Blue Ribbon Apple Pie
This best apple pie recipe is a blue ribbon apple pie winner! And for good reason. No sinking or soggy crusts, this apple pie is perfect.
There’s nothing quite like the comforting taste (and smell!) of perfect apple pie.
This recipe has been living on my site for years!
Years.
Since 2009 to be exact.
And the reason it’s still here and why I’m still making it is because it really is the best apple pie ever!
I’m definitely not an exclusive apple pie recipe girl. Not when it comes to all the apple pie variations available in the world.
Here are a few twists on apple pie that I love!
Toffee Crumble Caramel Apple Pie (a personal favorite)
But when it comes to good, old-fashioned, classic apple pie, this blue ribbon apple pie recipe is the best.
Best, best, best.
Do you see how loaded that piece of pie is with apples?
No gappy crust…and no soggy crust! Just a ton of tender, juicy apples sandwiched in between buttery, flaky pie crust.
The key?
Precooking the apples.
I know, I know, that extra step may annoy you. I kind of get it. And I’m a little bit sorry.
But if you really want the best apple pie in terms of flavor, apple to pie crust ratio, and gorgeous (and tasty) finished product, it’s worth it.
Precooking the apples for just a few minutes releases the natural juices in the apples that normally come screaming out while baking inside the pie crust.
Additionally, it helps the apples cook down to a smaller shape before going in the pie crust.
What does this mean? Well, if you’ve ever cut into an apple pie that has about a 2-inch gap between the top crust and the apples, you’ll know what I’m talking about.
Placing uncooked apples in a pie crust isn’t against the law, but if you have a top crust, chances are when that pie bakes, the apples will shrink and you’ll be left with a not-so-pretty gap between pie crust and apples.
Of course, that isn’t the worst thing in the world, but it also might result in a soggier crust as all those apple juices get soaked up.
And if you know me, you know the inner part of my soul screams: AVOID SOGGINESS AT ALL COSTS!
If you’ve been wanting the best apple pie recipe, give this one a try.
It’s been a favorite for years and has definitely stood the test of time.
Also, if you are wanting an extra boost in pie making confidence, check out my Pie Boot Camp Series HERE! The series includes:
All About Pie Making Equipment Essentials
How to Make Pie Crust (Foolproof Recipe, Rolling Out, Crimping + Video Tutorial)
All About Blind Baking + How to Do It and Why (Bonus: Chocolate Ganache Cream Pie Recipe)
Double Crust Pies and How to Make an Easy Lattice Crust (Bonus: Printable for Easy Reference to Sum Up Pie Boot Camp)
Blue Ribbon Apple Pie
Ingredients
- 1 recipe double-crust pie dough, see note
- 2 ½ pounds about 5 firm tart apples, peeled, cored, and sliced 1/4-inch thick (I use Granny Smith)
- 2 ½ pounds about 5 firm, sweet apples, peeled, cored and sliced 1/4-inch thick (I use Honeycrisp)
- ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- ¼ cup packed light brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon grated fresh lemon zest
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 egg white, beaten lightly
Instructions
- Roll out one half of the pie dough and place in a 9-inch pie plate (how-to on rolling out pie dough here). Trim the crust to the edge of the pie plate. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- Toss the apples, 1/2 cup of the sugar, brown sugar, zest, salt, and cinnamon together in a large large pot or Dutch oven. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the apples are tender when poked with a fork but are not mushy, about 10-12 minutes. Don’t over cook in this step as the apples will finish cooking and softening up in the oven.
- Transfer the apples and their juice in an even layer to a rimmed baking sheet and let cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Drain the cooled apples thoroughly in a colander, reserving 1/4 cup of the juice. Stir the lemon juice into the reserved 1/4 cup of apple juice.
- Spread the apples into the dough-lined pie plate, mounding them slightly in the middle, and drizzle with the lemon juice mixture.
- Roll out the second piece of dough and drape it over the pie. Trim the top crust so there is about a 1/4-inch or slightly longer overhang all the way around the pie. Tuck this overhang under the bottom crust (see details here) so the pie is sealed. Crimp the edges (how-to here or here).
- Cut four gashes in the top of the pie with a sharp paring knife for venting. Brush the crust lightly with the egg white and sprinkle with the remaining one tablespoon sugar.
- Place the pie on a foil-lined baking sheet and bake until the crust is golden, about 25 minutes.
- Reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees and continue to bake until the juices are bubbling and the crust is deep golden brown, about 25-30 minutes longer.
- Let the pie cool on a wire rack until the filling has set, about 2 hours. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.
Notes
Recommended Products
Recipe Source: Aunt Marilyn
Recipe originally posted November 2009; updated October 2017 with new pictures, updated recipe notes, and commentary.
