Blue Ribbon Apple Pie with Spiced Crust
Classic double-crust apple pie with a buttery, spiced pastry shell and tart apple filling seasoned with nutmeg and cinnamon. Medium apples are peeled, cored, and sliced thin, then tossed with brown sugar, flour, and warming spices before baking until the crust turns golden and filling bubbles through steam vents.
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flourwhole wheat flour1:1nutty
denser crumb, nuttier flavor
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¾ cup cold butter, cut into chunks
- 6 to 9 tablespoons, cold water
- ½ cup plus 1 teaspoon granulated sugar, divided
- ¼ cup brown sugar, firmly packed
- ¼ cup all-purpose flourwhole wheat flour1:1nutty
denser crumb, nuttier flavor
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 6 medium tart cooking apples, peeled, cored, sliced 1/4 inchGranny Smith apples1:1sourcrisp
readily available substitute
- 1 tablespoon butter, melted
Instructions
- 1
Combine flour, granulated sugar, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a bowl. Cut cold butter into chunks and work into flour mixture with a pastry blender or fork until it resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in cold water just until flour is moistened.
- 2
Divide dough in half and shape each into a ball, flattening slightly. Wrap each in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- 3
Preheat oven to 400°F.
- 4
Roll out one dough ball on a floured surface into a 12-inch circle. Fold into quarters, place into an ungreased 9-inch pie plate, and unfold. Press firmly against bottom and sides. Trim crust to 1/2 inch from edge and set aside.
- 5
Combine brown sugar, flour, and nutmeg in a bowl. Add peeled, cored, and sliced apples and toss to coat. Spoon filling into prepared crust.
- 6
Roll remaining dough ball into a 12-inch circle. Fold into quarters, place over filling, and unfold. Trim, seal, and crimp or flute the edge. Cut 5 or 6 large slits in the top crust. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with granulated sugar. Cover crust edge with a 2-inch strip of aluminum foil.
- 7
Bake for 35 minutes, then remove foil. Continue baking 10-20 minutes until crust is lightly browned and juice bubbles through slits.
- 8
Cool pie for 30 minutes before serving warm.
Tips
Keep all ingredients cold, especially butter and water, for a flaky crust.
Do not overwork the dough to avoid a tough crust.
Slice apples uniformly to ensure even cooking.
Tent the crust edge with foil if browning too quickly.
Good to Know
Refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Dough can be wrapped and refrigerated up to 2 days before rolling and filling. Assembled pie can be refrigerated up to 8 hours before baking.
Serve warm, optionally with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
Common Mistakes
Overwork dough to avoid a tough, dense crust.
Use warm butter to avoid incomplete blending and uneven texture.
Do not skip the 30-minute refrigeration to avoid shrinking during baking.
Avoid skipping the foil tent to prevent over-browning.