This is the Best Apple Pie Recipe you will ever taste! This easy apple pie has been in our family for generations and it’s sure to please your family and friends! If you just need apple pie filling, you will also find an easy apple pie filling recipe that you can make and freeze and then just pop into a pie crust when you’re ready to make it!
This easy apple pie recipe makes the absolute best apple pie you will ever taste! Starting with a classic old-fashioned flaky pie crust and then filled with the perfect balance of sweet and apple flavors, it is the ideal pie for the most important holiday get togethers!
This apple pie recipe has been in our family for 75 years or more and still takes the #1 spot at any meal where it is served. This family favorite is the pie my grandmother made and my mom still makes one every year! When I first met him, my husband used to only eat chocolate pies, but after he tasted this apple pie, he started requesting it every year!
Best Apples For Apple Pie
People often ask me what are the best apples for apple pie. What kind of apples do I use? Some people are dogmatic about what kind of apples they use and will only use baking apples, like Granny Smith apples for pies. I’m not so fussy and I use whatever apples are on sale or that I happen to have on hand.
I personally don’t like the super tart taste from baking apples and I always needed to add more sugar when I used them. It also seems to take longer to bake using baking apples.
My favorite thing to do with this easy apple pie recipe is to use a couple of different kinds of apples. Don’t have a heart attack but, yes, I have used Golden Delicious apples before.
Personally, I think the best apples to use for the best apple pie are Gala apples or Envy apples and they work perfectly with our easy apple pie recipe below. One of our viewers recently suggested using Pink Lady apples for the best apple pie, but I have not tried them yet.
Also, my mom likes to dehydrate all kinds of foods for easy storage. She sometimes uses dehydrated apples for apple pies and the dehydrated apples can make the pie taste sweeter. (If you use dehydrated apples to make apple pie, you do NOT need to add more liquid to the recipe.
Here are a couple of tips before you start making your homemade apple pie:
- No recipe is set in stone. You can make some modifications to the ingredients in this apple pie recipe to adjust to your tastes. For example, you might add more or less cinnamon or you might use all white sugar or less sugar.
For your first try, though, I suggest that you make this easy apple pie recipe exactly as it is written and then adjust to your tastes the next time you make one.
When people adjust things before making the apple pie recipe the way it is, I often hear, “My pie didn’t turn out well but I made it just like you said. I only changed this and this and this…” and by the time she has finished explaining, I discover that she has only used one of the original ingredients. : ) - One of the best things I have discovered after years of baking pies is to cook my fruit pie filling in the microwave for 2-3 minutes first and then pour it into the crust. Two of my pet peeves about pies are soggy crusts and partially cooked apples in a pie. If you don’t partially cook the apple pie filling ahead of time, the crust will sometimes start turning too brown before the apples are done cooking. Pre-cooking the pie filling prevents overbrowning the crust.
- If you make a mistake, it is not necessarily a disaster. Mom once made this apple pie recipe but accidentally left out the sugar. It looked beautiful but obviously didn’t taste right. We discovered that we were able to sprinkle some sugar over the top and it tasted great. My husband also found that if he put a scoop or two of ice cream on top of it, that provided plenty of sugar to give it a wonderful taste! So if you think you have made a mistake, see if you can improvise before throwing it away!
Easy Apple Pie Crust Recipe
The best pies start out with the best pie dough! Mom’s apple pie crust is light and flaky and melt in your mouth delicious! This pie crust is perfect for all kinds of pies, but I use it most for this easy apple pie recipe.
This pie dough is so much better than a store bought crust that you will wonder why you ever bought a pre-made one. It takes a little but of work but is surprisingly easier than you might think because grandma appreciated easy recipes even more than you do!
This crust has a delicious flavor with a flaky and delicate melt in your mouth consistency! It has a homemade taste that is even better than a fancy bakery pie. If you make the easy apple pie recipe according to the recipe below, this pie crust is never soggy.
The Very Best Pie Crust Recipe
Here’s mom’s famous homemade pie crust recipe which really is the VERY BEST! Super light and flaky, this pie crust is melt in your mouth delicious! Everyone raves about it! Make some extra to freeze and use later and you’ll cut your preparation time for your next pie!
