Easy Homemade Apple Pie Recipe With Flaky Crust From Scratch

Prep Time: 30 mins | Cook Time: 50 mins | Total Time: 1 Hour 20 mins | Servings: 8 slices

There is something about a homemade apple pie cooling on the kitchen counter that just makes a house feel like a real home. The smell of warm cinnamon, buttery crust, and sweet baked apples drifting through every room is honestly one of the greatest things in the world. My mum made this every autumn and I have been making it ever since.

This apple pie recipe gives you everything a perfect pie should have — a golden, shatteringly flaky buttery crust that holds its shape beautifully, and a warm spiced apple filling that is soft but not mushy, sweet but not sickly, with just the right amount of cinnamon and nutmeg running through every single bite.

The best part is that everything is made completely from scratch — crust included. It sounds intimidating but I promise it is much simpler than you think. Follow these steps once and you will be making this apple pie recipe on repeat for the rest of your life.

INGREDIENTS FOR APPLE PIE RECIPE

I always use a mix of two apple varieties for this apple pie recipe — one sweet and one tart. Granny Smith for tartness and Honeycrisp or Golden Delicious for sweetness. Using just one type makes the filling one-dimensional. The mix is what gives it that complex, layered flavor that everyone goes crazy for.

For the flaky pie crust (double crust):

• 2½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1 cup (225g) unsalted butter, very cold, cut into small cubes
• 6–8 tbsp ice cold water

For the apple filling:

• 6–7 medium apples (mix of Granny Smith and Honeycrisp), peeled, cored and sliced
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
• ¼ tsp ground allspice
• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour (to thicken)
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

For the egg wash:

• 1 large egg beaten with 1 tbsp milk
• 1 tbsp coarse sugar for sprinkling on top

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

Keep everything as cold as possible when making the pie crust — cold butter is what creates those beautiful flaky layers. If your kitchen is warm, pop the dough back in the fridge for 10 minutes any time it starts feeling soft or greasy. Cold dough is happy dough for this apple pie recipe.

Step 1 — Make the pie crust first. In a large bowl combine flour, salt, and sugar. Add the very cold butter cubes and use your fingertips to rub the butter into the flour until the mixture looks like rough breadcrumbs with some pea-sized butter chunks still visible. Those chunks are what make it flaky — don’t overwork it.

Step 2 — Add ice cold water one tablespoon at a time, mixing gently with a fork after each addition. Stop as soon as the dough just comes together — it should not be wet or sticky. Divide into two equal discs, wrap each in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Step 3 — While the dough chills, make the apple filling. Peel, core and slice the apples into ¼ inch thick slices. Place in a large bowl and toss with lemon juice, both sugars, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, flour, and vanilla extract. Mix well and set aside.

Step 4 — Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). On a lightly floured surface, roll one disc of chilled dough into a 12-inch circle. Carefully transfer it into a 9-inch pie dish, pressing it gently into the bottom and sides. Let the excess hang over the edges for now.

Step 5 — Pour the spiced apple filling into the prepared crust, mounding it slightly in the center. Dot the top of the filling with the small butter pieces — this adds richness to the filling as it bakes.

Step 6 — Roll out the second disc of dough into another 12-inch circle. Lay it over the top of the filling. Trim both crusts leaving about ½ inch overhang, then fold the edges under and crimp them together firmly with your fingers or a fork to seal completely.

Step 7 — Cut 4–5 small slits or a decorative pattern in the top crust to allow steam to escape during baking. Brush the entire top crust with egg wash, then sprinkle generously with coarse sugar for that beautiful golden sparkle.

Step 8 — Place the pie on a baking sheet (to catch any drips) and bake at 425°F for 20 minutes. Then reduce the oven temperature to 375°F (190°C) and continue baking for another 30–35 minutes until the crust is deeply golden and the filling is bubbling through the vents.

Step 9 — Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack. This is the hardest part — let the pie cool for at least 2 hours before slicing. This allows the filling to set properly so you get clean beautiful slices instead of a runny mess.

WHAT TO SERVE WITH

Vanilla Ice Cream A scoop of good cold vanilla ice cream on top of a warm slice of this apple pie recipe is the most iconic dessert combination in existence. The cold creamy ice cream melting into the warm spiced filling is pure magic — never skip this if you have it available.

Fresh Whipped Cream A generous dollop of lightly sweetened fresh whipped cream on the side keeps things simple and elegant. It lets the apple filling be the star without competing with it and works beautifully for dinner parties and gatherings.

Warm Caramel Sauce Drizzle warm homemade or store-bought salted caramel sauce over each slice just before serving. The buttery caramel and spiced apple combination from this apple pie recipe is absolutely next level — pure autumn dessert perfection.

Sharp Cheddar Cheese This might sound completely strange but a thin slice of sharp cheddar cheese alongside a warm slice of apple pie is a classic old-fashioned pairing that people absolutely swear by. The salty sharp cheese against the sweet spiced filling is surprisingly wonderful.

Cinnamon Custard Pour warm homemade cinnamon custard over each slice for an ultra-comforting British-style dessert experience. The warm custard soaks into the flaky crust and mingles with the spiced apple filling in the most delicious way imaginable.

