My mom’s easy apple pie comes together fast with a store-bought crust and no need to pre-cook the filling. Tart Granny Smith apples and warm spices make it taste just like homemade (no one will know you used a shortcut)!
If you love easy pie recipes as much as we do, be sure to try this chocolate pudding pie, our favorite easy pecan pie, and this decadent peanut butter pie, too!
Table of Contents
My mom made this pie so often when we were growing up that it became her “signature” dessert — the one that friends and family expected at special occasions (especially in the fall). I have since learned that “Mom’s” apple pie recipe is adapted from a Pillsbury recipe that she found many decades ago, but we’ve now improved the method, ingredients, and process to make it even better!
Before You Get Started
A few simple tips will help you get the best results every time:
- Use firm baking apples like Granny Smith (or mix with Honeycrisp for balanced sweet-tart flavor) so the slices hold their shape.
- Keep the crust chilled until assembly for the flakiest texture.
- Don’t skip the vent slits; they release steam and prevent soggy crust.
- Protect the edges of the crust with foil after the first 15-17 minutes so they don’t get too dark, and tent the top of the pie loosely with foil after the first 30 minutes to avoid excessive browning.
- Cool completely before slicing so the filling sets.
Store-Bought vs. Homemade Crust
My mom always uses store-bought Pillsbury refrigerated pie crusts, which are a great shortcut. If you prefer a homemade pie crust, that works too! Use your favorite double-crust recipe, or try my favorite all-butter pie crust. Allow plenty of time for the crusts to chill before you assemble the pie.
How to Make Easy Apple Pie
Let’s walk through this together so you know exactly what to expect. I’ve included some tips here that you won’t find in the recipe card, too:
Step 1: Prep the Crust and Oven
Unroll one pie crust. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the crust so that it’s about 1/4-inch larger in diameter all the way around. Press it into a 9-inch pie plate. Place the crust in the fridge to chill while you make the filling. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425°F.
** Tip: Rolling out the bottom crust is an extra step. You can skip this part if you’re in a hurry, but the larger bottom crust makes it easier to seal the edges so that the juices from the filling don’t leak out during baking.
Step 2: Slice the Apples and Mix the Filling
Peel and thinly slice about six cups of apples. I use Granny Smith apples, but you can also try a combination of Granny Smith and another firm, sweeter apple (like Honey Crisp, Fuji, or Braeburn) for a sweet-tart flavor. Toss them with sugar, flour, lemon juice, and your spice mix of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice, and cardamom. Taste a slice; if it’s too tart, add a touch more sugar.
** Tip: Since we’re not pre-cooking the filling, it’s important to slice the apples thinly so they cook evenly and soften by the end of the baking time.
Step 3: Assemble the Pie
Pour the apple filling into your chilled crust. Brush the edge of the bottom crust with an egg wash.
Place the second crust on top, trim off a little bit of the excess dough on the top crust, press to seal the edges, and tuck the edges under.
Pinch, press with a fork, or crimp the dough.
Cut a few slits in the top to let steam escape. Brush the top of the crust with egg wash and sprinkle with coarse sugar if desired.
** Tip: The egg wash is optional, but adds a nice shine to the crust while the coarse sugar offers great texture.
Step 4: Bake Until Golden
Bake the pie for about 38 to 45 minutes, until the filling is bubbling and the crust is golden brown. After the first 15 to 17 minutes, check the edges of the crust. If they’re turning dark, cover them with strips of foil or with a pie shield. After the first 30 minutes, you may need to loosely cover the top of the pie with foil so that it doesn’t get too dark.
Step 5: Cool Before Slicing
Let the pie cool on a wire rack for at least 2 hours. This gives the filling time to set so your slices hold together nicely.
** Tip: Resist cutting too early. A little patience here makes for much prettier slices.
Variations and Customizations
- Use a variety of apples for more complex flavor. We use Granny Smith apples for two main reasons: they offer a nice balance of sweet-and-tart flavors; and the Granny Smith apples have a firm flesh that doesn’t break down and turn to mush as they bake. If you prefer a less-tart filling, feel free to use another firm-flesh apple like Honey Crisp, Fuji, Braeburn, Winesap, Pink Lady, or Jonagold.
- Adjust the spices. My preferred “apple pie spice” blend includes cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, ginger, and cardamom. Feel free to omit any spices that you don’t have on hand, or use others that you enjoy. A touch of cloves is also a nice addition.