- Yield: 3 pie crusts
Ingredients
3 cups flour
1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 1/4 cups shortening, cold
1 egg, cold
1 Tbsp. vinegar, cold
5 Tbsp. cold water
sugar
Instructions
- Mix flour, salt and 2 Tbsp. sugar in a bowl.
- Cut in shortening with a pastry blender or 2 knives.
- Add egg, vinegar and 3 tablespoons water.
- Mix lightly with your hands. Don’t over mix. If the dough is too dry, add more water. Mix just until the dough sticks together.
- Divide into thirds.
- Roll out to make 3 pie crusts.
- When using the crust for the top of the pie, sprinkle sugar on top.
The crust can be frozen in slightly flattened balls and then defrosted and rolled out when ready to use. Makes 3 crusts.
Here is my best apple pie recipe and as a bonus I will give you a recipe for French apple pie. You use the French apple pie when you have only 1 crust for the bottom and need something to top it with. It is a cross between a pie and apple crisp.
Grandma’s Easy Apple Pie Recipe
Ingredients
6–7 cups of medium apples, cored, peeled and thinly sliced
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
2 Tbsp. flour
2 Tbsp. butter
Instructions
- Mix all of the ingredients in a large bowl except the butter.
- Microwave this filling mixture 2-3 minutes.
- Pour into the pie crust.
- Dot with chunks of the butter.
- Top with the other crust.
- Cut steam slits in the top crust.
- Sprinkle the top with sugar.
- Bake at 450° for 15 minutes.
- Then turn down to 350° and bake for 35-45 minutes, until apples are tender and juices are bubbling nicely out of the steam slits.
French Apple Pie is the same as a regular apple pie except with a different topping. If you prefer French apple pie or you’d like to try something a bit different, make the French apple pie recipe below and sprinkle it over the top of your pie instead of using a top crust.
PrintEasy French Apple Pie Topping
Ingredients
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup flour
Instructions
- Mix ingredients in a small bowl until crumble-like.
- Sprinkle over the top of the apples.
- Bake as usual.
How to make easy homemade apple pie filling
My mom makes the best apple pie. We have always loved it. I was talking to her and asked her how she makes it taste so good. She said “I used canned apples.” HA! All this time we thought it was some great secret and it was just canned apples!
If you are like me and have fresh apples piling up everywhere, here is a recipe I love that tastes amazing and freezes really well. I keep bags of it in the freezer to pop into a pie crust when I need it. Make this apple pie filling now and have it ready for those more hectic days during the holidays when you need a quick dessert or easy apple pie.
Part of the reason canned apples sometimes taste better for apple pile filling is because the apples are fully cooked and nice and tender, so make sure your apples are well cooked.
This easy apple pie filling recipe can be slow cooked in a crockpot on low until apples are tender or cooked as the recipe says in a Dutch oven.
PrintBest Apple Pie Filling Recipe
- Yield: Filling for two 9 inch pies
Ingredients
9 cups baking apples (I use what I have for apples), peeled, cored & sliced
1 1/2 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 1/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup cornstarch
5 cups water
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
Instructions
- Toss apples with lemon juice and set aside.
- Combine the rest of the ingredients in a Dutch oven.
- Bring to a boil for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Add apples and return to boil.
- Reduce heat, cover and simmer until apples are tender (6-10 minutes).
- Cool for 30 minutes.
- Then ladle into freezer containers or bake in pies. Makes enough for two 9 inch pies.
Alternatively, you can cook in the crockpot on low for 4 hours or until apples are tender.
For more delicious pies like this easy apple pie recipe, or ideas to make pie baking easier, check out these posts:
Easy Pie Recipes! 20 Of The Best Ever Homemade Pie Recipes
The Very Best Homemade Pie Crust Recipe
Best Chocolate Pie Recipe Ever!
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My recipe is almost exactly the same–I’ll have to try it with the brown sugar, though. To avoid over-browned crusts and still finish the filling, I lower cooking temp and cook a little longer (I typically bake apple pie at 325 for 1 hour and 15 minutes, pumpkin for 15 minutes at 375 then 325 for 1 hour and 15 minutes, etc).
