Do you love to bake and are you up for a baking challenge today? This is THE apple pie recipe you’ll bake on repeat: soft cinnamon apples, a crunchy homemade crust from scratch, and pure cozy magic.
A classic apple pie, made completely from scratch — and honestly, it is far easier than it looks.
One bite and you’ll get it.
Because let’s be real: a recipe website without a proper apple pie recipe? That just wouldn’t do. So here it is at last — soft, cinnamon‑baked apples wrapped in a flaky, golden pastry jacket. This is apple pie at its absolute best.
Ready to sink your teeth into the world’s coziest autumn dessert?
Go on.
Dig in.
Best Apple Pie Recipe
This apple pie is pure joy to make.
Yes, the recipe looks a little long — I’ll admit that — but that is only because we are doing everything from scratch, right down to the buttery, flaky pie dough.
And the top crust?
That’s your playground. Seal it completely (don’t forget a steam vent), weave a lattice like I did, or go wild with pastry stars.
I once saw a whole galaxy of them on a pie and it was adorable.
Apple Desserts
Are you looking for something quicker than this apple pie recipe?
Try my baked apples with ricotta, pistachios, and honey — or my classic puff pastry Apfelstrudel.
Both are fast, cozy, and just as irresistible.
Enjoy!
My Favorite Apple Pie Recipe
The apple pie recipe you’ll bake on repeat: soft cinnamon apples, a crunchy homemade crust, and pure cozy baking magic.
- 2 ½ cups plain flour (315 g)
- 2 tbsp caster sugar (30 g)
- 1 cup unsalted butter (225 g) ice cold, diced
- 5 tbsp water (ice cold)
- salt
- 2 medium apples
- 2 tbsp caster sugar (30 g)
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 clove
- ⅓ tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 tsp instant vanilla pudding mix
- 1 star anise
- 1 egg yolk (lightly beaten)
- pepper
- salt
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Add the flour, caster sugar, a pinch of salt and the ice cold diced butter to a blender. You can also use a stand mixer or mix manually.
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Combine into a dry crumble and pour in the ice cold water.
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Mix well again until you get a moist dough. You can add extra flour if it is too wet or tiny splash of water if it is too dry. The dough shouldn't be sticky at all.
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Transfer it to a lightly floured surface. Knead the dough quickly for two minutes until it is smooth. Then wrap the dough loosely in cling film and let it rest at room temperature until needed again.
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Peel and core the apples. Chop them up into smaller chunks. Add the butter to a large saucepan together with the star anise, bay leaf and clove.
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Place the saucepan over medium heat. Once the butter has melted, add the chopped apples. Add half of the caster sugar and 2 tablespoons of water as well.
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Cook and stir the apples for 5 minutes. Then season with a pinch of salt, pepper and the cinnamon. Stir in the instant vanilla pudding mix. Take the cooked apples off the heat and let them cool down fully.
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Unwrap the dough and divide it into 2 even balls. Then wrap one ball in the cling film again. Roll out the other dough ball into a thin circle. Coat an 8-inch (20 cm) diameter pie tin with it.
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Cover it with a sheet of baking paper. Pour in some baking beans or weights.
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Blind bake the pie crust in a preheated oven at 256°F (180°C) for 15 minutes. Then let the crust cool at room temperature. In the meantime roll out the other dough ball. Place it on a piece of cling film. This will make it easier to work with. Cut the dough into 11 strips with a sharp knife or pizza cutter.
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Carefully remove 5 strips.
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Now you can do 2 things: place the strips on top of the others…
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Or weave them one by one…
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And make a firm pie cover. Then place the dough cover in the fridge for 5 minutes. Fill the cooled pie crust with the cooked apple chunks (remove the clove and star anise).
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Top with the cover and trim the edges and remove any excess dough.
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Bake the apple pie in a preheated oven at 356°F (180°C) for 35 to 40 minutes. The top should be nicely golden in the end. Cover the pie with tinfoil if it brown too quickly. Remove the baked apple pie from oven. Serve lukewarm.Brush the top with the beaten egg yolk and sprinkle with the remaining caster sugar.
The Best Apples for this Apple Pie Recipe
Choosing the right apples is half the magic of a great apple pie. You want fruit that holds its shape, balances sweetness and acidity and doesn’t collapse into applesauce in the oven.
The best pies use a mi of varieties because this gives your apple pie layers of flavor and texture in every bite.
Skip apples that turn mushy when baked, like Red Delicious or McIntosh — they collapse too quickly and make the filling watery.
Top apple varieties for baking
- Jonagold: Juicy, sweet-tart, and beautifully aromatic. They stay firm and golden after baking.
- Pink Lady (Cripps Pink): Firm, tangy, and slow to brown. Great for pies with a fresher, sharper profile.
- Golden Delicious: Mild and sweet, but stays surprisingly firm when baked. Best when mixed with a tarter apple.
- Granny Smith: Sharp, crisp, and reliable. Perfect for balancing sweeter apples.
- Braeburn: Spicy, complex flavor and great firmness in the oven.
- Honeycrisp: Juicy, sweet, and aromatic. Adds brightness and a bit of crunch.
Why mixing apples makes a better pie
Using two or three varieties creates depth (sweet + tart), texture contrast (some slices softening, others staying firm) and a more aromatic filling.
For example: Honeycrisp + Granny Smith gives you a bright, tangy base with a crisp, lively apple flavor. Braeburn + Jonagold gives you sweetness with structure.