Old-Fashioned Apple Pie
E
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Classic apple pie with a cinnamon-spiced filling, baked in a flaky crust. Uses a mix of sugars and warm spices like cinnamon and nutmeg. Baking at high heat to start creates a crisp crust, then lowers to finish cooking the tender fruit filling. A brown sugar twist swapped in for part of white sugar to deepen flavor. Lattice top optional, but venting top crust is key to avoid soggy bottom. Egg wash adds shine. Shield pie edges mid-bake to prevent burning. Focus on visual cues — bubbling juices, golden crust. Slices best after a rest. Simple pantry tweaks included.
Prep:
25 min
Cook:
55 min
Total:
Servings:
8 servings
#American baking
#fruit pie
#fall dessert
#apple recipes
#homemade pie
Hard to beat an apple pie with that unmistakable aroma filling the kitchen—warm cinnamon hitting your nose before you even open the oven door. I’ve wrestled with soggy bottoms and cracked crusts during many fall bakes. Learned quick thin apple slices help, and that mounding apples too high doesn’t spell disaster if you seal crust edges tight. Sugars, spices, flour ratios matter—flour slows juice soaking crust, sugars caramelize. Tried lattice tops and simple full lids; both work if venting’s done right. Egg wash makes a huge difference in that golden, shiny finish; don’t skip it. Start oven hotter, then lower temp mid-bake makes crisp crust without burning edges—a small step that changes everything. Cool pie thoroughly or you’ll end up with runny filling wasting all your work. Trust senses, not just clocks.
Ingredients
- 7 cups thinly sliced peeled apples (about 7 medium apples), use Granny Smith or Braeburn
- 1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 unbaked 9-inch pie crusts (store-bought or homemade)
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon cold water
- 1 tablespoon coarse sugar for topping, optional
About the ingredients
Apples: Granny Smith for tart, Braeburn for sweet-tart balance. Peeling and slicing thin makes texture better once baked. Sugar: I tweak sugar amounts depending on apple tartness—brown sugar adds warmth and moisture, white sugar sweetness. Spices: Cinnamon essential, nutmeg a subtle background note but don’t exceed or it overwhelms. Flour thickens juices so crust doesn’t get soggy—never skip. Pie crusts: Store-bought for convenience, but homemade with butter or shortening changes flakiness and flavor. Egg wash: One egg whisked with water creates a shiny, golden crust that looks bakery-grade. Coarse sugar topping optional for crunch. Salt balances flavors here, prevents overwhelming sweetness. Watch your conversions if substituting cornstarch for flour; cornstarch requires less quantity. Always preheat oven fully to get crust crisp, don’t start cold.
Method
- Oven at 430 degrees, preheat full blast. Spray 9” pie plate with cooking spray to stop crust sticking or messy cleaning later.
- Skip peelers if lazy but apple peeler helps speed slicing—thin slices key for even cooking. Slap apples in a big bowl, look for uniform slices. Mix sugars; swap half white for dark brown sugar for extra molasses warmth.
- Combine sugars, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and flour in small bowl. Flour stops juice turning crust to mush. Pour this all over apples and stir well with wooden spoon, coating every slice in sugary spice. The flour also thickens liquid to slow sogginess.
- Lay one crust carefully in pie plate, trim hanging edges slightly if needed. Heap apple mixture in mound center, it looks overloaded but will shrink as it cooks. Don’t stress the bulge.
- Top crust? Lattice is classic and pretty, but slits in any crust top are a must—vents let steam escape, prevents nasty bubble overs. Press edges of top and bottom crust firmly together to seal—pulling apart crusts mean burns or leaks later.
- Make egg wash by whisking egg and water. Brush thick coat on crust top—it gives golden shine and helps sugar stick when sprinkled.
- Sprinkle coarse sugar on top if you like crunch and sparkle. Protect crust edges with foil or pie shield halfway through bake or once edges look done. Prevents burned crust edges.
- Bake pie about 50 minutes total. Start at 430, then reduce to 375 after 20 minutes. Watch juices bubble through vents, crust golden and firm to touch. If bottom crust steaming or soggy, bake a bit longer or cool on rack.
- Rest pie at least an hour before slicing. Filling thickens as it cools. Warm slices straight from oven runny and messy.
- If you don’t have cinnamon, substitute with allspice or pumpkin pie spice but reduce amounts—those spices can overpower easily.
- For gluten-free crust, swap with pre-made gluten-free pie dough, but bake crust blind 10 minutes before adding filling to prevent sogginess.
