ByJohnathan
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Our Southern apple pie is a family favorite recipe featuring fresh apples tossed in cinnamon and nutmeg and baked in a buttery crust.
Apple pie is one of those classic desserts and everyone has their own special recipe. Well, we’re no different. Today, we’re sharing our Southern apple pie recipe.
It’s a dessert that Kim and I have been making for years. She makes the filling and I make the crust.
Her apple pie filling consists of fresh apples, lemon juice, 2 kinds of sugar, and a custom spice blend. My crust recipe is made with only 4 ingredients and with a few tips, it’s a no-fuss, no-fail pie crust.
How to make a Southern apple pie:
First things first, you have to start with the pie crust. Make it homemade using our recipe, your favorite recipe, or a store bought crust. You’ll need enough dough for a top and bottom crust. Prep the bottom crust, place it in a 9-inch pie dish, crimp the edges, and place the dough in the fridge while you make the filling.
Homemade Apple Pie Filling:
Preheat your oven to 375°F and core, peel, and slice the apples. Afterward, place the apple slices into a large mixing bowl. Pour the lemon juice over the apples.
Doing so will prevent them from browning. Now, toss the apples with the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, ground cinnamon, and nutmeg.
Then, once the apples are coated with dry ingredients, transfer them to the pie crust. Sprinkle the pieces of butter over the apples.
Grab the 2nd ball of dough from the fridge and roll it out into a large circle that covers the top of the pie. Place it over the apples and crimp the 2 pie crusts together to form a tight seam. Trim away and discard any excess dough
Using a sharp knife, cut 4 slits into the top of the pie. Another option is to cut the 2nd pie crust into strips and make a lattice pattern.
Either way, when your down topping the pie, grab a second bowl. In that bowl, whisk together the cracked egg and water.
Brush the top of the pie with the egg wash (egg and water mixture). Place the pie onto a baking sheet, and bake for 45-55 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the filling is bubbling.
Last, remove the pie from the oven and let it cool for at least 1 hour before slicing. That’s it, your homemade Southern apple pie recipe is done! Kim and I hope you enjoy it and wish you all the best 🙂
Recipe Tips:
- Use a food processor to prepare the dough. It makes the process much easier and saves you a lot of work. To keep your countertops clean, roll the dough out between 2 large pieces of parchment or wax paper.
- Lattice work can be tricky. Kim learned how to do it by watching a video from Feast and Farm Cooks. Watch the video for her blackberry pie. She starts the lattice work at 5:10 mark. Click the link to be taken to her video.
- This is a long recipe, so I recommend starting it early. You can always make the crusts in advance and store them in your fridge for up to 3-days. Alternatively, you can make the crusts weeks in advance and freeze the homemade pie crusts. When stored properly, they will hold in your freezer for up to 2 months. Just be sure to thaw them in your fridge before baking.
- What are the best apples for apple pie? Personally, I use whatever I can find. Granny Smiths, Golden Delicious, and Braeburn are all great options for a Southern apple pie recipe.
Other dessert recipes you may love:
- Rhubarb Crisp
- Blackberry Crumble Pie
- Cherry Pie with Crumb Topping
- Apple Butter Pie
- Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls
- Fresh Cherry Crisp
- Pumpkin Pie
Southern Apple Pie Recipe
5 from 3 votes
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Author: Kim
Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes minutes
Additional Time: 2 hours hours
Total Time: 3 hours hours 5 minutes minutes
Servings: 8 Servings
Ingredients
Bottom Pie Crust
- 1 pie crust, 9-inch (homemade or store bought)
Pie Filling
- 3 pounds apples, cored, peeled and cut into ½ inch slices (about 6-8 medium to large Granny Smith, Braeburn, or Honeycrisp varieties.)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup light brown sugar
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold, cut into small pieces
Top Pie Crust
- 1 pie crust, 9-inch (homemade or store bought)
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon water
Instructions
For the Top Pie Crust:
Use a rolling pin to roll out the dough into a 12 inch circle (⅓ inch thick). Place the crust into the pie dish, pushing it down into the pan. It’s okay if the crust hangs over the edge a little. You’ll crimp it into place later.
1 pie crust
For the Pie Filling
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Place the apple slices in a large bowl, and add lemon juice as you slice to keep them from browning.
3 pounds apples
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Add the granulated sugar, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Toss to combine. Transfer the apples to the pie dish, and dot with the cubed butter.
⅓ cup granulated sugar
⅓ cup light brown sugar
¼ cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
For the Top Pie Crust:
Roll out the second portion of dough and place it over the top to create the top crust. Crimp the 2 crusts together. Cut 3 to 4 slits in the top for venting. Another option is to cut the second pie crust into strips for a lattice top.
1 pie crust
In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and 1 tablespoon of water to make the egg wash. Brush the egg wash over the top pie crust. Place the pie on a foil lined baking sheet (for easy cleanup in case is spills over).
1 large egg
1 tablespoon water
Bake for 45 to 55 minutes or until the crust is browned and the filling is bubbly. Remove from the oven, and allow to cool for at least an hour or more before serving; otherwise, the filling will run out of the crust and won’t set.
Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Suggested Equipment
Notes
*The calories listed are an approximation based on the ingredients in the recipe card and a serving size of 1-slice of the Southern apple pie. Actual calories will vary.
*For more information and tips, please refer to the post.
Nutrition
Serving: 1sliceCalories: 411kcalCarbohydrates: 65gProtein: 4gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 32mgSodium: 187mgPotassium: 252mgFiber: 5gSugar: 35gVitamin A: 254IUVitamin C: 9mgCalcium: 34mgIron: 2mg
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