BEST Old Fashioned Apple Pie Recipe (2024)

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This classic, simple recipe makes the BEST old fashioned apple pie with a flaky, buttery crust and a sweet cinnamon homemade filling. Your mouth will be watering when you smell this apple pie baking to perfection in the oven!

Best Old Fashioned Apple Pie

Time for a classic! This is the BEST old fashioned Apple Pie you'll ever make.

It's the perfect all-American Fall dessert, and everyone needs a go-to apple pie recipe to keep them going through the season, and all through the holidays!

Today, I'm sharing mine, and I assure you, it won’t disappoint! Perfectly spiced baked apples swirling in a caramel-like glaze with a flaky, buttery crust. A special egg-wash creates crunchy sweet sugar crystals on the top crust for a beautiful and extra tasty finish.

What Are the Best Apples for Apple Pie?

For pies, firmer, tarter apples are best. These kind of apples are usually referred to as "baking apples," as they hold their shape and work well for baking. (Go figure, right?!) I usually use a combination of Granny Smith and Honeycrisp for my pies.

Avoid sweeter, softer apples such as Delicious (red or gold), Gala, and Fuji.

Should I Cook My Apples Before Making Pie?

With this recipe, cooking or baking the apples before preparing the pie in unnecessary. You can bake them raw, right in the pie crust!

How Do You Keep the Bottom Crust of an Apple Pie from Getting Soggy?

I have never had a soggy pie using this particular recipe. So first and foremost, follow the recipe below.

Some other things to consider:

Type of apples: "eating" apples are generally softer, and therefore breakdown more, than "baking" apples. Use a firmer baking apple in pies.
Make a lattice top. The extra venting will help evaporate out the moisture as it bakes.

Will My Apple Pie Thicken as It Cools?

Yes, it will. Hot sugar is liquid, and as it cools, the entire filling will firm up a bit. But as I already mentioned, I've never had a runny pie using this recipe.

Does Old Fashioned Apple Pie Need to be Refrigerated?

If you plan on serving your pie within 24 hours of baking, there's no need to refrigerate.

If you want your pie to last longer, up to 5 days, you should cover and store in the refrigerator.

Can Apple Pie Be Frozen?

Yes! Allow to cool completely, then cover tightly before freezing. Baked pies freeze well for up to 3 months.

To use, thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Then, allow to come to room temperature before serving.

New to the Pie-Making Scene?

Here are some helpful Pie-Making Resources to make sure all your pies come out perfect and delicious!

Easy Flaky Pie Crust Recipe– this easy pie crust recipe comes out perfect Every. Time. It’s my grandma’s recipe, and it’s never failed me yet! Includes a video and crust-making tips!
Rolling Out Pie Crust Tutorial– If rolling out your own homemade pie crust makes you nervous, stop right now! This easy step-by-step tutorial will tell you exactly what to do for a perfect pie crust!
Pretty Waysto Finish Pie Crust Edges– There are so many ways to finish pie crust once you’re done rolling it out to make a truly special pie. Try some of these easy and fun ones this year!
Must Have Pie MakingSupplies– If you love pies, you need these tools so you can make them all the time at home!

More Apple Recipes You'll Love

Easy Apple Cobbler - soft cakey cobbler on top of buttery spiced apples.
Snickers Caramel Apple Salad - crisp apples, gooey caramel, and candy bar pieces swimming in a creamy base!
Crockpot Apple Butter - juicy apples and spices simmered together in the slow cooker for a perfect biscuit, toast, or ice cream topping!
Apple Brown Betty - probably the simplest apple dessert out there!
44 Fall Apple Desserts - check out this epic list of apple recipes for even more ideas!

Best Old Fashioned Apple Pie

This classic, simple recipe makes the BEST old fashioned apple pie with a flaky, buttery crust and a sweet cinnamon homemade filling. Your mouth will be watering when you smell this apple pie baking to perfection in the oven!

4.75 from 20 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Apple Pie, Old Fashioned Apple Pie

Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour hour

Total Time: 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Ingredients

▢ 1 9-inch double crust, top and bottom (My recommended recipe is linked here and below)
▢ 6-8 baking apples peeled, cored, and sliced
▢ ½ cup butter
▢ 3 tablespoons flour
▢ ¼ cup water
▢ ½ cup granulated sugar
▢ ½ cup brown sugar
▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla
▢ 1 teaspoon cinnamon
▢ ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
▢ 1 egg

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Butter a deep 9-inch pie dish. Set aside.
Roll out half of the pie crust. Place it in your greased pan. Set aside.
Place apples in a large mixing bowl. Set aside
Over medium heat in a medium saucepan, melt the butter.
When the butter is melted, stir in the flour until smooth.
To the butter mixture, add remaining ingredients, except for egg. Stir to combine.
Let come to a boil. As soon as the mixture starts to boil, remove from heat.
Reserve 2-3 tablespoons of the butter mixture in a medium mixing bowl. Then pour remaining butter mixture over apples. Toss or gently stir to fully coat apples.
Transfer apple pie filling to prepared bottom crust.
Cover with a lattice work crust. (You can also use a traditional one-piece crust top, BUT make sure you cut large enough slits to allow venting.) Use a small paring knife to trim off excess dough from the sides.Crimp or flute the edges to seal. Set aside.
Add egg to the reserved butter-sugar mixture and whisk to combine. With a pastry brush, brush the mixture evenly over the crust.
Bake in a 350°F oven for about an hour, or until apple are soft and crust is golden. If you notice your crust is getting too brown on top or around the edges, cover with foil and continue baking.
Allow the pie to cool for 3full hours at room temperature before serving. This time allows the pie to set andhttps://amzn.to/3hTJgGN filling to thicken up.

Notes

Easy Flaky Pie Crust Recipe– this easy pie crust recipe comes out perfect Every. Time. It’s my grandma’s recipe, and it’s never failed me yet! Includes a video and crust-making tips!
Rolling Out Pie Crust Tutorial– If rolling out your own homemade pie crust makes you nervous, stop right now! This easy step-by-step tutorial will tell you exactly what to do for a perfect pie crust!
Pretty Waysto Finish Pie Crust Edges– There are so many ways to finish pie crust once you’re done rolling it out to make a truly special pie. Try some of these easy and fun ones this year!
Must Have Pie MakingSupplies– If you love pies, you need these tools so you can make them all the time at home!
Use a deep dish pie dish to make this pie or all of the filling won't fit! Here's a link to the one I use and recommend.
Check your pie halfway through baking. If it's browning quickly, place a piece of foil loosely on top to protect it.
Place your pie dish on a baking sheet when baking. This will catch any drips or bubbles that happen while the pie is cooking.
Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Storage: If serving in 24 hours or less after baking, cover tightly and leave on the counter. To keep your pie for up to 5 days, cover tightly and store in the refrigerator.
Freezer Directions: After baking, allow to cool completely. Cover tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. To serve, thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Allow to come to room temperature for 1 hour before serving.

Nutrition

Did you make this recipe?I love seeing your creations. Snap a quick photo and mention @TheGraciousWife or tag #thegraciouswife on Instagram! Leave a STAR rating below!

UPDATE INFO: This recipe was originally published in October 2014. It has been updated with new pictures, tips, and video, and republished in September 2020.

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