I can turn down a piece of chocolate cake, a bowl of ice-cream, or a cookie the size of my face without blinking. Most baked treats don’t tempt me (which I think allows me to bake as much as I do). I’d rather have a bowl of roasted vegetables or a thick piece of sourdough bread with melted cheddar. I’d rather enjoy the first piece of a slowly roasted chicken or a salmon taco with homemade salsa.
Don’t get me wrong, I love a good dessert…but my standards are high. If it doesn’t come out of my own kitchen, it better be made with care. When we were in Paris, I ate my weight in pastries and desserts because they were astounding in their taste and presentation. But here in Colorado? Well, let’s just say I don’t order dessert often.
But while cakes and ice cream and cookies don’t tempt me, apple pie is another story. I’ve had a love affair with apple pie for as long as I can remember. It’s one of the few desserts my father enjoys, and his fondness for itmust have rubbed off on me at a young age. If I’m offered a slice of apple pie…well, there’s usually no turning back. My will-power is reduced to zero.
And it’s even worse when I make this apple pie. An all-butter crust encases thinly sliced apples that are tossed lightly with cinnamon and sugar. The smell of butter and flour and softening apples fills our house, and I’ve already set the plates on the table before it’s left its oven home. Everyone, yes everyone, should know how to make a good apple pie. And this, my friends, is one of the best. Believe me, my family makes apple pies month after month, year after year. We’ve had a long time to get the recipe right.
Favorite Apple Pie
1 cup butter (2 standard sticks), chilled and cut into small pieces
2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
6 tablespoons ice water
3 pounds granny smith apples (about 6 large, or 8 medium)
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons flour
1 egg, beaten
Using a food processor with the blade attachment, mix flour, tablespoon sugar, and salt together. Sprinkle chilled butter pieces on top of mixture. Pulse until pea-sized clumps form. Slowly pour water, tablespoon by tablespoon, over mixture while continuing to pulse. Once the dough starts to come together, stop adding water.
Turn dough out and form into two equally sized balls. Flatten balls into 5-6 inch wide discs. Wrap well with plastic and allow to chill in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before using.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove pie dough from refrigerator. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, and cinnamon. Set aside. Peel, core, and thinly slice granny smith apples. Place apples in a large bowl and pour lemon juice over top. Add sugar-cinnamon mixture and gently stir until apples are evenly coated. Allow to sit while you roll out your pie dough.
On a well floured surface, roll out one disc of pie dough wide enough to cover the bottom and sides of your pie pan (about 10 inches in diameter). Carefully place pie dough in pan, making sure that all cracks are sealed and the round easily reaches up and slightly over the rim of the pie pan. Spoon apples into pan. You will have a huge heap of apples (this is good…apples shrink when they bake.) Repeat the same rolling out process with the remaining piece of pie dough. Carefully place pie dough on top of apples and seal edges of the bottom and top crust. Crimp as desired and brush some of the beaten egg over top crust. Place aluminum foil around edges of crust to prevent browning. Cut vents into top crust using a sharp knife.
Bake in preheated oven for 60 to 70 minutes, or until pie crust is a rich golden color and the juices from the apples are bubbling. Remove, allow to cool, and serve with a large scoop of ice cream.
Thank you for sharing this awesome apple pie recipe. I’ll be trying this one sooooon.
That looks delicious! You can’t go wrong with a classic pie like this. 🙂
What a beautiful pie. I’d like some with custard please.
This is a masterpiece, Monet. I wish my apple pie would look half as good as yours!
Monet, this sounds scrumptious! I have apples given by a colleague from our department, if I am brave enough I might try your recipe
now, do you mix the apples with the sugar and lemon juice, leave them sitting for a while, or only the apples go inside?
Hi Sally! You will find that the apples are well coated with the cinnamon-sugar-lemon mixture. I just dump the whole bowl of apples (with the cinnamon, sugar, and lemon) on top of the bottom later of pie crust. 🙂
Great, thanks….
Pie is my favorite dessert, so I love when people share their favorite versions of staples like this one! Great recipe friend!