STORAGE & SERVING TIPS

Room Temperature: This apple pie recipe can sit at room temperature loosely covered for up to 2 days. The crust stays crispier at room temperature than in the fridge so if you plan to eat it within 2 days keep it on the counter.

Fridge: For longer storage cover the pie tightly and refrigerate for up to 5 days. The crust will soften slightly in the fridge but the flavor stays wonderful. Bring to room temperature or warm in the oven before serving.

Freezer: Apple pie freezes beautifully both baked and unbaked. For baked pie wrap tightly in plastic wrap then foil and freeze up to 3 months. For unbaked pie assemble completely, freeze solid on a baking sheet, then wrap and store. Bake straight from frozen adding 15–20 extra minutes to the baking time.

Reheating: Reheat slices or the whole pie in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 15–20 minutes to bring back that fresh-baked warmth and re-crisp the crust. Avoid the microwave for this apple pie recipe — it makes the crust soft and soggy in seconds.

COMMON MISTAKES

1. Using warm butter in the pastry Warm or room temperature butter melts into the flour instead of staying in chunks and creates a tough, crumbly crust with no flakiness at all. Always use butter straight from the fridge — or even pop it in the freezer for 15 minutes before using for this apple pie recipe.

2. Overworking the pie dough The more you handle and knead pie dough the tougher it becomes. Mix only until it just comes together. It should look rough and shaggy — not smooth like bread dough. Rough and cold equals flaky and delicious.

3. Not pre-cooking or draining the apples Raw apple slices release a lot of liquid during baking which makes the bottom crust soggy and the filling watery. Tossing them with flour, lemon juice and sugar and letting them sit for 10–15 minutes helps draw out and control that moisture in this apple pie recipe.

4. Slicing the pie too soon Cutting into a hot pie means the filling runs out everywhere because it hasn’t had time to set and thicken. The full 2-hour cooling time is not optional — it’s what gives you those gorgeous clean slices with the filling staying perfectly in place.

5. Forgetting to vent the top crust Without steam vents cut into the top crust the steam pressure builds up inside and can cause the top crust to split or bubble up unevenly. Always cut at least 4–5 slits before baking — this also lets you check when the filling is properly bubbling and done.

VARIATIONS

Dutch Apple Pie with Crumble Topping Skip the top pastry crust entirely and replace it with a buttery brown sugar and oat crumble topping. Bake the same way for a gorgeous rustic version of this apple pie recipe that is honestly even easier and gets devoured just as fast.

Caramel Apple Pie Add ¼ cup of thick caramel sauce directly into the apple filling before pouring it into the crust. The caramel bakes into the apples creating an incredibly rich, deep, indulgent filling that takes this apple pie recipe completely over the top.

Spiced Apple and Pear Pie Replace two of the apples with ripe pears for a softer, slightly floral filling with a more complex flavor. Add a pinch of cardamom to the spice mix alongside the cinnamon and nutmeg for something really beautiful and special.

Mini Apple Hand Pies Use the same pastry and filling recipe to make individual hand-sized pies. Cut circles from the dough, fill one half with apple filling, fold over and crimp the edges. Brush with egg wash and bake at 375°F for 20–25 minutes. Perfect for kids and parties.

CONCLUSION

If you make this apple pie recipe I would absolutely love to hear how it turned out — drop a comment below and tell me what you served it with! And if this recipe brought a little warmth and happiness to your kitchen, please save it to your Pinterest boards so you always have it ready for apple season and beyond. Happy baking! 🍎🥧

RECIPE CARD

Easy Homemade Apple Pie Recipe Prep Time: 30 mins | Cook Time: 50 mins | Total Time: 1 Hour 20 mins | Servings: 8 slices

Ingredients:

Pie Crust:

• 2½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
• 6–8 tbsp ice cold water

Apple Filling:

• 6–7 medium apples, peeled and sliced
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• ¼ tsp nutmeg
• ¼ tsp allspice
• 2 tbsp flour
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp butter, in small pieces

Egg Wash:

• 1 egg beaten with 1 tbsp milk
• 1 tbsp coarse sugar for topping

Equipment:

• 9-inch pie dish
• Large mixing bowls
• Rolling pin
• Plastic wrap
• Wire cooling rack
• Baking sheet

Instructions:

1. Rub cold butter into flour, salt and sugar until breadcrumb texture.
2. Add ice water one tbsp at a time until dough just comes together.
3. Divide into two discs, wrap and refrigerate 30 minutes.
4. Toss sliced apples with sugars, spices, flour, lemon and vanilla.
5. Preheat oven to 425°F. Roll first dough disc into pie dish.
6. Add apple filling, dot with butter. Top with second rolled crust.
7. Trim, fold and crimp edges. Cut steam vents. Brush with egg wash.
8. Sprinkle with coarse sugar. Bake 425°F for 20 mins.
9. Reduce to 375°F and bake another 30–35 mins until golden.
10. Cool on wire rack minimum 2 hours before slicing.

Notes:

• Always use very cold butter for a flaky crust — no exceptions
• Mix of Granny Smith and Honeycrisp apples gives best flavor
• Cool fully before slicing or filling will run out
• Freezes beautifully baked or unbaked up to 3 months
• Reheat in oven at 350°F to restore crust crispiness