Hi Bold Bakers! WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE: This Traditional Apple Pie Recipe delivers a heartwarming dessert with unbeatable flavors and textures yet minimal effort. Already have an account?
Limited ingredients: Made with just 8 ingredients, or only 4 if you use store-bought crusts. Easy to make: Simple methods and straightforward instructions ensure an effortless baking experience. Timeless Taste: A soul-soothing dessert that evokes cherished memories and classic flavors.
If you’re loving the best apple pie recipe, here are some more of our recipes:
Easy Glazed Apple Fritter Recipe: These homemade apple fritters are light, airy, and topped with a sweet glaze, making them a perfect treat for breakfast or a snack. 5-Ingredient Apple Crumble Recipe: A quick and simple dessert featuring juicy apples topped with a buttery crumble, ideal for a fast and satisfying sweet fix. Apple Cider Donut Cake: This cake captures the essence of classic apple cider donuts with its rich spices and moist texture, perfect for autumn celebrations. Homemade Applesauce: Learn to make applesauce from scratch with fresh apples for a smooth, flavorful addition to meals or a sweet treat on its own. Homemade Apple Cider Donuts: Enjoy the taste of fall with these soft, spiced donuts infused with apple cider, ideal for a cozy treat any time of year.
Bold Bakers Loved This!
“I made the Apple pie based on your recipe and was delighted to see the outcome so perfect. My family loved it. I added a little of cinnamon also to apples. Thanks” – Deepa P. “This is the best pie! My husband requests this and the blueberry pie every week. Thank you so much for helping me bake with confidence.” -Cloighi. D “Hi Gemma , thank you so much for an absolute beaut of a recipe , huge success , pastry was easy to manage and melted in the mouth , this will be my absolute go to now. Thank you so much. “- Becky IMPORTANT NOTE: This recipe was improved and updated on 10/6/2024, to include NEW step-by-step photography, explanations and substitutes of key ingredients, best apples for pies, make-ahead and storage instructions, and more Pro-Chef Tips.
Table of Contents
What is a Traditional Apple Pie? Tools You Need Key Ingredients of Traditional Apple Pie Recipe How to Make a Traditional Apple Pie Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips Make Ahead & Storage Instructions What are the Best Apples for Pies? More Apple Recipes
What is a Traditional Apple Pie?
Traditional Apple Pie is a classic dessert featuring a buttery, flaky crust and a sweet, tender apple filling.
Made with Granny Smith Apples: Known for their tartness and firmness, which ensures a well-textured filling and balanced flavor. Comforting and Nostalgic: Offers familiar flavors with subtle hints of vanilla, evoking a sense of home. Versatile Preparation: Can be made entirely from scratch or with store-bought crusts for convenience.
My traditional Apple Pie Recipe stands out because:
Our easy apple pie filling recipe is made with just the right size chopped apples. This means every bite of pie, from the crust to the center, has the perfect texture. The apples are never mushy or undercooked; they are perfectly soft. The filling is accented with fragrant vanilla, but I don’t use distracting spices common in most recipes. This Best Ever Pie Crust holds together this festive fruity package. This pie crust, made with butter, eggs, and powdered sugar, is rich and lightly sweet. Lastly, our apple pie is decorated with lovely little pastry apples. Then the pie is brushed with egg, so it literally shines inside and out!
Tools You Need:
9-inch pie pan Rolling pin Measuring cups and measuring spoons Mixing bowls Sharp knife Spatula Baking tray Pastry brush
Key Ingredients of Easy Apple Pie Recipe
For the Crust:
Best Ever Pie Crust Provides a rich, flaky base for the perfect apple pie. Substitute: Buttermilk Pie Crust, Flaky Sour Cream Pie Crust Recipe, or Store-bought pie crusts.
Apple Pie Filling:
Granny Smith Apples Granny Smith Apples provide the base of the dessert with a tart flavor to balance the sweetness of the sugar. Apples are a good source of carbohydrates, mainly in the form of natural sugars and dietary fiber. Baking apples soften and release natural juices as they bake, creating a flavorful filling. Also, they hold their shape and stay in shape for a nice presentation. Bramley apples will be your go-to cooking apples in Ireland or the UK, They are very sour to eat but work beautifully in baking, such as Apple Crumble and Boozy Whiskey Whiskey Apple Crisp. Cornstarch Cornstarch thickens the apple filling. Substitute: All-purpose flour, tapioca starch, or arrowroot powder. Light Brown Sugar Sweetens the filling and adds a hint of molasses flavor. Substitute: Maple sugar will yield a similar result. Or you can make your own using our recipe Homemade Brown Sugar. Vanilla Extract Enhances the flavor of the apple filling. Substitute: Vanilla paste will also work.
How to Make a Traditional Apple Pie
Make Ahead and Storage Instructions for Traditional Apple Pie Recipe
Make Ahead:
Prepare the Crust: You can make the pie crust ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator for up to 2 days or freeze it for up to 3 months. Simply thaw in the fridge overnight before using. Apple Pie Filling: The filling can be made 1-2 days in advance and kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator until you’re ready to assemble the pie. Assembled Pie: Once assembled, the unbaked pie can be frozen for up to 3 months. When ready to bake, no need to thaw—just pop it straight into the oven, adding a few extra minutes to the bake time.
Storage:
Baked Pie: Once baked, allow the pie to cool completely, then cover it tightly with plastic wrap or foil. Store it in the fridge for up to 3 days. Freezing Leftovers: To freeze, slice the pie into individual pieces, wrap each piece in plastic wrap, and store in an airtight container or freezer bag. It will keep for up to 2 months. Reheat in the oven or microwave until warmed through.
What are the Best Apples for Pies?
If you live in the U.S., use Granny Smith apples.
They’re tart, firm apples that hold their shape well during baking, making them perfect for pies. Their sharp flavor balances the sweetness of the filling. Best for balanced tartness and firm texture.
If you live in Ireland, the UK, or Europe, Bramley apples will be your go-to cooking apples.
Cooking apples soften and release natural juices as they bake, creating a flavorful filling. Also, they hold their shape and stay in shape for a nice presentation: Apple Crumble and Boozy Whiskey Whiskey Apple Crisp.
If you prefer a sweeter taste, choose relatively firmer sweeter apples than the normal apples, such as Honeycrisp, Braeburn, Pink Lady, Jonagold, and Golden Delicious apples.
More Fall Apple Recipes!
Caramel Apple Tarte Tatin Crock Pot Apple Pie Filling Apple Snack Cake Apple Cupcakes for Fall Microwave Mug Apple Crisp
And don’t forget to follow Bigger Bolder Baking on Pinterest! IMPORTANT NOTE: This recipe was improved and updated on 10/6/2024, to include NEW step-by-step photography, explanations and substitutes of key ingredients, best apples for pies, make-ahead and storage instructions, and more Pro-Chef Tips.
