It sounds so daunting, or at least, it did to me before I made one. Homemade Apple Pie with homemade crust? That's a lost art, reserved only for down-home, legit, grandma types. Sorry grandma, I'm hip to your jive and making a homemade apple pie is, well, easy as pie!
Oh wait...now I know why they use that expression...
Homemade Apple Pie
It is important to lay out some ground rules before embarking on a homemade apple pie. First, and foremost, know that there are as many opinions about the "right way" to make a pie crust and filling as the day is long. I went through fourteen rounds of testing on pies and this was the ultimate winner in my humble opinion. I go with a butter crust. Some folks are all about the oil, other shortening, others a combo. I love butter and get the flakiness that I adore doing this recipe with straight up butter.
The other trick is to use a high quality butter, like Kerrygold, and make sure it's super duper cold. Cold butter when making the dough, refrigerating the dough after handling, all keys to a perfect flaky crust. When the butter's cold, it stays in little chunks within the crust, so when it starts to bake in the hot oven, they leave little butter cavities in the crust giving you that perfect texture.
I also think this recipe is a bazillion times easier when using a food processor. You can definitely do it by hand, but using a food processor makes things go quickly, keeping the butter cold. The only pain in the neck, really, is cleaning the food processor. I hate cleaning that thing...
Otherwise, the trick with pie is practice, practice, practice. Make a few, get some experience and you'll be ready for the holidays!
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Homemade Apple Pie
- Prep Time: 45 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 mins
- Yield: 1 pie
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Description
A classic homemade apple pie with an all butter crust and green apple filling.
Ingredients
- 2 cups flour
- 16 tbs butter
- Salt
- ¼ c water
- Flour for work surface
- 9 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled and thin sliced
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ginger
- ⅛ tsp nutmeg
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- 1 egg
Instructions
- Place butter, flour and salt into a food processor and pulse until butter is mixed with the flour into a small gravely consistency, then add in water gradually until completely mixed in and dough is soft, not tacky.
- Roll dough into a ball and then flatten into a thick disk. Cover in plastic wrap and place in the fridge to chill at least 1 hour, up to over night.
- After your dough is chilled, preheat the oven to 375F.
- Place apples, sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt in a large sauté pan and cook until apples are soft, adding cornstarch at the end to thicken the sauce that forms. Let the sauce cool 10 minutes before the next step.
- Roll the dough out onto a floured surface into a large round sheet, large enough to cover your 9’’ pie plate past the rim. Roll out the second dough into a large round and cut into strips for a lattice top.
- Place the rolled dough over the pie plate, pressing it down into the plate and rolling over the edges.
- Pour apple filling into the crust then create a lattice pattern on top with the strips of dough, pinching along the edges to seal.
- Brush the lattice top with a beaten egg and bake at 375F for 15 minutes, rotate and bake another 15, continuing to rotate and bake at 3 minute intervals until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbling.
- Allow to cool at least 30 minutes before serving.
Sergio Silva says
hi I'm from Brazil. I loved your videos. Is it possible to send me this recipe (applepie) with the measurements in grams? Thank you.
Marilia says
I've made it! Thanks for the wonderful recipe!
Greets from Brazil
Joanie Simon says
So glad you enjoyed! Cheers!!!
Tatum Parshotam says
I love this recipe thank you so so much
Nancy says
is it unsalted butter or salted butter ???
Joanie Simon says
I use unsalted butter and add the salt myself. If you'd rather use unsalted, then don't add extra salt to the crust portion of the recipe. Hope you enjoy!
Henry Larry says
I Love the confidence in simplifying a seemingly complex task. Your emphasis on butter and its temperatures effect on texture is a game changer. Can not wait to embark on my homemade apple pie journey.
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