By Genevieve Ko
- Total Time
- 2¼ hours, plus chilling and cooling
- Rating
- 4(761)
- Notes
- Read community notes
This is essentially a classic double-crusted apple pie, packed tight with fruit, but it calls for a wide variety of apples, giving it far more flavor. For the most nuanced filling, use as many different types as possible: A mix of sweet, tart, crunchy and tender apples will yield complex tastes and textures. The sharp acidity of lime juice heightens the tanginess of your blend, half of which should be firm apples to keep the filling from collapsing. To ensure success with the crust, keep the ingredients cold, popping them into the freezer if needed, and work quickly with a gentle touch. A generous layer of spiced cookie crumbs prevents the bottom crust from getting soggy and lends even more warmth.
Featured in: The Right Apple Pie for a Pandemic Thanksgiving
Learn: How to Make a Pie Crust
or to save this recipe.
Print Options
Include recipe photo
Advertisem*nt
Ingredients
Yield:One 9-inch pie
- 1tablespoon granulated sugar
- 2⅓cups/300 grams all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling the dough
- ¾teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1cup/225 grams cold unsalted butter (2 sticks), preferably high-fat European-style, cut into ½-inch cubes
- ⅓cup/40 grams spiced cookie crumbs, crushed from crunchy varieties such as Biscoff or gingersnaps
- ⅔cup/130 grams granulated sugar
- ⅓cup/45 grams cornstarch
- 1teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½teaspoon ground cardamom
- ¼teaspoon fine sea salt
- 3½pounds/1.5 kilograms apples (about 8), a mix of tart, sweet, crunchy and soft varieties such as Granny Smith, Gala, Opal and Jazz, peeled and cored
- 1tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 2tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into ¼-inch cubes
For the Crust
For the Filling
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Preparation
Step
1
Make the crust: Whisk sugar and ⅓ cup/80 milliliters water in a small bowl until sugar dissolves, then place in the freezer. In a large bowl, whisk flour and salt, then toss the butter cubes until evenly coated. Using your fingertips, quickly flatten and rub the butter into the flour, while tossing the smushed pieces to coat until the mixture is mostly thick, powdery flakes and pebbles.
Step
2
Make a well in the center of the mixture and add the chilled water all at once. Using your fingers, rake the dry ingredients into the wet and stir until mixed. Continue stirring with your fingers, occasionally squeezing the blend gently, until large, shaggy clumps form.
Step
3
Press the clumps together and into the remaining dry bits to gather into a single mass. Divide the dough in half and pat each half into a 1-inch-thick disk. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.
Step
4
On a lightly floured surface, use a floured rolling pin to roll out a dough disk into a 12-inch round. Fit into a standard 9-inch pie plate, gently tucking and pressing the dough against the bottom and sides without stretching it. Sprinkle the cookie crumbs in an even layer across the bottom and gently press into the dough. Transfer to the refrigerator. Roll out the other disk into a 12-inch round, slide onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, and refrigerate while you prepare the filling.
Step
5
Make the filling: Place a rimmed baking sheet on the lowest oven rack and heat oven to 425 degrees. Whisk the sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, cardamom and salt in a large bowl. Cut each apple into 8 wedges, then cut each piece into ¼-inch-thick slices crosswise. Add to the bowl and pour the lime juice over, then toss until evenly coated.
Step
6
Scrape half the apples into the chilled bottom crust and press down firmly to eliminate any gaps. Top with the remaining apples, pressing firmly into a mound. Scatter the chilled butter bits evenly on top.
Step
7
Flip the other dough round over the apples to cover and peel off the parchment. Using scissors, trim the edges together ½ inch past the plate’s rim. Fold and tuck the edges under so that they’re flush with the rim and crimp, decoratively if you’d like. Using a sharp paring knife, cut 8 (3-inch-long) slits in the center of the top dough, spacing evenly. Think of these slits as a guide for cutting the baked pie into wedges.
Step
8
Place the pie on the heated baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees and bake until the crust is brown and the filling is bubbling, 55 to 60 minutes longer. A thin paring knife should slide through the apples easily. Transfer the pie plate to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.
