Food Recipes Desserts Pies & Tarts Old-Fashioned Apple Pie 5.0 (771) 5 Reviews There’s nothing too fussy about this classic double-crust apple pie — which is exactly why we love it. By AJ Perry AJ Perry AJ Perry is a professional baker and the founder of Sassafras Bakery in Worthington, Ohio. She is known for crafting nostalgic American baked goods like apple pie, brownies, and cinnamon rolls with locally sourced ingredients. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on October 31, 2023 Save Rate PRINT Share Close Photo: Food & Wine / Photo by Jason Donnelly / Food Styling by Holly Dreesman / Prop Styling by Gabe Greco Active Time: 1 hr Total Time: 4 hrs 30 mins Yield: 8 servings Jump to recipe This comforting, wonderfully old-fashioned apple pie comes from baker A.J. Perry, previously the owner of the beloved, now-closed Sassafras Bakery in Columbus, Ohio. Containing an impressive three pounds of sweet-tart apples, this fruit-forward dessert is a pie for purists: It tastes of nothing but apples and just the slightest hint of spice, all encased in a tender, buttery double crust. For a traditional and homey Thanksgiving pie, look no further. If you're in the market for a classic dessert, this old-fashioned apple pie can't be beat. Frequently Asked Questions What are the best apples for apple pie? We recommend using an assortment of baking apples for varied flavors. Good apple varieties for pie include Pink Lady, Cortland, and Jonathan, which all have a sweet-tart flavor that is especially nice in an apple dessert. Another option is to mix tart (like Granny Smith) and sweet (like Golden Delicious) to get that same balanced flavor. All of these varieties are on the firm side, which is important — they will hold their shape and won’t turn into mush in the oven. Should you cook apples before putting them in a pie? Some home bakers like to pre-cook apples before making pie so they reduce down a bit and lose some of their liquid before the pie is filled. Certain recipes are designed specifically for this method — but for this recipe, pre-cooking the apples is not necessary. Instead, you'll toss your apples in a combination of sugar and lemon juice and let them sit for 10 minutes, which allows the fruit to macerate quickly and draws out some of the moisture to prevent a runny filling. As a bonus, the lemon juice will bring a light, bright tartness to the finished pie. How do you keep the bottom of an apple pie from getting soggy? To bake a crispy, golden-brown pie crust, use an aluminum or other metal pie dish rather than one that’s glass or porcelain. While porcelain pie dishes look pretty, metal is a better conductor of heat and will help the crust crisp up. Some pie recipes also have you prebake the crust before filling, but it's not ideal for double-crust pies like this one — pre-cooking the bottom crust will make it more difficult to join the top crust securely and crimp around the edges. Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen We recommend cutting the apples into thin slices — around a quarter of an inch — which will cook evenly and are easy to layer into the pie for an appealingly domed surface. While you can achieve thin slices with a sharp knife, it's faster and more consistent with a mandoline. For safety, be sure to use the mandoline's accompanying hand guard (if it comes with one) or invest in a cut-resistant glove. In addition to the standard white sugar in the filling, this recipe calls for turbinado sugar, which you'll sprinkle over the egg-washed top crust before putting the pie in the oven. Turbinado sugar is a brown sugar with large, chunky crystals that's often used as a finishing sugar in baked goods to add a bit of crunch. It is widely available in grocery stores. To achieve the beautiful high dome on the top crust, Perry starts the pie at a higher heat — 425°F — so the pastry sets and keeps its shape before the filling begins to soften, then lowers the temperature to 365°F for the remainder of the bake. Make ahead The cooled pie can be refrigerated for up to two days. Reheat in a 350℉ oven for 15 to 20 minutes before serving. Cook Mode (Keep screen awake) Ingredients Crust 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling 1 teaspoon salt 2 sticks unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch dice and chilled 1/4 cup ice water Filling 3 pounds apples, such as Pink Lady, Golden Delicious, Cortland, or Jonathan, peeled, cored, and sliced 1/4-inch thick 1 cup sugar 1/3 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg Pinch of salt 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small dice 1 large egg, beaten 2 tablespoons turbinado sugar, for sprinkling Directions In a food processor, combine the flour and salt. Add the butter and pulse in 1-second bursts until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Drizzle the ice water over the dough and pulse in 1-second bursts until it just comes together. Turn the dough out onto a work surface, gather any crumbs, and pat it into two disks. Wrap the disks in plastic and refrigerate until chilled, about 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 425°F. On a floured work surface, roll out one disk of the dough to a 12-inch round, a scant 1/4 inch thick. Ease the dough into a 9- to 10-inch deep-dish glass pie plate. Roll out the second disk of dough to a 12-inch round. Transfer to a wax paper–lined baking sheet and refrigerate. In a bowl, combine the apples with the sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Add the lemon juice and toss well. Let stand for 10 minutes, until the sugar dissolves slightly. Scrape the apples and any juices into the pie plate and dot with the butter. Cover with the top crust and gently press the edges together. Trim the overhanging dough to about 1 inch and pinch to seal. Fold the dough rim under itself and crimp decoratively. Brush the pie with the beaten egg and sprinkle with the turbinado sugar. Cut three small gashes in the top of the pie to vent the steam. Bake the pie on the lowest shelf of the oven for 30 minutes. Lower the oven temperature to 365°F and bake the pie for 45 to 50 minutes longer, until the fruit juices are bubbling through the steam vents and the crust is deeply golden on the top and bottom; cover the pie loosely with foil halfway through baking to keep it from getting too dark. Transfer the pie to a rack and let cool for at least 2 hours before serving. Originally appeared: November 2011 Rate It Print