Grandma's Old Fashioned Apple Pie

Just like my Grandma's Old Fashion Custard Pie and her Blueberry Pie, her apple pie is iconic.

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It's the simplicity of this recipe that makes it so special, but the chef in me can’t help but tweak it ever so slightly to make it even better.

I’m going to teach you both grandma’s tricks and my own for making the best old fashioned apple pie you’ll ever try. This recipe starts with the simplest flaky homemade crust and uses two types of apples to create the perfect balance of flavor and texture.

Every year my family and I gather the week before Thanksgiving to make a bunch of apple pies and then we freeze them to bake off and enjoy throughout the holiday season. It’s my favorite holiday tradition and one that you should start, too!

Why this is the Best Apple Pie Recipe

• Two types of apples makes for a better flavor and texture.
• Simply spiced with warm cinnamon and sugar for a classic, homey flavor.
• A buttery, flaky pie dough that's easy to work with, but you can also use store bought..
• Can be frozen up to 3 months in advance and baked right from the freezer.

Old Fashioned Apple Pie Ingredients

• Baking Apples - It's important to use apples that are suitable for baking, as some apple varieties will turn to mush when cooked. My favorite is a combination of Rome apples, which are sweeter, and Granny Smith, which are tart. This gives the pie an amazing balance of flavor, sweetness and acidity, but any type of baking apples will work - and there are plenty of them. Not sure? All Recipes has an excellent guide.
• Good Quality Pie Dough - Grandma ALWAYS makes homemade dough and I have a recipe for foolproof flaky pie dough that you can follow. But if you're not up for it, Trader Joe's makes a good one.
• Cinnamon
• Butter
• Salt
• Sugar
• Flour
• Egg

How to make Homemade Apple Pie

1. Peel the apples.

2. Remove the cores.

3. Slice each apple in half, then cut each into ¼ - ½ inch slices, then add them to a bowl.

4. Add the cinnamon, flour, sugar and salt.

5. Mix until each slice of apple is thoroughly coated. Set aside for at least 30 minutes.

6. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, then generously dust a work surface with flour, then place one disc of dough in the center. Generously dust the dough, a rolling pin and a bench scraper (if using) with flour.

7. Begin rolling the dough by starting at the bottom and rolling away from your body. After 2-3 rolls, rotate the dough 90 degrees, then repeat this until the dough is roughly 12 inches around (about 3 inches bigger than a pie plate).

8. Roll the dough up on to the rolling pin, then use it to help you transfer the dough to the pie plate. Unroll the dough and adjust to it fit. Set aside somewhere cool (the refrigerator, a drafty room, or outside on a chilly day).

9. Remove the second piece of dough from the refrigerator and roll it out exactly the same way as the first.

10. Add the apples to the pie plate with the bottom crust.

11. Dot the top of the apples with butter, then use your fingers to lightly wet the perimeter of exposed dough around the edges with water.

12. Use the rolling pin to transfer the second piece dough to the top of the pie. Unroll to cover the apples, then go around and press the dough together to seal in the filling.

13. Trim off any excess so that there's an even amount on all sides. Tuck the edges under neatly, then use your fingers to create a crimped edge.

14. Use a sharp knife to cut a few vents in the top, then brush all over with egg wash.

15. Bake for about 60 to 90 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbling out of the vents.

16. Allow the pie to rest for at least one hour before cutting into it. Serve with ice cream or whipped cream.

Best Apple Pie Tips for Success

• I find letting the apples macerate with the cinnamon, sugar, flour and salt for at least a half hour before filling the pie creates a better filling. If you have the time, let them hang out.
• Keep your pie dough refrigerated until you're ready to roll. Keeping the dough cold will help ensure it bakes up nice and flaky and will make it easier to work with. If the dough is a little too firm to roll, let it sit at room temperature for 5 minutes, then proceed.
• This pie bakes up beautifully straight out of the freezer. If using a glass pie plate, let it sit out at room temperature for 20 minutes prior to baking to prevent the glass from shattering.
• If the outer crust starts getting too brown before the center, cover the edges with foil and continue baking until done.
• It's important to let the pie rest for at least 1 hour before cutting. This helps the filling set up so it won't ooze out all over.

How to store Homemade Apple Pie

Store any leftover pie wrapped tightly in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

For longer storage, store a fully assembled, unbaked pie in the freezer, wrapped tightly, for up to 6 months. Bake directly from the freezer, but increase the bake time an additional 30 to 60 minutes (for 2 - 2 ½ hours total)

Grandma's Old Fashioned Apple Pie Recipe FAQs

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Grandma Old Fashioned Apple Pie Recipe

This classic recipe for old fashion apple pie is my family’s go to every Thanksgiving. It’s a simple, old timey recipe that tastes so simple yet so delicious. Tender apples baked with warm cinnamon sugar encased in the most flaky, buttery pie crust ever. Grandma’s pies are classic for a reason! 

Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour hour

Total Time: 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Servings: 8 servings

Calories: 362kcal

Author: Nicole Gaffney

Ingredients

• 6 large baking apples My favorite is a combination of Rome and Granny Smith
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ¼ cup all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 discs of pie dough find my recipe here
• 1 egg beaten for egg wash

Instructions

1. Peel, core and slice the apples about ¼ - ½ inch thick, then place them in a large mixing bowl.
2. Add the sugar, flour, cinnamon and salt, then toss until the apples are evenly coated. Let sit for at least 30 minutes or until the apples start giving off their juices.
3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and prepare the counter and rolling pin by dusting everything liberally with flour.
4. Remove one disc of dough from the refrigerator and roll out to about 12 inches around, rotating the disc as you go to keep it from sticking to the counter. Use bench scraper to help remove the dough from the counter if it starts to stick.
5. Transfer the dough to a pie plate, making sure it's distributed evenly around the sides. 
6. Roll out the second disc of dough just like the first, then set aside while you fill the pie.
7. Pour the apples into the pie plate, then dot the top with little knobs of butter. Use your fingers to lightly dampen the perimeter of exposed dough around the edges with water.
8. Roll the top crust on to the rolling pin and transfer it over top of the apples.
9. Press around the edges with your fingers to to seal the top crust with the bottom crust, then neatly tuck it all under. If the dough is uneven or there's a lot of excess, trim it with a pair of kitchen shears.
10. Use your thumb and index fingers form the crust into a fluted edge.
11. Use a sharp knife create a few vents in the top, then brush all over with egg wash, being careful not to close up the vents you just created.
12. Bake for about 1 hour to 90 minutes, rotating half way through to ensure even browning. It should be golden in color with filling oozing around the vents. 
13. Allow the pie to rest for at least one hour before cutting into it. Serve with vanilla ice cream.

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Notes

• I find letting the apples macerate with the cinnamon, sugar, flour and salt for at least half an hour before filling the pie creates a better filling. If you have the time, let them hang out even longer. 
• Keep your pie dough refrigerated until you're ready to roll. Keeping the dough cold will help ensure it bakes up nice and flaky and will make it easier to work with. If the dough is a little too firm to roll, let it sit at room temperature for 5 minutes, then proceed. 
• This pie bakes up beautifully straight out of the freezer. If using a glass pie plate, let it sit out at room temperature for 20 minutes prior to baking to prevent the glass from shattering. 
• If the outer crust starts getting too brown before the center, cover the edges with foil and continue baking until done.
• It's important to let the pie rest for at least 1 hour before cutting. This helps the filling set up so it won't ooze out all over. 

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Nutrition

Calories: 362kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 28mg | Sodium: 351mg | Potassium: 202mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 27g | Vitamin A: 193IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 26mg | Iron: 2mg

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