If you're looking for the classic apple pie flavors from your youth, this is the recipe for you. This traditional apple pie recipe is just like Grandma used to make, complete with an all-butter pie crust that's as flaky as it is delicious. This recipe comes together with ease and bakes up in under an hour.
If you'd like to make this recipe even easier, be sure to have home-canned apple pie filling on your pantry shelves and this all-butter pie crust recipe waiting in your freezer.
If you're looking for more delicious holiday pie recipes, try our from-scratch pumpkin pie, Nantucket cranberry pie, or this delicious homemade pecan pie without corn syrup . And don't forget the homemade eggnog (or this aged eggnog recipe)!
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Quick Look at This Recipe
- ✅ Recipe Name: Traditional Apple Pie
- ✅ Ready In: ~1 ½ hours
- ✅ Yield: 12 servings (or 8 generous servings)
- ✅ Calories: 179 per serving
- ✅ Tools: Large bowl, knife and cutting board, regular-sized pie pan, rolling pin.
- ✅ Freezer Friendly: Yes, make-ahead and freezing instructions included below.
- ✅ Why You'll Love It: All the classic flavors of fall: apples, cinnamon and nutmeg, combined with just enough sugar and the most delicious homemade all-butter pie crust.
- ✅ Tip: Have your pie crusts waiting in the freezer and your homemade apple pie filling waiting on the pantry shelf and this recipe will whip up in just a matter of minutes.
What Makes This Recipe Unique?
While there may not be anything unique about a traditional apple pie, we do love our recipe because of the shortcuts you can take.
- Make Ahead - With a bit of forethought, you can double or triple your pie crust recipe and keep pie crusts ready and waiting in the freezer until you're ready to bake. Likewise, having canned apple pie filling on the pantry shelf means you can just pop open the jar and you're well on your way to a homemade pie.
- Delicious - Is it even Thanksgiving without a homemade apple pie? We don't think so! This recipe is so delicious and perfectly sweetened with just enough sugar (but not too much).
- Frugal - By making this recipe from scratch, you're saving money on more expensive store-bought ingredients like a pie crust or canned apple pie filling. Plus, the homemade version tastes so much better!
Key Ingredients
For a full list of ingredients and measurements, check out the recipe card below.
- Apples - When it comes to making a really good apple pie, the kind that tastes like it came straight out of Grandma’s farmhouse kitchen, the apples you choose make all the difference. You want apples that hold their shape and have a good balance of sweetness and tartness. And honestly, using a mix of varieties is one of the best tricks for getting that rich, old-fashioned flavor.
- Granny Smith - These are my go-to for structure. They keep their shape well and give a good tart balance to sweeter apples.
- Honeycrisp - Crisp, juicy, and full of flavor. They do not get mushy in the oven, which makes them wonderful for pie.
- Braeburn - Firm with that nice sweet-tart balance. They bake up beautifully without getting mealy.
- Jonagold - A great blend of tart and sweet, and they stay tender without falling apart.
- Jonathon - Bright, tangy, and perfect for adding that classic apple pie flavor.
- Pink Lady (Cripps Pink) - Firm and slow to brown. These are lovely apples to work with and hold up nicely during baking.
- Northern Spy - If you can find them, these are an old-time favorite for a reason. They bring incredible flavor.
- The Best Apple Combination - If you really want that perfect pie with layers of flavor and a filling that is never mushy, use a mix like Granny Smith (for structure), Honeycrisp (for sweetness) and Jonagold or Braeburn (for depth of flavor).
- Flour - While some recipes may call for cornstarch or tapioca flour, we like to stick with the classic all-purpose white flour.
- Butter - The butter isn't shown in the photo above, but don't skip adding dots of butter to the pie! As it melts, it combines with the sugar and juices from the apples, creating that classic, delicious apple pie flavor.
How to Make a Traditional Apple Pie
Step 1: Gather all your ingredients and remove the frozen pie crust from the freezer (if you don't have one, head over to our homemade all-butter pie crust recipe first). Also, preheat your oven to 425°F.
Step 2: Wash your apples and then peel and core them.
Step 3: Cut apples into slices (not too thin or they can get mushy) and place in a large bowl.
