The BEST Apple Pie recipe to ever grace your Thanksgiving dessert table! This pie is made with my favorite easy pie crust, plenty of tart apples, and a crumbly, buttery walnut topping.
The Ultimate Apple Pie
So, you’ve had apple pie before, right? And, I mean, it’s good, right? Especially this time of year with freshly harvested apples, spiced with cinnamon, served in a flaky crust and served warm, topped with vanilla ice cream? Doesn’t get more classic than that, does it?
But what if I told you we could take that classic apple pie recipe and make it even better? Like, so, so much better.
This apple pie has absolutely ruined me for every other apple pie recipe out there. I can hardly bring myself to lift a fork to any other slice because it’s just downright disappointing compared to this one. This pie has ruined me in the same way these chocolate chip cookies have made me a cookie elitist.
It’s not really *my* recipe, though. Most of the recipes I share here are based off of prior experience, billions of bouts of trial and error, and a hodge-podge of dozens and dozens of other recipes I’ve tried. This one, however, is a very close adaptation of a recipe my Mom has been making for decades. The recipe was clipped from a Women’s Day magazine that was published in 1996 and in the past 20 years it’s been copied over and over, spilled and scribbled on, but it’s persevered as the favorite pie in my household.
And that’s compared against some tough contenders, like my popular Chocolate Pie, Blueberry Pie, and Pecan Pie.
OK, So what is it that makes this Apple Pie so great?
Well, for starters…
- A flaky, buttery, flavorful, homemade, easy pie crust. Oh and did I mention that it’s essentially foolproof and can be made in your food processor?
- A full, perfectly spiced filling. Any time you bake an apple pie the apples will shrink as they cook. But we’re using 3 hefty pounds of sliced tart apples for plenty of apple in every bite. Oh, and the filling is also made with sour cream (which is a key ingredient in our crust, too). This gives our apple pie an incredible flavor (one that doesn’t actually taste like sour cream) and keeps our apple pie filling from being runny or weepy.
- A buttery, crumbly, streusel-like topping. This is my favorite, and what sets this pie apart from any other. That crispy crumb paired with the tender apples and flaky crust… every bite is heaven.
What is the Best Apple to Use in Apple Pie?
I recommend using a firm, tart apple for this pie recipe. My personal preference is Granny Smith, which I like using for most of my baked apple recipes (like my Apple Crisp or Apple Dumplings).
Should You Cook Your Apples Before Making Apple Pie?
I do not recommend pre-cooking your apples for this recipe. Some recipes recommend this either to prevent the apples from shrinking in the oven or to keep the pie from becoming runny.
We’re using quite a bit of apples in this recipe, and the crumble topping on top will neatly shrink down with them (instead of staying raised and leaving a large air pocket like many traditional apple pie recipes do).
This pie also does not yield a runny filling, thanks to the ingredients we’ll be tossing our apple slices in. Thanks to some flour and some sour cream, the filling is much less liquidy than you might expect.
How to Store Apple Pie:
Apple pie can be stored at room temperature for up to two days. Be sure to cover with foil.
This pie will last longer if stored in the refrigerator (keep covered to prevent it from drying out), up to 6 days.
I hope you love this recipe as much as I do! If you try it out please comment and let me know how you like it!
More Apple Recipes You Might Like:
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The Best Apple Pie
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 batch homemade pie crust (click link for recipe) not baked, you may substitute one storebought pie crust instead.
Filling
- 1/4 cup sugar (50g)
- 1/4 cup brown sugar tightly packed (50g)
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour (45g)
- 1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon allspice
- 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/3 cup sour cream (85g)
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 pounds tart apples Peeled, cored, and sliced thinner than 1/4". I use Granny Smith (1.36kg)
Crumble Topping
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (125g)
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter cold (113g)
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (65g)
- 2/3 cup brown sugar firmly packed (145g)
Recommended Equipment
Instructions
Crust
- Prepare pie crust according to recipe instructions. As per recipe, prepare, chill, roll out, and arrange into a 9 1/2" pie plate (do not bake). Return to refrigerator to chill while you prepare apple pie filling.
- Preheat oven to 425F (220C)
Filling
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together sugars, flour, cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg.
- Add sour cream, lemon juice, and vanilla extract, and stir well until completely combined (mixture will be like a loose paste).
- Add apple slices and stir until all apples are coated with mixture.
- Pour apple filling into prepared pie crust, mounding the apples in the center of the pie. Set aside while you prepare crumble topping.
Crumble Topping
- Combine flour and brown sugar in the basin of a food processor¹ and pulse to combine.
- Sprinkle butter pieces over the mixture. Pulse until coarse crumbs form.
- Add walnuts and pulse briefly (don't overdo it or the mixture will lose its crumbliness and clump together)
- Take your crumble topping and sprinkle it evenly over the pie filling. Use your hands to gently pat down the topping.
- Bake on 425F (220C) for 15 minutes. Without opening the oven door, reduce heat to 350F (175C) and continue to bake another 40 minutes, or until apples are tender (use a skewer to pierce the pie and check the apples). Keep an eye on your pie crust as it bakes, the crust is prone to browning faster than the pie is finished, and if the crust is becoming too dark you should remove the pie from the oven and cover the crust with foil before returning to oven to finish baking.
- Enjoy warm, preferably topped with vanilla ice cream.
Notes
Nutrition
This perfect Apple Pie Recipe was originally published on 10/19/2016, republished with more information, better photos, a more clearly-written recipe and a video on 10/16/2019.
Pat says
Hi Sam – I love your recipes, but had an unexpected result when I baked your Best Apple Pie on Thanksgiving. I used a beautiful pottery pie plate my Mom gave me. The bottom crust was undercooked and so were the apples. I love this pie dish, but should probably only use it if I’m going to blind bake a crust first? Need your advice! Thanks, and Happy Holidays!
