Desserts
Classic Apple Pie
★★★★½ (4.7)
A golden, flaky double crust wrapped around cinnamon-spiced apples that hold their shape but turn perfectly tender -- this is the pie everyone requests at every holiday.
- Flaky, buttery crust made without any special tools
- Mixing tart and sweet apple varieties keeps the filling from turning mushy or one-note
- The full cooling rest guarantees clean, sliceable pieces
- Make the dough: In a food processor or large bowl, combine the flour, salt, and 1 Tbsp sugar. Add the cold cubed butter and pulse (or cut in with a pastry cutter) until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs with pea-sized butter pieces still visible.
- Add ice water 1 tablespoon at a time, pulsing or stirring between additions, just until the dough clumps together when pinched. Divide the dough in half, flatten each half into a disc, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (or up to 2 days).
- Make the filling: In a large bowl, toss the sliced apples with the 3/4 cup sugar, 1/4 cup flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and lemon juice until evenly coated. Let sit for 15 minutes so the apples release some juice.
- Preheat the oven to 425F and place a baking sheet on the lower rack to catch any drips.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll one dough disc into a 12-inch circle about 1/8-inch thick. Transfer it to a 9-inch pie dish, pressing gently into the bottom and sides, and letting the excess hang over the edge.
- Pour the apple filling into the crust, mounding it slightly in the center, and discard any excess liquid left in the bowl.
- Roll out the second dough disc into a 12-inch circle. Either lay it whole over the filling and cut 4-5 steam vents with a knife, or cut it into strips and weave a lattice top.
- Trim the overhanging dough to 1 inch, fold the edges under themselves, and crimp decoratively with your fingers or a fork.
- Brush the top crust with the egg wash and sprinkle with coarse sugar.
- Bake at 425F for 20 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 375F and continue baking for 35-40 minutes more, until the crust is deep golden brown and you can see thick juices bubbling through the vents.
- Cool the pie on a wire rack for at least 3 hours before slicing -- this rest lets the filling set so slices hold together instead of running.
Keep the butter and water ice cold and work quickly -- warm butter melts into the flour instead of staying in visible chunks, which is what creates flaky layers.
If the crust edges brown too fast, loosely cover them with a strip of foil for the last 20 minutes of baking.
Nutrition (per serving)
420Calories
4gProtein
20gFat
58gCarbs
3gFiber
280mgSodium
Nutrition information is estimated and provided for convenience only.
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