Homemade Apple Pie From Scratch

Not much else in the world can beat homemade apple pie from scratch. Warm, spiced gooey apples with a buttery flakey crust is a definite crowd pleaser for the holidays or any time of year! This hot apple pie is definitely comfort food at its finest. To make this a Salted Caramel Apple Pie see notes below. We use this Salted caramel recipe.

When the fall rolls around each year, I get so excited about apples! It's that time of year when you see more variety in the apple section! I love all the colors ranging from greens, yellow, all shades of pink, red, and orange! It's the BEST!

Then I start to think about all the amazing ways to prepare it from making homemade applesauce to crisp apple chips, and an apple punch that always gets rave reviews when I serve it up each year. 

Apples are also perfect to create savory dishes like this coleslaw with apples and this apple and Gorgonzola salad. But nothing, quite beats homemade apple pie!

Why You Will Love This Fresh Apple Pie Recipe

• Your Choice of Ingredients: Homemade apple pie means you have all the control over the ingredients. You can use favorite variety of fresh apples, and make your own pie crust from scratch or opt to use store-bought.
• Versatile Recipe: Homemade apple pie means you can make it the way you like it! It’s easy to adjust the sweetness, tartness, and spices to your liking or experiment with different apple varieties.
• Classic Apple Dessert: It's a dessert that's been enjoyed for generations and nothing is better than apple pie from scratch!

Ingredients

Here's a look at the simple ingredients you need to make the best apple pie!

• Pie Crust: I always use this simple pie crust recipe when baking homemade pies. It bakes up perfectly each and every time.
• Apples: You're going to want to use fresh in-season apples for the best flavor. I picked both red and green apples for my pie.
• Sugar: I love using a blend of white and brown sugar. The brown sugar definitely gives it a much more complex flavor thanks to the molasses it contains.
• Spices: This apple pie uses a blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. You can easily alter the amounts of each depending on your preferred favorite spice profile. For simplicity you can even use an apple pie spice blend instead.
• Butter: Added on top of your apples giving the apple pie filling a delicious, rich flavor.
• Egg white: Brushing the top of your pie crust with egg wash helps it brown up perfectly in the oven and even makes it a bit shiny.
• Flour: A small amount of all-purpose flours is added to the apple filling to thicken it.
• Lemon juice: It adds a bit of acid that balances out the sweetness but it's also essential to keeping the apples from browning.

PRO TIP: The ingredients and instructions are for one regular-sized pie. However, if you have mini pie plates or mini pie liners feel free to divide the ingredients to make smaller pies.

Is it better to make or buy pie crust?

Of course, we are all for a homemade pie crust. Its super easy and you likely have all the ingredient in your pantry.  We have the perfect pie crust recipe here with a video. Having a flaky homemade pie crust is such a treat.

If you don't have the time to make your own I like to buy the refrigerated pie crusts, often found by the butter and canned biscuits. They are fine in a pinch and can be a real time saver.

What are the best apples for pie?

Since there are so many delicious apple variates now you can totally choose your favorites.

The only rule I want to share when it comes to baking apple pie is that not every apple works well to bake into a pie. You want to consider the texture and sweetness when selecting your apples.

Make sure you pick a crunchy crispy type of apple, not a soft apple like golden or red delicious. Granny smith apples, Honey Crisp, and Pink Lady are all some good choices. 

When it comes to sweetness, including apples with a tart profile, such as Granny Smith apples, Braeburn apples, and McIntosh apples, works great to balance the sweetness so your pie isn't overly sweet! 

BONUS TIP: You can also use a variety of apples!I All together you need about 5 med-large apples.

How to Make Apple Pie From Scratch

Making homemade apple is actually pretty easy to make, so let's get started. Here's an overview of the main steps. Check the recipe card for the full details.

1. Peel and slice your apples. (I love using this attachment for so many things, especially apple pie)
2. Combine the sugar, flour and spices in a bowl.
3. Add the spice and sugar mixture to the apples.
4. Stir together until well combined and the apples are evenly coated with the mixture.

5. Form your pie crust around the bottom of your pie pan. Add your apple pie filling. Dollop your butter around the top of the apple pie filling. If making this a salted caramel apple pie add about 1 cup salted caramel to the top of the apples before covering with pie crust.
6. Cover the top with a second crust and crimp the edges of the pie.
7. Brush with the egg wash.
8. Bake your pie.

Serve up your apple pie and enjoy!

What are some creative ways to shape the top crust for my apple pie?

1. Simply place a whole crust over top. Make sure to cut a few (3-4) slits for the filling to expand.
2. Add a creative lattice like the one we've used above.
3. Use pie cut outs such as leaves or other decorations. You can use cookie cutters to make the shapes and then cover the top of the pie.

How to Serve Apple Pie

Here are a few toppings you can serve on or with your apple pie!

• Add coarse sugar to the top before you bake. You can also add it after baking but brush the top with butter on top then add coarse sugar. It adds a delicious sweet crunch.
• Creamy vanilla ice cream is great or you can take it to the next level with a scoop of homemade vanilla berry ice cream.
• Top with a generous dollop of whipped cream.
• Drizzle some salted caramel sauce over the top!

Expert Tips

• If your oven cooks on the warm side cover the sides of the pie crust with some foil to avoid burning. Then remove the foil in the last 15 minutes of baking.
• Use a mixture of apples and avoid soft apples such as Golden or Red Delicious apples.
• Feel free to adjust the spices to your own tastes.
• If you've got the time, make a homemade pie crust rather than buying one at the store.

FAQs

More Apple Dessert Recipes

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