Step 4: Add sugar and spices and stir until everything is well combined and all the apples are coated evenly.
Step 5: Roll out the bottom crust and place it in the pie pan.
Step 6: Add the apple filling and dot with cold, cubed butter.
Step 7: Roll out the top crust and place it onto the pie. Pinch the top and bottom crust together, or press with the tines of a fork to seal. Using a sharp knife, cut venting holes in the top of the crust to allow the steam to escape during baking.
Step 8: Bake at 425°F for 15 minutes, then turn the oven temperature down to 375°F and bake an additional 40-45 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the inside is bubbly.
To Serve: Allow the pie to cool so the juices can thicken up. Slice and serve with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of homemade vanilla ice cream.
Make Ahead and Freezing Instructions
While we don't usually have to make this recipe ahead (thanks to our frozen pie crusts and canned apple pie filling), you certainly can make this ahead of time and freeze it until you're ready to bake.
To do so, follow the instructions through step 7. Then, wrap the unbaked pie carefully in plastic wrap, followed by a layer of tinfoil and pop it into the freezer until you're ready to bake.
Homesteading Hack: Freeze pie in a tinfoil pie plate; otherwise, the thermal shock of a cold glass pie plate and a hot oven may cause your dish to crack. If using a glass pie plate, put your pie into the cold oven and preheat with the pie in the oven, adding about 10 minutes of bake time.
To Bake From Frozen: Simply preheat your oven to 425°F. Once the oven is preheated, remove the pie from the freezer and remove the tinfoil and plastic wrap. Place the pie directly into the oven from frozen and follow step 8. You'll need to add about 5-10 minutes of baking time.
More Posts You May Enjoy
- Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bread
- Fruitcake Cookies
- Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream
- Homesteading Family's Thanksgiving Traditions
- Spatchcock Turkey Recipe
- Homemade Fermented Cranberry Sauce
Did you make this recipe? If so, please leave a star rating ⭐ and your comments in the recipe card below. Then, snap a photo of your traditional apple pie and tag us on social media @homesteadingfamily so we can see!
Traditional Apple Pie Recipe
Equipment
- Large Bowl
- Knife & Cutting Board
- Rolling Pin
- Pie Plate standard size
Ingredients
- 1 recipe pie crust top and bottom crust. Grab our all-butter pie crust recipe here.
- 6 cups apples peeled, cored and sliced
- ¾ cup sugar
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- 2 Tablespoons butter cut into cubes
Instructions
- Gather all your ingredients and remove the frozen pie crust from the freezer (if you don't have one, head over to our homemade all-butter pie crust recipe first). Also, preheat your oven to 425°F.
- Wash your apples and then peel and core them.
- Cut apples into slices (not too thin or they can get mushy) and place in a large bowl.
- Add sugar and spices and stir until everything is well combined and all the apples are coated evenly.
- Roll out the bottom crust and place it in the pie pan.
- Add the apple filling and dot with cold, cubed butter.
- Roll out the top crust and place it onto the pie. Pinch the top and bottom crust together, or press with the tines of a fork to seal. Using a sharp knife, cut venting holes in the top of the crust to allow the steam to escape during baking.
- Bake at 425°F for 15 minutes, then turn the oven temperature down to 375°F and bake an additional 40-45 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the inside is bubbly.
- To Serve: Allow the pie to cool so the juices can thicken up. Slice and serve with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of homemade vanilla ice cream.
Notes
-
- Granny Smith - These are my go-to for structure. They keep their shape well and give a good tart balance to sweeter apples.
- Honeycrisp - Crisp, juicy, and full of flavor. They do not get mushy in the oven, which makes them wonderful for pie.
- Braeburn - Firm with that nice sweet-tart balance. They bake up beautifully without getting mealy.
- Jonagold - A great blend of tart and sweet, and they stay tender without falling apart.
- Jonathon - Bright, tangy, and perfect for adding that classic apple pie flavor.
- Pink Lady (Cripps Pink) - Firm and slow to brown. These are lovely apples to work with and hold up nicely during baking.
- Northern Spy - If you can find them, these are an old-time favorite for a reason. They bring incredible flavor.
