Timeless Spiced Apple Delight (Print version)

Tender spiced apples encased in a flaky double crust, delicious served warm with vanilla ice cream.

# What You Need:

→ Pie Crust

01 - 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 teaspoon salt
03 - 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
04 - 1 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
05 - 6 to 8 tablespoons ice water

→ Apple Filling

06 - 6 to 7 medium apples, peeled, cored, and sliced 1/4 inch thick
07 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
08 - 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
09 - 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
10 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
11 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
12 - 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
13 - 1 tablespoon lemon juice
14 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

→ Assembly

15 - 1 egg, beaten
16 - 1 tablespoon milk
17 - 1 tablespoon coarse sugar (optional)

# Directions:

01 - In a large bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and sugar. Incorporate cold butter using a pastry blender or fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Gradually add ice water, stirring until dough just comes together. Divide dough in half, shape into disks, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate at least 1 hour.
02 - Peel, core, and slice apples 1/4 inch thick. In a large bowl, combine apples with granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, flour, and lemon juice. Toss gently and set aside.
03 - Preheat oven to 400°F. On a lightly floured surface, roll out one dough disk to fit a 9-inch pie dish. Place crust into dish and fill with apple mixture. Dot filling with butter pieces. Roll out second dough disk and position over filling. Trim excess, seal and crimp edges; cut slits in top crust to vent steam.
04 - Whisk egg with milk and brush over top crust. Sprinkle with coarse sugar if desired. Bake on lower oven rack for 45 to 55 minutes until crust is golden and filling bubbles. Cover edges with foil if browning too quickly.
05 - Allow pie to cool on a wire rack for at least 2 hours before slicing. Serve warm or at room temperature, optionally with vanilla ice cream.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The crust becomes impossibly flaky when you keep everything cold and don't overwork the dough.
  • A mix of tart and sweet apples means you won't need excessive sugar, letting the fruit shine.
  • Warm vanilla ice cream melting into those spiced apples hits different than any other dessert.
02 -
  • Cutting in the butter means keeping it in distinct pieces, not blending it into oblivion; this is what creates flakiness, so resist the urge to overwork it.
  • Your apples will release liquid as the filling sits, and that's exactly what you want; don't drain it off because it becomes the sauce that holds everything together.
03 -
  • Freeze the wrapped dough disks for up to 3 months; bake straight from the freezer without thawing, just add 10–15 minutes to the baking time.
  • The pie actually improves on the second day when all those spiced flavors have had time to settle and deepen, so don't feel rushed to serve it immediately.
Return