Description
This is the apple pie recipe you’ve been waiting for—made with real apples, a flaky homemade crust, and a secret twist: precooked filling for the richest, most reliable texture. It’s Grandma’s best apple pie, and it tastes like home in every bite.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 homemade double pie crust
- 5 lbs fresh apples (Granny Smith, Gala, Golden Delicious combo)
- 2 tbsp lemon juice + ¼ tsp lemon zest
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 5 tbsp flour
- 1½ tsp cinnamon
- ¾ tsp nutmeg
- ½ tsp cardamom (optional)
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp milk or egg wash
- Raw sugar for topping
Instructions
- Peel and slice apples to ⅛ inch. In a skillet, cook apples with lemon juice, zest, sugars, flour, spices, and salt on medium for 20 minutes until tender. Stir in vanilla.
- Spread apple mixture on a baking sheet and chill until fully cooled.
- Line a 9-inch pie dish with bottom crust. Add cooled filling and top with a second crust or lattice. Seal edges and cut vents if using full top.
- Chill the assembled pie for 20–30 minutes before baking.
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Bake 15 minutes, then reduce to 350°F. Cover edges with foil and bake another 40–45 minutes until bubbling and golden.
- Cool on a rack for at least 3–4 hours before slicing.
Notes
Precooking the filling ensures rich flavor and no soggy crust. Use a mix of tart and sweet apples for depth. Add cardamom for warm, spiced notes. Cool fully before cutting for clean slices.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 32g
- Sodium: 160mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 11g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 62g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 40mg
Keywords: apple pie recipe homemade, apple pie with real apples, apple pie recipe precooked apples, grandma’s apple pie, apple bars with pie crust