Classic Apple Pie

An all-butter double crust around a spiced filling of tart and sweet apples. Cool it fully so the slices hold their shape.

Prep

45 min

Cook

1 hr 15 min

Total

3 hr 15 min

incl. 1 hr 15 min chilling

Yield

8 servings

Ingredients

For the crust:
2½ cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp fine salt
1 tbsp granulated sugar
1 cup cold unsalted butter (2 sticks), cubed
8 tbsp ice water, as needed
For the filling:
3 lb apples, mixed Granny Smith and Honeycrisp (about 7)
¾ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup all-purpose flour
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
¼ tsp fine salt
To finish:
1 large egg beaten with 1 tbsp milk
1 tbsp coarse sugar

Method

Make the crust: whisk the flour, salt and sugar. Cut in the butter until the largest pieces are the size of peas. Sprinkle in ice water a tablespoon at a time, tossing, until the dough holds together when squeezed.
Divide into two disks, wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour.
Peel, core and slice the apples ¼ inch thick. Toss with the sugar, flour, lemon juice, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.
Heat the oven to 425°F (220°C) with a rack in the lower third. Roll one disk into a 12-inch circle and fit it into a 9-inch pie plate.
Pile in the filling, mounding it in the center. Roll the second disk, lay it over the top, trim, fold the edges under and crimp. Cut 4 or 5 steam vents.
Brush with the egg wash and sprinkle with coarse sugar. Chill 15 minutes.
Bake 20 minutes. Lower the oven to 375°F (190°C) and bake 45 to 55 minutes more, until the crust is deep golden and juices bubble through the vents. Cover the edges with foil if they brown too fast.
Cool on a rack for at least 3 hours before slicing.

Kitchen note

Bubbling juice at the vents means the thickener has activated. Pull it too early and the filling will be runny.

Where it comes from

Apple pie came over with English settlers. By the 20th century “as American as apple pie” was a national saying.