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Classic Apple Pie (The Flaky 90-Minute All-American Classic)

Name: Classic Apple Pie (The Flaky 90-Minute All-American Classic)
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: 8 slices
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2½ cups (315 g) all-purpose flour; 1 tsp (6 g) fine sea salt; 1 tbsp (12 g) granulated sugar; 1 cup (226 g) cold unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes; 6–8 tbsp (90–120 ml) ice water; 7 medium apples (about 3 lb / 1.4 kg) — half Granny Smith, half Honeycrisp — peeled, cored, thinly sliced; ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar; ¼ cup (55 g) packed light brown sugar; 3 tbsp (24 g) all-purpose flour; 1½ tsp ground cinnamon; ¼ tsp ground nutmeg; ¼ tsp fine sea salt; 1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice; 1 tbsp (14 g) cold unsalted butter, diced; 1 large egg beaten with 1 tbsp milk (egg wash); 1 tbsp coarse sugar, for sprinkling

Prep: 35 min | Cook: 55 min | Total: 90 min | Servings: 8 slices

This classic apple pie is the all-American dessert done right: a shatteringly flaky, buttery crust wrapped around cinnamon-spiced apples, ready in 90 minutes. It is the definitive fall bake — simple pantry ingredients, one 9-inch pie, eight generous slices. If you only bake one pie this season, make it this one — and if you are on a pumpkin streak, our Classic Pumpkin Pie is its perfect autumn sibling.

What You Need

For the flaky crust:

2½ cups (315 g) all-purpose flour
1 tsp (6 g) fine sea salt
1 tbsp (12 g) granulated sugar
1 cup (226 g) cold unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes
6–8 tbsp (90–120 ml) ice water

For the cinnamon-apple filling:

7 medium apples (about 3 lb / 1.4 kg) — half Granny Smith, half Honeycrisp — peeled, cored, thinly sliced
¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
¼ cup (55 g) packed light brown sugar
3 tbsp (24 g) all-purpose flour
1½ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
¼ tsp fine sea salt
1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp (14 g) cold unsalted butter, diced
1 large egg beaten with 1 tbsp milk (egg wash)
1 tbsp coarse sugar, for sprinkling

Recipe Steps

Make the crust. Whisk the flour, salt and granulated sugar in a large bowl. Cut in the cold butter with a pastry blender (or your fingertips) until you have pea-sized crumbs. Drizzle in the ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing with a fork until the dough just holds together. Divide into two disks, wrap tightly and chill at least 1 hour.
Prep the filling. Toss the apple slices with the lemon juice, both sugars, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Rest 15 minutes while the oven preheats to 220°C (425°F) — the apples will release their juices and the flour will thicken them.
Line the dish. On a floured surface, roll one dough disk into a 12-inch circle and ease it into a 9-inch pie dish, letting the edges overhang. Spoon in the apples with all their juices and dot with the diced butter.
Weave the lattice. Roll the second disk and cut it into ¾-inch strips. Weave a lattice over the filling, trim the overhang, fold the edges under and crimp. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with coarse sugar.
Bake. Set the pie on a baking sheet on the lower-middle rack. Bake 20 minutes at 220°C (425°F), then reduce to 190°C (375°F) and bake 35–40 minutes more, until deep golden and bubbling through the lattice. Tent loosely with foil if the crust browns too fast.
Cool — do not skip. Cool on a wire rack at least 3 hours before slicing; the filling sets as it cools and slices hold their shape. Serve warm, ideally with vanilla ice cream — or try the ice-cream pairing in our Warm Apple Crisp.

Tips & Variations

Keep everything cold: cold butter is the whole secret to a flaky crust. If your kitchen is warm, chill the assembled pie 15 minutes before it goes into the oven.
The best apple combo: tart Granny Smith for structure plus sweet Honeycrisp (or Braeburn) for flavor — firm apples that hold their shape. Skip Red Delicious; it turns mushy.
No soggy bottom: bake on the lower-middle rack (a preheated baking sheet under the pie dish helps), and toss the apples with flour so the juices thicken instead of pooling.
Make it ahead: the dough disks keep 3 days refrigerated or 3 months frozen. Assemble the whole pie a day ahead, refrigerate unbaked, and bake straight from cold adding 5–10 minutes.
Freezer friendly: freeze the assembled unbaked pie up to 3 months; bake from frozen at 190°C (375°F) for 65–75 minutes.

Estimated nutrition per serving: ~550 cal | protein 6g | carbs 80g | fat 23g.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the best apples for apple pie?

Use a mix: tart, firm Granny Smith apples for structure plus sweet Honeycrisp (or Braeburn or Golden Delicious) for flavor. Avoid Red Delicious — it breaks down into mush in the oven.

How do I keep my apple pie from getting soggy on the bottom?

Bake on the lower-middle oven rack so the bottom crust gets direct heat — a preheated baking sheet under the pie dish helps even more. Toss the apples with flour to thicken their juices, and let the pie cool fully so the filling sets.

Can I make apple pie ahead of time?

Yes. The dough keeps 3 days in the fridge or 3 months in the freezer. You can also assemble the whole pie a day ahead, refrigerate it unbaked, and bake straight from cold, adding 5–10 minutes to the bake time.

Should I use a lattice top or a full top crust?

Both work beautifully. A lattice looks classic and lets steam escape so the filling thickens as it bakes. If you prefer a full top crust, cut 4–5 slits in it for steam.