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Classic Apple Pie

Jul 31, 2021 · 17 Comments

A year round favorite, this classic apple pie boasts of sweet bourbon spiced apples that are baked into a flaky pie crust.

Unpopular opinion here but I don't like soft, mushy pies. It seems around the web this isn't a very common opinion. But I love the contrast of a flaky crust and crisp, slightly softened apple slices. I'm all about texture.

Today's apple pie stays true to its intended form. The filling is strictly apples- no raisins, no nuts. Not that there's anything wrong with some mix-ins but I wanted to keep it simple.

My next opinion on apple pie is that it should always have a splash of bourbon and vanilla. Not one or the other- both. The flavors fuse so well together and give the filling a grown-up feel that everyone can enjoy.

There also seems to be a debate about which apples work best. Growing up I always remember being told that Granny Smith were the proper apple to bake with since the tartness of the apple pleasantly contrasts the sweetness of the filling. I disagree completely. They don't contrast well. You just get a bite of sour apples that taste like you really tried to sweeten them up with a lot of sugar. Some people enjoy that taste, I don't. Disclaimer: I have a serious sweet tooth.

I always opt for Honey Crisp apples because they are what I usually have on hand. They are crisp as the name suggests and delightfully sweet making them perfect for snacking which is the main reason I keep a large bowl of apples on my table. I digress. If you insist on having a little contrast to the sweetness, I suggest Pink Lady apples which offers a nice balance of sweet and tart.

Let's talk crust next.

I wanted some texture to my crust and found the key to it was mixing flours. Today's recipe calls for AP flour and almond flour. It offers the crust more of a cookie-like texture. Speaking of which, if you have any leftover dough scraps afterwards, pie crust cookies make a delicious snack to have on hand. 😉

Finally, toppings.

Ice cream is of course a classic as is whipped cream which is my usual go-to. Recently however, I've discovered two additional toppings that suit this recipe so well- custard or caramel sauce.

In today's photos, I opted to drizzle the homemade caramel sauce I had made over the weekend for a separate recipe.

On the second night of indulging in pie, I had homemade custard leftover and decided since I didn't have cream, I'd sub it. It was quite a French experience and reminded me of Crème fraîche with it's thick and creamy consistency. Why hadn't I thought of this before?

So there you have it, a few serving suggestions to up your apple pie game.

More Apple Recipes to Love

Upside Down Apple Pie - We’re revisiting a vintage classic today with this Upside Down Apple Pie with a caramelized walnut topping baked over a golden, flakey crust and sweet apples in the middle.

Apple Rhubarb Pie - This pie is sweet and tart, but add a flaky crust and some fresh cream for something blissfully delightful. Summer isn’t over yet! Savor the season’s finest flavors in this fabulous pie.

Viennese Apple Strudel - Thin, flaky layers of filo dough are baked with apple slices, warm spices and nuts between each fold to create this beautiful, golden Viennese Apple Strudel.

Summer Apple Cake - This 'cake' boasts of a sweet, aromatic filling wrapped in a soft, shortbread-like crust. It’s a pure delight for the warmer evenings when served with a scoop of fresh cream.

5 from 6 reviews

• Author: Living the Gourmet
• Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
• Yield: 1 apple pie 1 x

Ingredients

For the Crust:

• 1 1/2 cup AP flour
• 1/2 cup almond flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
• 2 tablespoons shortening
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 - 3 tablespoons ice water
• 1 egg, beaten for brushing
• Turbinado sugar, for sprinkling

For the Filling:

• 5 - 6 Pink Lady apples- peeled, cored, and sliced
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1 tablespoons bourbon or rum
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ginger
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/4 cup water

Instructions

• In the bowl of a food processor, combine flours, sugar, salt, butter, and shortening.  Pulse until the mixture resembles a sandy consistency.  Add 2-3 tablespoons of ice water and pulse until a soft, pliable dough forms.  If you need to add more water, add one tablespoon at a time, pulsing between each addition.
• Turn the dough out onto a slightly floured surface, and shape into a disk and wrap in clingfilm.  Refrigerate for about an hour until ready to use.
• In a large bowl, toss together apples, sugar, lemon juice, bourbon, vanilla, and spices.  Set aside.
• In a small bowl, whisk water and cornstarch together until smooth and milky.  Set aside.
• In a large fry pan over medium heat, melt a pat of butter and sauté the apples until slightly softened.  Once the juice begins to simmer, add the cornstarch mixture and toss the apples until completely thickened. Set aside.

