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    Home » Recipes » Recipes

    Grandma's Old Fashioned Apple Pie

    September 27, 2012 by Laureen King

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    Grandma's Old Fashioned Apple Pie recipe starts with an ultra flaky made from scratch pie crust, then filled with fresh apples in sweet cinnamon filling. The best apple pie you will ever eat! via @artandthekitchGrandma's Old Fashioned Apple Pie recipe starts with an ultra flaky made from scratch pie crust, then filled with fresh apples in sweet cinnamon filling. The best apple pie you will ever eat! via @artandthekitch

    Nothing beats the taste of Grandma's Old Fashioned Apple Pie! This best apple pie recipe has an amazingly flaky crust and delicious apple cinnamon filling.

    Slice of apple pie on decorative plate with gold plated fork.

    Autumn is such a beautiful season, full of vibrant colors. As a kid growing up in Saskatchewan this was a very busy time, as it was harvest time! We grew an enormous garden at my Grandparent's farm as well as one in town. The best home-grown vegetables to keep a large family well-fed over the winter. After spending a hard day working, my Grandma would make a hearty dinner, usually her Sunday Dinner Chicken. For dessert, we would enjoy her best-ever Apple Pie!

    Apple pie with golden flaky crust on checkered cloth with cinnamon sticks and basket of apples in background.

    I don't think I will ever be able to bake apple pie quite as good as my Grandma's, but this homemade apple pie recipe comes pretty close. She baked her pie using a wood-burning stove! It was incredible how Grandma could bake amazing bread, cakes, cookies and pies, in a wood-burning oven. I have no idea how she regulated the baking temperature!

    Tips for making the flakiest pie crust

    Use a combination of butter and lard. Make sure it is well chilled, NOT room temperature!

    The water should be ice-cold! Add only enough water until the pie dough comes together.

    Don't overwork the dough, you want to have small chunks of butter in the dough.

    Wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

    Try not to stretch the pie dough as you place it into the pie plate. This will cause it to shrink.

    Be sure to cut slits in the top crust, this vents the pie and prevents moisture from building up causing a soggy crust.

    slice of apple pie on decorative plate.

    How to make the apple pie filling

    Peel and slice the apples making sure to remove any seeds. There is nothing worse than taking a bite of apple pie with a bitter seed in it. An apple peeler works great for this job.

    Toss the apple slices with brown and white sugar, cinnamon and Minute tapioca. I prefer my apple pie with just cinnamon and no other spices.

    Apple pie with golden flaky crust on checkered cloth with cinnamon sticks and basket of apples in background.

    Why use Minute tapioca in Pies?

    Minute tapioca is an ingredient I always use to thicken fruit fillings. It helps prevent the pie filling from being too watery and the juices making your bottom crust soggy.

    I prefer Minute Tapioca as a thickener, but all-purpose flour or cornstarch can also be used.

    Best apples to use for apple filling?

    • I am lucky to have two apple trees growing in my yard. I have no idea what kind they are, but they are firm, with tart flavor that tastes similar to a Macintosh apple.
    • My favorite baking apple is Macintosh.
    • Granny Smith are also great to use. They are a bit more tart apples, so you may have to add a tad more sugar.
    • Honeycrisp
    • Pink Lady
    Wicker basket full of apples.

    Some other great apple recipes to enjoy!

    Apple Cobbler

    Best Ever Apple Crisp Pie

    Apple Bread Pudding

    Slice of apple pie on decorative plate with gold plated fork.

    Grandma's Old Fashioned Apple Pie

    Laureen King
    My Grandma's Old Fashioned Apple Pie recipe with an amazingly flaky crust and delicious apple cinnamon filling.
    3.85 from 90 votes
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    Prep Time 30 mins
    Cook Time 1 hr 30 mins
    Total Time 2 hrs
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Servings 8
    Calories 454 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    Apple Filling

    • 8-10 apples peeled and sliced
    • ½ cup brown sugar
    • ½ cup white sugar
    • 1 ½ teaspoon cinnamon
    • 2 tablespoon Minute tapioca

    Pie Crust

    • 2 ½ cups all purpose flour
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 1 ½ teaspoon sugar
    • ½ cup butter chilled
    • ½ cup lard chilled
    • 5-7 tablespoons ice cold water
    • 2 teaspoons cream

    Instructions
     

    Pie Crust

    • Mix together flour, 1 ½ teaspoon of sugar and 1 teaspoon of salt.
    • Using a pastry blender, blend together chilled butter, lard and flour until crumbly (pea size chunks).
    • Start by blending 4 tablespoons of ice-cold water into the flour mixture.
    • Add more water a tablespoon at a time until mixed and dough sticks together when pressed. Do not make it too wet, just enough water to have the dough come together.
    • DO not over-mix the dough or your pie crust will be tough.
    • Divide in half, cover with plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes.

    Apple Filling

    • While the dough is chilling, in a large bowl toss together apple slices, white and brown sugar, tapioca and cinnamon.
    • Roll out pie dough to make two crusts that cover the pie plate with about an inch excess.
    • Place one crust in the bottom of the pie pan.
    • Pile high with apple filling, cover with the other pie crust. Pinch together the crusts to seal the edges.
    • Brush the top of the crust with a bit of cream.
    • Sprinkle top with white sugar and cinnamon.
    • Cut slits in the crust to vent the pie as it bakes
    • Bake in the oven on the middle rack at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 1 hour The top should be golden brown.
    • Cover the edge with a pie shield or foil if the edge starts to brown too much while baking.

