This easy apple pie recipe with pie filling is a classic dessert everyone will love. Filled with sweet apples and a flaky crust, it’s simple to make at home. Your family and friends will totally enjoy this mouthwatering all-American favorite!
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Craving a classic dessert that’s both delicious and simple to prepare? Well, this easy apple pie recipe with pie filling will have everyone asking for seconds! Whether you’re a novice baker or a seasoned pro, this recipe makes creating a mouthwatering apple pie a breeze.
It’s hard to imagine celebrating Thanksgiving without the promise of finishing your meal with a generous slice of freshly baked double-crust apple pie. And making one doesn’t have to be complicated! My recipe breaks down the process into simple steps, ensuring even first-time bakers can achieve a bakery-worthy dessert.
Jump to:
- Why You’ll Love Learning How to Make This Easy Apple Pie Recipe With Pie Filling
- Recipe Ingredients
- How to Make Apple Pie Crust
- Step by Step Instructions For Easy Apple Pie Recipe With Pie Filling
- Best Apples for Apple Pie Filling
- How To Perfectly Cook the Bottom Pie Crust
- Serving & Storage
- Recipe FAQs
- Expert Tips
- Storage Tips for Easy Apple Pie Recipe with Pie Filling
- My Favorite Holiday Pie Recipes
- More Easy Pie Recipes to Consider
- Easy Apple Pie Recipe With Pie Filling
Why You’ll Love Learning How to Make This Easy Apple Pie Recipe With Pie Filling
- Perfect for Multiple Occasions: This easy apple pie recipe with filling is equally suitable for casual family dinners, holiday gatherings, potluck events, or as a weekend baking project.
- Quick and Easy to Prepare: With a total time of just about 2 hours, including prep and baking, this recipe fits easily into a busy schedule. The instructions are straightforward, and you can use store-bought pie crusts to save time.
- Versatile and Customizable: The recipe welcomes creativity and personalization. You can experiment with different apple varieties, adjust spices to your taste, or add extra touches like nuts or a caramel drizzle.
- Uses Common Pantry Ingredients: Most ingredients for this apple pie are likely already in your kitchen. Common spices, basic baking staples, and readily available apples mean you probably won’t need to make a special trip to the store. This accessibility makes the recipe both economical and convenient.
🍎 The delight of biting into warm, flaky apple hand pies is unmatched, so be sure to give them a try next!
Recipe Ingredients
- Pie crusts — homemade or store-bought
- Assorted apples
- Lemon juice
- Sugar — both granulated and brown sugars
- All-purpose flour
- Warm fall spices — cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg
- Cornstarch
- Unsalted butter
See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Apple Pie Crust
This pie is guaranteed to impress guests — before they even take their first bite. Apple pie is made with simple ingredients that you may already have on hand. You just need sliced apples, warm fall spices, and two homemade or store-bought pie crusts.
Start with the crust. I’ve written a helpful pie crust tutorial that makes all of your holiday pie-making as easy as, well, pie!
Keep your pie dough in the fridge while you prepare the homemade filling. This ensures that the butter in the crust stays cold before baking for extra flaky layers.
Step by Step Instructions For Easy Apple Pie Recipe With Pie Filling
Once your apples are sliced and well coated in your sugar and spice mixture, it’s time to assemble the pie.
Step 1: Start by placing the bottom crust into your pie plate. Trim any excess dough from the edges. Then carefully arrange the apples on top, stacking the pieces on top of each other on their sides. This makes for easier cutting.
Step 2: Next, gently place the second crust on top, lining up the edges as best you can.
Pro Tip: Use a sharp paring knife to trim any excess crust from around the edges. Then use your fingers to pinch the two crusts together into a decorative edge. If you find the crusts aren’t sticking together well, brushing a little egg wash around the edge of the bottom crust will help the crusts join together.Or, you can also use the tines of a fork to press the edges of the crusts together.
Step 3: Before baking, be sure to cut several large vents in the top crust – more than the three shown in the pictures. This allows steam to release during baking and helps the crust follow the contour of the apples so you don’t get a gap (empty pocket) between the apple pie filling and the top crust as it bakes.
Step 4: You can even use a mini apple cookie cutter to cut a pretty apple in the center of the top crust before putting the crust on top of the apple filling. Then add a few smaller cuts around the sides, which will help prevent the top crust from gapping, and is an easy way to decorate the top crust. It also makes it easier to check and see if your apple is finished cooking.
Step 5: Finally, brush with egg wash and sprinkle generously with sanding sugar for a crunchy, golden topping.
Best Apples for Apple Pie Filling
The secret to the perfect filling is selecting the right apples!
I love to use a combination of fresh, firm apples to make my pie. This way, every bite has a mixture of sweet and tart flavors, as well as the perfect blend of apples. Some hold their shape during baking and others break down a little to make a juicer filling.
Choose apples that stay firm and crisp like:
- Sweet Rome Beauty apples
- Tart Granny Smith apples
- Jonathan or Honey Crisp for added complexity
You’ll need 2 ½ pounds of apples, which is about 9 medium apples. Peel and slice them into wedges no thicker than ¼ inch to ensure the filling cooks evenly.
How To Perfectly Cook the Bottom Pie Crust
The secret to getting your bottom crust to crisp up is to preheat a cookie sheet upside down in the oven. Do this while your assembled pie chills for 30 minutes before baking.
