American
Double Crust Apple Pie
The original American comfort — warm, spiced, buttery and entirely irresistible.
Recipe by Cyman Huang
Cooked, styled and photographed in his kitchen.
There is no more quintessentially American dish than apple pie. It became a national symbol so powerful that the expression “as American as apple pie” entered the language.
But the truth is even better than the metaphor: a properly made apple pie, with a flaky all-butter crust and a spiced filling that is neither too sweet nor too liquid, is one of the finest things a home cook can produce.
Watch it come together
Ingredients
For the all-butter pie crust (makes 2 crusts)
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, very cold, cubed
- 6–8 tbsp ice water
For the filling
- 3 lbs (about 7 medium) apples — mix of Granny Smith & Honeycrisp
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup packed light brown sugar
- 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
- ¼ tsp ground allspice
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
For the egg wash
- 1 large egg
- 1 tbsp whole milk
- 2 tbsp coarse sugar (for sprinkling)
Method
- 1
MAKE THE CRUST: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, salt and sugar. Add the cold cubed butter and work it into the flour until you have a mix of pea-sized and smaller pieces, with some larger flat shards remaining. Those flat shards are what create flaky layers — don't overwork it.
- 2
Add ice water one tablespoon at a time, tossing with a fork, until the dough just barely comes together when you squeeze a handful. It should look shaggy, not smooth. Divide into two equal discs, wrap in plastic and refrigerate at least 1 hour (up to 2 days).
- 3
MAKE THE FILLING: Peel, core and slice apples ¼-inch thick. Toss with both sugars, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, lemon juice and vanilla. Let sit 15 minutes while you prepare the crust.
- 4
ASSEMBLE: Preheat oven to 425°F with a rack in the lower third and a foil-lined baking sheet on the rack below. Roll one disc into a 12-inch circle, transfer to a 9-inch pie dish and leave 1 inch overhang.
- 5
Pour in the filling, mounding it slightly, and dot with butter. Roll out the second disc and lay it over the top. Trim to a 1-inch overhang, fold the edge under and crimp. Cut 5–6 vents in the top crust.
- 6
BAKE: Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with coarse sugar. Bake at 425°F for 20 minutes, then reduce to 375°F and bake 35–45 minutes more, until the crust is deep golden and juices bubble through the vents. Cover the edges with foil if they brown too quickly.
- 7
Cool on a wire rack at least 2 hours before cutting. The filling needs time to set. I know it's hard. Do it anyway.
Substitutions
- Chef's Tip: Use at least two varieties of apple — a tart one (Granny Smith) to hold its shape and provide acidity, and a sweeter one (Honeycrisp, Braeburn or Golden Delicious) for sweetness and complexity. All Granny Smith produces a great pie; all Honeycrisp produces a mushy one.
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