Classic Apple Pie (Rustic and Flaky)
My classic apple pie recipe combines the flakiest crust with a simple blend of Granny Smith apples, sugar, and spice. This is the pie to serve for all your holiday gatherings!
Servings: 8
Ingredients
for the double pie crust
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter cubed
- 3/4 cup cold lard cubed, can also use vegetable shortening
- 3/4 cup ice cold water
For the apple pie
- 2 9-inch pie crusts from above, or use storebought
- 9 large Granny Smith apples peeled, cored, cut into 1/4-inch slices
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 packed cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 large egg beaten
- turbinado sugar for sprinkling, optional
Instructions
For the double pie crust
- In a large bowl, mix the flour, sugar, and salt.
- Add the butter and lard and with a pastry cutter, but the butter and lard into the flour until a coarse meal-like texture is left.
- Drizzle the ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time and with a spatula press and fold the dough until the water is combined. Continue adding 1 tablespoon at a time until large bits of dough have formed. You might not need to use the last 2-3 tablespoons of water.
- Divide the dough in half and form each half into a disk. Wrap tightly with plastic and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before using.
For the apple pie
- 20 minutes before using, remove 1 pie crust from the fridge. Place on a floured surface. Roll it out to a 12-13-inch circle and place into a 9-inch pie dish. Using your fingers, tuck the dough into the sides of the dish and let the excess overhang. Place the dish in the fridge.
- Add the apples, flour, sugar, brown sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, and nutmeg to a large pan and cook for 5 minutes over medium heat. Stir frequently so that all of the apples have uniform cooking. Turn off the heat and move the pan to the side to cool.
- Preheat oven to 400°F and set the rack to the middle level.
- Remove the prepared crust and other disc from the fridge. Roll the disc out to a 12-13-inch diameter. For a lattice, cut into 1-inch strips.
- Fill the prepared crust with the apples making sure to pack the pieces into the sides to achieve no gaps. Pile the apples high since they will deflate when baked.
- Thread the strips over and under and let the pieces hang over the edges of the pie. Fold the pie shell overhang and lattice pieces back toward the edge of the pie dish. Using your hands flute the edges or crimp with a fork. Brush the eggwash on top and sprinkle the sugar.
- Place a sheet pan on the lower rack to catch any bubbling falloff. Bake for 15 minutes then turn the heat down to 375°F and continue to bake until the internal temp of the pie registers 195°F when checked with and instant read thermometer (about 40-60 more minutes. Note: If the outside edges of the pie brown too quickly, simplay wrap foil around the edges to prevent further browning.
- Remove the pie from the oven and let cool for at least 3 hours before slicing.
Notes
- Food processor. To make the pie crusts in a food processor simply add the dry ingredients and pulse to combine. Add the cold butter and lard and pulse until a coarse meal-like dough is formed (tiny pebbles). Move to a floured service, divide in half, and wrap with plastic wrap for storing in the fridge.
- Lard, butter, fat. The pie crust is made of 2/3 lard and 1/3 butter. You can make an all butter pie crust by adding another 3/4 cup (170g) of butter to replace the lard. Crisco (vegetable shortening) can be subbed for the lard if you like.
- Type of apples. Granny Smith apples are simply the best apple for an apple pie, though any apple can be used. Cortland, Braeburn, and Jonagold work well too.
- Precooking the apples. This quick step helps aid in water release and prevents a soggy apple pie. The apples can also be tossed with the flour, sugar, brown sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, and nutmeg and left in a colander to drain for 2 hours but cooking them over medium heat for 5 minutes is quicker and I find works better.
- Internal temp. Cooking a fruit pie to an internal temperature is a far more accurate way to ensure the pie is properly cooked. 195°F is the temp to aim for. Depending on your oven and how many apples were used the total time could easily go up to 80 minutes. Just check the pie after the first 50-55 minutes and then keep baking until 195°F is reached.
- Foil shield. If the edges of the pie crust start to brown too quickly, simply make a pie shield by cutting out a circle from a piece of foil and place it on the pie so that the edges are protected for the remaining baking time. If you own a pie shield, use that instead.
- Leftovers. A freshly baked apple pie can be stored at room temperature for the first 24 hours but can be refrigerated for up to 5 days.
Nutrition
Calories: 575kcal | Carbohydrates: 87g | Protein: 5.3g | Fat: 24.7g | Saturated Fat: 11.3g | Cholesterol: 36mg | Sodium: 9mg | Fiber: 7.3g | Sugar: 45.7g | Calcium: 16mg | Iron: 3mg
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