This double crust apple pie is the only recipe you'll ever need. Think light, buttery rich pastry layered over perfectly tender spiced apples. The aroma of homemade apple pie in your kitchen is reason alone to make it.
Fall and winter are calling your name. This apple pie is the answer to all your fall feels and is the ultimate winter warmer. Serve it warm or at room temperature with a generous dollop of whipped cream and a steaming cup of coffee.
For more apple inspiration, try my fried apple oats for breakfast, this gluten free apple crisp or my apple cinnamon overnight oats with chia seeds.
Ingredients
Get your fall staples ready to go. Most of them are probably already in your kitchen! I recommend taking time to measure out accurately for the best results.
- All-purpose flour: The backbone of the dough, providing structure while maintaining a tender crumb.
- Sea salt: Brings out the flavor of the crust, balancing its buttery richness.
- Unsalted butter: Cold and diced, it creates flaky layers in the crust when baked. You'll use it in the filling too.
- Honeycrisp apples: Their firm texture and natural sweetness hold up well during baking.
- Lemon juice: Prevents the apples from browning. I also love the little tang.
- Brown sugar: Contributes a deeper, caramel-like sweetness to the filling.
- All-purpose flour: Thickens the filling. It prevents a too-runny filling.
- Ground nutmeg, cinnamon, and ginger: This trio gives the recipe its cozy feel.
- Egg: Brushed over the crust for a golden, glossy finish.
- Granulated sugar: White or light brown are both great.
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
This recipe is pretty easy. Follow this guide to making your own homemade double-crust apple pie. I suggest taking your time to measure accurately for the best results.
- Step 1: Combine flour and salt in a large bowl. Add cold, cubed butter and mix with your hands until crumbly. Gradually add ice-cold water, one tablespoon at a time, mixing until the dough comes together without overworking.
- Step 2: Divide the dough in half, shape it into balls, wrap it in plastic, and chill it for at least 30 minutes.
- Step 3: Toss sliced apples with lemon juice in a large bowl.
- Step 4: In another bowl, mix sugars, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt.
- Step 5: Add to apples and toss to coat evenly.
- Step 6: Roll out one portion on a floured surface to fit a 9-inch pie dish.
- Step 7: Transfer to the dish and press gently into place.
- Step 8: Pour apple filling into the bottom crust, mounding slightly in the center. Dot with small butter pieces.
- Step 9: Roll out the second dough portion and place it over the filling. Trim excess, leaving a 1-inch overhang. Fold and crimp edges to seal. Cut vents in the top crust. Brush with beaten egg and sprinkle with sugar.
- Step 10: Place the pie in the preheated oven and bake for 45-50 minutes until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbling and thickening.
Hint: For an extra flaky crust, ensure your butter is very cold and work quickly to prevent it from melting as you mix. If your kitchen is warm, chill the flour and mixing bowl beforehand for even better results! You can even chill your pie dish!
Substitutions
Take note of these easy ingredient swaps. Just because you don't have one or two things on the list, doesn't mean you can't make it with one of these alternatives:
- Ice-cold water: Use ice-cold milk or a dairy-free milk alternative for added flavor.
- Honeycrisp apples: Use Granny Smith, Fuji, or a mix of apple varieties for different textures and sweetness levels.
- Ground cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger: Replace with pre-mixed apple or pumpkin pie spice.
- Lemon juice: Replace with apple cider vinegar or orange juice for a similar tart effect.
- Egg (for brushing): Replace with milk, cream, or a plant-based milk like almond or oat.
- Granulated sugar (for sprinkling): Use raw sugar, turbinado sugar, or skip for a less sweet crust.
Variations
You can go crazy with variations of this recipe. Make it your own by tweaking the recipe a little:
- Caramel apple pie: Drizzle caramel sauce over the apple filling before adding the top crust. Add a crunch of sea salt to the top for a salted caramel apple pie - yes, please!
- Extra-spiced: Add cloves, cardamom, or allspice to the filling for a richer filling.
- Mixed fruit: Combine apples with pears, cranberries, or raspberries for a Christmassy twist.
- Streusel-topped apple pie: Skip the top crust and use a streusel topping made with oats, brown sugar, butter, and cinnamon.
- Mini apple pies: Divide the dough and filling to make individual pies in muffin tins-great for portion control or on-the-go treats.
- Maple pecan: In the filling, replace brown sugar with maple syrup and add chopped pecans.
