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Apple Pie

A traditional apple pie that combines tart apples with cinnamon, nutmeg, and a small amount of lemon. Can be served warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
Based on a recipe from The Good Housekeeping Illustrated Cookbook, Zoe Coulson, Hearst Books, New York, 1980, p 346.
Prep Time1 hour 20 minutes
Cook Time50 minutes
Total Time1 hour 50 minutes
Course: Desserts - Pies and Tarts
Keyword: Freezes Well
Servings: 8 servings
Author: Catherine Christiano

Ingredients

  • Standard Pie Pastry for 2-Crust 9 inch pie
  • 2/3 cup sugar
  • 2 tablespoons unbleached flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 8 - 9 cups thinly sliced, peeled, cored Granny Smith apples about 2 1/2 pounds or 5 large to 6 medium
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons milk

Optional for Serving

  • vanilla ice cream or whipped cream

Instructions

  • Place oven rack in middle position and preheat to 425°F. Cover a rimmed baking pan that is wider than pie plate with foil and place on a rack below the one in the middle position, to protect oven from overflowing pie juices.
  • In large bowl, combine sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and lemon peel. Add sliced apples and then lemon juice. Stir well to combine.
  • Prepare pastry. Roll out half of pastry and line 9-inch pie plate. Arrange apple mixture evenly in pastry-lined pie plate.
  • Roll out remaining pastry for top crust, make vent holes by using a fork or cut out decorative designs. Place top crust over filling. Trim overhanging dough leaving about a half inch all the way around. Use fingers to form a fluted edge. Brush the top crust (not the edge) lightly with some milk.
  • If freezing, stop here. Wrap tightly and place in freezer.
  • To prevent the edge from browning too soon, wrap with a 2 - 3 inch strip of aluminum foil.  Bake pie for 35 minutes then remove foil protecting the edge. Bake 5 - 15 minutes longer. Juices should be bubbling out of cracks and top crust should be golden. The apples should be tender.
  • Allow pie to rest about 15 minutes before serving. Best served warm. Can be served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

Notes

To bake frozen pie, preheat oven to 425 degrees F, unwrap pie, protect edge with foil, and bake frozen approximately 65 - 70 minutes.
When entertaining, to warm up a pie baked earlier in the day, preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Heat pie in oven for about 20 minutes.