This easy homemade apple pie with McIntosh apples is sure to become a new family favorite! This recipe will teach you how to make the perfect apple pie from scratch that will come out beautifully every time. My easy and simple apple pie is sure to be a hit wherever it goes. Plus it’s perfect for Thanksgiving and Christmas and is great any time of the year!
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If you met my family you’d quickly learn a few things about us, mostly that we have a really simple last name that no one can pronounce and that we love a good apple pie.
As a matter of fact, we love pretty much anything related to apples, we even have a dog named McIntosh. And ever since I can remember we’ve been going apple picking every September.
As soon the Macs are ready we make a point of going out to one of our local orchards and picking a ton of apples, we can pick well over 100 lbs in under a half hour. And then apple seasoning officially begins pies, crips, eating loads of raw apples, dipping apples in caramel, baking more things than I can keep track of, and enjoying every second of it.
But it’s this classic apple pie recipe that we look forward to the most every year. If you didn’t know my Mum is the queen of apple pie making, She can turn out the perfect apple pie, with a flakey buttery crust, anytime anywhere.
Over the years she has taught me and my sisters(and brothers) to make this classic recipe as well. And though hers will forever be the best, I can proudly say we are all accomplished pie bakers here.
What began as an old Better Homes and Garden recipe, over the years became our own easy homemade apple pie recipe. Even if you’ve never made a pie before in your life, I promise you, you can make this pie. It’s quick, it’s easy, and it’s downright delicious!
What Is The Best Kind Of Apple To Use For Pies
Naturally, there is a lot of debate surrounding what kind of apple is actually the best apple. And of course, you can use pretty much any kind of apple you like. But there are still good rules of thumb to follow. And some apples are definitely better than others.
The worst kinds of apples for making pie
- Gala apples
- Fuji apples
- Red Delicious apples
These apples are great for snacking on and eating raw, but they are too sweet and too soft to make good pies.
The best kinds of apples for making pies
- Honeycrisp apples
- Golden Delicious apples(not to be confused with red delicious)
- Jonathan or Jonagold Apples
- Braeburn apples
- Rome apples
- Northern spy apples
These apples are considered the best for baking due to their good flavor, and the perfect blend of sweet and tart. And because they hold up well while baking.
The most debated kinds of apples for making apple pie
1 Granny Smith Apples. Most of us know granny smith apples as being trat, green, and overall not very apple-y. Which of course makes it sound like they wouldn’t make a very good choice for apple pie. Yet they are still most people’s number one choice, Why? Most people opt to use these apples because they are firm, they don’t get mushy while baking and they hold their shape.
Personally, I don’t think I would ever sacrifice taste for looks, still, I get where most people are coming from. A mushy pie isn’t often considered a good thing.
The key to making a good pie with Granny Smith Apples is to use a combination of apples and pair these lovely frim apples with a slightly softer sweeter variety. This creates the best of both worlds, your pie won’t be mushy, but you still get a strong apple flavor.
2 McIntosh apples. Personally, I find Macs often get a bad rap in the baking world, which on the one hand I can understand. Since they are softer apples, most people tend to avoid them. However, as someone who has baked with Mcinstiosh apples nice, they were five. I can honestly say, people don’t know what they are missing. Macs may be soft, but they are my favorite baking apple.
They have a great taste, they are most definitely firm enough for baking, and they aren’t too sweet but they aren’t tart either. As someone who has also eaten a crunch apple pie made with Macs(don’t ask), I can also say that making a soft but not too mushy pie has to do with the method as much as it does with the apples you use.
McIntosh apples have been and always will be my favorite apples, and personally, I’ve never had a better apple pie(and I’ve eaten a lot of apple pies) than the ones made with McIntosh apples.
Ultimately though you can use whatever type of apple you prefer or seems to work best for you. But if you’ve never made a pie with Mcintosh apples or have ruled them out in the past I would highly encourage you to give them a try!
Homemade Apple pie with McIntosh apples
Equipment
- sharp knife
- apple peeler if desired
- 8-9 inch glass pie dish
- large mixing bowl
- rolling pin
- aluminum foil
- silicone pie shield.
- a rimmed baking sheet
Ingredients
- Pie dough, homemade or store-bought. Be sure to check out my flaky crust recipe!
- McIntosh apples, peeled and thinly sliced
- white sugar
- all-purpose flour
- cinnamon
- Sugar for sprinkling, optional
- egg wash, you can use an egg yolk, egg white, or whole egg wash. Optional.
How to Make Apple Pie with McIntosh Apples
Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with foil and set aside. This will be placed on the rack below the pie while baking to catch any spills and help with easy clean-up
Place the apple slices in a large bowl, add the sugar, flour, and cinnamon, mix well, and set aside.
Prepare your pie crust. If you are using store-bought pie dough be sure to follow the instructions on the box. Some doughs need to warm up to room temperature before being baked.
Stir the apple mixture, and set aside again.
On a lightly floured surface roll out your bottom crust. You want it to be big enough to cover the whole pie dish. An easy way to see if your crust is big enough is to flip your pie dish upside-down and set it on the crust. There should be a ring of dough roughly an inch wide around the pie pan.