Indeed THE BEST Apple Pie!!! I love apple pie and eat it every chance I get; however never made one until last night. Followed your recipe exactly and wouldn’t change one thing! Not only was it easy to make but it’s by FAR one of the best tasting pies I’ve ever had!!! We had fuji, gala, and jonagold apples on hand so I used all three.
I made this pie twice and used Gala Apples. I love how easy the and delicious the recipe is the only problem is that when I cut the pie it has a lot of liquid in it. Is i suppose to be thicker? It almost falls apart when I cut into it. I did cook it on 450 for 15 min then 35 minutes on 350.
Some apples are a little juicier than others so all your need to do is add an extra tablespoon or two to the filling and it will thicken right up.
A tsp or 2 of what. More flour?? I have gala and hope to make this today. It sounds delicious.
Yes flour
this is absolutely the best apple pie I have made.
Does this make one pie or 2?
This makes one pie
Hi,
Sorry to bother! I was wondering what texture does the apples must be after the micro, Im asking because I’ll be cooking them in the stove and can I freeze the pie and bake it fresh the day it will be served?
Tks
Yes you can freeze it. Put it in the oven frozen and bake at 450 degrees for about 15-20 mins then turn down the oven to 350 degrees for 20-30 mins or until crust is brown and you see slight bubbling from the steam slits. If you cook the apples on the stove just cook until they are starting to get slightly tender. It doesn’t have to be exact because the cooking them in the microwave is just to get the apples slightly cooked so you don’t need to bake the pie quite as long which sometimes in some ovens can cause the crust to get to brown.
which would taste better doing them in the microwave or cooking on the the stove for awhile/ I AM PLANNING THIS FOR DINNER 11-25-21 and i normally use canned apple but i want to try this and make your pie crust. i am wanting to do pies one for now and 1 for thanksgivng for my 95 yr old father. do it now and freeze one. thank you for your recipes. i am now on long term disability and i am trying do more at home and not run to the store as much.
Sue I started microwaving the filling for my fruit pies years ago and this works so good because the filling is already partially cook when you fill the pie crust and that way I don’t have to worry about baking it long enough and risking the crust burning. I need to do things the easy way so I just mix all the filling in a bowl, pop the whole thing in the microwave (same bowl) and cook for about 2-3 mins. or until it is really hot. Then pour it in the crust. I don’t do it on the stove because you just need to mess with pouring it into another pan and washing another pan and risk it sticking to the bottom of the pan so would make a mess to clean.
Our family went apple picking last week in north Georgia. I had several bags of a variety of apples and wanted to make some pies. I had misplaced my tried and true recipe so I went online and found this recipe. I liked that this recipe said I could use whatever apples I had, including a variety of different apples. I made this recipe exactly like it was written except that I doubled averything to make a really really tall deep dish pie!!! Oh my goodness!! This pie was pure heaven!! So delicious!! This is the only recipe I will ever use from now on. If you like apple pies, you will absolutely LOVE this recipe!!!
Thank you Barbara, so glad you like it. This recipe has been in our family for years. I really love using the different apples (I started doing this years ago because I could not afford to go buy special “granny smith” apples and had to use just what I was given) and loved the flavor so much better with the different sweetness, tartness and texture in the pie. If you like pecan pie too you might try my pecan pie recipe. It is really different and most people really love it. After my husband left us he traveled a lot and went to a place that is known all over for having the best pecan pie in the world and he said it didn’t even compare to my pecan pie so you might want to try it. Hope you like it as much.
Best apple pie ever!!
So glad you liked it Jan. Thank you
I’ve never made pie before but I want to attempt this recipe. Since I’m new to this, what do we do for pie crust?
Natalie you can use store bought pie crust if you want but we usually make our own and it really is good and flaky. You can tell it is a good pie crust because most of the time when people eat a pie they eat the filling and leave the crust but I have never known anyone to leave a crumb of this pie crust recipe on their plate. You may need to practice a couple of times but it really is no harder than making something like sugar cookies. We have 3 videos on how to do it and I will give you one of them but I think Tawra said then are making another easy short one today. Not sure when it will be posted though but this old one will get you started if you want to go that way.
