Apple Pie from Scratch

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Fall in Oregon is a magical time. The morning air is full of thick fog. The ground is perpetually wet from the rain. The evergreens remain a deep emerald color while the rest of the trees have decorated the ground with their red, orange, and yellow leaves. Candles are lit more often, and thick sweaters and socks are being put to good use. The home smells of warm apples, spices and butter as a homemade apple pie from scratch bakes in the oven.

While apple pie has gotten a reputation for being American, it actually originated in England. According to the Smithsonian, the first record of an apple pie dates back to the 14th century! The British made apple pie filled with figs, pears and raisins. That certainly sounds different from today's standard apple pie, but it sounds quite tasty too!

In fact, many of the ingredients that comprise apple pie weren't native to North America. From butter and spices to the apples themselves, each component of apple pie was brought in from other countries. Apple pie's popularity swept through the U.S. in the 18th and 19th centuries. It's an easy and affordable recipe to make that tastes like you're eating a big hug.

More Pie Recipes

Once you get the hang of making pies, it's addicting! If you're looking to bake up more homemade pie recipes, try these!

• All Pink Strawberry Pie
• Berry Pie with Frozen Berries
• Gluten Free Blueberry Pie
• Strawberry Blueberry Pie
• Easy 3 Ingredient Pie Crust

Don't have a pie dish? Don't worry! You can make free-from pies called galettes. They're made with the same flaky, buttery pie crust. But they bake flat on a baking sheet instead of in a pie dish.

• Pear Galette
• Gluten Free Galette with Roasted Carrots

And if you're looking for pies that don't require any fancy crust or even baking time in the oven, try these delicious no-bake pies!

• No Bake Vegan Pumpkin Pie
• No Bake Mint Chocolate Chip Pie

Why You Should Make this Recipe

• This recipe ensures you won't end up with a soggy crust, since the apples are cooked prior to baking the pie. This allows the apples to soften and release their juices before going into the oven.
• The pie crust is super flaky since this recipe keeps the butter pieces on the larger side.
• Cookie cutters make a beautiful and intricate-looking pie crust design that's deceptively simple!
• This apple pie from scratch is perfect for Fall as the cozy aroma of apples and cinnamon fill your home.

Ingredients

Pie Crust

• All-purpose flour - Provides the base structure for the pliable pie crust
• Salt - Enhances the flavor of the rest of the ingredients in the crust
• Cinnamon - Adds a warm, cozy taste and aroma
• Unsalted butter - use cold, cubed butter to create flaky layers in the crust
• Ice water - Use cold water with ice cubes in it to prevent the butter from melting as you form the pie dough

Apple Pie Filling

• Apples - The best apples for pie include Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Golden Delicious, and Jonagold
• Butter - Used to cook the apple pie filling and soften the apples before baking them in the pie crust
• Brown sugar - Caramelizes the apples as the filling cooks on the stove
• Cinnamon - Adds a warm, cozy taste that compliments the apples
• Nutmeg - Adds a warm, nutty flavor
• Cloves - Adds a slightly sweet and bold flavor
• Salt - Enhances the flavor of the rest of the ingredients in the pie filling
• Lemon juice and lemon zest - Prevents the apples from browning too much due to oxidation, and adds a subtle tart flavor to balance all the sweetness
• Cornstarch - Thickens the filling of this apple pie from scratch to prevent a soggy pie

How to Make an Apple Pie From Scratch

Prepare the Pie Crust

Mix the dry ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and cinnamon.

Add the butter: Toss the cold cubed butter into the dry mixture. Squeeze each piece of butter between your fingers and your thumb to flatten and break it down a bit. The butter pieces should end up looking like thick cornflakes.

Add the water and form the dough: Add the ice cold water one tablespoon at a time and mix with a fork until it holds its shape when squeezed in the palm of your hand.

Shape and refrigerate the dough: Divide the dough into a larger disc and a slightly smaller disc. Wrap both dough discs individually in plastic cling wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to 3 days.

Prepare the Apple Pie Filling

Prepare to cook the apples: In a large pot, heat the butter on medium heat. Peel and core the apples and slice them into ¼-inch thick slices.

Cook the apples, sugar and spices: Add the apple slices, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally until the apples begin to soften after about 10 to 15 minutes.

Add the lemon and cornstarch: In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, lemon zest and cornstarch to create a thick liquid. Add that into the pot and bring to a boil for 1 minute to activate the cornstarch.

Let cool and thicken: Set the apple pie filling aside to cool and thicken.

Assemble your Apple Pie

Roll out the bottom crust: On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the larger disc of dough into a ½-inch thick circle. Carefully transfer to a 10-inch pie dish.

Add the filling: Spoon the apple pie filling into the pie dish. Put back in the fridge to keep the butter in the pie dough cold.

Roll and cut shapes from the top crust: Roll out the smaller disc of dough into a ½-inch thick circle. Use cookie cutters to cut out shapes from the dough. Dust with flour as needed to prevent the dough from sticking to the cookie cutters.

Decorate your pie: Place the cut-out pieces of your top dough around the edge of the pie. Place them right up to the edge and overlapping onto the pie filling. Since my cut-out shapes were pretty small, I added two rings of the pie cut-outs.

Preheat the oven: Place your decorated pie back in the fridge to keep the butter in the dough cold while the oven preheats to 425°F.

Bake the pie: Bake the pie at 425°F for about 15 - 20 minutes, until the pie crust begins to turn golden. Lower the oven temperature to 375°F and bake for another 25 - 35 minutes, until the crust is golden brown.

Let cool and enjoy: Let the pie cool for at least 1 hour. Then slice up and serve on its own or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for pie a la mode! Enjoy!!

Storage, Freezing and Reheating

Storing and freezing unbaked pie dough: You can store unbaked pie dough in the fridge wrapped in plastic cling wrap for up to 3 days. Or add an additional layer of heavy-duty aluminum foil and store unbaked pie dough in the freezer for up to 6 months.

Storing and freezing baked pies: Let your pie cool completely to room temperature, then wrap loosely with plastic cling wrap and store in the fridge for up to 3 days. Or store your baked pie in a freezer bag in the freezer for up to 2 to 4 months.

Reheating pie: Wrap an individual slice in aluminum foil and place in a cold oven. Turn the oven on to 375°F. Keep the pie in the oven for 5 minutes after the oven finishes preheating. Unwrap and serve your warmed pie with an intact flaky crust.
Or just place a slice of pie on a plate and zap it in the microwave for a minute. The crust won't be quite as flaky, but you'll be eating pie faster. 😉

Recipe FAQ's

What kinds of apples should you use for apple pie?
The best apples to use for apple pie include Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Golden Delicious, and Jonagold. These apple varieties all hold their shape while being cooked and baked, so the filling doesn't become mushy.

Should I peel apples for apple pie?
Yes, I recommend to peel apples for your apple pie from scratch. This ensures the pie filling is soft and delicate. Apple peels might create an unpleasant crunchy texture.

Should I cook my apples before making my pie?
After ending up with a soggy pie mess from baking a fruit pie with a raw filling, I always cook my fillings first. Cooking your apples on the stove before making your apple pie from scratch will prevent a soggy pie. The apples soften and release a lot of their juices, which then gets thickened with cornstarch, all before being added into the pie crust.

Should you prebake your pie crust for apple pie?
Thankfully, you don't have to prebake your pie crust for apple pie. The crust gets perfectly crisp, flaky and golden brown in the oven without any prebaking.