Ingredients:

  • 2 ½ cups All-Purpose Flour (plus extra for dusting)
  • 1 tbsp Granulated Sugar (for crust)
  • 1 tsp Fine Sea Salt (for crust)
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) Unsalted Butter, very cold, cut into ½-inch cubes
  • ½ cup Ice Water, use only as needed
  • 1 tsp Cider Vinegar or Lemon Juice (optional)
  • 6 large Apples (about 3 lbs total; 4 Granny Smith + 2 Honeycrisp), peeled, cored, and sliced
  • ½ cup Granulated Sugar (for filling)
  • ¼ cup packed Light Brown Sugar
  • 3 tbsp Cornstarch (or Tapioca Starch)
  • 1 tbsp All-Purpose Flour (for filling)
  • 1 tsp Lemon Zest
  • 1 tbsp Lemon Juice
  • 1 ½ tsp Ground Cinnamon
  • ½ tsp Ground Nutmeg
  • ¼ tsp Salt (for filling)
  • 2 tbsp Unsalted Butter, cut into small dots (for filling)
  • 1 Large Egg, beaten with 1 tsp water (for egg wash)
  • 1 tbsp Granulated Sugar (coarse/demerara) (for topping)

Instructions:

  1. Combine Dry Ingredients: Whisk the flour, sugar, and salt together in a large bowl or the bowl of a food processor.
  2. Cut in the Butter: Add the cold butter cubes. Pulse (or cut with a pastry blender) until the mixture resembles coarse meal with some pea-sized chunks of butter remaining. These chunks are essential for achieving the perfect flakiness in this Apple Pie crust.
  3. Add Liquid: Drizzle the ice water (and vinegar, if using) over the mixture, one tablespoon at a time, pulsing until the dough just starts to clump together. Do not overmix.
  4. Divide and Chill: Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Divide it into two slightly unequal discs (one slightly larger for the bottom crust). Wrap each tightly in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for a minimum of 60 minutes.
  5. Prepare Apples: Peel, core, and slice the apples into uniform, roughly ¼-inch thick slices. Toss the apple slices with the lemon juice and zest.
  6. Mix Filling: In a small separate bowl, whisk together the two sugars, cornstarch, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Add the dry mixture to the apples, tossing gently until every slice is coated. Set aside while rolling the dough.
  7. Assembly (Roll & Fill): Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Roll the larger dough disc into a 12-inch circle and gently transfer it to a 9-inch pie plate. Pile the apple mixture high into the crust and dot the top of the filling with the 2 tbsp of butter cubes.
  8. Top, Seal, and Finish: Roll the remaining dough disc, place it over the filling, trim the excess dough, tuck the edges, and crimp firmly to seal. Cut several vents in the top crust. Brush the egg wash over the surface and sprinkle generously with coarse sugar.
  9. Bake and Cool: Bake at 425°F (220°C) for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 375°F (190°C) and continue baking for another 40–50 minutes, or until golden brown and bubbling. Transfer the pie to a wire rack and cool completely for a minimum of 2 hours. This crucial cooling time allows the Apple Pie filling to set properly.