Building & Baking:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• On a floured surface, divide the chilled dough and roll out one half to 1/4-inch thick circle.   Fit to a 9-inch cake dish.  Trim the edges and blind bake the crust for about 12-15 minutes.
• Remove from the oven, and while the crust is still hot, brush with the beaten egg wash.  This will help keep the crust from getting soggy from the fruit filling.  Leave the crust to cool completely before adding the apple filling.
• In the meantime, roll out the remaining dough for the lattice topping.
• Fill the crust with prepared apple filling.  Arrange the lattice topping and press gently to the edge of the crust.  Brush with the egg wash and sprinkle with Turbinado sugar.  Bake for about 45 minutes to 1 hour depending on the temperature of your oven.  Once the filling begins to bubble and the crust is golden, your pie is done.
• Remove and let cool completely before serving.  Enjoy!
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 1 hour

**Photographed with the Emerging Green 12-Piece Bamboo Flatware Set . Shop our Amazon Store for more decor and home good products we love!

More Sweet Pies

Reader Interactions

DAVID J MYERS says

August 01, 2021 at 7:24 pm

Catherine, Now I'm really craving a nice slice...or two...of apple pie! Love honey crisp apples and the idea of bourbon and vanilla added in and AP flour blended with almond flour...wow! I'd try my first slice straight up...the second with quality vanilla bean ice cream or gelato. The next day, I'd give the homemade caramel sauce a go... Apple rhubarb pie is another favorite! Take Care, Big Daddy Dave

Alison says

August 02, 2021 at 3:39 pm

This apple pie is the best ever! The added bourbon gives it that bit of edge that brings out the flavors of the sweet apples!

Rachel says

August 02, 2021 at 4:11 pm

You had me at flaky, crisp crust. Yum! I want to eat the whole pan!

Mairead says

August 02, 2021 at 4:30 pm

The lattice pastry crust for this pie looks amazing. I love the idea of adding a little bourbon to the filling for extra depth of flavor.

Roxana says

August 02, 2021 at 5:57 pm

I can tell this is going to be one spectacular apple pie. Not the usual recipe. I like the addition of almond flour and the interesting flavors in the filling.

Heather says

August 02, 2021 at 10:46 pm

I'm drooling. This looks so good. I can't wait to make it.

Yeah Lifestyle says

August 03, 2021 at 6:02 am

Such a delicious and classic recipe! We don't get Honey Crisp here so I will try with the Pink Lady version. I know my whole family will enjoy this

Kitchen Mosaic Backsplash says

August 03, 2021 at 2:38 pm

That apple pie looks out of this world! I would love to make your recipe, can't wait!

Rhian Westbury says

August 03, 2021 at 3:58 pm

I've never made a fruit pie of any sort, it's not something I've grown up with or had a lot of, but apple is my fav fruit so this sounds yummy x

Michelle says

August 03, 2021 at 4:08 pm

Your pie is gorgeous. And homemade apple pie filling is a must! So much better that way!

Eloise says

August 03, 2021 at 5:42 pm

Holy yum yum I want some ; ) That classic apple pie looks amazing. I'll have to try this recipe next weekend, thanks!

Marysa says

August 03, 2021 at 7:48 pm

It is already apple picking season here, and I can't wait to make some pies! Your recipe sounds delicious.

Everything Enchanting says

August 03, 2021 at 11:48 pm

I love apple pie ❤️ I have never made it in my kitchen, though! Your recipes are always easy to follow so I can now give it a try 🙂

Edyineth Melgarejo says

August 04, 2021 at 12:11 am

Wow this looks absolutely delicious! I'll be making this recipe this fall! Thank you!

Jupiter Hadley says

August 04, 2021 at 12:32 pm

I love juicy apple pies! They are so delicious.

Tina Basu says

August 06, 2021 at 6:58 pm

OMG this looks so good and tempting! Loved the photos and the classic recipe. A pie always make you happy!

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BA’s Best Apple Pie

By Claire Saffitz

Active Time

3 hours plus cooling

This recipe for homemade apple pie delivers on every front. It’s got a perfectly flaky pie crust, no soggy bottom in sight, and a filling loaded with thinly sliced apples enrobed in a saucy (not gloopy or runny) glaze, hit with just the right amount of warming spice.

You’ll need a deep-dish pie plate to hold the four pounds of fruit packed in here, and we suggest being extra choosy when selecting apples for pie . Opt for sweet-tart firm baking apples like Pink Lady, Honeycrisp, Braeburn, or Jonagold in the fall, when apples are in season. The rest of the year, look to tart, reliable Granny Smith apples—and don’t be afraid to use multiple varieties in a single pie (in fact, we encourage it). Some apple varieties have tough skins, so we recommend peeling them all; if you know your apples are thin-skinned (and you know you like the texture of baked apple skin), feel free to leave the peels intact.

