Crisp apple slices tossed with cinnamon and sugar then baked between two flaky, buttery pie crusts is one way to describe this incredible Homemade Apple Pie Recipe.
Included with this apple dessert recipe are tips for choosing the best apples for baking and tips on the different types of egg wash for apple pie.
Who doesn't love the smell of freshly baked apple pie wafting through the house?
The anticipation of taking that first bite of warm, sweet, tart goodness… it's practically impossible to resist!
Homemade apple pie is the perfect way to show your loved ones how much you care. Whether you're serving it up for a special occasion or just because, this is one dish that is sure to please.
Table of Contents
- Do you put Egg Wash on Apple Pie?
- Best Apples for Apple Pie
- Helpful Kitchen Tools
- Main Ingredients Needed
- Step-by-Step Instructions
- What temperature to cook apple pie?
- How long to bake apple pie at 375°?
- Apple Pie Internal Temperature?
- Before You Begin!
- Recipe FAQ's
- Top Recipe Tips
- Serving Tips
- Storing, Freezing, Thawing and Reheating Tips
- More Delicious Apple Recipes
- 📖 Recipe Card
- 💬 Comments
Do you put Egg Wash on Apple Pie?
Have you ever wondered how some people manage to get the tops of their pies to look beautiful? All you need to do is brush any of the following washes to the top of the crust before baking:
- For a shiny light brown crust: brush with an egg white that has been lightly beaten with a teaspoon of water.
- To get a glossy golden pie crust: brush the crust with an egg yolk and a teaspoon of water.
- For a crisp brown crust: brush the pie crust just with water.
- How to add a little sparkle: sprinkle sugar on top as well.
Best Apples for Apple Pie
Here are a list of the best apples for baking:
- Jonagold
- Honeycrisp
- Braeburn
- Cortland - are my personal favorite for baking.
- Granny Smith - a lot of people LOVE Granny Smith for baking, but I still find the taste a bit too tart. But that's just my preference. My husband loves Granny Smith apples.
Helpful Kitchen Tools
More InformationMore InformationMore InformationMore Information
Main Ingredients Needed
Here's a quick overview of the ingredients for this recipe. Find the exact amounts and click the Instacart button to easily add them to your cart – all in the printable recipe card below!
- 6 medium apples; peeled, cored and cut into ¼ inch thick slices
- Sugar
- All-purpose flour
- Ground cinnamon
- Salt
- Ground nutmeg
- Lemon juice
- 1 pastry for double pie crust
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: First, we need to make the pie dough. Roll out the top and bottom pie crusts. If you need a good tutorial on how to make perfect pie crust, check out my post on Pie Crust Basics.
Step 2: Peel, core and slice the apples using an apple corer/slicer. You can also use an apple peeler and knife but I find it easier to use this Apple Corer. It gives even slices for the apples.
Step 3: Once the apples are sliced, mix them with the sugar and spices. I love to use Cortland apples for all my baking. Make sure you check out the list below for a few other favorite apples that work great for homemade apple pie.
Step 4: Add the apples to the pie crust that is already fitted in the bottom of the Pie Plate.
Step 5: Add the top pie crust dough, crimp the edges and brush with the egg wash before baking.
What temperature to cook apple pie?
Step 6: Bake in a preheated 425°F oven for 15 minutes.
How long to bake apple pie at 375°?
Step 7: Then lower the temperature to 375 and continue baking for 30 minutes or until the apples are tender and the crust is golden brown. To avoid over-browning the crust, shield the edges with strips of foil (about 2-3 inches wide) after the pie has baked for 15-20 minutes. Let the pie cool completely on a wire rack before serving.
Apple Pie Internal Temperature?
Step 8: The ideal internal temperature for an apple pie is 195°F (91°C). This temperature ensures that the apples are cooked through and tender, but not mushy, and the filling has thickened properly to avoid a watery pie.
I use my digital meat thermometer for everything from proofing yeast to checking the doneness of chicken, beef, and pork. It even comes in handy for baking! I simply insert it into the center of my apple pie to ensure the filling reaches the perfect temperature of 195°F (91°C).
Before You Begin!
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Recipe FAQ's
To view the answers, simply click on the down arrow (⬇) next to each question. If you have any other questions not answered here, please leave a comment!
Yes, you can brush the pie crust with butter before baking. However, using butter will not give you the shininess of brushing with an egg wash.
Pre-bake the pie crust for a short time before adding the filling.
You can also try brushing the crust with egg wash to create a protective seal. Make sure you vent the top crust before baking and allow enough time for the pie to cool ample which will help prevent sogginess.
