Homemade Apple Pie has spiced, sweet, gooey fresh apples, wrapped in a buttery and flaky homemade double crust. The perfect classic Thanksgiving pie recipe!
3 ½pounds(1 ½ kg) apples from about 7 medium apples (Granny smith)
2tablespoonsfresh lemon juice
1/4cup(50 grams) granulated sugar
1/2cup(100 grams) light brown sugar
2teaspoonsground cinnamon
¼teaspoonground nutmeg
¼teaspoonginger
¼teaspoonground cloves
1/8teaspoonfine salt
1tablespooncornstarch
Egg wash:
1large egg yolk
1tablespoonheavy cream or whole milk
Coarse sugar, for sprinkling
Instructions
Prepare the crust:
Roll the dough out on a generously floured work surface. Keep turning the dough after every roll to ensure it doesn’t stick to the counter and is of even thickness. Use your hands to cup the edges of the dough to keep it smooth and prevent cracks. Add additional flour to the dough, the counter, and your rolling pin as needed. Roll one piece of dough into about a 14-inch circle, depending on how deep your pie tin is. Roll the other piece of dough into a slightly smaller circle for the top crust. Cover the top crust dough with plastic wrap and return to the fridge.
Gently roll one sheet of dough up and around the rolling pin then unroll and drape over a 9-inch pie tin. Gently press into the pie tin. Do not stretch the dough. Place the pie crust-lined tin, covered, back in the fridge. Refrigerate at least 2 hours, or overnight.
Make the filling:
Peel, core, and slice the apples into ¼-inch to ½-inch slices and place in a large bowl. Toss with the lemon juice, sugars, spices, and salt. If time permits, allow the apples to macerate for 30 minutes or up to 3 hours, tossing occasionally.
Just before assembling, stir in the cornstarch. Don’t forget!
Assemble the pie:
Pour the apple mixture into the pie shell, flattening and adjusting to make it fit evenly. Brush the edges of the chilled pie shell lightly with water.
Drape the remaining sheet of dough over the filling. If the sheet is too cold, allow it to warm up slightly to become more pliable so you don’t break or puncture it. Pinch and seal both crusts together, then use scissors or a knife to trim the excess dough, leaving a 3/4-inch overhang, before tucking the edges under itself for a clean finish.
Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes, no longer than 1 hour.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400°F.
In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolk and cream. Remove pie from fridge. Brush all over with egg wash. Sprinkle generously with sugar. Cut six vents in the top to allow steam to escape. Bake on a parchment-lined rimmed baking pan until golden brown and with an internal temperature of 195°F, about 1 hour and 15 minutes.
Cool at least 1 hour before serving. Store leftovers wrapped in foil for up to 3 days at room temperature. Reheat at 350°F for 5 to 10 minutes, if desired.
Notes
How to Make Apple Pie Ahead of TimeHomemade pie dough can be formed into disks, wrapped in plastic, and refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 2 months. The rolled-out crusts can also be covered and refrigerated overnight. If you need to make your pie further ahead of time, see the freezing instructions below.How to Freeze Apple PieAssemble the pie fully, double wrap in plastic, and then freeze for up to 1 month. Let the pie partially thaw at room temperature for about 1 hour, then bake as directed by the recipe, adding about 10 minutes to the baking time.