Old-Fashioned Deep Dish Apple Pie

This deep dish apple pie is truly the best! Packed with layers of sweet, mildly spiced apples in a flaky, buttery homemade crust, it’s a classic old-fashioned American dessert. Pre-cooking the apple filling for just 5 minutes on the stove enhances the flavor and texture. Top it with vanilla ice cream for the ultimate homestyle treat.

“This is by far the best crust and apply pie recipe. I’ve tried multiple pie crust recipes and this one wins hands down…won’t be trying any other recipes. The apple filling was phenomenal. Never have to search for a recipe again. Thank You!”

Debbie

Apple pie is the star of any holiday table, and this deep dish apple pie consistently steals the show at Thanksgiving and beyond. With a golden, flaky crust and a cinnamon-spiced apple filling, this recipe delivers all the comforting flavors of a classic, but with even more to love.

What sets this pie apart is its generous filling. Baked in a deeper dish, it’s packed with layers of mildly sweet, spiced apples that bring out the best in this timeless dessert.

Despite its impressive size, the ingredients are simple—just apples, sugar, cinnamon, lemon juice, and flour, all tucked into a perfectly tender, flaky crust. Though a deep dish apple pie takes a bit more effort and baking time, this recipe simplifies the process.

The result? A satisfying, towering pie that’s perfect for any holiday gathering. As many reviewers have mentioned, this is likely the best apple pie recipe you’ll ever try!

Best Apples for Baking Pies

When it comes to pie baking, both tart and sweet apples can work beautifully. Here are some top choices:

• Granny Smith, Jonagold, and Pink Lady – These apples are tart, firm, and hold their shape well, making them ideal for pie baking. Pink Lady adds a crisp texture, while Jonagold brings a sweet-tart balance.
• Honeycrisp, Gala, and Braeburn – These mildly sweet apples hold their texture and release little liquid during baking. Honeycrisp is a favorite for its crunch, while Gala and Braeburn offer a well-balanced sweetness.
• Golden Delicious and Northern Spy – Golden Delicious has a mild flavor and softens easily, so it’s best paired with firmer apples like Northern Spy, which is sweet, slightly tart, and perfect for fall pies.
• McIntosh & Cortland – While often considered baking apples, these tend to get too soft and mushy when baked. They’re better suited for making applesauce.

Tip: Use 3-4 different apples—most people stick to one type, but mixing varieties gives your pie a better balance of flavor and texture. I used Granny Smith, Gala, and Golden Delicious.

Perfect Pie Crust

The key to an outstanding apple pie starts with a perfectly buttery, flaky crust. Homemade crust brings a tenderness and texture you just can’t beat. Try my lard and butter pie crust recipe, which blends the richness of butter with the lightness of leaf lard for the best of both worlds.

Once you try this pie crust recipe, you won’t go back to your old methods. Plus, it can be made ahead and stored in the fridge or freezer until you’re ready to use it.

If you’re not in the mood to make a pie crust but still crave that delicious apple pie flavor, try my crustless apple pie. It’s an easy, foolproof recipe you’re going to love!

How to Make Deep Dish Apple Pie

You don’t need fancy equipment to make a pie, but for this tall apple pie, a deep dish pie pan is a must.

Prepare apple filling

Peel, core, and thinly slice enough apples to fill 12 cups. Make sure your apple slices are uniform in size so that they bake evenly.

Place the apples in a large shallow pot or skillet, and gently mix with lemon juice, sugars, salt, cornstarch, and cinnamon until everything is evenly combined.

Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until the apples are fork-tender but still maintain their shape, about 5 minutes. Allow them to cool to room temperature.

By cooking the apples before baking, you ensure an even consistency in your pie and prevent the unsightly gap between the crust and filling.

Roll pie crust

On a lightly floured surface, roll out one chilled pie dough disk to a 13-inch circle and place it in the pie dish. Roll the second disk into a circle for the top crust.

Add apple pie filling to a prepared bottom crust.

Place the top crust over the pie filling. Trim or arrange the edges around the pie pan, then crimp or flute them to seal.

Bake the pie

Brush the top crust with egg wash, then sprinkle with granulated or sparkling sugar. Cut a few slits to let steam escape during baking.

Place the pie on a baking sheet and bake for 60 minutes, until golden brown. After 40 minutes, check the crust for browning. If it’s too dark, cover it loosely with aluminum foil and bake for the remaining 20 minutes.

Let the pie cool for 2-3 hours before serving to allow the filling to set.

Best way to enjoy apple pie

Warm up a slice of this apple pie and add a scoop of vanilla ice cream—because, let’s be honest, no one can resist that hot-and-cold magic.

The way the warm pie and cold ice cream melt together? Pure bliss. Feeling adventurous? Try it with caramel or cinnamon ice cream for an extra fun twist!

Helpful Pie Baking Tips

Follow these tips for the best homemade pie experience.

• Lower your oven shelf to the bottom 1/3 or 1/4 position: Pies need a long baking time. And the higher the oven shelf is, the more browning occurs. If you bake the pie on the lower shelf, it prevents the top crust from browning too much.
• Place a large baking pan (lined with foil) underneath the pie pan to catch overflowing juice dropping – easy clean-up!
• If the top crust browns too much before it finishes the baking time, place a loose foil tent over the pie to prevent it from browning further.
• If you have a baking stone or baking steel, put it on the lowest rack of your oven, but not touching your baking pan directly. The heat from the baking stone (steel) will rise and cooks the bottom crust quickly, making it nice and crisp. Big difference!

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