- Chai-spiced: Mix in chai spices like black pepper, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, and cloves into the filling. I adore this version.
- Dutch apple pie: Use a lattice crust like this one from In Bloom Bakery instead of a full top crust. It's super pretty.
- Boozy: Add some bourbon, rum, or apple brandy to the apple filling for an adult-friendly dessert.
For another incredible apple-flavored dessert recipe, try my gluten-free apple cider doughnuts.
What to Serve it With
Serve your double-crust apple pie with a simple vanilla ice cream, or try my coconut espresso ice cream for something a little extra special.
A dollop of whipped cream with vanilla and caramel drizzle is delicious, too!
Equipment
You'll need a rolling pin, a 9-inch pie dish, and a pastry brush is also helpful.
Storage
Cover the pie loosely with foil or plastic wrap and store at room temperature for up to 2 days. This is ideal for maintaining the crust's crispness.
For longer storage, cover the pie tightly and refrigerate for up to 4-5 days. To enjoy it warm, reheat individual slices in the oven or microwave.
In the freezer (unbaked)
Assemble the pie, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil, and freeze for up to 3 months.
Bake directly from frozen, adding an extra 15-20 minutes to the baking time.
In the freezer (baked)
Allow the pie to cool completely, then wrap and freeze for up to 3 months.
Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat in a 350°F oven until warmed through.
Top tip
Try a mix of sweet and tart apple varieties, like Honeycrisp, Granny Smith, and Fuji. This gives you a different result with a bit more complexity to it.
FAQ
Brush the crust lightly with melted butter or milk and warm the pie in a low oven (about 300°F) for 5-10 minutes to soften it. Avoid overworking the dough next time, as this can make the crust tough.
Toss the sliced apples with lemon juice or another acidic ingredient like apple cider vinegar. This slows oxidation and keeps the apples looking fresh while you prepare the pie.
Yes! You can use a streusel topping intead of adding a second layer or pue crust.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Double Crust Apple Pie Recipe
Double Crust Apple Pie
Ingredients
For the Pie Dough:
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter cold and diced
- 6-8 tablespoons ice-cold water
For the Apple Filling:
- 6-7 medium-sized Honeycrisp apples peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon salt
For the Topping:
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter cut into small pieces
- 1 small egg beaten
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
Instructions
For the Pie Dough:
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the all-purpose flour and salt.
- Add the cold, cubed butter to the flour mixture. Mix with your hands until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Gradually add the ice-cold water, in a stream, one tablespoon at a time, mixing gently until the dough comes together. Be careful not to overwork the dough.
- Divide the dough into two equal portions, shape each portion into a ball, wrap them in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for a minimum of 30 minutes.
- Remove one portion of the chilled dough from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a circle large enough to fit into a 9-inch pie dish. Transfer the rolled-out dough to the pie dish, pressing it gently against the bottom and sides.
For the Filling:
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
- In a large mixing bowl, toss the sliced apples with the lemon juice to prevent browning.
- In a separate bowl, combine the granulated sugar, brown sugar, all-purpose flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt. Mix well.
- Add the sugar mixture to the sliced apples and toss until the apples are evenly coated.
Assemble the Pie:
- Pour the apple filling into the prepared bottom crust, mounding it slightly in the center.
- Dot the top of the filling with small pieces of unsalted butter.
- Roll out the second portion of chilled dough on a lightly floured surface into a circle slightly larger than the pie dish.
- Carefully place the rolled-out dough over the filling. Trim any excess dough hanging over the edges, leaving about a 1-inch overhang.
- Fold the overhang of the top crust under the edge of the bottom crust, then crimp the edges using your fingers or a fork to seal the pie.
- Use a sharp knife to create several small slits or decorative vents in the top crust to allow steam to escape during baking.
- Brush the top crust with the beaten egg, then sprinkle evenly with granulated sugar for a golden finish.
- Place the pie in the preheated oven and bake for 45-50 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbling and thickened.
- Remove the pie from the oven and let it cool on a wire rack for at least 2 hours before slicing and serving.
Equipment
- Pie dish 9-inches
- Rolling Pin
- Pastry brush
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer
All nutritional information provided is an estimate. For specific dietary needs or concerns, we recommend consulting a nutrition calculator or a qualified expert.
casey says
Made this last night for dessert and it was incredible. Perfect pastry and easy-to-do! Thank you for the recipe inspo!