Why “Grandma’s Apple Pie” Works & What Makes It “Easy”
Many recipes titled “Grandma’s Apple Pie” aim to capture:
A flaky, buttery double crust
A warmly spiced apple filling with sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg
A top crust (solid or lattice)
Techniques to prevent sogginess or underbaked filling
Relatively modest ingredient list (no exotic things)
For example, Taste of Home’s “Grandma’s Apple Pie” uses a double crust, sliced apples, sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, butter, and a milk wash.
tasteofhome.com
Another version (Marie Saba’s) uses two crusts, sliced apples, brown sugar + white sugar, flour, spices, melted butter, and a cream brush before baking.
Marie Saba
So this “master version” leans on classic foundations like those, with optional tweaks and safety nets to make it reliably “easy” (i.e. forgiving).
Ingredients & Their Purpose
Here’s a full ingredient list (for a 9‑inch double crust apple pie, ~8–10 servings). Later I’ll suggest optional swaps or extras.
Crust (Double Crust: top + bottom)
2½ cups (≈ 320 g) all‑purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 cup (2 sticks / ≈ 226 g) cold unsalted butter, cubed
6 to 8 tablespoons ice water (plus extra if needed)
Purpose & tips:
The cold butter pieces create pockets of fat so the crust becomes flaky.
Salt and a bit of sugar balance and enhance flavor.
Ice water ensures the dough comes together without melting butter.
Work fast so butter doesn’t soften too much.
Apple Filling
6–8 medium apples (≈ 2½ to 3 pounds / 1.1 – 1.4 kg), peeled, cored, and sliced to about ¼ to ⅜ inch thick (you can use a mix of tart + sweet apples)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (to prevent browning and add brightness)
¾ cup (≈ 150 g) granulated sugar
½ cup (≈ 100 g) packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons all‑purpose flour (or cornstarch)
1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Pinch of salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
(Optional) 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Purpose & tips:
The mix of sugars gives sweetness and flavor depth.
Flour (or cornstarch) helps thicken the filling so it doesn’t run.
Spices (cinnamon, nutmeg) give the classic apple pie aroma.
Butter adds richness and helps meld flavors.
Vanilla (optional) adds a subtle layer of warmth.
Egg / Milk Wash & Finishing
1 egg (or 1 egg yolk) + 1 tablespoon milk or cream (for brushing top crust)
(Optional) Coarse sugar or granulated sugar to sprinkle over top for sparkle/crunch
Equipment & Preparation Notes
You’ll need:
9‑inch (≈ 23 cm) pie dish
Rolling pin
Two mixing bowls (one for crust, one for filling)
Pastry cutter / fork / hands for cutting butter into flour
Knife or apple slicer
Peeler
Brush for egg wash
Aluminum foil or pie shield (for crust edges)
Wire cooling rack
Before you begin:
Chill your butter and even your flour in the freezer for ~15 minutes if your kitchen is warm.
Chill your mixing bowl and utensils if possible (keeps butter firm).
Prepare a baking sheet under the pie dish (in case of drips).
Let oven preheat fully by the time you're ready to bake.
Step‑by‑Step Instructions & Timing
Here is a full process with approximate timings and tips. Total active time might be ~40–50 minutes, plus baking ~1 hour and cooling/resting.
1. Make the Pie Dough (≈ 15 minutes)
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and sugar.
Add the cold butter cubes. Using a pastry cutter, fork, or your fingertips, cut/mix the butter into the flour until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs with some pea‑sized bits. Enough pieces of butter should remain so the crust will be flaky.
Add ice water, one tablespoon at a time, mixing gently (with a fork or spatula) until dough just comes together. You may not need all the water; stop when the dough holds together when pinched.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Press into two discs (for top and bottom crust). Wrap each in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator at least 30 minutes (or up to a few hours).
2. Prepare Apple Filling (≈ 10 minutes)
Peel, core, and slice the apples to uniform thickness (~¼ to ⅜ inch).
In a large bowl, toss apples with lemon juice to prevent browning.
In a separate small bowl, mix together granulated sugar, brown sugar, flour (or cornstarch), cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
Sprinkle sugar mixture over apples; toss gently so slices are evenly coated.
Optionally, allow apples to rest 5–10 minutes so juices start to release — this helps reduce runniness.
3. Assemble the Pie (≈ 5–10 minutes)
Preheat oven to 425 °F (≈ 220 °C).
On a floured surface, roll out one chilled dough disc into a circle somewhat larger than your pie dish. Transfer it into the dish, pressing gently into bottom and sides; leaving an overhang.
Fill with the apple mixture, mounding slightly. Dot with small pieces of butter over top of apples.
Roll out the second dough disc. You can choose solid top, full cover, or lattice design. Place it over apples; trim overhang, then fold and crimp edges to seal.
Cut slits or holes in the top crust (if using a solid top) so steam can escape.
Brush the top crust with the egg + milk wash. Sprinkle additional sugar if desired.
Optionally, wrap edges with foil or use a pie shield to prevent edge overbrowning.
4. Bake the Pie (≈ 50–70 minutes)
Place pie on a baking sheet (to catch any spillovers). Put into preheated oven.
Bake at 425 °F for ~20 minutes initially (this helps the crust set).
Then reduce oven temperature to 375 °F (≈ 190–190 °C) and continue baking 30–40 minutes (or more) until crust is golden and the filling is bubbling at the edges.