- If apples too tart, add an extra tablespoon sugar. Too sweet? Cut sugar back or use Granny Smith apples to balance.
- Worst disaster: pie filling bubbling over and burning oven. Check halfway and catch leaks early by poking vents bigger if steam trapped.
- Thickening agents can be switched—cornstarch for flour, but cornstarch gives a clear gel, flour cloudier. I prefer flour for texture and reliability.
- Egg wash can be sugar-free, but no wash means dull crust, bites lack that golden crunch visually signalling ‘done’.
- Bubble sound and sight of juices through crust slits your best doneness sign, not just timer. Pie can go from perfect to burnt fast if unattended.
- Use room temp egg for wash, cold hardens fast and clumps.
- Cooling rack chilling is key. Too hot to slice means filling runs everywhere, not cool enough means soggy bottom crust.
Cooking tips
Oven temp strategy: blast at 430 first, helps set crust fast preventing sogginess, drop to 375 after 15-20 minutes to cook fruit inside without burning crust. Using a large bowl for apples lets you coat every slice evenly so no bitter dry bits. Careful folding sugar-spice mix onto apples avoids bruising or crushing. Press crust edges together firmly to trap juices and steam—common mistake is sparse sealing so juices bubble out causing burnt edges. Lattice tops vent naturally, but full tops need slits cut—don’t guess, steam must escape or pie floods crust and ruins bottom. Brush egg wash thickly and evenly, it browns crust and helps sugar stick rather than blowing away mid bake. Shield edges halfway if they brown too fast—foil works fine but watch timing or edges get pale or burnt. Egg wash should be room temp to spread easily; cold egg clumps in brush. Listen for bubbling juices through top vents—must hear or pie not ready. Rest pie minimum hour, thickens filling and lets flavors meld; cut too soon and you get messy filling spillover—lesson learned after multiple ruined attempts. If pie juices too runny or thin, consider slight flour or cornstarch increase in next batch, but cautious, over-thickening gums up the filling. Cookie sheet under pie in oven helps catch any drips—oven cleanup is a pain but safety net is worth it.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Start oven hot at 430 degrees then drop to 375 to set crust fast. Stops sogginess. Watch bubbling juices through vents—sound matters. Don’t rely on timer only. Trim crust edges slight if hanging; too thick burns. Egg wash room temp; cold clumps, ruins shine. Brush thick.
- 💡 Slice apples thin. Thick slices cook uneven; mushy edges, raw centers. Peel if preferred but no deal breaker. Sugar mix matters—swap half white sugar with dark brown for molasses warmth. Flour coats apples, stops juices soaking crust; messes with sogginess if missed.
- 💡 Seal crust edges well. Press top and bottom crusts firmly. Gaps mean leaks, burns, bubble overs later. Lattice vents naturally. Full top crust needs slits cut or steam trapped; pie floods and soggy bottom inevitable. Protect edges midbake with foil to avoid burnt tips.
- 💡 Coarse sugar topping optional but adds crunch, sparkle. Egg wash with water makes shiny crust, helps sugar stick. No egg wash means dull crust lacking that bakery gloss. Swap sugar-free yeast if needed but expect different look. Cool pie fully on rack before slicing. Warm slices runny, messy.
- 💡 If no cinnamon, use allspice or pumpkin pie spice but start low. Strong spices overpower easy. Can swap flour for cornstarch—check amounts; cornstarch clearer gel, flour cloudier. Gluten-free crust needs blind bake 10 min before adding filling; stops wet base. Adjust sugar for apple tartness. Keep senses sharp.
Common questions
How to avoid soggy bottom crust?
Use flour to coat apple slices, helps thicken juices. Hot oven start at 430 sets crust quickly. Seal edges tight; leaks make soggy edges. Vent top crust well. Rest pie completely so filling thickens before slicing.
Can I use spices other than cinnamon?
Yes, allspice or pumpkin pie spice work but reduce amounts. Nutmeg just a background note, don’t overdo or bitter. Experiment but start small, spices can dominate fast.
What if my pie juices bubble over?
Poke vents bigger early bake, watch halfway point. Shield edges to avoid scorch. Use baking sheet under pie to catch spills. Thickening agents like flour or cornstarch help but add cautiously to avoid gummy filling.
How long can I store leftover pie?
Cut leftovers chill fridge, loosely covered. Lasts 3-4 days good texture. Freeze slices wrapped tight for longer. Reheat gently or serve cold; hot reheating sometimes runs filling again. Use rack to cool initially, stop soggy base.