Top Recipe Tips
- An easy way to tell if your apple pie is baked completely is to check the internal temperature using a meat thermometer. Bake until the center of the pie reaches 195°F.
- Also, if you see the pie crust is getting too brown, cover it loosely with aluminum foil.
Serving Tips
When it comes to topping a homemade apple pie, there are two classic choices that truly shine. You can't go wrong with a scoop of creamy vanilla ice cream, whether store-bought or homemade. My personal favorite is a generous dollop of homemade whipped cream, made from scratch for an extra touch of indulgence.
Storing, Freezing, Thawing and Reheating Tips
Refrigerator: Store any leftovers wrapped in aluminum foil or in an air-tight container either in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Room Temperature: You could also store the apple pie at room temperature as long as it's not too hot in your kitchen.
Freezer: An easy prep-ahead tip, especially around the holidays, is to prepare but don't bake the apple pie. Wrap the unbaked pie in aluminum foil and then place in a pie storage container or a large plastic storage bag. Then freeze the pie for up to a month.
Thawing and Reheating/Baking: Don't worry about defrosting the pie before baking. Simply place the frozen pie in the oven and bake according to the directions; adding about 15 minutes onto the time the recipe directs.
More Delicious Apple Recipes
- Apple Dutch Pie or Apple Crumb Pie - an older recipe on the site but still so very popular!
- Best Apple Pie Recipes for Thanksgiving
- Apple Dump Cake
- This recipe for Easy Apple Puff Pastry Danish only sounds complicated. It's actually very easy to put together and looks amazing once baked!
- Caramel Apple Dump Cake
📖 Recipe Card
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Homemade Apple Pie
Ingredients
- 6 cups apples about 6 medium peeled, cored and cut into ¼ inch thick slices
- ¾ cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 pastry for double pie crust
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F.
- Line a 9-in. pie plate with bottom crust; trim crust even with edge. Set aside while you prepare the filling.
- Add the apples and the remaining ingredients to a bowl and mix to combine.
- Add the apple mixture into the crust-lined pie plate.
- Roll out the second pie crust and place on top of the apple mixture.
- Press the edges of both pie crust together to seal and crimp the edges.
- Cut slits in several places in top crust.
- Brush the top of the pie with an egg wash and sprinkle with additional sugar.
- Bake in a preheated 425°F oven for 15 minutes then lower the temperature to 375 and continue baking for 30 minutes or until the apples are tender and the crust is golden brown.
- Cool on cooling rack before serving.
Jen Caliguri says
We loved the flavor of the pie, but mine turned out like apple sauce. Did I slice my apples too thin?
Lois says
Yes, I think you might have sliced the apples too thin. I updated the recipe post with more specific information the thickness of the apple slices. I hope you'll try again!
Jamie says
Instead of flour, can you use cornstarch as the thickener?
Lois says
No. You need to use flour. Cornstarch needs to reach a certain temperature to fully cook out its raw flavor. Since we are not pre-cooking the apples for this recipe there is no way to make sure the cornstarch blends in smoothly. Thank you for visiting. I hope you enjoy the recipe!
Laura says
I use cornstarch in my pies and they always come out perfectly every time! It maybe the type of recipe one uses.
Tamie says
My husband loved it and I’m making it again two weeks later.
Lois says
Thank you for the great review and comment! Enjoy your Thanksgiving celebration!
Carol Doriott says
Used my canned apple pie mix.
Worked perfect. The crust is amazing.
Lois says
Thank you so much for the great comment and 5 star review!
Micaela says
I had a jiffy packet for the crust but used the rest, very good and cooked wonderfully!
Lois says
Glad you tried the recipe and enjoyed it! Thank you for the 5 star review!
Kelly Hankamer says
Not sure what happened? Pie crust great apple filling too watery. Did not add the lemon juice so dont know why?
Lois says
Fruit pies often need a little time to set after baking. Letting it cool allows the filling to thicken. It might be that cutting into it too soon caused the filling to run. I hope you'll try again!
Bruce Kriner says
What type of 🍎 should I use?
Lois says
There's a section in the middle of the blog post titled, "Best Apples for Apple Pie" I hope you'll go back and read it.
Susanne says
Always delicious!
Bell says
First time making it. Easy recipe was very delicious.
Marilyn says
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Thank you for sharing at #OverTheMoon. Pinned and shared. Have a lovely week. I hope to see you at next week’s party too! Please stay safe and healthy. Come party with us at Over The Moon! Catapult your content Over The Moon! @marilyn_lesniak @EclecticRedBarn
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Chas' Crazy Creations says
This looks delicious and I can't wait to try it. Thanks for sharing.