You’ll amp up the flavor of your pie with a syrup made from reduced apple cider steeped with a vanilla bean and a whisper of cinnamon, allspice, and cardamom (just enough to enhance the fruit but not overwhelm it). If you’d rather swap in vanilla extract, add 1 Tbsp to the apple pie filling just before scraping it into the pie pan. To finish, sprinkle demerara sugar over the top of the pie for extra sparkle and crunch.

Pastry chef and former BA senior food editor Claire Saffitz explains this apple pie recipe is “something you can’t rush.” It requires ample chilling, baking, and resting, so plan accordingly, particularly if you’re making it for Thanksgiving . Thankfully, like pecan and pumpkin pie , it can be made a full day in advance.

Looking for a different apple dessert? This apple crumb pie has a cozy cinnamon-brown-sugar crumble, while our Dutch Apple Pie gets a big nubby streusel topping. No pie dish? Everyone loves an Apple Pandowdy .

Ingredients

Filling and assembly, special equipment, preparation.

Pulse 3½ (438 g) cups all-purpose flour, 2 Tbsp. granulated sugar , and 1½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1 tsp. Morton kosher salt in food processor to combine. Add 1½ cups (3 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces , and process until largest pieces of butter are pea-size. Transfer to a large bowl.

Combine 2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar and ½ cup ice-cold water in a small bowl and drizzle over flour mixture, mixing with a fork to combine. Mix until shaggy pieces form, then knead in bowl a couple of times with your hands to bring together (dough will look very clumpy, dry, with loose bits). Transfer large clumps of dough to work surface, drizzle 1 Tbsp. ice water over remaining flour mixture in bowl and knead again to bring it together. Place on top of dough on work surface. Working with half of the dough, press into a single mass, incorporating dry bits, then pat down to make a ¾"-thick square. Using a bench scraper or knife, divide dough into 4 pieces. Stack pieces on top of one another, placing any unincorporated dry bits in between layers, and press down to combine. Form dough into a ¾"-thick disk and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Repeat with remaining dough. Chill at least 2 hours.

Do Ahead: Pie dough can be made 5 days ahead. Keep chilled, or freeze up to 1 month.

Toss 4 lb. Pink Lady or other firm, sweet-tart apples, peeled, cored, thinly sliced, ⅓ cup (packed; 68 g) dark brown sugar, ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar, 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice, 2 tsp. ground cinnamon, ½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¼ tsp. + ⅛ tsp. Morton kosher salt, ¼ tsp. ground allspice , and ¼ tsp. ground cardamom in a large bowl to coat. Let apples sit until they start to release their juices, at least 1 hour and up to 3 hours.

Let pie dough sit at room temperature 5 minutes to soften. Working one at a time, roll out disks of dough on a lightly floured surface ⅛" thick. Stack on a parchment-lined baking sheet, separating layers with a sheet of parchment, and chill while you prepare the filling.

Place 1½ cups unfiltered apple cider in a medium saucepan and scrape in seeds from  1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise ; add pod. Bring to a boil and cook, whisking occasionally, until reduced by two-thirds. Pour off juices that have accumulated in bowl of apples and add to apple cider. Return to a boil and cook until reduced to about ½ cup; remove vanilla pod. Stir 2 Tbsp. cornstarch into 3 Tbsp. cold water in a small bowl to dissolve, then whisk into apple cider. Cook, whisking constantly, until cider mixture is very thick and bubbling, about 1 minute. Let cool slightly, then scrape over apples; toss to coat.

Carefully transfer dough round to pie dish. Lift up edges and allow dough to slump down into dish (if too cold to be pliable, let it warm up slightly first). Press dough firmly against sides and bottom of plate. Trim, leaving about 1" overhang. Beat 1 large egg with 1 tsp. water in a small bowl and brush over edges of dough. Scrape apple mixture into bottom crust, creating a mound in the center; dot filling with 2 Tbsp. chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces . Place remaining dough round over filling. Trim edges of top round, leaving a ½" overhang. Fold edge of bottom round up and over; press together to seal. Crimp edge and brush top with remaining egg wash. Sprinkle with demerara sugar and use a sharp knife to cut a few vents in top. Place pie pan on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet and chill in freezer 10 minutes. Plack oven rack in lower third of oven; preheat oven to 375°.

Bake pie until top crust is deep golden brown and juices from apple pie filling are thick and bubbling, 1½–2 hours (yes: 2 hours!). Transfer pie to a wire rack; let pie cool at least 4 hours before serving.