Girl I’m making it! Since I bought a form for a pie (accidentally straight from USA for definitely too much) I became a pie person. And you’re right, we cannot say no to a pie, it’s just not right! Big hug <3
Suddenly I’m craving apple pie 🙂
for some reason, i m not much of a pie person – well i take that back, i like the crust, the fillings not so much. just recently, i discovered a place called the emporium pies in dallas, if you are here – must visit.
This one looks amazing! And I love love love family recipes. Can’t wait to try this one out since I’m a huge fan of apple pie (:
I’m a lot like you – I can pass up dessert for something savory or sourdough bread. I haven’t ventured into pie making much except once – and found the crust takes some practice. Mine got a little hard from how I cut the butter in. Its certainly a labor of love. This pie looks beautiful..
I cannot say no to fruit pies or crumbles, this pie looks absolutely gorgeous!
This pie is absolutely GORGEOUS-so classic and perfect!
And you use granny smith, which is the only way to go with apple pie.
That’s a beautiful pie, Monet! I love using Granny Smith’s for apple pie.
now THAT is a seriously good looking apple pie.! you can never go wrong with apple pie, it has to be one of the most loved desserts around. looks delicious, monet – definitely saving this recipe.
Well, this is definitely getting pinned because my husband was just saying last week how much he loves apple pie but I really wouldn’t feel confident about making one as it stands. I need a good recipe and I think this tried and tested one could be it!! Thank you!
You sound just like my husband. Always longing for the apple pie. This one is so pretty. Perfection with a capital P.
I love how you made the centre of the pie look like the core of an apple! 😀
Beautiful! Apple pie really is one of life’s simple pleasures. When I was growing up we ate a lot of apple pie, my parents have 4 very mature apple trees on their farm, funny though, now that I think of it that was the only dessert my mom ever made with apples. A testament I suppose to apple pie’s superiority, lol! ; )
I love good apple pie with a buttery crust!! This looks so good and perfect for a weekend treat!
This is so very beautiful! Shamefully, I’ve yet to make a homemade apple pie — but when I do I’ll be taking my cues from you!
This is so very beautiful! Shamefully, I’ve yet to make a homemade apple pie — but when I do I’ll be taking my cues from you!
Several years ago I learned from a girlfriend to use a mixture of baking apples. Like 50% Granny Smith and 50% a mix of other baking apples. I love the variety!! 🙂
That is one impressive apple pie – look at that thick and golden crust! Wow!
I’m quite picky with my dessert as well, but I’d never ever ever turn down a slice of this beauty! It looks sooo delicious!
I hope you’re enjoying you weekend so far xxxx
I’m the exact same way, I usually would take any savory dish over a dessert any day. For some reason I just don’t have much of a sweet tooth. That being said, I could go for a huge slice of this apple pie right now! It looks so perfect!
I have found that I crave dessert less and less, but I too love a good piece of pie. This pie is so gorgeous – I want to sit with a fork and eat straight from the plate!
I am pretty picky about desserts in general, but apple pie is probably my most picky dish. I usually tell people I don’t like apple pie because I only like it if my mom, my husband, or I make it. This recipe looks good though. I will have to try it.
You have high standards! Just like me! 🙂
I love how you say your dessert standards are high lol
I grew up in Maine and Mainers know how to make pie. Blueberry from those little native blueberries that grow there or strawberry rhubarb which was my father’s favorite and then there was apple. I loved to help my grandmother make apple pie because she would always save a bit of dough and make a little turnover just for me. I love your family pie!
Looks amazing! I always use store crust… shh, don’t tell 😛
Hi Monet,
Thanks for the awesome recipes. How much flour is there in the dough?
Thanks,
L
Hi Lori! Oh my goodness! The flour ingredient got deleted when I posted. Oops! I’ve updated the recipe. 2 1/2 cups. 🙂
Apple pie is definitely one of the most classic and wonderful desserts ever! Hey, I have pie in the title of my blog, so it’s no surprise that I think so, right? 🙂 This looks stunning!
You sound just like me. I’m not crazy for cakes or cookies, but I love pie. All kinds of pies. Throw any kind of fruit into a pie and I am in heaven. This apple pie looks perfect and I love your description.
Gorgeous! Apples are my favorite fruit, and any apple desserts is my weakness. Love your apple pie recipe, it sounds wonderful! Yum, Hugs, Terra