I’ve made this pie probably 5 or 6 times over the last few years, and it’s DELICIOUS! My mom has been wanting to have a pie that was like her grandmother’s (sweet and tart) and tge first time I made this one, she just about cried because it tasted very close to her grandmothers,so this is now ONLY apple pie I’ll ever make.
Your recipe for
Blue Ribbon Apple Pie lists 2 1/2 lbs. of Granny Smith AND 2 1/2 lbs. of Honeycrisp apples. Is this correct?
5 lbs. total in the recipe.
The Classic Apple Pie recipe calls for only 2 1/2 lbs. of apples. TIA.
Yes, the Blue Ribbon pie calls for more apples because they are cooked down first before baking.
This is my family’s favorite apple pie! If I didn’t make it to for Thanksgiving, there would be a mutiny. This year I’m wondering if I could make the apple filling a couple of days early without risking the pie not turning out?
Hey Danielle, I haven’t tried doing that but I *think* it should work since the pie filling is cooked.
My pie came out very watery with a soggy crust. I would have preferred it to be a little sweeter.
Can’t wait to try!!
I have pre-made frozen apple pie filling (apple have not been cooked prior), and canned apples (that were cooked slightly before canning) from apple picking this fall. Could either one of those be used for this recipe?
Thanks!!
I haven’t tried either of those scenarios, but it’s worth experimenting – good luck if you try it!
thanks Mel, been following you for fail safe recipes.
It seems I have too much cooked apples to fit into my pie dish. How can I keep them for another bake day?
Or does this recipe freeze well?
Thank you so much.
Hi Elinda – yes, you can freeze the cooked apples to use later!
Hi Mel! I have a couple questions! Do you blind bake the pie at all? Or do I just follow the recipe exactly how it says without blind baking before filling it with the apple mixture? Will that make the bottom soggy at all? I heard blind baking prevents that? Or is it not necessary for this recipe? Please let me know asap because I have a birthday party in a day and I want to make this. Also, I have to make two of the sour cream pie crusts right? One for the bottom and one for the top? Please let me know and thank you in advance as always! You’re awesome!
Yes, you need a double crust pie dough for this recipe. I don’t blind bake it but you can if you are worried about the crust being soggy. It gets soft while baking, but I don’t think it’s overly soggy and blind baking the crust can mean an over baked crust in the long run.
I made this for the first time for Thanksgiving (not a good idea, I know). I always like to stick to the recipe when I’m trying it for the first time. I weighed out my 2.5 lbs of Granny Smith apples and 2.5 lbs of Honeycrisp apples but it was more like 15 apples (and they weren’t small). I kept thinking it was way too much and double and triple checked the weights and made sure the recipe wasn’t for two pies. But I thought maybe they’d cook down a lot. Then I piled my filling up super high. It was a very tall pie, although still delicious. It would be super helpful to have reference pictures of each of the steps along the way. And by the way, our family each wrote down 100 things we are grateful for, and you and your amazing recipes were on my list! I use your recipes all the time!
Precooking the apples is genius. My apple filling was just the right texture. I used a different crust recipe (America’s Test Kitchen), so I can’t comment on that. The apple filling though was a little too lemony for me. It was a very refreshing taste, but I just prefer more of a cinnamon flavor. I think next time I’ll omit the zest and add more cinnamon.
I’m a little confused on which crust recipe you used for this Apple pie. The sour cream one or the butter one or the butter and shortening??? Please help! It looks amazing!:)
Thanks!!
Hi Rebecca – I’ve used all of those over the years but the sour cream one is my favorite.
This is the second time I’ve made this. Everyone loved it
Quick question: with no flour or cornstarch in the filling, it still “sets up” ok? Thank you!
Precooking the apples helps with that!
Can’t wait to try!!
I have pre-made frozen apple pie filling (apple have not been cooked prior), and canned apples (that were cooked slightly before canning) from apple picking this fall. Could either one of those be used for this recipe?
Thanks!!
Can caramel be added to this recipe?
Could definitely try!
This pie was delicious. Probably one of the best apple pies my family has ever had. I would not have guessed pre-cooking the apples would make that much difference. The only thing I had an issue with was since I used several different types of apples, some cooked faster than others even though I was stirring frequently. So I kept those out so they didn’t get too mushy in the pie. Next time maybe I’ll cook in small batches so I can keep an eye on all apples better and pull some out sooner. (But I did get to eat delicious cooked cinnamon apples as a snack later!) I used the Perfect Flaky Pie Crust doubled and it was soo good. Perfect combination. The only thing about that is that it does puff up I guess you’d call it so if someone cares about very fancy edges this recipe will not hold shape well. I could barely see my decorative edging after it cooked but I didn’t care b/c it was so good. 🙂
Thanks for the review and feedback, Jennifer! Great advice all around – glad you loved it!