Do Ahead: Pie can be made 1 day ahead. Let cool; store covered with foil at room temperature.  Editor’s note: This apple pie recipe was first printed in our October 2016 issue. Head this way for more of our best Thanksgiving desserts →

How would you rate BA’s Best Apple Pie?

Leave a Review

Reviews (88)

We described this pie as the “apple-iest” apple pie I’ve ever made. This is a true deep dish apple pie that has a LOT of apples and an amazing crust. I swore to my old pie crust recipe but this one has almost changed my mind. The addition of the cider reduction really makes a difference. It’s a labor of love and best made the day or many hours before. Mine dripped in the oven so put a sheet underneath, and don’t skip the freezing step or your crust will sag. Will make this again perhaps using Granny Smith (less soggy than pink lady), and reduce apples by maybe .5 lb Thanks Claire!!

Richmond, VA

This was my first pie and it turned out amazing! I incorporated the butter into the flour by hand (I recommend chilling the butter after cutting and chilling the flour if you do this), the crust ended up having beautiful laminated layers, it was so flaky! I replaced one tbsp of ACV for vodka in the crust as some people noted a vinegar taste in the crust after baking. The filling was delicious, I used honeycrisp apples and it was just the right amount of sweetness. Baked for 1.5hrs in a 9.5inch diameter pyrex (I don't have a deep pie dish).

Oakland, CA

This is hands down the worst pie I've ever had. I spent most of the day making this thing for Thanksgiving and the results were far below the quality of most store-bought apple pies. B.A. missed the mark entirely on this one.

College Station, TX

oh my god i almost used ACV instead of cider. dont do that. had it cooked almost completely, about to add to the apples before i realized

I have made this recipe twice and it has been a huge hit. One of the best apple pie recipes I have ever had

Missoula, MT, United States

This was our Christmas eve dessert and it was a big, big hit! Yes, it is a little extra work, but if you break it down properly, it's doable and worth it. I always make my dough at least a day before baking (I got into resting dough in the refrigerator during my sourdough bread-baking days), so for this one I started it two days in advance, following the directions to a T. The next day I prepped the apples per the directions and let them rest overnight in the fridge. They leached off a lot of excess liquid that went back into the sauce. Then, on pie day I finished the apples with the apple cider and vanilla bean mix. Be sure to both cook this down, and then to cook down the added apple juices before adding the cornstarch. The crust comes out beautifully (I cooked it for 1 hour and 50 minutes). The long cook time, plus the drained apples mean no soggy bottom! The crust came out as a mix between traditional pie crust and a puff pastry (the method is a combination of the two). This is a keeper and I look forward to many more pies with this fabulous crust and tasty fruit. Make sure you use apple CIDER, not apple cider vinegar (I feel for those who did not read the recipe carefully) and follow all the steps. And give yourself time. Resting both the dough and the apple filling is the key. Claire Saffitz is a treasure! I trust any recipe she writes.

San Francisco, CA

I made this apple pie this Thanksgiving and I don’t mind how long it took, but unfortunately, it just tastes so terrible. Unless someone likes Apple cider vinegar, I don’t think it adds any good flavor to the crust. I was not a big fan of the filling as well. I think some of the instructions were unclear on some parts. I think this pie is great if you are an avid pie baker and want to try the recipe but I highly don’t recommend not making it for your family gatherings. This is your average aesthetic Instagram pie.

This is a fine pie, but it's not the best apple pie recipe on BA. The filling was superb (I used honeycrisp apples) and I will be remaking it, but the crust was nothing special and came out kind of strange. It never really lost the vinegar taste and smell, which was off-putting. It got incredibly limp and spilled over the sides when baked, like no crust I've ever seen. The process of making it was also incredibly tedious - so much resting and moving the dough to and from the fridge and freezer.

I just made this for Thanksgiving. Although my family said they liked it, I thought it was just ok. It wasn't that sweet and the apples were not soft after baking on convection for 1.5 hours. I'll definitely give it another go, maybe bake longer, add a bit more sugar.

Mission Viejo, CA

Due to time constraints, is it possible to make this with store bought pie crust and have it still turn out pretty good? The filling sounds amazing!

This is indeed the best apple pie: flakey crust, divine apple filling. All 'round a worth while endeavor. Upon reading the reviews below, I observed some people mistakenly subbed apple cider *vinegar* for the apple *cider* (full stop!!) in the filling - and my heart truly aches for those people who suffered the loss of what could be such an awesome pie. Don't be like them. ALSO, it did take me half a day to make this pie, which for me happens to be the perfect way to spend a Sunday, HOWEVER I think it would be ideal for most people to break up the prep over a couple of days, ie. crust one day, filling the next; I do not think the quality of pie would suffer at all.

