Autumn's Best Apple Pie Recipe With Homemade Crust
The sweet smell of apples and warm spices baking inside of a buttery pastry is the first smell of Autumn.
Course Pies
Cuisine American
Keyword Best Apple Pie With Homemade Crust
Prep Time 30 minutesminutes
Cook Time 1 hourhour
Total Time 1 hourhour30 minutesminutes
Servings 6servings
Equipment
Rimmed Baking Sheet
9-inch Pie Plate
Rolling Pin
Ingredients
Buttery Pie Crust
8tbspButtercold
1 1/2cupsAll Purpose Flour extra for dusting
1/4cupAlmond Flour
1tbspSugar
1tspSalt
1Egg Yolk
Eggs - 2
1tbspCold Apple Juiceor water, as needed
Apple Pie Filling
6Raw Apples*see notes for type of apple
2Eggs
1Egg whitefor egg wash
3/4cupBrown Sugar
1tbspCoarse Sugartopping
1tbspLemon Juice
1tspLemon Zest
1/4tspPowdered Cloves
1 1/2tbspCinnamon
1/2tspCardamom
1/2tspSalt
1/4cupPotato Starch
2tbspButter melted
Instructions
Pie DoughPlace butter, flour, almond flour, sugar and salt in a food processor and pulse to blend. This can also be done in a large bowl with a fork or pastry cutter.
With machine running, slowly pour the lightly beaten egg yolk, and watch for the dough to come together. Drizzle a little cold apple juice at a time, while machine is running, until the pie dough comes together into a ball. The same can be done by hand by slowly incorporating the liquid to the flour/butter mixture.
Once the dough has formed a ball, transfer it to a lightly floured surface and with a rolling pin, roll it out to fit the pie pan. Don’t forget to save scraps should you want to press designed pieces of dough to go on top. There may not be enough to make a top crust but should be plenty to cut strips for a lattice crust should you desire one.
Once the dough is fitted into the pie pan, crimp the edges, lightly prick the bottom crust so it doesn't create air bubbles in the bottom. Set aside. If you are using the scraps from the excess dough to make dough cutouts to lay on top, or lattice, then cut these now, place on parchment paper lined sheet pan and place in the fridge until ready to use.
Apple Filling Preheat oven to 400Place parchment paper on top of rimmed baking sheet. This is to catch drips that may spill over from the apple juices.
Peel and core the apples. Make uniform apple slices, place in a medium bowl, add the lemon juice and zest, toss and let sit for 5-minutes.
Pour the melted butter over the apples and toss quickly.Sprinkle the sugar, spices and salt over the apples and toss.
In a small bowl, fork whip the eggs and pour over the apples while mixing and incorporating throughout. Last, sprinkle the potato starch over all the mixture and toss well. The potato starch creates a thicker sauce with the apple juices then just using flour will.
Transfer this mixture into the prepared, unbaked pie crust, layering the apples in a uniform way. Don't worry if the apples sit high in the pan, they will reduce when baking.
Whisk the egg white and brush it around the edges of the pie crust.
If you are using dough cutouts or lattice top, now is the time to place those on top, and brush those also with the egg wash.
Finish with a sprinkle of coarse sugar across the top of the pie. Place the pie dish on top of the parchment paper lined baking sheet and place in the center oven rack.
Bake for just 10-minutes to set the filling, then turn down the oven temperature to 325 and continue baking until the pie crust is a golden brown, about 45-50 minutes. Once baked, place on a wire rack to allow air to cool the pie on both bottom and top, helping to prevent a soggy bottom.
Notes
If a sweet apple pie is what makes a great apple pie for you, then Pink Lady, Red Delicious Apples or Honey-crisp Apples are what you might prefer. However, if tart apples are what you prefer in an apple pie then Macintosh Apples or Granny Smith Apples might be the better apple for you. In my opinion, Golden Delicious apples are best eaten raw rather than cooked, as they seem to lose their flavor.
Cooling the pie allows the filling to set.
Can be left out room temperature for 2 days. If any remains, store covered in the fridge.