Double-Crust Apple Pie
A flaky all-butter crust filled with cinnamon-spiced apples, baked until bubbling and golden.
You'll need: 9-inch pie plate, rimmed baking sheet
A little history
Apple pie came to America with European settlers, and as apple orchards spread across the country it became one of the nation's best-known desserts. Older recipe cards often list just "apples, sugar, spice, butter" and leave the pastry to memory.
How we've written it for today
We spell out the pastry, mix tart and sweet apples for the best texture, and bake on a lower rack so the bottom crust browns. Cooling for several hours lets the filling set into clean slices.
Directions
- Make the crust: whisk the flour, salt and sugar, then cut in the butter until pea-size pieces remain. Sprinkle in ice water a tablespoon at a time, tossing until the dough holds together when squeezed. Divide in two, flatten into discs, wrap and chill for at least 1 hour.
- Heat the oven to 425°F with a rack in the lower third and a baking sheet on the rack below to catch drips.
- Toss the apples with the sugar, flour, spices, salt and lemon juice.
- Roll one disc into a 12-inch circle and fit it into the pie plate. Add the filling, mounding it in the center. Roll the second disc and place it on top. Trim, fold the edges under and crimp. Cut several vents.
- Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with coarse sugar. Bake for 20 minutes, then lower the heat to 375°F and bake 45–55 minutes more, until the crust is deep golden and the juices bubble thickly through the vents. Cover the edges with foil if they brown too quickly.
- Cool on a rack for at least 3 hours before slicing.
Tips from the recipe card
- Bubbling juices in the center mean the thickener has activated — don't pull the pie too early.
- Chilling the assembled pie for 20 minutes before baking helps the crust hold its shape.
Serving & keeping
- Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or a slice of sharp cheddar, a New England tradition.
- Store covered at room temperature for 2 days, or refrigerate up to 4 days.
Found a recipe like this in an old family notebook? Our guide to reading old recipes can help you make sense of it.
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