Sam says
Hi Pat! It sounds like the pie may have needed to bake a little bit longer. If your top starts to brown you can tent it with a little bit of aluminum foil. The pie plate may cause the baking time to vary. I hope this helps. 🙂
karina says
hi, i love this apple pie recipe but today i’m making it for thanksgiving and i have a cousin with a peanut allergy. would the pie take less time baking if i did it with a lattice crust instead of the crumble topping.
Sam says
Hi Karina! The pie may take a bit less time, just make sure the apples are tender when speared. Make sure to check out my lattice pie crust tutorial, too!
Michelle says
If I want to leave off the crumble and add a crust to the top do I need to make any adjustments?
Sugar Spun Run says
Hi, Michelle! No adjustments are needed. You will just need a pie crust for the top. This week I also released a blog post on how to create a lattice pie crust that may interest you! I hope that you find this helpful and that you enjoy your pie! 🙂
Lisa Sandell says
How could I make a but free topping that would work. We have a nut allergy in our family.
Sam says
Hi Lisa! You can leave the nuts out or you can substitute them with a scoop of oats, either will work just fine. Enjoy! 🙂
Andres says
Are the apples measured for 3 pounds, before or after they are cored.
Sam says
Hi Andres! I measure the apples before I core and peel them. 🙂
Linda says
Are you using a deep-dish pie plate or standard size? My regular glass pie plates are too shallow for that much content but I also have a deep dish one.
Sam says
Hi Linda! It’s about 1.5-2 inches deep. 🙂
Kelsi says
Could this be made in a disposable pie pan or does it have to be glass?
Sam says
Hi Kelsi! As long as your pan will hold it that will be fine. You may need to adjust the baking time a bit. 🙂
Sarah says
Hi Sam! Congrats on the baby and thanks so much again for all your wonderful recipe posts! Very helpful and all have been delicious and a huge hit. For this pie, what are your thoughts in making it in an 8×8 pan with the crust? Also, can leftovers be left at room temp or is refrigeration needed ? Thanks again!
Sam says
Hi Sarah! I haven’t baked in an 8 x 8 pan so I’m not sure what adjustments to the amounts would need to be made. I think it will still turn out. I think room temperature will be fine here. 🙂
Karyn Michaels says
I’m looking to make apple pie filling to freeze for use during the holidays. Do you think this recipe would freeze well with the sour cream? Or do you have have a different suggestion for preserving the apples for later use?
Sam says
Hi Karyn! I haven’t tried it to be completely sure, but with how little is used and the way it is used I think it may work. Good luck! 🙂
Sue Biddle says
Do you have a good crunchy,crisp sugar cookie recipe? Mine seem to be too soggy or too hard.
Sam says
Hi Sue! I do have a sugar cookie recipe that is fantastic! There are instructions in the recipe to make them crispier or softer to your liking. 🙂
Anna says
Hi Sam! I am such a devoted fan! My family Lives for your recipes! My father loves apple pie more than anything but has a nut allergy. Could you recommend a way to do the topping without the walnuts? Should I just omit it? Or would substituting a streusel like the one from the coffee cake muffins be better?
Sam says
Hi Anna! You could completely omit the walnuts or if you’d like you could substitute in some oats instead. I am so glad everyone enjoys the recipes so much! Thank you so much for following along and I hope your dad loves the apple pie! 🙂
Angelie says
Hi Sam, I just made this apple pie and it is DELICIOUS. I have been wanting to make my own apple pie but the task appeared daunting due to the fact that I have to make the pie base. I am surprised that it is not that complicated! The only changes I made were: 1) I used the crust for the top and sprinkled sugar+cinnamon as I do not have a food processor and I’m concerned the crumble would not turn out well if mixed by hand; 2) I used the regular brown sugar; and 3) I used only about a kilo of apples because my pie plate is smaller (the quantity of the remaining ingredients for the filling were unchanged). The moment I took it out of the over I immediately took a slice and tried it and it was heavenly. I completely agree that this recipe now sets the bar for other applies pies out there.
Also, I really like how you have thoughtfully added tips and notes on what to expect (such as the crust browning midway), alternatives, etc. as those are really helpful. Thank you.
Sam says
Thank you so much, Angelie! I am so glad you enjoyed the pie and found all of the tips to be very helpful. 🙂
Emily says
Hi Sam,
I was wondering if this would work just the same if you made a crust for the top as well instead of the crumb topping? I want to make it for my dad for Father’s Day and the more crust the better for him!
Thanks! Emily
Sam says
Hi Emily! Yes it will work perfectly with a crust for the top, just double my pie crust recipe. If you want to do a lattice-top I have a tutorial in my blueberry pie recipe. Enjoy!
Becky Jantzen says
Hands down, the best apple pie I have ever made. This is my go to from now on!
Sam says
I am so glad you enjoyed it so much, BeckY! 🙂
Chavonne says
Hello! First thank you for being you!! You and your recipes have actually help me get through some hard times. I won’t get into it…just know you do more than “just” write a fabulous blog filled with easy recipes and helpful tips…for some of us you give confidence and a sense of pride. As I heard my husband say the other day…Chavonne made homemade cookies! With flour and everything!
You gave me that and for that I thank you!!!
Sam says
This comment means so much to me to read, Chavonne! I am honestly so thrilled to hear you (and your husband!) have been enjoying the recipes on my blog. Thank you so much for commenting, I hope you had a fabulous weekend <3
janet says
Do you recommend using only Granny Smith apples? I have read you should use a combination of a couple different types of apples? Just wondered what you thought?
Sam says
Hi Janet! It’s honestly totally personal preference here, a blend would work just fine. 🙂