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Easy apple pie recipe
Thanksgiving is the time of the year when we celebrate gratitude and togetherness. A commemoration of the time when the Pilgrims shared their first harvest with the Native Americans. It is a wonderful time when family and friends gather together around a table to enjoy a meal together. While the roasted turkey is the main course, let us not forget the sweet finale that makes the meal complete: the pie. And for the occasion, what’s more fitting for an American holiday than apple pie? A classic dessert that deserves as much love as pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving. In this post, I am sharing my go-to easy apple pie recipe for Thanksgiving.
Before you start making this pie, here are a few things you need to know to perfect the recipe and possibly tweak it to make it your own.
About the crust
In this recipe, I used a 10.25-inch quiche pan. However, if you use a traditional 9-inch pie pan, this recipe may yield two crusts. If you would like to use a similar pan to mine, here is a link to the porcelain version:
How to prepare the dough
Keep in mind that the ingredients for the crust must be cold: cold butter cubes, and ice water. I even suggest letting the flour sit in the fridge for about 15 minutes before assembling all the ingredients.
To mix the fat and the flour, I recommend using either a food processor or a mixer; however, if you don’t have one lying around, you can use a pastry cutter or even your hand like so: in a mixing bowl, coat the cold butter cubes with flour using a tossing motion, then squeeze the coated butter cubes with your fingers. Toss and repeat a few times until you get a somewhat sandy texture.
To form a dough, add water little by little. Your dough should be somewhat rough and lumpy , but not sticky. If your dough is too hydrated, add a little flour; if it is too dry, sprinkle ice water on it. For a flaky crust, avoid over-kneading your dough.
Once you have the dough, let it chill in the fridge for about 30 minutes. This is an important step, as it ensures the fat does not melt and helps with gluten formation.
How to roll out the dough
Lightly flour your work surface to ensure your dough does not dry out. Always roll in different directions to keep the shape of your crust round.
To avoid shrinkage, roll out the dough large enough to fit the pan. As a rule of thumb, I like my crust 1.5 inches bigger than my pie pan.
How to line the crust in the pan
An easy trick is to roll the crust on your rolling pin and gently unroll it in your pie pan. Make sure to cover the corner of the plate and remove the excess crust.
About the filling
Which apple variety works best
You want your apples to have a good combination of sweetness and tartness, and high juiciness. I have tested different varieties of apples for this recipe, and my favorite is probably the Pink Lady apple. That said, here is a list of apple varieties recommended for apple pie: Crispin, Granny Smith, Pink Lady, and Honeycrisp.
I have also tested Golden Delicious with this recipe, and its shape holds up pretty well since the recipe requires about 1/2 inch-thick strip of apples.
Pre-cooking the filling
I like pre-cooking fruit pies to ensure that the filling is not under-cooked. It also removes excess moisture, which prevents a soggy bottom crust once the pie is done.
In addition to cinnamon, what other spices can I use?
To spice up your apple pie, you can add 1 to 2 tsp of the following spice blend to add a touch of je-ne-sais-quoi to your pie:
- 4 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp of allspice
- 1 tsp of ginger
- A pinch of salt to elevate the flavour of all the spices
Note: Store the extra blend in an airtight container for future pies
FAQ
Can I use raw apples?
Yes, but I suggest cutting the apples into thinner slices, about 1/4 inch, so they cook all the way through by the time the pie finishes baking in the oven.
Should I par-bake the crust?
For this recipe, par-baking is not necessary.
Do I need to butter the pan before lining the crust?
No. The fat content in the dough is enough to prevent the crust from sticking to the pan.
What can I prepare ahead?
You can prepare the filling a few days ahead and store it in the freezer. Alternatively, you can bake the entire pie a couple of days ahead, store it in the fridge, and reheat it before serving.
What you will need
1. 10-inch pie pan | 2. Rolling Pin | 3. Mixer or food processor| 4. Kitchen scale | 5. Cooking pot | 6. Mixing bowl | 7. Plastic wrap | 8. Pastry cutter (optional) | 9. Oven mitts
RECIPE
Ingredients
For the crust, you will need:
- 300 g all-purpose flour
- 160 g unsalted cold butter, cut into half-inch cubes
- 50 g refined solid coconut cooking oil
- 5 g salt
- 5 g sugar (optional)
- 30 g ice water
For the filling, you will need:
- 5 medium-sized apples, Pink Lady (Cripps Pink) apples work well with this recipe
- 133 g brown sugar
- 110 g lemon juice
- 1 to 2 tsp cinnamon or the spice blend
- 50 g all-purpose flour
For the egg wash (optional)
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp of water or milk
Instructions
Preparing dough
- In a mixer or food processor, combine flour, salt, sugar, cubed butter, and coconut oil until you get a coarse sand texture.
- Gradually add ice water until you get a somewhat rough and lumpy dough. Do not over-knead. Add flour or water if needed.
- Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes in the fridge.
- Roll out the dough, place it into the pie pan, and trim the edges.
- Chill the crust in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Preparing the filling
- Cut the apples into about 1/3-inch strips.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the apples with sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, and flour. Macerate for about 10 minutes.
- Cook the mixture over low heat for 15 minutes or until the apples are softer.
- Let cool completely before filling the pie crust.
Assembling, Baking, and serving
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Add filling to the prepared crust, and brush egg wash mixture onto the crust edge.
- Bake on the bottom rack for about 45 to 50 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.
- Let it cool for about 2 hours before serving
- Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
This recipe uses a combination of cold butter and coconut oil for an extra flaky crust. However, you can use 220 g of butter only.