Carefully pick up the crust using the rolling pin and place it in the pie dish. Gently press the dough down until it is touching the bottom of the dish.
Stir the apple mixture one last time, there should be juice in the bowl and the apples should be coated in the sugary ”sauce” that has been created.
Carefully pour the apple mixture into the prepared pie dish, and level it out as best you can with the back of the spoon you were using for mixing.
Roll out the top crust, the same as you did the bottom crust. Carefully pick it up using the rolling pin and gently lay it over the apple filling.
Trim the crust if needed, you only want to have an inch on overhang at the most. Crimp the edges, then using a fork, poke a few holes in the top of the pie. Or using a sharp knife, cut 3-4 slits in the top of the pie. Brush on the egg wash if using one, and sprinkle the top of the pie with sugar.
Cover the edge of the pie with foil or a silicone pie shield. Place it in the preheated oven. Place your foil-lined baking sheet on the bottom rack below the pie.
Bake for 25 minutes, then remove the foil or silicone pie shield from the edges of the pie. Continue baking for another 20-25 minutes or until the top of the pie is golden brown and the filling is bubbly.
Remove the pie from the oven and allow it to cool for 15 minutes before serving.
Serve with a slice of cheese, a scoop of vanilla ice cream, or on its own. Enjoy!
Notes
Some people will add a squeeze of lemon juice to their fresh apples when making pie to keep them from browning so much. Personally, I don’t really see the need, and I’ve never done it before.
You really should try to wait until the pie is cooled before slicing and serving, it should be warm, not hot when you serve it. If the pie is too warm it won’t stay together very well.
Any leftover pie can be stored at room temperature and covered with plastic wrap for up to 5 days.
If you have any excess dough, you can throw it away. Or you can roll it out, and spread butter and cinnamon sugar over it. Then roll up like cinnamon rolls and slice, Bake these mini treats at 375 Degrees F or until done. Allow them to cool completely, and enjoy!
Homemade Apple Pie with McIntosh Apples
anexpressionoffood
This easy homemade apple pie with McIntosh apples is sure to become a new family favorite! This recipe will teach you how to make the perfect apple pie from scratch that will come out beautifully every time.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes mins
Cook Time 50 minutes mins
Total Time 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 8
Equipment
a sharp knife
apple peeler if desired
8-9 inch glass pie dish
a large mixing bowl
Rolling Pin
aluminum foil
silicone pie shield
a rimmed baking sheet
Ingredients
- Pie dough, enough for 2 8-9'' crusts homemade or store-bought
- 6 cups Peeled and thinly sliced McIntosh apples
- 1 cup white sugar
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- Additional sugar for sprinkling optional
- egg wash optional
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Line a large baking sheet with foil and set aside. This will be placed on the rack below the pie while baking to catch any spills and help with easy clean-up
Place the apple slices in a large bowl, add the sugar, flour, and cinnamon, mix well, and set aside.
Prepare your pie crust. If you are using store-bought pie dough be sure to follow the instructions on the box. Some doughs need to warm up to room temperature before being baked.
Stir the apple mixture, and set aside again.
On a lightly floured surface roll out your bottom crust. You want it to be big enough to cover the whole pie dish. An easy way to see if your crust is big enough is to flip your pie dish upside-down and set it on the crust. There should be a ring of dough roughly an inch wide around the pie pan.
Carefully pick up the crust using the rolling pin and place it in the pie dish. Gently press the dough down until it is touching the bottom of the dish.
Stir the apple mixture one last time, there should be juice in the bowl and the apples should be coated in the sugary ''sauce'' that has been created.
Carefully pour the apple mixture into the prepared pie dish, and level it out as best you can with the back of the spoon you were using for mixing.
Roll out the top crust, the same as you did the bottom crust. Carefully pick it up using the rolling pin and gently lay it over the apple filling.
Trim the crust if needed, you only want to have an inch on overhang at the most. Crimp the edges, then using a fork, poke a few holes in the top of the pie. Or using a sharp knife, cut 3-4 slits in the top of the pie.
Brush on the egg wash if using one, and sprinkle the top of the pie with sugar.
Cover the edge of the pie with foil or a silicone pie shield. Place it in the preheated oven. Place your foil-lined baking sheet on the bottom rack below the pie.
Bake for 25 minutes, then remove the foil or silicone pie shield from the edges of the pie. Continue baking for another 20-25 minutes or until the top of the pie is golden brown and the filling is bubbly.
Remove the pie from the oven and allow it to cool for 15 minutes before serving.
Serve with a slice of cheese, a scoop of vanilla ice cream, or on its own. Enjoy!
Notes
Some people will add a squeeze of lemon juice to their fresh apples when making pie to keep them from browning so much. Personally, I don’t really see the need, and I’ve never done it before.
You really should try to wait until the pie is cooled before slicing and serving, it should be warm, not hot when you serve it. If the pie is too warm it won’t stay together very well.
Any leftover pie can be stored at room temperature and covered with plastic wrap for up to 5 days.
If you have any excess dough, you can throw it away. Or you can roll it out, and spread butter and cinnamon sugar over it. Then roll up like cinnamon rolls and slice, Bake these mini treats at 375 Degrees F or until done. Allow them to cool completely, and enjoy!
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