If the top crust is browning too fast, loosely cover with foil or shield.
To test doneness, you can peek through slits — juices should be thickened and bubbling; apples should be tender when pierced.
5. Cool, Slice & Serve (≈ 1–2 hours for cooling)
Remove from oven and allow to cool on a wire rack. Cooling is essential so the filling sets and doesn’t run when you slice.
After 1–2 hours (or even better, longer), slice and serve. You can warm slices slightly when serving or serve at room temperature.
Optionally serve with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, or caramel sauce.
Tips, Tricks & Secrets to Make It Truly Great
Use a mix of apple types — one tart (e.g. Granny Smith) + one sweeter (e.g. Honeycrisp, Fuji) gives balance between firmness and sweetness (Marie Saba’s version uses GR+ mix)
Marie Saba
Slice apples evenly — consistent thickness ensures even cooking.
Don’t overfill — leave a little breathing room so filling doesn’t bubble over too much.
Precook filling lightly (optional) — some recipes gently sauté apples with butter & sugar briefly to remove excess moisture (Confetti & Bliss version does this)
Confetti and Bliss
Chill your dough — keeps butter from melting and makes crust flakier.
Guard edges — the pie edges often brown first; use foil or a pie ring to protect them mid-bake.
Vent holes or lattice — allows steam to escape, avoiding soggy crusts.
Egg wash + sugar on top — gives a golden shine and a slight crisp sugar finish.
Bake on lower rack — gives better bottom crust crispness.
Let it cool well — slicing too early yields runny filling.
Reheat gently — if you warm slices later, use moderate oven (say 325–350 °F) for a few minutes.
Variations & Adaptations
Crumb / streusel top — instead of top crust, combine flour + sugar + butter (and maybe oats) and sprinkle over the top (a “Grandma’s Crumb Apple Pie” version)
food.com
Lattice crust — weave strips over the top for decorative & breathable design (some versions use this)
Chinet®
+1
Deep dish style — use deeper pie dish and more apples/filling; adjust baking time upward.
Single crust / open face — skip top crust (less work) and make a “half apple pie / apple tart” style.
Add warm spices — cloves, allspice, ginger for extra warmth.
Add flavor enhancers — a splash of vanilla, a bit of apple brandy, or a pinch of salt to deepen flavors.
Mini pies / hand pies — divide filling into smaller dough rounds for personal pies.
Glaze after baking — brush with melted butter + sugar or fruit jam to give shine and flavor (Marie Saba’s method brushes heavy cream)
Marie Saba
Troubleshooting Common Issues
Problem Likely Cause Fix / Prevention
Bottom crust soggy Filling too watery, underbaked, crust too thick Use thickener (flour or cornstarch), bake longer, preheat with bottom heat, cook filling a bit before assembly
Apples undercooked / firm Too thick slices, insufficient bake time Slice more thinly, increase bake time, position pie lower in oven
Top crust burns before filling done Oven too hot, no foil shield Lower temp after first 20 min, shield edges with foil
Filling runny / leaks Not enough thickener or filling too juicy Add enough flour or cornstarch, avoid over juicing, vent holes
Crust tough or chewy Overworking dough, warm butter, overhandling Handle dough gently, chill, don’t over-knead
Crust shrinks away from sides Dough stretched when placing, no rest Let dough rest in pan before baking, don’t stretch to edges
Full Clean Printable Version
Here’s a version you can copy or print — the “Easy Grandma’s Apple Pie” you can rely on.
Easy Grandma’s Apple Pie
Yields: ~8–10 slices
Prep time: ~30–40 min (includes dough chilling)
Bake time: ~50–70 min
Total time (with cooling): ~2.5–3 hours
Ingredients
Crust
2½ cups all‑purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup (cold) unsalted butter, cubed
6–8 Tbsp ice water
Filling
6–8 medium apples, peeled, cored, sliced (¼–⅜ inch)
1 Tbsp lemon juice
¾ cup granulated sugar
½ cup packed light brown sugar
2 Tbsp flour (or cornstarch)
1½ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
Pinch salt
2 Tbsp butter, small pieces
(Optional) 1 tsp vanilla extract
Egg Wash / Finishing
1 egg (or egg yolk) + 1 Tbsp milk or cream
(Optional) Sugar for sprinkling
Instructions
Make crust: Whisk flour, salt, sugar. Cut in cold butter until crumbly. Add ice water gradually till dough just holds. Form into two discs, wrap, and chill at least 30 min.
Prepare filling: Slice apples and toss with lemon juice. Mix sugars, flour, spices, salt; coat apples with this mixture.
Assemble pie: Roll first crust, line pie dish. Fill with apples, dot with butter. Roll second crust (or make lattice), cover, trim & crimp. Cut vents or patterns.
Finishing touches: Brush top crust with egg wash; sprinkle sugar if you like. Shield edges with foil if browning too fast.
Bake: Bake at 425 °F (220 °C) for ~20 min, then reduce temperature to 375 °F (190 °C) and bake additional ~30–50 min until crust is golden and filling bubbles.
Cool: Remove and cool on rack for at least 1–2 hours or until filling sets.
Serve: Slice warm or room temp. Serve with ice cream, whipped cream, or caramel sauce.
If you like, I can also send you a metric / grams version, or a simplified version (using pre‑made crusts) so it’s faster, or even a video walkthrough of an “easy grandma’s apple pie.” Would you like me to send one of those?
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