall ready for pies, crisp, etc. I would love to try this recipe! For 5 pounds of whole apples, how many cups of peeled apples is that?
I’m so sorry Kelci I didn’t take the time to measure that out. You will just have to go by the photos that you see here on the post of the raw apples in the pan and use your best judgment. Enjoy!
Hi! Can I use a deep dish pie plate for this recipe?
Thank you!
Yes Terry, a deep dish plate will work great! Enjoy! Happy Thanksgiving!
Hi! Can I assemble my pie, keep it in the fridge and bake the next day? Or is it best to keep the filling and crust separate. I currently have my filling cooled and ready and I was going to roll out my crust but may wait until tomorrow bc I want to bake tomorrow.
Hi Tracy! I would be nervous that the filling would make the crust soggy if it was sitting on the unbaked crust that long. I haven’t tried it. I would keep it separate myself. Enjoy!
Hiii! Question about baking & freezing the pie. Do I bake it, let it cool, and then freeze it? Or freeze it before any sort of bake? Thanks!
How to freeze an entire Apple Pie
You can freeze an entire apple pie for another day. Top with the second crust, but don’t brush with egg/milk or sprinkle with sugar. Put the pie in the freezer for an hour to flash freeze, then wrap with plastic wrap, and wrap it again. Then wrap in foil. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Hi Mikaylynn! See above. You could also freeze a baked pie but I recommend freezing it unbaked. there will be some level of sogginess if you thaw out a baked pie. Still good, just not as good. Enjoy!
Hi there! Can you make this filling a couple days before (such as 2 days before thanksgiving) so that it’s one less thing you have to work about day of?
Hi Kelsoe, yes absolutely! Store in the fridge!
Can the filling be cooked a couple of days in advance? TIA
Hi Janell, yes for sure, keep chilled in the fridge!
This recipe looks amazing. My husband is requesting a graham cracker crust this year for our thanksgiving. Do you think I could use the apple pie filling recipe above but with a graham cracker crust? I’m sure it’ll be still just as delicious
Hm. I think it would be fine? I’m not really sure. Be sure to bake the crust first so that it’s nice and crispy.
Oh my goodness it’s in the oven now! And I’ll make another in a few days for Thanksgiving. I’m so excited…it smells wonderful. I used Granny Smith and Honey Crisp apples…I only had four pounds but I’m sure it’ll still be wonderful. We already made our annual trip to Apple Hill also. I’m just north of Sacramento :-)
Thank you!
Isn’t Apple Hill just the best? Such a fun tradition every year :) Granny smith and honey crisp are great options. Enjoy the pie Carrie! Thank you for commenting!
This recipe looks delicious! I do have a question about freezing the pie: in your post, you say that you can bake the pie from frozen by adding 20 minutes to the total bake time. Do you recommend adding those 20 minutes to the initial bake at 425 degrees, or during the ‘second’ bake at 350 degrees? If the answer is during the ‘second’ bake, should I keep the pie crust covered for the entire 60-65 minutes? This will be my first attempt at baking a pie, so I really value your input!
Hi Rebecca! Great question. I recommend keeping an eye on your pie and lowering the temperature at your discretion. You are looking for light browning on the edge of the crust, don’t worry about the center. Even with a frozen pie, I don’t think it will take more than about 20 minutes. Then I would lower the temperature, add the pie crust cover, and continue baking, adding as much time as necessary to get the center nice and brown. Definitely leave the cover on the whole time. Hope this is helpful! Enjoy the pie!
I made this pie and it was good. The only thing I would do different is leave the brown sugar, sugar, etc. in the apples overnight so the apples can absorb the sugar mixture. The apples didn’t have enough time to absorb the mixture, therefore leaving the apples to taste a little tart. Other than that, it was good!
Oh.My. Goodness! My granddaughter requested an apple pie for our Thanksgiving in the Woods this Sunday and I just put my beautiful pie in the oven. The filling is the most delicious pie filling I’ve ever tasted! We used Pink Lady and Gala apples and the they worked beautifully. We can’t wait to taste the final result! Thanks for the wonderful recipe!
I’m so happy to hear this Tish! Pink lady and Gala sound like great choices :) Enjoy your pie, and thank you so much for taking the time to comment!
The very best Apple Pie ever. I bought my apples and they were good size and I weighed them and I had a little over 6 lbs. The pan I used is like yours only bigger so when I filled my pan it was heaping with sliced apples. So when you say stir and mix before cooking, that was not going to happen so I turned on the heat and every three minutes I would give it a little stir and by the time I was done all the mixture was blended and the texture was perfect. Because I had more apples I added a little more sugar, brown sugar and flour and the taste was delicious. My pan was still up to the top so I turned it into a 10″ pie and then still had apples left so put into a dish and wanted to do a crisp and didn’t have oatmeal so I had some Great Grains cereal with raisins, dates and pecans and how wonderful that turned out. I like that you can taste this pie before it goes in the oven and that it is not going to run over the sides of the pie. I have an apple peeler and slicer so that part went very fast.