I've made this one twice and it was a success both times. The key to this is following the directions very carefully. I'd like to make this but with mixed berries- any recommendations on how to go about this?? Thank you!

Honestly I don't think this takes any extra effort because most of the time is waiting and I just do/prepare other things while I wait. There's not really special out of reach ingredients IMO either if you just sub the vanilla pods for vanilla bean paste. I have an apple peeler, which helps speed things up too. My family prefers more cinnamon so I added an extra 1/2 teaspoon. I was very careful about reducing to 1/2 cup (I measured it out) before adding the cornstarch slurry and I did the egg white trick on the bottom crust to keep it drier. Mine came out perfectly, no soggy bottom and very flavorful. Would make this every Holiday season.

I think there were too much cinnamon. Next time I would also use 1-2 more apples.

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Our Favorite Apple Pie

By Rhoda Boone

Active Time

3½ hours, plus cooling time

When you’re cooking the classics, simpler is usually better. This apple pie recipe is the embodiment of that idea. The age-old combination of a flaky, buttery pie crust and tender sliced apples is perfect as it is , without any added bells and whistles (except maybe a scoop of vanilla ice cream ). It’s an essential dessert to cap off a holiday meal—alongside pumpkin pie or pecan pie as the occasion demands—but it’s also great anytime as a comforting treat to enjoy with coffee.

The key to the best apple pie recipe, though, lies in the techniques: To make a flaky pie crust , you need to ensure your ingredients stay cold; so, before you get started, you’ll want to freeze the butter. Once you’ve made the dough, you’ll refrigerate it to chill everything again, both before you roll it out and after you’ve placed the bottom crust in a pie plate . You’ll also want to take care when selecting your apples. The best apples for pie are firm varieties that hold up to baking and don’t lose their shape; Honeycrisps, Braeburns, and Golden Delicious all work well and are readily available. (While some recipes call for precooking the apples, it’s best to leave them raw and let the fruit cook in the pie itself; this will keep the apple pie filling from getting mushy and keep the bottom crust from being soggy.) Once you have these elements down, you can’t go wrong with this beloved dessert.

Ingredients

Yield: One 9-inch pie

Special Equipment

Preparation.

In the bowl of a food processor, pulse 2½ cups flour, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1½ tablespoons sugar. Add butter and pulse until coarse, pea-sized crumbs appear, about 10 seconds. With the machine running, add vinegar and ¼ cup ice water and process until the dough just holds together, about 30 seconds. Squeeze a small amount of dough between your fingers and if it is very crumbly, add more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time (2 tablespoons maximum). Do not over process.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and push together into a rough ball. Knead a few times to combine, then divide into two equal balls. Flatten each ball into a disc with smooth edges (no cracks), cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate at least 1 hour (or up to overnight).

Preheat the oven to 425°F with one rack on the bottom rung and one rack in the center of oven. Place a rimmed baking sheet on the bottom rack to preheat.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out one disc of dough into a 13-inch round. Roll the dough loosely around the rolling pin, and then unfurl it into the 9-inch pie pan. Gently lift and settle the dough into the pan. Trim the excess dough using scissors, leaving a ½-inch overhang, and transfer to the refrigerator. On a floured piece of parchment, roll out the second disc of dough to the same size as the first and refrigerate both crusts for 30 minutes.

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In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and milk and set aside. Peel, core, and slice the apples into ¼-inch thick wedges. Place apples in a large bowl and mix with ¼ cup flour, ⅓ cup sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon salt, and lemon. Fill the dough-lined pan with the apple mixture, packing apple slices as tightly as possible.

Brush the rim with egg and milk mixture, reserving the excess. Top with the second dough round and press over apples to minimize excess space between apples and crust. Press the top and bottom crusts together and trim the top crust to a 1-inch edge around pan. Tuck top edge under bottom edge and crimp or decorate as desired. Cut five vents in the top crust for steam. Refrigerate pie for 30 minutes to set the crimp.

Brush top crust with egg wash and sprinkle with coarse sugar.

Place pie on the preheated rimmed baking sheet and bake until the crust begins to turn golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Rotate sheet, move to center rack, and reduce oven to 350°F. Continue baking until the crust is golden brown and you can see the thickened juices bubbling, 40 to 50 minutes more. Cool on a rack 3 to 4 hours to allow juices to set before slicing.

Do Ahead: The pie dough can be made up to 3 days in advance and chilled, or frozen for up to 3 months; thaw before using. The baked pie will keep, loosely covered with aluminum foil, at room temperature for up to 2 days.  Editor’s note: This recipe was originally published in August 2014. For more of our favorite apple dessert recipes, head this way →

How would you rate Our Favorite Apple Pie?