I made this for the first time today and it turned out beautifully! I used the sour cream pie crust recipe and my crust was a little dry. I only had 1 cup of sour cream on hand, so I used just a tiny bit of heavy cream to moisten it up, and it worked. Thank you so much for the amazing recipe. I have been sneaking bites of the crust overhang (I need to work on my presentation) and they are delish!
Thanks for the review, Carrie!
Hey Mel! It’s been a while since I commented on my favorite cooking site! 😉 Just a shout out to say thank you for this recipe and all the pie making 101 posts. I’m teaching about 10 little activity day girls how to make pies tonight and can’t thank you enough for all these tips and tricks and also the cute printable I can send them all home with. It’s been a few years since I’ve made one from scratch so it was good to study up lol. In light of time we are just making one pie together (for me to bake later yum!) and then I’m rolling out another batch of dough for them to make little mini pies with along with my circular cut and seal tool. Cross my fingers it works out. I have all the apples cooling on my baking sheet right now….Thanks again! Hope all is well!
You are such a good leader, Nicole! What lucky girls! It’s always so fun to hear from you. Miss you!
How much in advance could an Apple pie last? Two days before eating, one day?
I think one day for sure…and maybe two if you reheat it in a warm oven beforehand.
I cooked 7 extra large granny smith apples for 10 minutes and they didn’t even fill the pie up half way. What happened !!!!!!!!!!!!
The recipe calls for two kinds of apples, 5 ( or2.5 lbs.) of each…
Hi Mel! I have to travel for Thanksgiving (8 hours on the road) and am a little scared to transport a baked pie. Would it work if I cooked down the apples the day before and then made the pie the next morning? Do you think the apples would brown too much?
Hi Cori – I definitely think you could make the apple filling in advance. It might be slightly more liquidy just from sitting overnight, but you could drain off any excess liquid (or leave it if you like the apple syrupy texture) and then assemble and bake the pie the day of (is that what you were asking? if not, let me know!)
yes, that’s what I meant! Thank you!
So good!!! My whole family was very impressed. Best apple pie I have ever had and my husband agreed! I used your new pie crust recipe that you posted with the Pie boot camp and it looks so beautiful and was so tasty! Flaky and buttery. I must admit I was very impressed with myself! 🙂 rock star status for sure! Thanks!
Hi Mel! I decided to try my hand at baking a pie (first time!). I used your ‘fail proof’ dough instruction with sour cream, and I used this Blue Ribbon recipe. WOWOW!!! What a combo!! It’s like a fail-proof dynamic duo!! I’m shocked my pastry turned out, it’s puffy, delicious and so flaky! And the inside of the pie was pure deliciousness! I followed everything to a T, and didn’t change a thing. Thank you for your video and pictorial, they helped greatly!
I had my doubts when I was working the dough, and nothing was happening with it, but with patience it came together. I was paranoid of overworking it, but it all turned out, and it’s picture perfect and even better in my stomach. THANK YOU for your amazing recipes!!!
Yay!
*Mel*, sorry, need to slow down (good friend’s name is Michelle) 🙂
Awesome, thank you Michelle! Picking up my apples today & baking all day tomorrow. Thanks again! <3
Hi Mel! Looking forward to trying my hand at pies for the first time this Thanksgiving. My daughter is allergic to egg, does the egg white give it the nice browning? Any suggestions for getting the same effect w/o the egg? Thanks in advance, we love your recipes! 🙂
The egg really just gives it a nice shiny top. I think you could do without it and be just fine. Good luck!
Try brushing the top with cream or half-n-half. This was my grandma’s tip, and it gives a shiny top too without the eggy taste.
How do you think this would work if all green apples were used? Would you add more sugar?
Becca – Yes, I’d probably add a bit more sugar to taste since the apple filling would be more tart. It’s hard to know exactly how much – taste as you go!
Does this recipe fit in a standard nine inch pan, or is it meant for a deep dish? I haven’t managed to get myself a deep dish, and most of the apple pies I see have too many apples for a standard dish. (By the way, thanks! I’m sure you’re busy.)
Good question, Diane – yes, this pie is better suited to a deep dish 9-inch pie plate.
Could I make this with a crum top?
Anonymous, sure, a crumb top is worth a try. Good luck if you try it!
Your website is always my go to when I need a recipie! Do you know how long this takes from start to finish? I’m on a time limit and don’t know if I will have time!
Thanks
Hi Sadie, probably a couple of hours more or less especially if you are chilling the pie dough.
I made this for the 4th of July and man was it delicious. Thanks for this great recipe. Definitely the best apple pie I have ever made and the crust was a big winner. Just like my grandma’s, maybe even better (but don’t tell her that)!