- If you have a few extra minutes, you can follow these instructions to create a lattice crust on top of your pie.
- A handful of dried cranberries or chopped pecans stirred into the filling makes a festive holiday twist.
- Top a slice of pie with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. For something a little different, drizzle warm caramel sauce over the pie or serve it with a slice of sharp cheddar cheese (a New England tradition that pairs wonderfully with the sweet-tart apples).
Preparation and Storage Tips
- Make Ahead: Apple pie stores well, which makes it great for holidays. You can prep the filling a day in advance and keep it covered in the fridge. Assemble the pie and refrigerate it for a few hours before baking if you’re short on time.
- Storing: Leftovers keep at room temperature for a day or two, or in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Freezing: Freeze the baked pie for up to 4 months. Reheat at 350°F for 30 minutes (tent with foil to prevent excessive browning).
** Tip: If freezing, wrap the pie tightly in plastic wrap and foil to protect it from freezer burn.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I cook the apples before making pie?
No, you don’t need to pre-cook the filling for this recipe. Just thinly slice the fresh apples, add them to the crust, and let them soften in the oven.
Can I skip peeling the apples?
You can, but the texture will be a bit tougher. Most folks prefer the pie without skins.
What’s the best thickener for apple pie filling?
This recipe uses a little flour to thicken the juices that the apples release while baking. Cornstarch is another good option. Use about 1 ½-2 tablespoons of cornstarch for this recipe.
How do I keep the bottom crust from getting soggy?
Make sure to chill your bottom crust before adding the filling and bake the pie long enough for the crust to crisp up.
Can I freeze this pie before baking?
Yes! In fact, freezing before baking often yields a better texture than freezing after, since the crust stays crisp and flaky. To freeze before baking, assemble the pie, but don’t cut the vents or top with the egg wash and sugar. Wrap the pie tightly in plastic wrap and then another layer of foil. Bake directly from frozen, adding time as needed to cook through. Tent with foil to prevent excessive browning.
Related Recipes
This pie is really delicious! The lemon is so bright and the Granny Smith are just the right amount of tart! Thanks for sharing! It will a staple pie for me, and as a beginner baker, I appreciate the simplicity, yet full flavored punch this pie brings! Good job mama!
– Hope
Did you make this recipe?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a comment with a 5-star review at the bottom of the post. Thank you!
Watch How to Make It
Mom’s Easy Apple Pie
Equipment
- 9-inch glass pie plate
Ingredients
For the Crust
- 1 (14.1 ounce) box refrigerated pie crusts (I use Pillsbury brand, which has 2 crusts in each box)
- Egg wash (1 egg whisked with 1 tablespoon of water)
- Optional: coarse sugar (for topping)
For the Filling
- 6 cups peeled, thinly sliced Granny Smith apples (about 5-6 apples; approximately 2 lbs. before peeling and slicing)
- ¾ cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cardamom
- Optional for serving: vanilla ice cream or whipped cream; caramel sauce
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Bring the refrigerated pie crusts to room temperature. Unroll 1 pie crust. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pie crust so that it's about 1/4-inch wider all the way around (you can skip this step if you don't want to bother with rolling, but it makes the crust easier to seal and pinch together with the top crust later). Press the crust it into a 9-inch glass pie plate. Cover and chill for 10-15 minutes while you prepare the filling (the cold pastry will yield an flakier crust).
- In a large bowl, toss together all of the filling ingredients.
- Transfer the filling to the pie plate. Brush the edge of the bottom crust with an egg wash.
- Unroll the second pie crust and place it on top of the apples. If there's a lot of extra dough hanging over the edge on the top crust, you can trim some of that excess dough off. Press the top crust to the edge of the bottom crust so that the two crusts are completely sealed around the edges.
- Tuck any excess dough under and crimp the edges with your fingers or with a fork.
- Brush the top of the crust with egg wash and sprinkle with coarse sugar (this step is optional, but gives the crust a nice shine and some great texture). Cut a few slits in the top of the pie (to allow the steam to vent).
- Bake for 38-45 minutes, or until the apples are tender and the crust is golden brown. After about 15-17 minutes, check the crust and cover the edges with foil or a pie shield if they're getting dark. At about the 30-minute mark, you may need to cover the entire top of the crust loosely with foil to prevent burning.
- Cool the pie on a wire rack for at least 2 hours before slicing and serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Fantastic, easy, delicious recipe…. It is the perfect combo of sweet & tart. I have made this numerous times since I first found it (I have it memorized now) and everybody loves it! My family thinks I’m a genius xoxo
– Annemarie
Originally published in August, 2018, this post was updated in October, 2025.