Wow! Seems so delicious and yummy. Thank you so much for sharing such a great recipe!
This was an excellent pie recipe and I will use it again and share with friends. Thank you for it. I hardly ever have sugar in the house, but I bought and used granulated brown sugar instead of white sugar. Next time I will experiment with sugar alternatives, like xylitol. I used a butter pie crust recipe I found online with this filling and got rave reviews on both.
Love this apple pie recipe. My husband asks me to make it for him all the time. Thanks for sharing.
I am so excited to make this delicious apple pie this week. Do you have any recommendations or ideas on how to make this a little healthier? Are they any ingredients I can substitute, or choose a different kind?
I always chuckle when people want to substitute things in a recipe because it reminds of a poem where the gal had cake at her friends and it was so delicious she asked for the recipe but when she made it she didn’t have this so she substituted that and she was out of this so she added something else. At the end of the poem she sat down to eat her cake and could not figure out why it tasted nothing like her friends. :):)
For me the secret to eating healthy is portion control. There is nothing unhealthy about eating a piece of apple pie once in a great while. It is when you sit down and eat 2-3 pieces of huge slices that it gets unhealthy. I have watched people eat mounds of so called healthy food, not realizing they are consuming hundreds of calories causing them to be way over weight and then they can’t figure out what they are doing wrong.
You can maybe do a sugar substitute if that helps but really there are certain things that just don’t taste the same when you start changing the recipe out.
Can u use Macintosh apple’s?
Nancy I pretty much use any apples I have on hand. Now of course if the apples are more tart you may want to add a little more sugar unless you like your pies tart. My personal favorite way to do it is to mix a couple of different types of apples. I have used even Delicious Apples which is not considered a baking apple but the apples were just a little softer when I used them so yes you can use Macintosh.
I’m a 72 year old retired Firefighter and always looking for something yummy to cook for my lovely bride of 52 years and her Mom. Making sweets for my sweeties is a worthy endeavor. Here it is just before Valentine’s day and made this pie of yours for them and they went bonkers. Even my daughter, a real health nut, raved about this pie. So sorry for failing to acknowledge you as the creator of this wonderful recipe as I hogged all the glory for myself. My wonderful mother in law is the champion pie maker in the family and I am going to have to share this recipe with her before she hurts me. She was shocked that I used a variety of other than Granny Smith apples and it turned out so good. Thanks so much for helping me make Valentine’s day special for my sweeties.
Lol Ron you may take all the credit that is fine – a man has to do what a man has to do to keep on the good side of the ladies in his life. :):) Glad to be of help in this endeavor. Yes so many people always stick with granny smith because that is what they are told to always use but I personally like my pie to be sweet and no crunchy apples so using other apples besides granny smith work best for me. Thanks so much for your comment and for being a sweet guy to your ladies.
Hello Jill! Hoping to make this pie Thursday for my boyfriend’s birthday! Apple pie is his favorite and thhe reviews of how this turned out has me sold! I saw that you were telling someone about a pie crust recipe, could I possibly get that from you?
Thank you so much!
Here you go Mariah. This is the one I use all the time. We get a lot of raves about it so hope you like it too. Pie Crust
Oh my goodness! I just found your pie crust recipe on youtube! Can’t wait to try this!
I made this apple pie with my preschoolers for a summer intern, who likes apple pie. I do a lot of baking and let me tell you, this is the best apple pie I’ve ever tasted. I used McIntosh apples (they’re my favorite…so sweet)! I made a separate apple pie for my intern to take home to have with her family, along with the recipe, attached with cellophane and a ribbon. She loved it. I used the Trader Joe’s frozen pie crusts, because they taste more like homemade, without doing all the work. I would DEFINITELY recommend this recipe. It’s fantastic and I wouldn’t change a thing!!!! ??
Oh thank you Sharlene. So very glad you liked it.
Can the filling be frozen? I made a pie with this recipe before but would like to make it for Christmas with the apples I have now. This makes an amazing pie.