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Reviews (56)

Very good pie crust, but not enough. Double recipe and freeze what's not needed for next pie. The filling was OK, but not our favorite. If the pie lasts longer than 2 days, cover lightly with foil and refrigerate--we had to throw away half the pie--it got moldy the 3rd or 4th day. So sad!

Judy Forkner

Boulder, CO

Absolutely delicious! I would actually give this a 4.25. When I made this the top of it was a bit overcooked, but it did give the top of the pie a toasty crunch. I am certain that I did the correct measurements for the two sets of dough, and the bottom of my pie fell apart because I couldn't strectch it out more. So you might want to add more dough for the bottom layer of the pie that goes in the tin. Overall, it was so tasty, especially with the lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, cinnamon. The perfect combo of citrus and warm herbs.

Orlando, Florida

Kriskrat from Poland! Thanksgiving in US is a time of family gatherings, gratitude, sharing and community giving. This recipe as recipes all over the world have a beloved following, a springboard for more baking ideas or adjustments for personal taste. Many personal choices for beloved foods are part of own Mothers cooking and recipes handed down from childhood especially special holiday gatherings. It is inappropriate in this forum for anyone from anywhere to be rude, hateful or disrespectful to the person sharing a favorite recipe! You are welcome to your opinion and it is important everyone feels comfortable sharing their ideas since we come here for ideas and continued learning. However respectfully request when you share your opinion you are both respectful and courteous of our contributor and remember manners which are a universal expectation in all responses!

Plymouth, MA

I have been trying for YEARS to make a good pie crust, and this is the first time I’ve succeeded. I think doing it in the food processor is genius, because it’s not as easy to overwork the dough. The only change I made to the pie was to add about 1/8 tsp of cloves. Overall, it was absolutely amazing.

Best Pie Ever!

Muskegon, MI

I think it'd be a lot fu(kin easier if you just have the whole entire recipe out on the top instead of looking for it... And the famous words ain't nobody got time for that

Kingofkingz

I haven’t made it yet, but I’m going to this thanksgiving for sure bc of your crust recipe alone. I have one I’ve been using for many MANY years (chef/pastry chef at a private golf club for 28 yrs 😉) but I’m forever adding new recipes & techniques, & learning new things. Looking forward to trying the ACV since I using it frequently but I’ve always used ice cold vodka in my crust as well as dotting the filling with butter before the top crust goes on. For those having trouble with a soggy bottom try brushing your bottom crust with egg whites before filling. Can’t wait to make this & thank you so much for this recipe!

Gina Shugarts

Please allow us the choice of using either metric or imperial measures. Thanks

London, U.K.

I should really give this pie 4 reviews because 4 people ate it for Thanksgiving. They all loved it! Truth be told, I fudged it a little bit too. I used two frozen pie crusts instead of making the one in the recipe. I'm a 73 year old widower just getting back into baking, so I wanted to simplify things a little. It still worked great. Next time, and there will be a next time, I'll make the crust as included here. I'm sure it will be even better. In that case, they'll probably all faint when they taste that one 'cause it will be so darn delicious [WINK].

Carlsbad, CA, USA

This is a fabulous recipe! To carolynsol from Israel: good grief, girl, Google is your friend! One stick of butter = 4 ounces = 113 grams. How hard is that?

Western Mass

OMG!! I'm not a huge fan of pie crust but this recipe for crust is literally AWESOME. The while recipe is amazing. If you haven't tried it yet you are really missing out.

Grover Beach, CA

Really excellent crust. I will say however that I needed to add an additional 2-4 tablespoons of ice water to even come close to getting the dough to form. Could be because I'm in a very dry climate, but that's quite a difference. The filling was nice, definitely your standard apple pie filling flavor profile. I think I might try to find ways to make it a bit more unique next time I make it, but it did the trick as is. Overall, good recipe!

I haven't made this recipe but PLEASE, PLEASE could you always give the weight for the amount of butter in a recipe. We don't have sticks of butter and measuring out 16 tablespoons is absurd and impossible!! Please give ounces or grammes, preferably both, for all your recipes. Thank you.

Ok this is a review for JUST THIS CRUST. i used my own apple pie filling recipe from something else. but this crust. THANK YOU!! so light, i feel so accomplished. the last time i attempted pie crust was probably a decade ago. i used crisco as per my MIL's instructions and it was dense and dry. this was just so special and flaky and crispy and held its shape. to the person who feels the crust was very short bread like in nature...i can see why when combining dough it might have headed in that direction. when i pulled the dough balls out of fridge after first cooling (2.5 hours). the balls were hard but then when i went to roll out, it all fell apart and was super crumbly. i had the sense to add a few scant teaspoons of ice water. like magic it all came together. the crust seemed fine for a 9'' pie plate. i did have some pastry left over and we made hand pies with leftover apple pie filling. gorgeous crust. yes it requires a lot of time in fridge but just stick with it. it's worth the back and forth to the fridge to keep the dough cold.

