Double Crust Apple Pie
MAKES
One 9 inch / 23 cm double crust pie
TAKES
Prep time: 1 hour 45 minutes (includes chilling)
Cook time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Total: 3 hours
✻ ABOUT THIS RECIPE
The most classic apple pie, where a hefty layer of apple filling is fully encased in buttery pastry crust. Pre-cooking the filling helps ensure that “just right” level of juiciness that’s still easy to slice. Be sure to watch the full episode to learn how to make this pie step by step, including troubleshooting tips, and make ahead instructions. One of my secret weapon ingredients for apple pie filling is boiled cider - a super flavorful syrup made by boiling cider down to reduce the moisture content. It’s optional, but it really boosts that gorgeous apple flavor (see Notes) to make it yourself!
INGREDIENTS
Apple Pie Filling
70 g / 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
1650 g / 6 Cosmic Crisp apples, peeled and cored, quartered, and thinly sliced
265 g / 1 ¼ cups light or dark brown sugar
20 g / 2 tablespoons boiled cider (optional - see headnote)
15 g / 1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
3 g / 1 teaspoon ground ginger
< 1 g / ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
3 g / ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
66 g / ⅓ cup granulated sugar
40 g / ⅓ cup all purpose flour
5 g / 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or 7 g / 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
Final Pie
2x (double) recipe pie dough (enough for a double crust pie), such as my All Buttah Pie Dough or Pate Brisee
egg wash, as needed for finishing (see Note)
turbinado or coarse sanding sugar, as needed for finishing
Bake This Recipe With Me:
METHOD
1. Make the filling: in a medium pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Cook the butter, swirling occasionally, until the milk solids begin to brown, and butter smells toasty, 4-6 minutes.
2. Add the apples, sugar, boiled cider (if using), and lemon juice, and stir well to coat. Continue to cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar begins to melt and more fully coat the apples and the apples will begin to release their liquid, 4-5 minutes.
3. Add the cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt, and stir well to combine. Continue to cook for 2 minutes more.
4. Meanwhile, whisk the granulated sugar and flour together to combine. Sprinkle this mixture over the surface of the pot, and mix well to combine. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture begins to noticeably thicken, 2-3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low, and continue to cook until the mixture begins to form fat bubbles on the surface, 3-4 minutes more.
5. Stir in the vanilla paste or extract, and transfer the mixture to a heat-safe container to cool completely to room temperature. Or, to cool quickly, pour onto a baking sheet or large baking dish - the increased surface area will help it cool faster. Keep it covered while it cools to prevent it drying out. The filling can be made up to 2 days ahead. Store in the refrigerator, and bring to room temperature before assembling the pie.
6. Assemble the pie: on a lightly floured surface, roll out one portion of the pie dough to ¼ inch / 6 mm thick. Use a rolling pin to gently transfer the dough to a pan, unfurling it into the pie plate. Lift the dough up at the edges, then press down - the goal is to remove air, and make sure the dough is fully touching the base and sides of the pan.
7. Pour the filling into the lined pie pan, and spread into an even layer. Use scissors to trim the excess dough, leaving about 1 inch / 2.5 cm maximum of excess dough all the way around the outer edge of the pie pan.
8. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the second portion of the pie dough to ¼ inch/ 6 mm thick. Use a rolling pin to gently transfer the dough to the top of the pie, unfurling it onto the filling. Take care to the lift the dough at the edges to help remove any air trapped inside.
9. Use your fingers and thumbs to vigorously press the crusts together all the way around. The goal here is try to adhere the top and bottom crust together a bit, but also to intentionally thin out the dough so it’s not too thick. Press firmly all the way around, then use scissors to trim away the excess dough, leaving about ½ inch / 1 cm of excess dough all the way around.
10. Tuck the excess dough underneath itself all the way around - the goal is to fully encase the top crust, tucking it underneath the bottom crust. This also doubles up the crust at the edges, which is ideal for crimping. Press firmly on the dough once it’s tucked to help adhere it to the pie pan. Crimp the edges of the pie as desired.
11. Transfer the pie to the refrigerator, and chill for 1 hour. Towards the end of chill time, preheat the oven to 400°F / 205°C with the oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
12. Place the chilled pie on the baking sheet. Brush the surface of the pie with egg wash, but avoid the outer edges, which tend to brown faster all on their own. Sprinkle the surface of the pie generously with turbinado or sanding sugar. Use the tip of a paring knife to cut a few vents in the top of the crust by making a few side by side lines or an “x” in the center.
13. Transfer the pie on the baking sheet to the lower oven rack. Bake for 30 minutes, until the pie is starting to become golden brown on the surface. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F / 175°C, and continue to bake until the pie is deeply golden brown, and the filling bubbles through the vents (and/or steam is visibly pouring out of the oven vents), 65-75 minutes (up to 1 hour and 15 minutes). If additional browning is needed, transfer the pie to the upper oven rack during the last 10-15 minutes of baking. If the crust is browning too quickly, you can tent any portion with foil for the remainder of bake time.
14. Cool the baked pie completely to room temperature before slicing. If you want to serve the pie warm, refresh the cooled pie by tenting it in foil and transferring it to the oven on the lower rack. Turn the oven on to 375°F / 190°C. Once the preheat bell dings, set a timer for 15 minutes. Then remove the pie from the oven, unwrap, and slice it.
NOTES
Boiled cider is available to purchase online, but you can make it yourself by boiling 2 quarts (8 cups) / 1.9 L cider down to about 1 cup / 237 mL.
Boil the cider in a heavy bottomed pot until it reaches a consistency similar to honey.
Cool the syrup to room temperature, then store in the refrigerator for up to 6 months.
To make egg wash, whisk 56 g / 1 large egg, 15 g / 1 tablespoon water, and a pinch of fine sea salt to combine.
✻ HAVE YOU BAKED IT?
Tag @emcdowell on Instagram or use #happybaking. I’d love to see your bakes!
Hungry for More?
Extra Flaky All Buttah Pie Dough ⇢
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