    Notes

    Make sure your butter, lard and water are well chilled before starting! Use more or less sugar depending on how tart your apples are. Place foil or a baking sheet on the bottom rack of the oven in case the pie bubbles over. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 454kcalCarbohydrates: 84gProtein: 4gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 30mgSodium: 398mgPotassium: 259mgFiber: 5gSugar: 45gVitamin A: 565IUVitamin C: 9.2mgCalcium: 42mgIron: 2.2mg
    Keyword apple pie, flaky pie crust
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
    Slice of apple pie on decorative plate with gold plated fork.
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Laureen

      September 29, 2012 at 2:39 pm

      Thanks Michelle, I picked a lot of nice sized apples off my tree this year, so I need some more apple recipes, got any good ones?

      Reply
    2. Virtual Paul

      October 01, 2012 at 5:36 pm

      Wow looks delish! I am so going to make this lol. BTW, I am your newest blog folower.

      Reply
    3. Laureen

      October 01, 2012 at 11:03 pm

      Thanks for the follow, checked out your blog and followed you back

      Reply
    4. Sheri Johnson

      February 03, 2013 at 5:20 pm

      Looks wonderful. New Superbowl tradition.

      Reply
      • Laureen King

        February 03, 2013 at 5:28 pm

        That's a great Sheri, we always need another reason to bake up an apple pie!

        Reply
    5. Unknown

      March 28, 2013 at 2:32 pm

      This looks absolutely delicious! I will attempt this recipe and make it for my family on Easter! 🙂

      Reply
      • Laureen King

        March 28, 2013 at 7:01 pm

        Apple pie will be an awesome Easter dessert for your family!

        Reply
    6. J Goff

      April 21, 2013 at 11:16 pm

      What kind of apples did you use?

      Reply
      • Laureen King

        April 21, 2013 at 11:25 pm

        Hi J , the apples I used came off my very own apple tree that was a special graft of tree, so not sure variety but they are very similar to a macintosh apple.

        Reply
      • Michelle R. Taylor -Franklin

        March 03, 2019 at 7:38 pm

        I used Granny Smith Apple's from Washington State! They are a little sharpness because of the tart apples, I prefer them. ~It cuts the sweetness and goes perfect with a little vanilla ice-cream!!!~

        Reply
    7. Anonymous

      September 29, 2013 at 4:39 pm

      Making this today just scared about making the crust. Never made one before

      Reply
      • Laureen King

        September 30, 2013 at 9:05 pm

        The crust is simple to make, just don't overwork the dough. I've always had a problem with my pie dripping as I bake it, then burning to bottom of oven, so make sure you have tin foil (fold to make sure it has edges so drips don't just run off) and replace with new foil if it starts to burn on and smoke.

        Reply
    8. Anonymous

      September 28, 2014 at 3:40 pm

      I WANT TO USE MAC APPLES, WILL THEY WORK FOR APIE?

      Reply
      • Laureen King

        September 28, 2014 at 3:49 pm

        McIntosh apples are perfect! one of my favourite apples for baked desserts.

        Reply
    9. Anonymous

      October 19, 2014 at 1:41 pm

      looks delicious gonna make on today, ty
      BTW i live in McIntosh country in upstate New York Several apple orchards around me

      Reply
      • Laureen King

        October 20, 2014 at 2:37 pm

        You are so lucky, one of my favourite apples are McIntosh!

        Reply
    10. edie

      November 22, 2015 at 1:27 pm

      How do you keep the bottom pie crust from becoming soggy??

      Reply
      • Laureen King

        November 22, 2015 at 1:58 pm

        Hey Edie, I find that varies with type of apples used. I actually don't mind bottom crust being a bit soggy, but if you don't you can always toss a tablespoon of minute tapioca or flour with the apples before filling pie crust. I will add that to recipe instructions.

        Reply
      • Nancy Fowler

        December 22, 2018 at 1:32 pm

        I was told to prebake the bottom crust at least halfway and the crust won't be soggy. It was from the baking show on tv

        Reply
        • Laureen King

          December 22, 2018 at 8:20 pm

          Hi Nancy, I've been baking this pie for over 20 years and never prebaked the crust. Adding the minute tapioca helps thicken the juice from the apples, but who knows maybe its a trick I will try next time I make pie!

          Reply
    11. Rebecca Reamey

      October 17, 2018 at 6:17 pm

      What could I use instead of tapioca?

      Reply
      • Laureen King

        October 21, 2018 at 6:46 am

        you can use a tsp go cornstarch Rebecca

        Reply
    12. Rosetta Archie

      July 08, 2019 at 6:08 am

      This 🍎Apple ie is absolutely the closest to my dear Grandma 's Apple pie ever, 😋delicious with that Old fashion taste!

      Reply
      • Laureen King

        July 08, 2019 at 4:49 pm

        Thank you kindly Rosetta, it is so nice to have recipes that remind us of our Grandma's great cooking.

        Reply

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