Every fall, my grandmother kept a basket of apples by the back door and a pie on the counter, and I never once saw that pie last more than a day. She did not fuss with lattice tops or fancy edges. She peeled, she sliced, she tossed everything in one bowl, and the oven did the rest. This is her easy everyday apple pie, the one I now bake almost every week from the first cool morning until Thanksgiving. With store-bought crusts, the hands-on work is about fifteen minutes, and the whole kitchen smells like cinnamon long before it comes out of the oven.
Servings: 8 · Prep: 15 min · Cook: 55 min
Ingredients
- 2 (9-inch) refrigerated pie crusts
- 6 medium, about 2 1/2 lb (1.1 kg) firm apples (Granny Smith, Honeycrisp or Braeburn)
- 2/3 cup (130 g) granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp (25 g) light brown sugar
- 3 tbsp (25 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) lemon juice
- 1 pinch salt
- 2 tbsp (30 g) cold butter, cubed
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp coarse sugar for the top
Method
- Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and set a rack in the lower third. Put a baking sheet on the rack below to catch any juices. Press one pie crust into a 9-inch (23 cm) pie dish, letting the edge hang over, and keep the second crust in the fridge.
- Peel, core and slice the apples about 1/4 inch (6 mm) thick. Thin, even slices cook at the same speed and settle without leaving a big gap under the top crust.
- In a large bowl, mix the granulated sugar, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Add the apples and the lemon juice and toss with your hands until every slice is coated. The flour will thicken the juices as the pie bakes.
- Pile the apples into the crust, mounding them a little higher in the center because they shrink in the oven. Dot the cubed butter over the top.
- Lay the second crust over the apples. Trim both crusts to about 1 inch (2.5 cm) past the rim, fold the edge under and crimp it with a fork or your fingers. Cut 5 or 6 slits in the top so the steam can escape.
- Beat the egg with a spoonful of water, brush it over the top crust and sprinkle with the coarse sugar.
- Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, until the crust is deep golden and you can see thick juices bubbling through the slits. If the edge browns too fast, cover it with strips of foil after 30 minutes.
- Let the pie cool on a rack for at least 2 hours before slicing. This is the hardest part, but it gives the filling time to set so your slices hold their shape.
Tips and variations
- Mix two kinds of apples, one tart and one sweet, for the best flavor and a filling that keeps some bite.
- A handful of raisins or chopped pecans tossed with the apples makes it feel extra special for Thanksgiving.
- Leftover pie keeps 2 days at room temperature, loosely covered, or 4 days in the fridge. Warm slices at 350°F (175°C) for 10 minutes.
- Serve it warm with vanilla ice cream, a spoonful of whipped cream or a thin slice of sharp cheddar the old-fashioned way.
I hope this simple pie earns a spot on your counter all season long, just like it did in Grandma's kitchen. Happy baking!