Ratings
4
out of 5
761
user ratings
Your rating
or to rate this recipe.
Have you cooked this?
or to mark this recipe as cooked.
Private Notes
Leave a Private Note on this recipe and see it here.
Cooking Notes
Debbie
When filling the bottom crust with the coated apple slices I layer the slices in concentric circles, pressing them down as I go and building the filling to mound in the center. This keeps the pie's shape as it bakes and also makes beautiful, easy to slice pieces.
Mark
The crust recipe is nearly identical to one I’ve been making for years. I’d recommend doing a 3 cup double crust (2 1/2) sticks butter. The little extra gives margin for rolling issues. Personally, I don’t like any apple crunch in my apple pie, so the (lots of apple varieties) isn’t going to work for my taste. The crumb thing on the crust bottom is a winner. In a similar recipe, I’d used cornflakes and it works like a charm to thicken the filling.
sg
At the end, do they mean cook for an additional 50-60 mins- (after the initial 30) or is it for a total 50-60 mins? Seems like a long time for pie? I will check sooner just in case!
Mary C.
Thank you for these apple pie suggestions! FYI: We stopped putting sugar in our apple pie ... recently our son said: "The last one was too sweet!" I reminded him that there was no sugar whatsoever.The point is: if you leave out all the extra sweetners and let the flavour and natural sugar content of the apples take center stage, you will be very pleasantly surprised.
Darlene
I am thinking that they might be talking about how they are when cooked because I found this online:What kind of apples are soft and sweet?~Red Delicious. Crunchy and Mildly Sweet.~Gala. Crisp and Very Sweet. You'll go gaga for Gala!~Fuji. Crunchy and Super Sweet.~Granny Smith. Crunchy and Tart.~Honeycrisp. Crisp and Distinctly Sweet.~Cripps Pink cv. Crunchy and Sweet-Tart.~Golden Delicious. Crisp and Sweet.
hl
These varieties are given only as examples; I don't think I would "question the validity of the rest of the information..." I have very different varieties available here so would probably be using Fireside, or Regent for at least part of the mixture. Even if people aren't familiar with the characteristics of the apples they can get, mmixing as many varieties as possible is always a great thing with applles. I have access to mixed, unlabeled, varieties at my local orchard, a wonderful blessing
Sandy Snyder
This recipe is just slightly different from my tried-and-true and I will make it tomorrow as a test run. My go-to apples are Northern Spy. Hard to find but worth the effort.
Shea
Make the filling: Place a rimmed baking sheet on the lowest oven rack and heat oven to 425 degrees. Whisk the sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, cardamom and salt in a large bowl. Cut each apple into 8 wedges, then cut each piece into 1/4-inch-thick slices crosswise. Add to the bowl and pour the lime juice over, then toss until evenly coated.
walter
fuji is not a soft variety of apple, makes me question the validity of the rest of the information shared
JoAnne
This mimics my mother’s apple pie that dates back one hundred years. It’s perfection every time. It’s gone within a day. But without McIntosh apples, it’s just not as good. Those tangy sweet apples dotted with butter and lemon juice make the mouth water just thinking about it. I don’t like any ‘bite’ in my apple pie and test to make sure that’s the case before pulling it out of the oven. I brush milk over the top to assure a slightly brown finish. And I freeze a couple for the holidays.
Toini Jaffe
By rolling out the dough between two pieces of waxed paper, there’s no added flour and no mess on the counter.
Linda
For apples I use flour a lot less than 1.3 cup! Cornstarch is too gooey for my taste . For juicier fruits (peach, cherry) I’ll use tapioca, not gluey and looks pretty
parthenope
Central Pennsylvania is noted for its farmers’ markets. One farm stand owner advised me a couple years ago to use a combo of Stayman Winesap and Granny Smith in my apple pies. The results have been truly wonderful.
Blair
The recipe didn't warn you that you shouldn't try to roll pastry right out of the fridge if it's been firmly chilled. The chilling stabilizes the butter for better texture later, but no, you can't roll rock-hard pastry. Let it warm up for 30 minutes on the counter, less if the kitchen is hot. It's also much easier with 50% lard or shortening instead of all butter. Try again!
