Easy Homemade Apple Pie Recipe From Scratch

This easy homemade apple pie recipe is one of my all-time favorites. The crunchy pie crust consists of only five ingredients and it`s filled with a yummy apple filling seasoned with cinnamon.

I always choose homemade pie dough over the store-bought version. You can make it a few days ahead of time and store it in the freezer or refrigerator until you need it.

Follow my step-by-step instruction to make this apple pie from scratch successfully. The pie is eggless, and you can make it also dairy-free if you substitute butter with dairy-free margarine. I used to replace butter with such substitutes because of my son`s food allergies.

I also recommend my Mini Apple Pies In Muffin Tins, made with a different but also delicious crust.

What is an apple pie made of?

The pie crust consists of Plain flour, cold butter, and ice-cold water along with some salt and sugar that contribute to the caramelization of the crust during the baking.

The filling contains peeled and sliced apples mixed with a pinch of salt, cinnamon, sugar, and semolina (farina).

• Semolina (farina) will collect some of the released juice from the apples and thicken the filling.
• The sugar amount may vary depending on the kind of apples you choose, sweet apples require less added sugar than tart types.

The best apple types for an apple pie are Granny Smith and Golden delicious, I often combine them for the best flavor. Idared, Jonagold, Pink Lady, Bramley, and Jonathan are also good apple types for making pie filling.

What equipment do I need to make a pie?

Essential equipment:

• A rolling pin can be made of various materials like wood, plastic, or stainless steel. I have an old-fashioned wooden rolling pin I use for every kind of dough.
• Pie dishes also come in a variety of sizes, and designs and are made of various materials like glass, ceramics, or metal. There are also disposable pie dishes on the market. For this recipe, I used a metal tart pan with a fluted edge and a removable bottom 27 cm / 10.5 inches in diameter.
• You also need a pastry brush to apply the egg wash on top of the pie.

Optional, but useful tools that make the work easier:

• A food processor comes in handy when you make pie dough because it cuts the butter without warming it up. You can also use a pastry cutter for making the dough. If you are making the dough by hand, be careful not to overwork it because your warm hands can melt the butter.
• A potato peeler is my favorite tool for peeling apples, but it can also be done with a knife.
• A pizza cutter wheel makes it easy to cut stripes for the lattice.
• I like to use cookie-cutter stamps to make decorations on the pie. This pie crust dough holds its shape well, so the decorations always turn out great. This time I made some flowers, but in the autumn I like to make leaves or Christmas decorations for the holidays.

How to make an apple pie?

Make the pie dough first:

• Mix the sifted flour with sugar and salt.
• Add the cold butter and cut it into small cubes.
• Work the flour mixture with the butter for a short time. The butter should not melt but remain visible in coarse pieces in the dough.
• Add the ice-cold water little by little and knead briefly until the dough comes together.
• Wrap the dough in foil and refrigerate for at least half an hour.

Prepare the apple filling while the dough is chilling:

• Peel the apples cut them into 4-8 parts and slice thinly.
• Mix the apples with the sugar and salt and set them aside to release their juice.
• Discard the juice and mix the apples with the farina and the cinnamon.

Assemble the pie:

• Preheat the oven to 200°C / 400°F.
• Divide the dough into two equal parts, one for the bottom of the pie and the other for the lattice.
• Roll out one-half of the dough on a floured surface into a 3 mm / 1/8 inch thick circle larger than the pie dish. Transfer the dough to the dish with the rolling pin.
• Separate an egg and mix the egg white with a fork.
• Poke the bottom of the pie with a fork on a few spots to make tiny holes on the surface, then brush it with egg white. This will prevent the pie from being soggy.
• Pour the apples into the pie crust.
• Roll out the remainder of the dough on a floured surface 3 mm / 1/8 inch thick.
• Cut strips with a pizza cutter wheel or a knife and make the lattice.
• Mix the egg yolk with a tablespoon of water for the egg wash and apply it to the top of the lattice with a pastry brush.

Bake the apple pie:

• Place the pie into the preheated oven and bake for 15 minutes at 200°C / 400°F, then reduce the temperature to 150°C / 300°F and bake for another 40-45 minutes or until golden brown.
• Let the pie cool down before slicing.
• Serve with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, or custard.

Can you make a pie ahead of time?

• The pie dough can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
• The assembled pie can also be frozen and kept in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let it thaw before baking.
• You can also freeze the baked pie, wrapped in foil or in a plastic container. Let it thaw and warm up in the oven or a microwave before serving.

Where do pies originate from?

Medieval pies were mostly filled with meat, the sweet version that contained dried fruit appeared in the 15^th century. The first fruit pie recorded was a cherry pie served to Queen Elizabeth I in the 16^th century.

Pies were brought to America by the first settlers. These were meat pie recipes from England. Apple pies appeared in America after the planting of European apples sorts. Recipe books from the late 18^th century contain a variety of sweet pies, including apple pie which became very popular.

Final thoughts

Follow my step-by-step instructions to make an apple pie from scratch. It`s not complicated, and the outcome is really yummy.

You may also wish to try out my apple bread pudding recipe.