Chicago, IL

To Kriskrat from Canada: Well, maybe go back to Poland then and bake your pies there. Every August and September there are ginger gold apples sold in fruit/veggie stores that are similar to the taste of Antonovka. Why not do your research first and try to work with what is available and similar before hating and complaining?

Could you possibly write the recipe in grams too? ... For those of us who live in Europe. It look really nice!

England, Uk

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A Short History of Dutch Apple Pie

I’ve been spending much of the day getting ready for my flight to Amsterdam tomorrow morning. It’s very much a spur-of-the-moment break, booked on impulse only a couple of weeks ago. I’d been reading Jesse Burton’s wonderful book, The Miniaturist , set in 17th century Amsterdam. One night, reading it in bed, I had a sudden and strong yearning to return to Amsterdam. I know it well from many years of going there regularly, when I was married and my ex was based in first, Amsterdam, and then The Hague. So I tend to describe the time as ‘sort of half living in Amsterdam’. Which may be a slight exaggeration but nevertheless I did spend enough time there to have a ‘local’ butchers and bakers and be able to jump in the car and drive into the centre of Amsterdam and know where to park the car. We also used to often cycle in along the Amstel river from Ouderkerk ann de Amstel where we ‘lived’. I returned for the first time in years last March with my daughter, Nicola, and has a fabulous time, loving being back in this city that is so laid-back, so relaxed, so pretty, very alternative and full of wonderful arts and culture.

Pausing in my read of The Miniaturist that night, I remembered that earlier in the day I’d received an email from British Airways about their sale and one of the things in the sale were city breaks – including Amsterdam. Now, a steady stream of holiday deals comes through my inbox and most of the time, for the single traveller, they don’t in the end represent much of a bargain. They are nearly always priced for two people travelling so that tantalising ‘from’ before a tempting price, turns out to be about half of what the single traveller must pay! I think I expected the same as, having come back downstairs at nearly midnight and sat, clad in my dressing gown, at my computer and clicked on the email and then ‘Amsterdam’, I looked at the deal. But I met with a happy surprise. I could choose return flights from nearby Heathrow (only a bus ride away) travelling at very civilised times, stay in a 3* hotel recommended by BA in the Jordaan – my favourite – district in the centre of Amsterdam … for just £166. For just another £7 I could upgrade from single room to standard double. Bargain! It really was a bargain. I didn’t book then. I slept on it. I also counted the weeks until Jonathan and Lyndsey’s baby is due. I didn’t want to miss the arrival of my first grandchild. I decided that going on Sunday 25 January for 2 nights should be fine.

In many ways, there is no good or bad time to go to Amsterdam: Amsterdam is always fantastic. But January isn’t the best. The weather in Holland is pretty awful in winter. The winds howl across those flat lands and rain sets in for days. But hell, it would just be nice to be there! Now, about to go, I see the weather forecast isn’t great and I’ve been joking with people that I can just install myself in a nice brown café with a good book and drink coffee and eat Dutch apple pie. Bruin cafés – brown cafes – are a Dutch institution. The name originates from the brown stains that came from many years of tobacco smoke lining the walls. In common with most European countries now, smoking is banned in bars, but the name, brown café, persists. It’s less about smoking (and of course there are those other ‘smoking’ bars, euphemistically known as coffeeshops, selling marijuana), but the cosy atmosphere that is created in the best brown cafés. They’re often much like old-fashioned English pubs. The floors are usually wooden with an eclectic mix of furniture. The tables are traditionally covered in rugs. People linger for hours. It’s the closest to home-from-home you’ll find anywhere. You can get drinks, simple food. And you can always get apple pie. Even in remote areas of Holland, you can stop at a café or bakery and find apple pie. In Amsterdam, people will go out to eat apple pie with coffee for breakfast. Or order it in the afternoon, as I did last year when I took this photo.

Many countries have some form of traditional apple pie but for me, this is one area of cooking where the Dutch excel and surpass all others. In general, my experience is that Dutch cooking on the whole isn’t great. You can certainly get great food in places like Amsterdam, as Nicola and I did last year ( click here  and here ), but at lunchtime you’re likely to be offered a rather uninteresting ‘toastie’ or croquettes, traditionally made with leftover meat or fish. And, then of course, there’s cheese. Go into a cheese shop in Holland and there’s Gouda … and Gouda … and Gouda.

