Classic Cinnamon Apple Pie with Homemade Lattice Crust
A traditional American dessert featuring tart and sweet apples spiced with cinnamon and baked beneath a perfectly golden homemade lattice crust. This advanced recipe guides you through preparing a flaky pie dough, a warmly spiced apple filling, and a beautiful lattice top for an impressive presentation and delicious finish.
Ingredients
Check ingredients as you go.
- Pie Dough
- Filling
- Topping
Let’s make it
Pie Dough
Prepare the pie dough by mixing the flour, salt, and sugar in a large bowl. Add the cold cubed butter, and cut it into the flour mixture using a pastry cutter or your fingers until it resembles coarse crumbs.
Pie Dough
Gradually add the ice water, starting with about 45 ml, mixing gently until the dough begins to come together. Add more water as needed, but do not overwork the dough. Divide the dough into two equal discs, wrap individually in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Filling
Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). In a large bowl, combine the sliced apples with brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, lemon juice, and vanilla extract. Toss to coat evenly and set aside.
Pie Dough
On a floured surface, roll out one disc of dough into a 12-inch circle. Transfer it to a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate, gently pressing it into the bottom and up the sides. Trim the edges to leave about a 1-inch overhang.
Filling
Pour the apple filling into the crust, mounding slightly in the center. Dot the filling evenly with the 30 grams of unsalted butter pieces.
Pie Dough
Roll out the second dough disc into a 12-inch circle. Using a sharp knife or pastry wheel, cut into strips approximately 1/2 inch wide to create a lattice.
Pie Dough
Lay half of the strips parallel across the pie filling, spaced evenly. Fold back every other strip, then place a strip perpendicular to the laid strips. Unfold the folded strips over the new strip. Repeat this weaving pattern until the top is covered with a lattice.
Pie Dough
Trim the lattice strips to the edge of the bottom crust. Fold the overhang of the bottom crust and lattice strips under itself and crimp the edges to seal.
Topping
Brush the lattice crust with beaten egg to create an egg wash. Sprinkle granulated sugar over the top to add sparkle and a slight crunch.
Baking
Bake the pie at 425°F (220°C) for 15 minutes. Then, reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (175°C) and bake for an additional 40-50 minutes, until the crust is golden and the filling is bubbling. The internal temperature of the filling should be at least 175°F (79°C) at the center for safe fruit filling warmth.
Resting
Remove the pie from the oven and let it rest on a wire rack for at least 2 hours before serving to allow the filling to set properly.
Tips & notes
Use a mix of tart and sweet apples like Granny Smith and Fuji for balanced flavor. Keep butter and water cold when making dough to ensure flakiness. Chill dough discs well before rolling for easier handling. Allow pie to rest fully before slicing to avoid runny filling.
Saving it for later
Wrap leftover pie tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and refrigerate within 2 hours of cooling. Consume refrigerated leftovers within 3 to 4 days. To freeze, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil; freeze up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in refrigerator before reheating or serving.
Reheating
Reheat leftovers in an oven preheated to 350°F (175°C) for 15-20 minutes, covered loosely with foil to prevent over-browning, until heated to an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C). Let cool slightly before serving.
