This easy apple pie recipe is a classic dessert that’s universally adored! Tender chunks of sweet juicy apples enclosed in buttery, crisp pastry. Serve with custard, ice cream or pouring cream for a simply heavenly dessert.
I do love an old-fashioned pie recipe! Classic Pecan Pie, pumpkin pie and lemon meringue pie are among my favourites, but a classic apple pie is pretty hard to beat.
A lovingly made apple pie has to be one of the all-time classic desserts. It’s homely, comforting and delicious. The food equivalent of a great big cinnamon-scented cuddle.
If you think making an apple pie is too difficult and fiddly, I urge you to think again. All you need is a few simple, basic ingredients and if you follow my tips, you’ll have an apple pie to be proud of!
Do you like caramel apples? Try this gorgeous caramel apple pie recipe!
what are the best apples to use in an apple pie?
I like to use a mixture of Bramley (cooking) apples and eating apples for apple pie. You can use just cooking apples if you like, but if you do you will need to add a little extra sugar.
I find a 50/50 ratio of cooking apples (Bramleys) and eating apples is perfect. The best eating apples to use in apple pie are:
- Cox’s
- Granny Smiths
- Braeburn
- McIntosh
- Galas
The only apples I would stay away from for a pie are really sweet varieties such as Pink Ladies. You need the apples to be quite tart to counteract all the sweetness
recipe notes
- The pastry is just as important as the apples! A slightly sweet shortcrust pastry is best – this pie dough recipe is foolproof. Please bear in mind that you don’t need to pre-bake the pastry for a fruit pie.
- I place the peeled and sliced apples in a large bowl and coat them in a mixture of sugar, ground cinnamon and a little ground mixed spice. The aroma of the spices while the pie is baking is so heavenly!
- An apple pie can take a minimum of one hour to cook through properly – the top of the pie might seem cooked, but if you take it out of the oven too early the underside can be undercooked. It can take anywhere from 60-75 minutes to bake depending on your oven.
- If the pie crust looks like it is browning too much, cover the rim with a long piece of folded tin foil to prevent the crust from burning.
- I often chill the assembled pie before baking – this helps prevent the pastry from shrinking in the oven. A minimum of 30 minutes is perfect. You can also freeze the pie for 15-20 minutes.
- Don’t forget to glaze the apple pie with egg wash before baking. This gives the pie crust a lovely golden sheen.
how to avoid a soggy bottomed pie
To quote Dame Mary Berry, you don’t want a soggy bottom on your apple pie!
I avoid this terrible fate by adding a little cornflour to the apples. This thickens up the juices when the pie is cooking and will prevent the bottom of the pie crust turning soggy. I add the cornflour after coating the apples in the spiced sugar.
What is the best pie Dish for apple Pie?
The 3 main pie dishes available are metal, ceramic and pyrex. In my baking experience, I find a metal pie dish far better for cooking fruit pies. They might not be as pretty as ceramic pie dishes, but they conduct heat extremely well, leaving you with an evenly baked, crisp apple pie.
All you need to do now is decide what to serve with your pie – custard, ice cream or pouring cream! I love all these options, so what I choose depends on my mood at the time!
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Easy Apple Pie
This easy apple recipe is simple, comforting and delicious. Tender chunks of sweet juicy apples enclosed in buttery, crisp pastry. A classic dessert that's universally adored!
Ingredients
- 1xquantity of all butter pie dough recipe, (DO NOT BLIND BAKE)
- 800g peeled, cored and sliced apples
- 125g caster sugar (use 50g of sugar if not using Bramley Apples)
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon (optional)
- 1/2 tsp mixed spice (optional)
- 1/2 tsp fine salt
- 2 tbsp cornflour or plain flour
- 1 beaten egg mixed with 1 tbsp of milk, for glazing the pie
- 1 tbsp caster sugar for sprinkling on pie
Instructions
- Make the all butter pie dough recipe but don't blind bake it. Cut the dough into two equal pieces and place in the fridge for a minimum of 30 minutes.
- Once the pie dough has rested in the fridge, roll out one half on a lightly floured work surface (you need the dough a little larger than your pie plate.) Line a 9 or 10 inch pie plate with the dough. Pop the lined pie plate in the fridge while you peel the apples.
- Place the peeled and sliced apples in a large bowl and sprinkle over the sugar, ground cinnamon, mixed spice if using and a pinch of salt. Stir well to combine, then sprinkle over the cornflour and combine well again.
- Remove the pie plate from the fridge. Spoon the apples into the pie plate, pressing them down slightly to avoid gaps in the filling. It will look like too many apples, but go with it. Brush the edge of the pie dough with beaten egg. This will secure the top part of the dough to the bottom. Transfer the pie to the fridge while you roll out the second portion of dough.
- Remove the second piece of pie dough from the fridge and roll out. Carefully lift up the rolled out dough and place over the top of the apples. Press firmly all round the edge of the pie plate to seal the edges. Using a sharp knife, trim any excess dough. The dough should be sitting flush against the rim of the pie plate. Using a fork or your thumb and forefinger, crimp the edges. Place the pie in the fridge for 30 minutes or the freezer for 15 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 200C/180Fan/400F and pop a baking sheet on the middle shelf.
- Remove the pie from the fridge or freezer. Using a very sharp knife, cut a few slits in the lid to allow steam to escape. Brush the pie all over with the beaten egg/milk mixture and sprinkle with sugar.
- Place the pie on the preheated baking sheet and bake for 25minutes, then turn down the oven to 180C/160Fan/350F and bake for a further 30-35 minutes or until the pie is crisp, golden and the juices are bubbling. If the pie crust is becoming too brown at any time, cover the top of the pie with a piece of tin foil.
- Serve the apple pie warm with custard, cream or ice cream. For neat slices, cool the pie completely before cutting.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 282Total Fat: 11gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 4mgSodium: 307mgCarbohydrates: 47gFiber: 3gSugar: 26gProtein: 1g
Definitely going to try this, and soon!
hope you enjoy it 🙂