The Homemade Apple Pie Mom Made Every Thanksgiving, and the One Trick That Keeps the Crust From Caving In

Some recipes are written on cards. This one lives in memory: the smell of butter and cinnamon drifting out of the oven, a golden lattice bubbling with apples, and a mom who would not let anyone cut a slice until it cooled. Gordon Ramsay once went head to head with a mom’s apple pie on The F Word, and that video has been watched more than 23 million times on YouTube. People love a family pie. Here is the homemade apple pie that wins at our table, with the one step most recipes skip..

Why a homemade apple pie still beats the bakery

A store bought pie is fine in a pinch. But a homemade apple pie has a flaky, buttery crust that shatters when your fork goes in, apples that hold their shape, and a filling that tastes like fruit instead of syrup. It also makes the whole house smell like the holidays, which no bakery box can do.

The biggest complaint about apple pie is the gap. You cut into a tall, beautiful pie and find a dome of crust sitting on top of a sunken layer of apples. That happens because raw apples shrink as they bake and release their juice. The fix is simple: cook the filling on the stove for a few minutes first. The apples soften and shrink before they ever go into the crust, so the top stays right where it belongs.

It is also kind to your wallet. A pie made with a few pounds of apples, butter, flour and sugar usually costs less than a bakery pie of the same size, and you know exactly what is in it.

The best apples for apple pie

Use two or three kinds of apples. One tart apple for bright flavor, one sweet apple for juice, and one firm apple that holds its shape. A mix tastes more like real apple than any single variety. If you are planning a full holiday dessert table, see our Thanksgiving pies that deserve a spot next to the pumpkin.

• Tart and firm: Granny Smith
• Sweet and firm: Honeycrisp, Braeburn or Pink Lady
• Soft and fragrant (use only a little): Golden Delicious or McIntosh

Homemade apple pie recipe

This makes one 9 inch double crust pie, about 8 slices. Plan for about 1 hour of hands on time, 1 hour to bake and at least 3 hours to cool.

You will need

• All butter crust: 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour, 1 tbsp sugar, 1 tsp salt, 1 cup (2 sticks) very cold unsalted butter cut in cubes, 6 to 8 tbsp ice water
• Filling: 3 1/2 lb mixed apples (about 7 large), peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick, 2 tbsp butter, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp nutmeg, 1/4 tsp salt, 3 tbsp flour or 2 tbsp cornstarch
• Topping: 1 egg beaten with 1 tbsp milk, 1 tbsp coarse sugar

How to make it

1. Make the crust. Whisk the flour, sugar and salt. Cut in the cold butter with a pastry cutter or pulse in a food processor until you see pea size pieces. Sprinkle in ice water a tablespoon at a time just until the dough holds together when squeezed. Divide in two, flatten into disks, wrap and chill at least 1 hour.
2. Pre cook the filling. Melt the butter in a large pot. Add the apples, both sugars, lemon juice, spices and salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring, 6 to 8 minutes until the apples just start to soften and release juice. Sprinkle in the flour and cook 1 more minute until the juices thicken. Spread on a sheet pan and cool completely.
3. Roll the bottom crust. Roll one disk to a 12 inch circle and ease it into a 9 inch pie dish. Leave the overhang.
4. Fill. Pile in the cooled apples, mounding slightly in the center. Leave any extra liquid behind.
5. Top it. Roll the second disk and cut strips for a lattice, or lay it whole over the top and cut 4 or 5 vents. Trim, fold the edges under and crimp.
6. Chill and brush. Chill the pie 20 minutes. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with coarse sugar.
7. Bake. Set the pie on a sheet pan and bake at 425F for 20 minutes, then lower to 375F and bake 35 to 45 minutes more, until the crust is deep golden and the filling bubbles in the center. Cover the edges with foil if they brown too fast.
8. Cool. Let it cool at least 3 hours so the filling sets and the slices hold.

Tips from mom’s kitchen

• Keep everything cold. Cold butter makes flaky layers. If the dough gets soft, chill it 10 minutes.
• Look for bubbles in the center. Bubbling at the edges is not enough. When the middle bubbles, the thickener is working.
• Bake on a low rack. The bottom crust browns better and stays crisp.
• Do not skip the cooling time. A hot pie will run all over the plate. Patience gives you clean slices.

Make ahead and freeze for Thanksgiving week

You can make the dough up to 3 days ahead in the fridge, or freeze the disks for up to 3 months. The cooked filling keeps 2 days in the fridge. To freeze a whole unbaked pie, assemble it in a metal or freezer safe dish without the egg wash, wrap it well and freeze for up to 3 months. Bake straight from the freezer at 425F for 25 minutes, then 375F for 50 to 60 minutes more, until the center bubbles. A baked pie keeps 2 days at room temperature, loosely covered, or up to 4 days in the fridge.

Serve it the way your family always has: a scoop of vanilla ice cream melting into the warm slice, a slice of sharp cheddar on the side like many New England families do, or a drizzle of caramel. Have leftover dough scraps? Roll them with cinnamon sugar and bake them as a cook’s treat, or try our apple pie cookies next.

Your pie questions, answered

Why does my top crust separate from the filling? Raw apples shrink as they bake. Pre cooking the filling shrinks them first, so the crust stays on the fruit.

How do I stop a soggy bottom? Bake on a sheet pan on the lowest rack, use a glass or metal dish, and bake until the center bubbles.

Can I use store bought crust? Yes. Two refrigerated pie crusts work well. The pre cooked filling still makes a big difference.