I cook a lot, but rarely do I bake. This was my first time making a pie. I was able to find frozen pie crust in the freezer and I had four red apples. I followed the recipe otherwise. After 40 minutes in the oven I took out the pie. I have to say that the pie was truly amazing. My family and kids loved it. I did use fresh ground nutmeg and cardamon. You for sure should try this recipe.
Thank you, Adam! We’re so happy to hear this turned out well for you.
Loved the ease of this recipe. My only complaint was gosh it was so tart!! Almost too tart. I used Granny Smith as the recipe calls, but I used coconut sugar instead of granulated sugar. Maybe that was the reason?
Loved the ease of this recipe. My only complaint was gosh it was so tart!! Almost too tart. I used Granny Smith as the recipe calls, but I used coconut sugar instead of granulated sugar. Maybe that was the reason?
Hi Kelly! The coconut sugar might have been the issue. It tends to act more like brown sugar than granulated. Also, it’s always possible to have a batch of extra tart apples!
This Apple pie recipe is so good. It’s actually perfect easy to do, taste is perfection. Thank you.
Thank you, Nikkie!
Excellent. Right amount of spices and turned out like you hope a good apple pie should taste. Easy to fix. Peeling apples is the time consuming task.
Thank you, Henry!
I made this pie for Christmas dinner and it was delicious! I used fresh ginger instead of dried and it had a lovely flavor. Thank you.
That’s so good to hear, Alicia! Merry Christmas!
Perfect!
Thank you! We’re glad you enjoyed it.
I love apple pies during the fall n winter months. My mom makes them all the time, now that she has passed, I follow her recipe all the time. I’m going to try yours. Thank you. Gai
We hope you enjoy ours as much as your mom’s recipe, Gail!
Hi! I am planning on making this and had a question – for cooling the pie on a wire rack for 2 hours, do I need to remove the entire pie out of my pie dish and transfer it to the wire rack for cooling? Or leave it it in the glass pie pan?
Hi, Haley! You’ll leave it in the pie dish to cool completely. The cooler the pie, the easier it is to slice into clean pieces. When you’re ready to serve, you can slice the pie while it’s still in the pie dish, and then serve the slices directly onto plates. No need to ever take the whole pie out of the pie dish at once. Hope you enjoy!
It was delicious , wish I had vanilla ice cream to go with it so I had to settle with pistachio lol and didn’t use the cardamom
We’re so glad it still turned out well for you! Thank you for trying it out and taking the time to leave a review.
GlandoreFoods.ie
This easy apple pie recipe is a true gem, Blair! The combination of a no-fuss store-bought crust with a flavorful, no-cook filling makes it perfect for busy families and school events. We love celebrating simple yet comforting desserts, and this one would be a lovely addition to any meal plan — especially for our school and office catering clients who appreciate homestyle goodness. Thanks for sharing this sweet shortcut!
I have a deep dish pie pan. How should I modify the recipe to make it work for a deep pan ?
Hi Sophia! We haven’t tested this recipe in a deep pan, but this is what we would do:
1. Increase the Filling
– 8–9 cups peeled, sliced apples (about 7–8 medium apples, 2½–3 lbs before peeling)
– 1 cup sugar
– 3 tablespoons flour
– Keep the same spices and lemon juice proportions — they’ll still balance the flavor well with the extra apples.
2. Crust Adjustments
One box of Pillsbury refrigerated crusts is still enough, but you’ll need to gently roll out each crust to make it slightly larger (about 12 inches in diameter instead of 11).
If you want thicker, more rustic edges, you can use 1½ boxes (3 crusts) — using the extra dough to reinforce the bottom or decorate the top (like cutout leaves or a lattice).
3. Bake Time
Bake at 425°F for 15 minutes, then reduce to 375°F and continue baking for 45–55 minutes (total time: 60–70 minutes).
Watch the crust closely — cover the edges after the first 15–20 minutes, and tent the top loosely with foil if it browns too quickly.
4. Cooling Time
Cool for at least 3 hours to ensure the filling sets fully — deep-dish pies take longer for the juices to firm up.
We’d love to know how it turns out if you give it a try!
This is by far my favorite apple pie I’ve ever made! I didn’t have a lemon so… I used the juice of an orange instead ♀️ it worked out! Haha
Thank you, Cat! We’re so glad you enjoyed it.