Traditional Apple Pie

When we think about iconic symbols of American culinary tradition, the nostalgic, cherished, classic apple pie comes to mind. Our Traditional Apple Pie recipe is a way to savor the comforting flavor we fondly remember grandma pulling from her oven on a Sunday afternoon. Sure, you can find delicious apple pies for sale at your local farmers’ market, and even your local grocery store bakery, but let’s be honest—there is nothing quite like the aroma of warm apples and cinnamon filling your home when you pull the cozy homemade goodness of a fresh baked apple pie from your oven. So, what are you waiting for? Get baking!

Traditional Apple Pie Recipe

INGREDIENTS

For the dough:

4 cups flour
1 tsp salt
2 1/2 sticks butter
5 tbsp cold water

For the filling:

10 cups 1/4-inch-thick Granny Smith apple slices (about 8 apples)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 and 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp each: ground allspice & ground nutmeg
Egg wash: 1 large egg beaten with 1 Tablespoon milk
Optional: coarse sugar for sprinkling on crust

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a large bowl, stir the apple slices, sugar, flour, lemon juice, cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg together until thoroughly combined.
2. Pour the apple filling into a very large skillet or dutch oven, and place over medium-low heat. Stir and cook for 5 minutes until the apples begin to soften. Remove from heat and set aside.
3. Preheat oven to 400°F.
4. Measure flour and salt into a bowl. Using two butterknives or a pastry cutter, cut in the butter until none of the pieces are any bigger than the size of a pea.
5. Sprinkle in the cold water and mix until the flour is moistened.
6. Gather the dough into a ball and then flatten out slightly. Divide the dough into two even pieces and form both into flattened rounds.
7. Flour your work surface and roll out each piece of dough into a 10 in round. This should hang over your pie pan about 1-2 inches.
8. Place one rolled out piece in the bottom of your pie pan and fill with your apple filling. Top with your second piece of pie dough and crimp around the edges to seal the pie.
9. If using a solid piece of dough, poke a few vents in the middle of the pie crust. (We did a lattice design for our crust)
10. Brush your pie with your egg wash and sprinkle with sugar before baking.
11. Bake your pie at 400° for 20 minutes and then drop the heat to 350° and bake for another 30-40 minutes.

Recipe and Styling by Anna Franklin / Photography and Story by Star Laliberte

Hungry for more? Try our Dutch Apple Pie with a Twist.

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