Fresh Apple Pie Recipe
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This Fresh Apple Pie Recipe combines crisp Granny Smith apples, warm spices, and nutty brown butter in a flaky all-butter crust. Browning the butter adds a deep, toasted flavor to the apple filling while balancing the sweetness of the pie. It’s a classic apple pie with fresh apples and an extra layer of flavor that makes it stand out.
Try my Ricotta Pie and Maple Pecan Pie next!
Quick Look: Fresh Apple Pie Recipe
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
- Servings: 10
- Dietary Info: Vegetarian
- Method: Stovetop apple filling + oven-baked pie
- Technique: Brown the butter, prepare the apple filling, then bake in a chilled all-butter crust
- Flavor/Texture: Buttery, nutty, tart, warmly spiced, flaky
Why You’ll Love This Apple Pie
The brown butter is what makes this apple pie special to me. It adds a toasted, nutty flavor that pairs beautifully with tart Granny Smith apples and warm spices. I love how those flavors come together in a flaky, buttery crust, and I think this is the kind of fresh apple pie you’ll want to make again and again.
You’ll also love this Fresh Pumpkin Pie and Banana Cream Pie.
Made With Amore,
“This year I decided to make this pie and I will never be going back to store bought, ever!”
– Nicole
Table of Contents
Simple Ingredients
Fresh apples, brown butter, warm spices, and a flaky all-butter crust come together to make this classic apple pie.
- Fresh Apples: Granny Smith apples bring a tart flavor and hold their shape well during baking.
- Unsalted Butter: Browning the butter adds a nutty flavor to the apple filling.
- Brown Sugar: Adds sweetness and a deeper caramel-like flavor to the apples.
- Warm Spices: Cinnamon and nutmeg give the filling its classic apple pie flavor.
- All Butter Pie Crust: Creates a flaky, tender crust that pairs beautifully with the apple filling.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Variations & Substitutions
- Apple Variety: Use a combination of Granny Smith and Honeycrisp or Pink Lady for a slightly sweeter filling.
- Pie Crust Substitution: Use your favorite homemade or store-bought double pie crust if preferred. Try my Crisco Pie Crust.
- Adjust the Sweetness: Reduce the brown sugar slightly if you prefer a more tart apple filling. You’ll love my Best Easy French Apple Tart.
How to Make Fresh Apple Pie
The apple and brown butter filling is sweet, rich, and tangy, and has the perfect texture with just the right amount of spice. Follow the step-by-step photos and see the recipe card at the bottom for a printable version.
- Peel and core the apples, then cut them into even slices, about ¼-inch thick. Place them in a bowl and toss with lemon juice.
- Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Continue cooking, swirling occasionally, until the butter foams and the milk solids turn golden, about 5–8 minutes. Watch carefully so it doesn’t burn. Remove from the heat and let cool.
- In another bowl, combine the granulated sugar, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and salt.
- Add the brown butter and vanilla to the apples, then the sugar mixture. Toss gently until the apples are coated.
- On a floured surface, roll one disk of pie dough into a ⅛-inch thick circle. Transfer it to a 9-inch pie dish, allowing the excess to hang over.
- Spoon the filling into the crust, slightly mounding them in the center. Pour any remaining juices from the bowl over the apples.
- Roll out the second disk of dough and place it over the apples. Trim any excess dough, leaving about a 1-inch overhang. Fold the edges under and crimp to seal. Cut several small slits in the top to allow steam to escape. Place the assembled pie in the freezer for 15 minutes while you preheat the oven to 415°F. Position an oven rack in the lower third of the oven. Brush the crust with the egg wash. Sprinkle with sanding sugar, if desired.
- Place the pie on a parchment or foil-lined rimmed baking sheet to catch any drips. Bake at 415°F for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 375°F and continue baking for 45 minutes. Loosely tent the pie with aluminum foil. Continue baking for about 20 minutes, or until the filling is visibly bubbling through the vents and the crust is golden brown. Transfer the pie to a wire rack and let cool for at least 4 hours before slicing.
Fresh Apple Pie Recipe FAQs
Granny Smith apples are my first choice because they are tart, crisp, and hold their shape well during baking. Their tart flavor balances the sweetness of the brown butter filling. You can also combine Granny Smith with a firm, sweeter apple such as Honeycrisp or Pink Lady.