When you’re ready to bake, place the pie on the upside-down cookie sheet. The heat will help the bottom crust brown and crisp up.
Serving & Storage
I love to serve this pie warm, à la mode of course!
Let it cool in the pan for at least 30 minutes before slicing. This allows juices to absorb and steam to release slowly.
If you’re making your apple pie ahead of time, you can warm individual slices in the microwave in 10-second intervals.
Store leftovers wrapped tightly in plastic wrap or in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. It’s delicious for breakfast too!
Recipe FAQs
The secret is to preheat a baking sheet upside down in the oven before placing your pie on it. This helps crisp up the bottom crust by providing direct, intense heat. Be sure to cut several large steam vents in the top crust to prevent moisture buildup and help the crust conform to the apple filling.
Yes! This easy apple pie recipe works perfectly with store-bought pie crusts. If you’re short on time or not confident in making homemade pastry, pre-made crusts are an excellent shortcut. Just ensure they’re rolled out and chilled before use.
Look for these key indicators:
~The crust should be golden brown
~Juices will be bubbling around the edges
~The internal temperature of the pie should reach 175°F
~Baking time is typically around 50 minutes total (25 minutes at 425°F, then 25 minutes at 350°F)
Absolutely! You can prepare the pie in advance and store it in the refrigerator for up to three days. When you’re ready to serve, warm individual slices in the microwave for 10-second intervals.
Expert Tips
- Slice Apples Uniformly: Cut apples into ¼-inch thick wedges for even cooking. Toss apple slices with lemon juice to prevent browning.
- Keep Crust Cold: Refrigerate pie dough to ensure a flaky crust and handle it minimally to prevent warming. A cold marble or chilled surface when rolling out crusts would be ideal.
- Create Steam Vents: Cut large slits in the top crust to prevent a soggy bottom. These vents should be large enough to release steam.
Storage Tips for Easy Apple Pie Recipe with Pie Filling
After letting the pie cool completely, wrap it tightly with plastic wrap or store in an airtight container. The pie will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, maintaining its delightful flavor and texture.
For longer storage, you can freeze the pie — either before or after baking — by wrapping it securely in plastic wrap and aluminum foil, which will preserve it for up to 2 months.
To serve, individual slices can be warmed in the microwave using 10-second intervals, or you can reheat the entire pie in the oven at 350°F for 10-15 minutes.
The pie is best enjoyed warm or at room temperature, so let it sit for about 30 minutes after baking to allow the filling to set and the flavors to meld. Always check for any signs of spoilage like unusual odors or mold before serving, and use clean utensils to maintain the pie’s quality.
My Favorite Holiday Pie Recipes
Our family loves pie. So every holiday dessert spread features more than just an apple pie. Try these other favorite pie recipes so there’s something for everyone:
- Cranberry Pecan Pie is another classic thanksgiving dessert with fresh cranberries and buttery pecans.
- Caramel Apple Hand Pies combines the classic flavors of tender cinnamon-spiced apples and rich, gooey caramel, nestled in a buttery, flaky pastry crust for a handheld dessert that brings together sweet and indulgent tastes in every delectable bite.
- Apple Hand Pies are delightful, bite-sized pastries that transform the classic apple pie into a portable, easy-to-eat treat.
More Easy Pie Recipes to Consider
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Easy Apple Pie Recipe With Pie Filling
Equipment
Ingredients
Pie
- 2 pie crusts rolled into circles a bit larger than your pie plate and chilled
- 2 ½ pounds assorted apples peeled cored, and cut into ¼-inch slices
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup dark brown sugar
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 Tbsp cornstarch
- 2 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ginger. optional
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves optional
- ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg optional
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter cut into small pieces
Topping:
- 1 large egg beaten
- Sanding sugar
Instructions
- Have two dough disks rolled out and chilled. Fit one of the dough rounds into a pie plate. Return to the refrigerator while you prepare apple filling. Keep other dough round chilled.
- In a large bowl, mix together apples and lemon juice.
- In a second bowl, combine sugar, brown sugar, flour, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and salt until well blended. Add to apples and toss to coat. Spread apple mixture evenly into chilled bottom crust. Dot with butter.
- Place the remaining pie crust gently on top of apples. Trim off any overhanging dough and pinch the dough into a decorative edge with your fingers, if the two layers of dough are not sticking together brush the bottom edge with a little egg wash.
- Cut several large slits or into the top of the crust to vent steam while pie bakes.
- Brush the top with egg wash and sprinkle generously with sanding sugar.
- Refrigerate assembled pie for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 425°F and place a baking sheet in the oven upside down.
- Bake the pie on the preheated baking sheet for 25 minutes until the crust begins to brown.
- Reduce oven temperature to 350°F and bake for an additional 25 minutes, until golden brown, the juices are bubbling, and has an internal temperature of 175°F.
- Cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes. Serve at room temperature or slightly warm.
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator, covered with plastic wrap.
Notes
- Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.
- Let the pie cool for 30 minutes before slicing.
- Store in the refrigerator for up to three days.
- Reheat individual slices in 10-second microwave intervals.
L Komlos
Is 2 1/2c flour for a double pie crust?
Barbara Schieving
Yes, 2 1/2 cups flour for a double pie crust.