Gail
When filling the bottom crust with the coated apple slices I layer the slices in concentric circles, pressing them down as I go and building the filling to mound in the center. This keeps the pie's shape as it bakes and also makes beautiful, easy to slice pieces.The crumb thing on the crust bottom is a winner. In a similar recipe, I’d used cornflakes and it works like a charm to thicken the filling.
lizzy Zinn
Total bake time cant be 1.5 hours?! Right?
slice apple
slice app
Ginny
Clearly the best and most successful apple pie I've ever made. This will be the third Thanksgiving I've made it. The spiced cookie crumbs pressed into the bottom crust keep it crisp and flakey...no soggy crust here! And the pie stayed fresh and delicious for three days!
Susanna
I love Norther Spies for pies, and a mix of apples, but with Northern Spies dominant. I also add a couple sliced crabapples for a surprise. If you can get them,Heirloom apples are amazing. I miss Vermont--Zeke, move to WA!
Deb
Granny Smith and Rome are amazing. I have an apple peeler/corer that makes quick work of peeling apples and slices them at the same time. Good recipe.
Ivyldc
I used a store bought crust. The pie was absolutely delicious. Next time I may use an egg wash on top to give it a bit of shine.
jmack
Made this today for Thanksgiving. I've been making pie crust for many years using a food processor with satisfactory and reliable results. I decided to try this crust and followed the recipe precisely. Wow! I'll never go back to pie crust in a food processor. This was a truly flaky crust and really, no more trouble or time. I also froze the crust and used a pie tin (not ceramic) placed on a hot sheet pan. Thank you Melissa Clark for those tips! Pie will never be the same!
Gail
What do the cookie crumbs add to this? Keep the bottom crust from getting soggy? They can't still be crunchy, can they? after having a bunch of apples sitting on them?
Harvey Green
Tweak it a little. Lime juice is more subtle and doesn't intrude as much as lemon juice. Tapioca flour for thickening cooks to clear, is never gluey, and it works. About 3-4 TBSP, depending on how juicy your apples are. Rather than cookie crumbs on the bottom, try 3 TBSP almond flour or toasted almond flour (King Arthur carries it on-line) mixed with 2 TBSP and 2TBSP flour. About 3 TBSP flour. Add a small handful of dried currants to the filling for some nice flavor notes.
M.P.
My go-to all-butter pie crust recipe. The sugar water makes the dough super easy to work with and flavorful (and for some reason not tough). Mixing by hand saves me from a messy food processor and produces a flakier crust. Just a really great recipe. Have never made the “apple” part of this recipe!
Rad Rad
My pie didn’t turn out very pretty looking…I’d say more rustic…but it was deeelicious! Nice spices and the crust turned out with just the right amount of shortness. I struggled a bit with the dough - it was difficult to roll and seemed to lack moisture, but I think it was worth it in terms of taste. I’ll have to work on the rolling technique and getting the pie to look cute. The recipe is definitely a keeper!
raggedyman
Adding sugar to the apples is not merely 'gilding the lily', it's more like 'zinc-coating the lily'.
Amy
My mother-in-law shared valuable pie advice - always use Macintosh apples for baking. Even in a mixed apple recipe, I'd make at least half of them this variety. Tart and juicy, they become tender and sweet when baked.
Rory
I’ve been making apple pies with a mixture of apples for over 60 years. If you have access to heirloom varieties, in my book the ultimate mix is equal parts Winesap, Baldwin, and Russets. Each bite will yield rich, sweet, tart, and essential apple flavor. The nice part is that the cooking time for each variety is about the same, avoiding the mushy-crunchy bites you can end up with when you have some apples undercooked and some apples overcooked. And heirlooms = maximum flavor!!
Ginny
I made this last Thanksgiving (yes....the Thanksgiving interrupted by covid), and it's the BEST apple pie I ever made. Yes, there are several steps not included in your regular apple pie recipe, but everything about this pie was outstanding! One thing I really like, and please don't omit it, is the sprinkle of spiced cookie crumbs on the bottom crust. I believe I used those Swedish (or Danish...can't remember), ginger snap cookies...very thin and crisp. Everything about this pie is great!
Private notes are only visible to you.
