Old Fashioned Apple Pie Recipe

Active Time:

1 hr

Total Time:

4 hrs 30 mins

Yield:

8 servings

A.J. Perry, the owner and baker at Columbus, Ohio's Sassafras Bakery, uses a combination of sweet and tart apples for this double-crust pie. Perry starts baking the pie at a high oven temperature, so the pastry sets before the filling softens, creating a beautiful domed crust. This is a pie for purists — it tastes of nothing but apples, with just a hint of spice and butter. Cinnamon and freshly grated nutmeg bring a soft, rounded warmth to the filling. A couple tablespoons of lemon juice do double duty: by letting the fruit quickly macerate in the juice prior to baking, you’ll draw out some of the natural apple juices, which will prevent a runny filling. Once baked, you’ll find that the tart lemon brings brightness to the buttery crust and warm, spiced apples.

Frequently asked questions

Is it better to cook apples before making pie?

While some home bakers like to pre-cook apples before making pie, it’s not necessary for this recipe. Instead, toss them in a combination of sugar and lemon juice and let them sit for just 10 minutes, which draws out some of their moisture and will prevent the cooked pie filling from being too runny.

How do you bake an apple pie so the bottom crust is not soggy?

To bake a crispy, golden-brown pie crust, use a metal or aluminum pie dish rather than one that’s glass or porcelain. While porcelain pie dishes look pretty, aluminum is a better conductor of heat and will help the crust to crisp up.

Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen

We recommend using an assortment of baking apples for varied flavors. Pink Lady, Golden Delicious, Cortland, and/or Jonathan apples work particularly well for pie. These varieties will hold their shape and won’t turn into mush once baked. Plus, they all have a sweet-tart flavor that is especially nice in an apple dessert.

Make ahead

The cooled pie can be refrigerated for up to 2 days. Reheat in a 350℉ oven for 15 to 20 minutes before serving.

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Ingredients

Crust

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
1 teaspoon salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch dice and chilled
1/4 cup ice water

Filling

3 pounds apples, such as Pink Lady, Golden Delicious, Cortland, or Jonathan, peeled, cored, and sliced 1/4-inch thick
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Pinch of salt
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small dice
1 large egg, beaten
2 tablespoons turbinado sugar, for sprinkling

Directions

In a food processor, combine the flour and salt. Add the butter and pulse in 1-second bursts until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Drizzle the ice water over the dough and pulse in 1-second bursts until it just comes together. Turn the dough out onto a work surface, gather any crumbs and pat it into two disks. Wrap the disks in plastic and refrigerate until chilled, about 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 425°F. On a floured work surface, roll out one disk of the dough to a 12-inch round, a scant 1/4 inch thick. Ease the dough into a 9- to 10-inch deep-dish glass pie plate. Roll out the second disk of dough to a 12-inch round. Transfer to a wax paper–lined baking sheet and refrigerate.
In a bowl, combine the apples with the sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Add the lemon juice and toss well. Let stand for 10 minutes, until the sugar dissolves slightly.
Scrape the apples and any juices into the pie plate and dot with the butter. Cover with the top crust and gently press the edges together. Trim the overhanging dough to about 1 inch and pinch to seal. Fold the dough rim under itself and crimp decoratively. Brush the pie with the beaten egg and sprinkle with the turbinado sugar. Cut three small gashes in the top of the pie to vent the steam.
Bake the pie on the lowest shelf of the oven for 30 minutes. Lower the oven temperature to 365°F and bake the pie for 45 to 50 minutes longer, until the fruit juices are bubbling through the steam vents and the crust is deeply golden on the top and bottom; cover the pie loosely with foil halfway through baking to keep it from getting too dark. Transfer the pie to a rack and let cool for at least 2 hours before serving.