This Favorite Apple Pie combines a buttery, flaky crust with a perfectly spiced, sweet apple filling. Made with Fuji apples, cinnamon, and a touch of sugar, the filling is cooked until tender and encased in a homemade pie crust that’s golden and crisp. The pie is topped with a beautiful lattice of pastry strips, and for a decorative touch, you can add leaf-shaped pastry cutouts to the top. Whether served warm with a scoop of ice cream or enjoyed on its own, this pie is a true comfort dessert that’s perfect for any occasion.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This apple pie is a classic, with a perfectly balanced filling that’s sweet, spiced, and comforting. The Fuji apples hold their shape and provide a natural sweetness, while the buttery crust adds richness and texture. The pie is versatile, and you can enjoy it with a variety of toppings like whipped cream or ice cream. The homemade crust is tender and flaky, making each bite melt in your mouth. Plus, the recipe is easy to follow, so even beginner bakers can create this stunning and delicious pie.
Perfect Occasion
This apple pie is perfect for fall and winter gatherings, especially during holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas. It’s also great for casual family dinners, weekend baking, or even a special treat for guests. The warm spices and comforting flavors make it ideal for colder months, but it’s a versatile dessert that can be enjoyed year-round. Serve it warm with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a truly decadent treat.
Decoration Tips
For a beautiful presentation, you can create a lattice design on top of the pie using strips of the dough. To make it even more decorative, use the leftover dough to cut out small leaf shapes, which you can arrange on top of the lattice. Before baking, brush the dough with beaten egg yolk for a golden, glossy finish, and sprinkle with coarse sugar for a bit of sparkle. You can also dust the finished pie with powdered sugar for an elegant touch, or drizzle with caramel sauce for extra indulgence.
Ingredients:
For the Crust:
- 380 g all-purpose flour
- 200 g cold butter, cubed
- 70 g refined sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg
- 4 tablespoons ice water
For the Filling:
- 50 g butter
- 9 medium apples (Fuji recommended), peeled and cubed
- 170 g sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 12 g cornstarch
Instructions:
- Prepare the Filling: Peel and chop the apples into cubes, then mix them with the sugar in a large bowl. In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat, then add the apples and cinnamon. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for about 3 minutes. Sprinkle the cornstarch over the apples, mix well, and cook for another 5 minutes until the apples are tender. Drain the liquid from the apples and return the liquid to the saucepan. Simmer until the liquid thickens, then mix it back into the apples. Let the filling cool completely.
- Make the Crust: In a large bowl, mix the flour, sugar, and salt. Add the cubed butter and use your fingers to crumble it into the flour until it resembles coarse crumbs. Add the beaten egg and half of the ice water, mixing until the dough begins to come together. If needed, add more water until the dough forms a cohesive ball. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Assemble the Pie: Roll out the dough on a floured surface and use it to line the bottom and sides of a 24 cm diameter pie pan. Trim the edges. Spread the cooled apple filling evenly over the crust.
- Top with Lattice: Roll out the remaining dough and cut it into thin strips. Lay the strips over the filling in a lattice pattern. You can use leftover dough to cut out small decorative shapes, such as leaves, and place them on top. Brush the dough with beaten egg yolk and sprinkle with coarse sugar.
- Bake: Preheat the oven to 160-180°C. Bake the pie for about 1 hour, or until the crust is golden brown. Keep an eye on the pie to prevent the top from burning. If your oven is conventional, bake at 180°C.
- Cool and Serve: Let the pie cool slightly before slicing. Enjoy warm with a scoop of ice cream or whipped cream!
Enjoy this Favorite Apple Pie, a comforting, classic dessert that’s perfect for any occasion!
