Discover the authentic American Apple Pie, packed with fall flavors. It features a sweet apple filling and a flaky butter crust with a shimmering lattice pie crust. This classic apple pie recipe is a keeper!

The perfect authentic American Apple Pie, with a shimmering and a sweet crunch top. This easy, classic apple pie recipe is always a success!

This simple apple pie is as delicious as it sounds: some wonderful sweet flavors, fall spices, and a butter crust that holds its shape beautifully. The perfect pie for fall, Thanksgiving, or every other occasion year-round!

The perfect authentic American Apple Pie, with a shimmering and a sweet crunch top. This easy, classic apple pie recipe is always a success!

“An apple a day…”

As the adage says, An Apple A Day Keeps The Doctor Away. Believe it or not, but as a child, I didn’t like apples, to the point that I always wondered how Snow White could have fallen for an apple (isn’t  chocolate cake the best dessert in the world?). Funny coincidence, I grew up in an apple orchard family: my great-grandfather started it, passed it to my grandfather and eventually to my uncle. Needless to say that of course everyone loved apples in the family. Except me.

Be reassured, I quickly learned how to like apples, and it all started with apple baking recipes! I would help my mom bake a French apple tart or an apple cake, and eventually I would have a few slices of apple here and there. Now let’s talk about this classic apple pie together!

The perfect authentic American Apple Pie, with a shimmering and a sweet crunch top. This easy, classic apple pie recipe is always a success!

What is the Classic Apple Pie made of?

An Apple Pie is a deep pie, consisting of several layers of apple slices packed in between two layers of crust. The apples are combined with several spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, all spice) and coated in some sugar.

As for the pastry dough casing that contains the filling, there are two option here. The upper part can either cover the entire pie or it can be woven into a shimmering lattice pie crust.

The perfect authentic American Apple Pie, with a shimmering and a sweet crunch top. This easy, classic apple pie recipe is always a success!

Prepare the apple pie filling from scratch

To make the apple pie filling, simply combine apple slices with fresh lemon juice and zests in a large mixing bowl. Because it contains citric acid, lemon juice protects apples from oxidization, and together with lemon zest, it also enhances apple flavors.

In a separate bowl, combine sugar, flour, cornstarch, salt and spices, then add to the apple mixture and stir to coat. Note that the quantity of sugar can be cut by half depending on your personal tastes. The use of cornstarch is important as it prevents the apple filling from being too juicy. Oh, and make sure you don’t forget the spices to bring your pie its fall flavors. Then, stir in the boiled cider (or apple juice) and let sit for about 20 minutes so it gives time for the flavors to develop.

When ready to use, spoon the apple mixture onto the pie crust, minus the juice so that the crust doesn’t end up soggy.

The best apples for a classic Apple pie

Any kind of baking apples work perfectly in your apple pie. A few options to consider are Honeycrisp, Granny Smith Fuji or Pink Lady. Just be sure not to slice your apples too thin, so they hold up well.

The perfect apple pie crust

I’m SO happy with this butter pie crust recipe. It’s just the best you could possibly find for any fruit pie crust and I’ve been using it for years with always the same success. With simple ingredients (no shortening) and very minimal effort, the dough comes together into a perfect smooth and strong dough. The recipe yields 2 pie crusts, one for the bottom part and the other one for the top part of the pie.

The perfect authentic American Apple Pie, with a shimmering and a sweet crunch top. This easy, classic apple pie recipe is always a success!

For the lattice pie crust, I invite you to check this step-by-step tutorial in which I guide you throughout the recipe, giving my best tips for success. For the final touch, sprinkle some sugar over the pie crust, brush with egg wash, and bake it off. The result: a rich, flaky and buttery pie crust!

This American apple pie makes a beautiful dessert to inaugurate the fall season. Enjoy it as it is, or top it with some vanilla ice cream, and a glass of apple cider!

Classic pie recipes to try:

Love apples? Then, try also:

The perfect authentic American Apple Pie, with a shimmering and a sweet crunch top. This easy, classic apple pie recipe is always a success!

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American Apple Pie

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The perfect authentic American Apple Pie, with a shimmering and a sweet crunch top. This easy, classic apple pie recipe is always a success!
  • Author: Delphine Fortin
  • Prep Time: 45 mins
  • Cook Time: 50 mins
  • Total Time: 1 hour 35 mins
  • Yield: 8 servings 1x
  • Category: Cakes and Pies
  • Cuisine: American recipes

Discover the authentic American Apple Pie, packed with fall flavors. It features a sweet apple filling and a flaky butter crust with a shimmering lattice pie crust.

Ingredients

Scale

For the pastry crust:

  • 3 ½ cup (15 ounces/420g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 pinch of salt
  • 1 cup + 4 Tablespoons (10 ounces/280g) unsalted butter
  • 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
  • 2/3 cup (5 ounces/150 ml) water, or more if needed

For the filling:

  • 8 cups (approx. 1,4kg) peeled, sliced apples (about 56 big apples)
  • 2 Tablespoons lemon juice + lemon zest
  • ¾ cup (150g) sugar
  • 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon all spice
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
  • ¼ cup (60 ml) boiled cider or apple juice
  • 2 Tablespoons butter, diced into small pieces

For brushing:

  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 1 Tablespoon water
  • 1 Tablespoon sugar

Instructions

For the crust:

  1. In a medium-sized bowl, mix together the flour and salt. Dice the butter into small pieces and crumble it with the flour until lumps are the size of small peas. Add sugar and stir well. Pour in the ice cold water, little at a time, mixing with a fork. Finish by hand and shape into a ball.
  2. Flatten the dough a little bit, wrap into cling film and chill in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.

For the filling and assembling:

  1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the slice apples with lemon juice and zests. In a smaller bowl, combine together sugar, flour, cornstarch, salt and spices. Sprinkle the mixture over the apples, and stir to coat them. Stir in the boiled cider or apple juice and let sit for about 20 minutes.
  2. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and lightly grease a 9-inch (23 cm) deep pie dish (at least 2-inch/5 cm) deep.
  3. Once the dough is chilled, divide it into 2 pieces, one about twice as large as the other. The larger piece will be the bottom crust, the smaller one the top crust. Roll the larger piece of dough into a 13-inch (33 cm) circle and transfer it into the prepared pan. Trim the edges so that they overlap the rim of the pan all the way around.
  4. Spoon the apple filling into the pan, and top with diced butter. Place in the fridge while you’re making the lattice pie crust.

For the lattice pie crust*:

  1. Roll out the remaining dough to a 11-inch (28 cm) circle, and slice it into thin layers. Weave a lattice crust for the lop layer, and crimp the edges of the pie with a fork.
  2. Whisk one egg with one tablespoon of water and brush it on the top crust and around the edges of the pie. Sprinkle some additional sugar over to add shimmer and a sweet crunch to every slice.
  3. Bake the pie for about 50 minutes, until the filling starts bubbling inside the pie. Check the pie after 20 minutes of baking and cover the edges with foil to keep them from burning too quickly. When the pie is ready, remove it from the oven and let cool completely before slicing. Serve with some vanilla ice cream and enjoy!

Notes

* I invite you to check my Lattice pie crust step-by-step tutorial.

Did you make this recipe?

Lastly, if you make this American Apple Pie, be sure to leave a comment and give this recipe a rating, letting me know how you liked it. And of course, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Thank you and enjoy!

The perfect authentic American Apple Pie, with a shimmering and a sweet crunch top. This easy, classic apple pie recipe is always a success!