The pie is ready when the crust is deeply golden and the apple filling is bubbling through the vents in the top crust. Look for bubbling juices rather than relying only on the color of the crust. If the crust browns too quickly, loosely tent it with foil and continue baking.
Make sure the pie bakes long enough for the filling to bubble through the vents. The pie also needs to cool completely before slicing so the filling has time to set.
Store cooled apple pie covered at room temperature for up to 2 days. For longer storage, refrigerate for up to 4 days. Reheat individual slices in the microwave or warm the pie in a 350°F oven.
Serving Suggestions
This fresh apple pie makes a lovely finish to a fall meal. I especially love serving it after Juicy Oven Baked Pork Tenderloin, Stuffed Acorn Squash, or Brown Butter Sage Gnocchi. For more desserts, pair it with Libby’s Pumpkin Bread, Cinnamon Sugar Baked Donuts, or another seasonal favorite, like my Pecan Pie Brownies.
My Pro Tips
Recipe Tips
- Brown the butter carefully. Cook it until golden and fragrant, but don’t let it burn.
- Keep the pie dough cold. Chilled dough helps create a flaky crust.
- Don’t skip the vents. They allow steam from the fresh apple filling to escape as the pie bakes.
- Watch the crust. If it browns too quickly before the filling bubbles, loosely tent it with foil.
- Let the pie cool completely. The filling continues to set as it cools, making cleaner slices.
More Indulgent Recipes Featuring Apples
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Fresh Apple Pie
Ingredients
Pie Crust
- 1 recipe Ultimate All Butter Pie Crust Recipe
- 1 large egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash
- Coarse or sanding sugar, for topping, optional
Brown Butter Apple Filling
- 4 tablespoons ½ stick unsalted butter
- 3 pounds Granny Smith apples, about 6–7 medium apples
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- ½ teaspoon coarse kosher salt
- 1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped, or 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prepare the apples. Peel and core the apples, then cut them into even slices, about ¼-inch thick. Place them in a large mixing bowl and toss with the lemon juice.
- Brown the butter. Melt the butter in a small, light-colored saucepan over medium heat. Continue cooking, swirling the pan occasionally, until the butter foams and the milk solids turn golden brown and smell nutty, about 5–8 minutes. Watch carefully so it doesn’t burn. Remove from the heat and let cool for a few minutes.
- Make the apple filling. In a separate bowl, combine the granulated sugar, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and salt. Add the brown butter and vanilla to the apples, then add the sugar mixture. Toss gently until all the apples are evenly coated.
- Prepare the bottom crust. On a lightly floured surface, roll one disk of pie dough into a circle about ⅛-inch thick. Gently transfer it to a 9-inch pie dish, allowing the excess dough to hang over the edges.
- Fill the pie. Spoon the apple filling into the prepared crust, arranging the apples evenly and slightly mounding them in the center. Pour any remaining juices from the bowl over the apples.
- Add the top crust. Roll out the second disk of dough and place it over the apples. Trim any excess dough, leaving about a 1-inch overhang. Fold the edges under and crimp to seal. Cut several small slits in the top to allow steam to escape.
- Chill. Place the assembled pie in the freezer for 15 minutes while you preheat the oven to 415°F. Position an oven rack in the lower third of the oven.
- Add the egg wash. Brush the chilled crust lightly with the egg wash. Sprinkle with coarse or sanding sugar, if desired. Place the pie on a parchment or foil-lined rimmed baking sheet to catch any drips.
- Bake. Bake at 415°F for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 375°F and continue baking for 45 minutes.
- Cover and finish baking. Loosely tent the pie with aluminum foil to prevent the crust from becoming too dark. Continue baking for about 20 minutes, or until the filling is visibly bubbling through the vents and the crust is deep golden brown.
- Cool completely. Transfer the pie to a wire rack and let cool for at least 4 hours before slicing. This gives the apple filling time to thicken and set.
Notes
- Brown the butter carefully. Cook it until golden and fragrant, but don’t let it burn.
- Keep the pie dough cold. Chilled dough helps create a flaky crust.
- Don’t skip the vents. They allow steam from the fresh apple filling to escape as the pie bakes.
- Watch the crust. If it browns too quickly before the filling bubbles, loosely tent it with foil.
- Let the pie cool completely. The filling continues to set as it cools, making cleaner slices.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Should I include or discard the juices when adding the apples?
You can do either, we always include.