Yes I loved freezing it. You can just put it in freezer bags. If you aren’t sure how much you will need for your pie pan just pour it in the pie pan and the you will have the exact amount you need and can then freeze it.
Best apple pie ever this will be the only one we make from now on .
To freeze the filling, would you cook slightly in the microwave before freezing or before using in a pie?
It doesn’t matter too much which way you do it but I would do it before because the apples would be slightly cooked and that would keep their color better and it would be one less step you need to mess with when you pop it out of the freezer to bake it. In other words I would get as much of the work done ahead of time.
Hi! Do I bake the pie on the middle rack and do I need to cover the crust at all? Hoping to make this pie this week :) sounds delicious!!
Yes I try to bake most things on the middle of the rack. I would just watch it and part way through see if the crust is browning too quickly then cover it. When you cook the filling in the microwave for 2-3 mins. this helps to heat it up and partially cook the apples which means that unlike normal pie baking that has to keep cooking until the center of the pie with the apples gets cooked which causes the outside to brown faster, the inside of the pie is already partially cooked so inside and out cook about the same so the crust doesn’t burn as easily. I hope that made sense. :)
Wonderful recipe. A family favorite!
This pie is delicious!! Very simple to make too. My Mom always made the BEST Apple pie and this recipe is so close to hers. Thank you for sharing, brings back some good old memories! I think that cooking the apples in the microwave first and adding the brown sugar makes this a perfect Apple pie!!
What size pie dish do you recommend using?
You can use an 8-9 in. pan. In the smaller pan the apples may be heaped a little higher and some people like their apple pies more like that. No matter what size you use for any pie baking though be sure to put foil under the pan because it seems like half the time they will bubble over some and this helps to keep your oven clean.
This recipe worked out great. I would do a little less sugar…as I used even more apples and it was a little on the too sweet side. I bet 1/4 granulated sugar and 1/4 and a pinch more brown sugar would be perfect. I also used twice as much flour due to lots of juice, but the microwave trick was good. We had tons of apples so I made one double crust pie as above and two other pies w/ the crumb crust..the crumb recipe was enough to split on top of both. Thank you!!!
You might what to use the amount of sugar the recipe calls for and flour the first time you make it. Some apples are sweeter and juicier than others so you may have had sweeter and juicier ones so always try the recipe the way it is written first everyone before making adjustments. Also peoples taste buds are very different. Some love tart and others can’t get enough sweet so like I say use the recipe once the way it is written before you start changing it.
Wow! Thank you so much for the microwave tip! Just brilliant! It made everything so much easier and faster. I am always looking for tips that will help the whole baking process! Thanks again!
I made this pie tonight and it is delicious!
It was easy to make and my family enjoyed it.
Thank you for sharing!
Hi Jill, I’d like to make the filling without the pie crust to use it somewhere else. Two questions: Do I follow the same baking times? Do I need to cover it with foil? Thanks!
Ammar you can make it separate. I do all the time when I don’t want to mess with a pie crust. You don’t need to bake for quite as long. Maybe about 30 mins. especially if you microwave it for the 2-3 mins. first. Just until it is bubble and the apples are tender. You don’t need to cover it with foil. It is basically an apple crisp this way without the crispy topping is all.
How long can i store the entire pie in the fridge before baking it? Or should i store into the freezer? Because i ran out of time today and am planning on baking it tomorrow, is that okay?
Deem it might be better to freeze it. If it sits in the fridge the juices will make the pie crust get very soggy so if you don’t put it in the freezer or bake it right away it could mess up the crust.
Jill, can you please share how to make this pie using canned apples?
Yes Sherri. My mom always made the best pies and she only ever used canned apples. Very easy. Just put the bottom crust in the pie pan, dump in the cans of pie filling. Then cover with another crust or sprinkle with the French crumb topping that is in this recipe. The temperature is the same and all you may not have to bake it quite as long – just watch it and when the crust starts turning a golden brown and/or the filling is bubbling nicely out of the steam holes in the center of the crust or topping then it is done.
The main difference is that usually if you use fresh apples you have to keep cooking it until the apples are cooked but when using canned the apples are already cooked so you just need to bake it until the filling is good and hot and the crust is brown. Hope this helps.
