Classic Apple Pie

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups cups All-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp tbsp Granulated sugar
• 1 tsp tsp Fine sea salt
• 1 cup cup (226g) Very cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
• 6-8 tbsp tbsp (90-120ml) Ice water
• 1 tsp tsp Apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
• 3 lb lb (1.36 kg) Apples (mix of Granny Smith + Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, or Braeburn), peeled, cored, sliced 1/4-inch thick
• 1/2 cup cup (100g) Granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup cup (70g) Packed dark brown sugar
• 3 tbsp tbsp (24g) Cornstarch
• 1 1/2 tsp tsp Ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp tsp Freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp tsp Fine sea salt
• 1 tbsp tbsp Fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp tsp Finely grated lemon zest
• 1 tbsp tbsp Vanilla bean paste
• 3 tbsp tbsp (42g) Unsalted butter
• 1 tbsp tbsp All-purpose flour (only if needed for very juicy apples)
• 1 whole Large egg
• 1 tbsp tbsp Milk or cream
• 1 tbsp tbsp Coarse sugar (optional)

Instructions

1. Prepare and chill pie dough: Whisk flour, sugar, and salt. Cut in cold butter until the mixture contains pieces ranging from coarse crumbs to pea-sized and slightly larger flattened pieces. Add vinegar to ice water. Drizzle in just enough liquid for the dough to hold together when pressed. Do not knead until smooth. Divide into two disks. Wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour.
2. Melt the 3 tbsp butter in a wide skillet over medium heat. Continue cooking until the milk solids turn golden brown and smell nutty. Do not burn.
3. Add sliced apples to the brown butter. Add granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla bean paste.
4. Cook approximately 8-12 minutes, stirring gently, until apples begin to soften and release liquid but are not fully cooked.
5. Transfer apples to a bowl or strainer, reserving the released liquid.
6. Return the liquid to the skillet. Simmer until noticeably reduced and syrupy. This is important — the goal is concentrated apple flavor rather than excess water inside the pie.
7. Toss the apples with cornstarch. Pour reduced juices over them. Cool filling completely.
8. Roll first dough disk and line a 9-inch pie plate. Chill approximately 15 minutes.
9. Add cooled apple filling. Roll second disk and cover with a full top crust or traditional lattice. Seal and crimp edges. Cut vents if using a solid top.
10. Chill assembled pie approximately 20 minutes.
11. Heat oven to 425°F / 218°C.
12. Whisk egg with milk or cream. Brush top crust lightly. Sprinkle coarse sugar if desired.
13. Bake 20 minutes at 425°F.
14. Reduce to 375°F / 190°C. Continue baking approximately 40-55 minutes. Doneness: crust deeply golden, filling bubbling visibly through vents. Bubbling must occur near the CENTER, not just edges.
15. If crust browns too quickly, shield edges loosely with foil.
16. Cool at least 3 hours before slicing. Do not slice hot — the filling needs time to set.

Nutrition

Chef's Notes

Mixing tart and sweet apples gives better flavor than using a single variety. Pre-cooking controls moisture and reduces the empty gap that can form beneath the top crust. Reducing the juices separately creates concentrated apple flavor without a watery filling. Do not slice hot — the filling needs time to set. Cool at least 3 hours before slicing.

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