Easy Apple Pie
User Reviews
5
12 reviews
Excellent
Easy Apple Pie
Report
Easy Apple Pie features a buttery crust made from a mixture of cold butter and shortening combined with flour, sugar, and vinegar for tenderness and flavor. The filling combines sliced tart and sweet apples with lemon juice, sugar, brown sugar, spices, and starches to thicken the juices. A spiced whipped cream topping complements the baked pie, which is golden and aromatic, ideal for dessert.
Description
The pie crust is prepared by pulsing together flour, salt, and sugar before cutting in cold butter and shortening to form a crumbly dough. A mixture of ice-cold water, vanilla extract, and apple cider vinegar is then added to moisten the dough just enough to hold together. The dough is chilled to relax the gluten and make it easier to handle.
The filling consists of a mix of peeled, sliced apples that blend tart and sweet varieties, tossed in lemon juice, sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and a combination of tapioca starch and corn starch to thicken released juices during baking. The filling is spooned into the prepared crust, and the top is brushed with egg wash and sprinkled with sugar to create a golden, slightly crunchy finish.
This apple pie is served with a spiced whipped cream made by beating heavy cream with confectioners sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla until soft peaks form, adding a creamy contrast to the baked fruit and crust. The pie is suited for dessert in any season, offering a warm, fragrant, and familiar flavor profile.
After baking, the pie can be stored at room temperature up to 24 hours or refrigerated for up to 4 days. It can also be frozen for up to three months, wrapped tightly to preserve freshness. Reheating can be done gently in an oven to restore warmth without sogginess. Preparing the pie dough and filling ahead allows for convenient assembly just before baking.
Share:
Ingredients
For the Apple Pie Crusts:
- 3 cups all-purpose flour , spooned, leveled, and sifted
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 Tablespoons powdered sugar or granulated sugar
- 12 tablespoons unsalted butter cold, cut into pieces
- ⅓ cup vegetable shortening such as Crisco, very cold
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract pure, or clear vanilla
- 5 Tablespoons water ice-cold
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar or white distilled vinegar
For the Apple Pie Filling:
- 2-½ lbs. apple peeled, seeded, and sliced ¼-inch thick, mixed baking, use tart/sweet combo (e.g., Granny Smith & Golden Delicious, or Honey Crisp & Empire
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice freshly squeezed
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract pure, or clear vanilla
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg optional, freshly grated
- 14 g tapioca starch or 2 tablespoons flour
- 21 g corn starch
- 30 g butter melted and cooled off, unsalted
For Brush & Topping:
- egg beaten, or cream or milk
- 2 tablespoons turbinado sugar for finishing, or light brown sugar combined with ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
For the Spiced Whipped Cream :
- 1 cup heavy cream , cold
- ¼ cup confectioners sugar or granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract pure
Instructions
- Prepare the Pie Dough: Dice the unsalted butter and shortening and place it in the freezer while preparing the flour mixture. In a food processor fitted with a steel blade, pulse flour, salt, and sugar to combine.
- Add the chilled butter and shortening pieces and pulse until the mixture resembles a coarse crumble with only a few larger pieces, about 8 to 12 pulses.
- In a small bowl, combine 5 tablespoons of ice water, 1 tablespoon of pure vanilla extract, and 1 tablespoon of apple vinegar.
- With the machine running, pour the ice water mixture down the feed tube and pulse the machine until the mixture is evenly moistened and crumbly; don't let the dough form into a ball in the machine.
- Turn the pie dough onto a work surface and bring the dough together by hand. Use a bench scraper to divide the dough into two equal pieces. Shape into flat disks and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, preferably overnight.
- The dough can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 6 weeks, tightly wrapped. (Thaw frozen dough in the refrigerator before rolling it out.) Lightly dust a work surface and a rolling pin with flour.
- Place one chilled pie disk on the work surface and let the dough sit on the countertop for 5 to 10 minutes so it's malleable enough to roll. Reserve the other half, wrapped tightly, and refrigerated. Lightly dust the dough with additional flour.
- Roll half of the dough ⅛ inch / 3 mm thick using even strokes. Turn it occasionally to produce an even shape and to keep it from sticking to the work surface. Work from the center toward the edges, rolling in different directions.
- If the dough softens too fast, chill in the refrigerator until firm, 2–5 minutes. Carefully transfer the rolled dough into the pie dish. Position the dough so that it completely covers the entire dish.
- Settle the dough into the dish, pressing the dough gently against the dish. Use a ball of scrap dough to gently press the pie dough into the pie dish and dock the bottom of the crust if necessary.
- Trim the excess dough from the rim, leaving enough to seal a top crust in place.
- For the Apple Pie filling: In a large bowl, toss the apples with the sugars, cinnamon, vanilla, salt, lemon juice, butter, cornstarch, and tapioca. Fill the pie shell with apple mixture.
- Roll out the top crust in the same manner as the bottom crust (⅛ inch / 3 mm thick) and carefully lay the top crust over the filling. Press the dough around the rim to seal the top and bottom crusts.
- Trim away excess overhang, seal and crimp the edges (lightly flour your fingers if the dough is sticking), and cut several vents atop the pie to allow steam to escape. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Bake: Brush the crust lightly with egg wash, heavy cream, or milk, and sprinkle with turbinado sugar. Place a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 425 °F (220 °C).
- Bake the pie on a baking sheet for 20 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 375°F. Continue baking until the filling is bubbling and the crust is golden brown, about 40 minutes to 1 hour, or until the internal temperature reaches 195°F to 200°F (91°C to 93°C). If the crust edges begin to brown too quickly, cover them with a crust shield or foil.
- Cool the pie on a wire rack for at least 2 to 3 hours before slicing it to serve. The apple pie is kept well at room temperature (covered) for 24 hours or refrigerated for up to 4 days.
- Serve warm or at room temperature with spiced whipped and vanilla ice cream or a hot cup of coffee.🥧☕
- How to Make Spiced Whipped Cream
- Place the cream in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat on medium speed for 1 minute. Add the sugar, spices, and pure vanilla extract and beat medium-high until it forms soft peaks.
Equipments used:
Notes
- Prepare and chill the pie dough thoroughly to improve handling and texture.
- Use a mix of tart and sweet apples for a balanced filling flavor.
- Store cooled pie covered at room temperature for up to 24 hours or refrigerated for up to 4 days.
- Freeze baked pie wrapped tightly for up to 3 months; thaw in refrigerator before reheating.
- Reheat pie slices in a microwave briefly or gently warm whole pies in an oven, covering edges to avoid over-browning.
- Make pie dough and filling ahead to assemble and bake later for convenience.
Genuine Reviews
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
12 reviews
Excellent
Other Recipes
You'll Also Love