I am diabetic, is there a substitute for the brown sugar?
Hi Brittany! I’m sorry, I haven’t experimented with any sugar substitutes for this recipe. Let me know how it goes if you try it out!
I made this pie with Swerve brown sugar substitute and it worked perfectly!
Great idea Karen! Thanks so much for sharing!
What apples do you use and how many of each? Looking forward to making this good looking pie. I use all Granny Smith or all Pink Lady I have not tried to mix the apples. I need a good mix of apples. Thanks,
Sandra
Hi Sandra! I used Gala, Granny Smith, and Golden Delicious, about 3-4 of each to make 5 pounds. Enjoy!
OMG, another masterpiece
Thank you so much for sharing your recipes. I made this apple pie two weeks ago. I kept one at my house and the other one I took to work, let me tell you that was a mistake because now I have to bake another one for my co-workers before Thanksgiving. Some had it with ice cream, some with coffee, some had it hot, some had it cold. I received so many compliments. Thanks again, great recipe. I will be trying the sweet creamed corn casserole and the fudgy pumpkin chocolate chip bars next.
Oh I’m so happy to hear the pie was a success Euce! You have very lucky coworkers :) Thank you so much for reviewing. I’m glad you are trying the corn casserole and pumpkin bars next, great choices! Enjoy!
How many apples for a 10” pie pan. All mine are. 10”.
Hi Diann! I can’t be sure exactly because I haven’t tried it, but an extra apple or two would probably work fine! enjoy the pie!
This apple pie is amazing! My daughter requested apple pie for her birthday. I’m so glad I found your recipe! That but of cardamom…yes!! The crust… so flaky. (And I have only had samples along the way) Can’t wait time enjoy it tomorrow!
Stacia
Stacia! I’m so glad you loved the pie! This is a great alternative to birthday cake :) Thank you so much for taking the time to review, and happy birthday to your daughter!
Would it be possible to make just the filling the night before and refrigerate to save time?
Hi Marissa! Yes, totally! That’s a great idea :) Enjoy!
I haven’t made this yet, but excited to try it. I volunteered to make an apple pie for Thanksgiving. My husband loves more the Dutch Apple Pie with the streusel top. Looking at combining your Apple Custard Pie with Cinnamon Streusel recipe with this one. Have you done that before? I was thinking of just following this one completely, but instead of the pie crust on top, I would top with the streusel from the other recipe. Just curious if you tried that yet, and if so if you found any updates that would need to happen. Planning on doing a trial run before Thanksgiving.
Hi Kayla! I haven’t tried that yet, but I’m sure it would work great! It’s hard to beat a good streusel, right? Enjoy, and Happy Thanksgiving!
I made this pie on Sunday and the apple filling is AMAZING! I used a mix of honeycrisp, golden delicious and granny smith apples. I chose an all-butter crust but was so impressed with the filling! It will be go-to for all future apple pies.
I’m so happy you enjoyed it Tara! Great apple choices, I bet it was so good. Thanks so much for commenting!
I just made this pie today!! I’m so excited to taste it! I used a food processor to make the crust. The key is to pulse it. I used 14 quick pulses to cut the butter and shortening into the flour and sugar and then added the liquid a little at a time. I had to turn it out and knead it a little with my hands after but it worked perfectly!!
Thank you so much for the details Sara! It’s a little embarrassing that the rest of the world seems to know how to do pie crust in the food processor but I can’t seem to figure it out, haha! I guess the Charlatan name still holds true ;) I’m so glad it worked well for you, and again thanks for commenting!
My pie filling is in the freezer in a ziplock Bag waiting for me to make pie crust and pie. I made 4 batches and will probably make more. I still have about 20 pounds of apples to use up and my pantry is already full of homemade applesauce. I must confess I only used one variety of apples, the apples off of our tree, which are pretty sweet. Thanks for working out the details to great pie!
20 more pounds of apples! Wow your tree must have gone crazy this year Kris. That is awesome. You will be eating apple pie all year :)
Karen, I think you are one of the funniest people I know.
Ha, thanks Jessi! That means a lot coming from an Egyptian princess.
Karen, now that I work in Orem, I demand to taste-test all of your recipes.
Sure come on over! I know this is a huge sacrifice for you.
nice photo’s
I agree.
Thanks Dad! High praise from a photographer as amazing as you!!