Do you think you could make this pie with peaches instead of apples? My husband requested a pie for his birthday next week instead of cake and I thought maybe I could tweak this recipe to make it work….
Audrey – I’ve never tried this pie with peaches. It might be best to google a peach pie recipe just so you are sure it will work out!
If the dough is made and refrigerated the day before, does it still need to be refrigerated after putting it in the pie plate? Thanks, Jennifer
Jennifer – refrigerating the dough in the pie plate helps it to not shrink when it bakes, so yes, I would say that it does need to be refrigerated in the pie plate even if was refrigerated before rolling out. Hope that helps!
Hi Deb – I haven’t had a problem with the pie being too soupy – sorry that happened to you! Perhaps reducing the liquid next time or draining even more thoroughly will help. Good luck!
I really liked the flavor of this pie, but I must have done something wrong because it was really liquid-y, have you had that problem before? Makes no difference, the crew around here devoured it!
I tried this recipe too and mine was also very soupy. I cooked the apples ahead of time as the recipe instructs and almost 2 cups of juice cooked out, so I thought I was good. However, the pie was very soggy on the underside when I pulled it out of the oven. Next time I might try adding flour or cornstarch to the cooked apples before putting them in the crust.
The pie was AWESOME! Can’t wait to try your other favorite after I detox from all the junk I ate this weekend. Thanks again!
Thanks, Tamar – I wondered how it turned out for you. Have fun with the detox. I’m doing the same. Ugh!
Hi! I don’t know if you get comments from older posts but I have a question. In the recipe you say to follow the pictures for cooking the apples on the stove…there are not any pics. Do I have to do anything special or do I just cook them in a pot? I am excited to try this but I don’t want to mess it up. EVERYTHING that I have made from your blog has been WONDERFUL and I am sure that this pie will be no exception. Thanks! Tamar
Tamar – it was an error in the recipe since I had typed it up from a book where there were photos. But you don’t have to do anything special – basically just cook them down in a pot. I hope it turns out for you! Let me know.
Hi Mel,
First off I must say I love your website. I’ve been making your recipes for about a year now and love every one . . . except this pie crust. Mixing the dough to a uniform texture without pockets of fat virtually guarantees it will not be flaky. I am no expert. I rely on you to figure this stuff out for me. So on behalf of myself and your other pie crust-clueless readers, I issue a plea and a challenge — Help! We want flaky! We want moist! We want buttery goodness! We want oohs and ahhs! Maybe summer (I’m daydreaming of cherries) would be the perfect time for it so we can practice before the pressure of Thanksgiving is upon us. Help! Mel! Help!
Yum! I aslo have a no-fail pie recipe that uses oil, you just mix it together in the pie pan and press up the sides! And don’t let the oil fool you, it is NOT greasy at all, but very tender and flaky 🙂
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Easy-Pie-Crust/Detail.aspx
Danielle – thank you for trying this pie and letting me know how it worked out! I’m glad you liked it (despite the extra lemon).
I have been looking for an apple pie recipe that didn’t involve apples from a can or bottle. This tasted terrific even though I added too much lemon juice by accident. It also looked beautiful which is especially important on Thanksgiving.
Anonymous – so glad this pie worked out ahead of time. I hope your boss loved it!
I just made this pie & it was my first attempt at making a homemade pie!
It was easier than I thought and it is beautiful. I am so glad that it turned out so well because I am bringing it to my bosses for dinner tomorrow night.
Thank you for giving directions on how to store it for the next 24 hours.
I’ll def take a nice big wedge of that gorgeous looking pie. Apple is one of my all time favorites.
Boy, it sure is a toss-up for me between apple pie and pecan pie. I’m not too big on pumpkin – does that make me an outcast? Thanks for your recipes!
Hi Leisel – your comment was so nice! Thanks for letting me know you enjoy the blog. It seriously made my day.
Hi Wendy – I fixed the link. Sorry about that!
The link did not work for the caramel apple pie and I can not seem to find it. Could you help me here? Thanks!!
Apple pie is the perfect completion to Thanksgiving dinner! Again, thank you for all the tips and suggestions!! Fabulous!
apple pie is far and away the very best part of thanksgiving for me, and it’s especially relevant because i’m the one who gets to make it. your recipe is a great one!
YUMMY! I bookmarked this one.
Can I just say I LOVE YOUR BLOG!! I’ve been a follower for a long time, but haven’t ever made a comment. I’ve also told almost everyone I know about your blog. I check it every day for yummy new recipes to try. I will definitely be trying one or more of the Thanksgiving 101 recipes. Luckily I don’t have to make all of Thanksgiving dinner myself. I have many recipes from your blog that I absolutely love and they find themselves on my dinner table often. Thank you so much for sharing!