Few culinary delights evoke the warmth and comfort of home quite like a freshly baked apple pie. With its golden crust, tender apples, and fragrant spices, apple pie has long been a beloved staple of American cuisine. In this blog post, we’ll embark on a delicious journey through the apple pie recipe, essential ingredients, and step-by-step preparation to create the perfect slice of nostalgia.
Table of Contents
Ingredients For Apple Pie Recipe
For the crust:
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1/4 to 1/2 cup ice water
For the filling:
- 6 large apples (such as Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, or a mix), peeled, cored, and sliced
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Pinch of salt
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
Instructions For Apple Pie Recipe
Prepare the Pie Crust:
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, salt, and sugar.
- Add the cold cubed butter to the flour mixture and use a pastry cutter or your fingers to work the butter into the flour until it resembles coarse crumbs.
- Gradually add the ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing until the dough just comes together. Be careful not to overwork the dough.
- Divide the dough in half, shape each half into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or until firm.
Preheat the Oven:
- Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Place a baking sheet in the oven to preheat as well. This helps ensure a crisp bottom crust.
Prepare the Filling:
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the sliced apples, granulated sugar, brown sugar, lemon juice, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and a pinch of salt. Toss until the apples are evenly coated.
Roll out the Pie Crust:
- On a lightly floured surface, roll out one disk of the chilled pie dough into a circle about 12 inches in diameter. Carefully transfer the rolled-out dough to a 9-inch pie dish, gently pressing it into the bottom and sides.
Assemble the Pie:
- Pour the apple filling into the prepared pie crust, spreading it out evenly. Dot the top of the filling with small pieces of butter.
- Roll out the second disk of pie dough into a similar-sized circle and carefully place it over the filling. Trim any excess dough and crimp the edges to seal. Optionally, you can make a decorative design with the dough scraps.
Bake the Pie:
- Place the pie on the preheated baking sheet in the oven and bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbling.
- If the edges of the crust start to brown too quickly, you can cover them with foil or a pie shield halfway through baking.
Cool and Serve:
- Once baked, remove the pie from the oven and allow it to cool on a wire rack for at least 2 hours before slicing. This allows the filling to set.
- Serve slices of apple pie warm or at room temperature, optionally topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream.
Enjoy your homemade apple pie, filled with the delicious flavors of tender apples, warm spices, and buttery crust—a true classic that’s perfect for any occasion!