I have been baking apple pies over the years and this is good. Followed exactly but disappointed in flavor that maybe because I’m from the south. It wasn’t just the apple choices I made but will amp up the spices a bit. Thanks for sharing your recipe.
Yes you can always add more or less spices or sugar. I usually adjust all my pies till I get it the way I like it. Also the apples can make a huge difference in the flavor of a pie.
I’ve made this several times and love it! It’s the only Apple pie recipe I will use. Even have my 12 year old granddaughter making it!
Thank you!!!
So glad you like this and so neat that your granddaughter is like to bake too.
If just doing a bottom crust and using the topping, do I pre bake the crust?
No you don’t pre bake the crust.
Hello
Excuse me for the ignorance but what do you mean when you state to dot with chunks of the butter? Thank you
You cut butter into about chunks about equal to 1/4-1/2 tsp. size pieces and scatter about a half a dozen all over the filling before you add the top crust.
I never get my crust to fit the plate like in your photo. What can I do?
Flatten the pie crust bigger than the pie plate, then cut off the excess. When you are rolling the crust, turn the pie plate upside down and use it as a general guide to sizing. It will need to be a bit bigger than that.
It’s delicious but mine came out mushy, how do I fix that or prevent that?
It sounds like maybe you over cooked the apples or used a type of apple like Delicious which is more of a eating apple. They turn to mush faster and easier. Now I do use them but I either mix them with another kind or don’t cook them as long. If you put the filling in the microwave too before putting it in pie crust that is fine to get it nice and hot but you may have cooked it too long in there too. I have best success with Gala apples. They aren’t as expensive where I am and you can use them for cooking and eating both where something like Granny Smith are extremely tart.
I make this apple pie every year.recipe exactly as written, it comes out perfect and delicious everytime. Thank you for sharing
Oh thank you Erin for taking the time to let us know how much you like it. I have always loved it and about 5 yrs ago started drying apples when I had an apple tree and made this pie with dried apples. Wasn’t sure how it would taste but it was so goodddd. I just mention this if anyone is wondering if they could use dried apples in this.
I enjoy making this recipe it is not too sweet and so simple and the taste is heavenly.
Thank you Lyn. One thing nice about this recipe too is you can adjust the sweetness to your own taste too by using more (that’s me) or less sugar and changing to tarter or sweeter apples.
Would I be able to can apple pie filling using this recipe and if yes how to go about it. Ty
Shelly
You could can it. You might try googling how to can it because I know how to can but don’t consider myself an expert on it.
Odd, I’m not sure Grandma used a microwave
Actually grandma did use a microwave. They have been around for more than 50 yrs now. Might check your facts before you make a comment next time.
This apple pie is absolutely the best ever! I have tried many recipes and this one is perfect! My family and friends beg for it! Thank you for sharing your wonderful recipe.
You are welcome Landy. I am so glad your family likes.
Passed down from my grandmother:
Replace the sugar in the apple pie with Red Hots (aka cinnamon imperials). She did this back to when the red hots were first marketed in about 1930.
Quick & easy and super delicious!
This recipe is a keeper. Instead of flour I add pie thickener to the apple mixture and it came out perfect. Everyone loved it. From now on this is my favorite apple pie recipe
This was the best pie I’ve had. My husband highly complimented this. Perfect blend of spices and the fresh gala apples were awesome. Did your trick of microwaving for 2 minute and that helped the cooking process. My favorite go to recipe.
Oh Donna thank you so much and be sure to thank your husband too for the compliment.
The best apple pies i made was when i went to veggie market close to where i lived (when i lived in fl )
I got boxes of mixed apples. So each pie came out with soft, med and slightly crunchy a perfect pie. I got compliments.
So mix up your apples.
Yes I always mix my apples when I can. I have found too that Gala apples are really good for apple pies. They give you a little of everything in all the other apples and they are perfect for cooking and eating. But I agree mix them when you can.
Great recipe, wasn’t hard for a first timer making an apple pie from scratch.
Thank you for letting us and others know Toni. Sometimes people can be intimidated when it comes to pie baking so hopefully this will be an encouragement to them to try.