When I was there a lot, I got to understand which cheese to order – ranging from mild young and creamy Gouda to delicious, nutty and dark old Gouda. The Dutch also have a huge passion for smoked eel as well as smoked salmon, and herrings. I used to love driving out to Harlaam on the coast, or up to Marken, and buy rolls filled with herrings from a stall by the sea and then walk along the beach. I even got to like smoked eel.

But apple pie is my great love and so when I joked about being able to eat it in a brown café and being happy, even if the weather was bad outside, I was being honest. Of course, some good weather would be very nice, but it’s not something you can order – especially in January!

Dutch pie is always very deep. It has a wonderful, buttery crumb base – more cake-like than pastry – and the apple slices are flavoured with cinnamon, and sultanas are often added too. It’s usual to find it has a lattice topping but sometimes it has a crumb topping, and you’ll often be offered some cream or ice cream to go with it. It’s been eaten for centuries: an early Dutch cookbook, dating from 1514, has a recipe and an apple pie appears in a Dutch painting from 1626.

So, I’m hoping the sun will manage to put in an appearance at some stage of my break but whatever happens, I’ll be sure to find some appeltaart ! Watch this space and see what I find in Amsterdam over the next three days.

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10 thoughts on “ a short history of dutch apple pie ”.

I visited Amsterdam last year and liked it very much. The museums are fantastic and I love the coffee culture. Do you have any favorite restaurants?

Thank you Gerlinde. I’ve named a couple in the post – where it says ‘click here’. Maybe I’ll find more on this trip 🙂

Thank you , I’m not going right away .

• Pingback: Amsterdam: Last Day Shopping and a Little Sun at Last | thesinglegourmetandtraveller

I’m glad I’m getting a chance to catch up with what you have been up to. A spur of the moment trip to Amsterdam sounds like fun. 😀

It was wonderful little trip. Nice to get away in January 🙂

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Ingredients

Tip: You can use red-skinned apples; reduce the sugar content if you do so. Note

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Apple and blackcurrant pie recipe

While you can’t go wrong with a classic apple pie, blackcurrants give this go-to cool-weather dessert a tangy twist and rich purple colour. The winning combination of a slightly tart filling, golden, buttery pastry and a side of cream or ice-cream (or both!) will have you going back for seconds.

What you will need

2 quantities shortcrust pastry

125g caster sugar, plus extra to sprinkle

1/3 cup (50g) plain flour

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

1.4kg granny smith apples, peeled, cut into 3-4cm pieces

120g frozen blackcurrants, defrosted

1 egg, lightly whisked

2 tbs thin cream

Thin cream or ice-cream, to serve

Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius.

Grease and flour a 23cm-diameter (base measurement) pie dish. Line the base and side with half the pastry.

Combine the sugar, flour, cinnamon and nutmeg in a medium bowl. Melt butter in a large heavy-based saucepan over high heat until foaming. Add apple and cook, turning occasionally, for 8-10 minutes or until apple softens. Set aside to cool slightly. Add the flour mixture and stir to combine.

Stand for 5-10 minutes before serving with cream or ice-cream.

Place half the apple mixture in the prepared pie dish. Sprinkle over half the blackcurrants. Continue layering with the remaining apple mixture and blackcurrants. Brush edges of pastry with egg, then top with remaining pastry and trim any excess. Use your fingertips to pinch the edges together to seal.

Use a small knife to make an incision in the top of the pie to allow steam to escape. Brush with half the cream. Bake in oven for 45-50 minutes or until golden. Remove from oven. Brush with remaining cream and sprinkle with extra sugar. Stand for 5-10 minutes before serving with cream or ice-cream.

To stop pastry from going soggy, use a small knife to make an incision in the top of the pie to allow steam to escape.

Tips and tricks

Sifting the flour removes lumps and particles and aerates the mixture, resulting in a lighter pastry.

It’s important to keep everything cold: ensure the butter and water are well chilled and, if baking in warmer weather, it’s a good idea to place the bowl of the food processor containing the flour in the fridge for 15 minutes before you begin.

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If you love apple pie, you could also try our rustic apple pie or our collection of apple pies !

Ingredients

Trusted by home cooks for 90 years, The Australian Women’s Weekly’s Test Kitchen and cookbooks hold a singular place in shaping home cooking within the Australian culinary landscape. Today, the AWW Test Kitchen in Sydney is a thriving hub for food content, connected to two bustling photographic studios where a talented team of Australia’s best recipe developers, art directors, editors and photographers create our world class food content. Our recipes are thoroughly tested and tasted and given the Test Kitchen tick of approval, guaranteeing you’ll get great results in your home kitchen.

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