Ingredients:

  • 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed (2 sticks)
  • 6 to 8 tbsp ice water
  • 6 to 8 medium-sized apples (about 3 pounds), peeled, cored, and sliced (Granny Smith and Honeycrisp recommended)
  • Juice of half a lemon
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar (or adjust based on apple sweetness)
  • 2 tbsp all-purpose flour for filling
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • (optional) pinch of nutmeg
  • (for egg wash) 1 egg beaten with a splash of water

Instructions:

  1. In a large bowl, combine flour, salt, and sugar.
  2. Add cold cubed butter into the dry mixture. Using a pastry cutter or your fingers, mix until it resembles coarse crumbs with pea-sized pieces of butter.
  3. Gradually add ice water one tablespoon at a time while mixing with your hands or fork until the dough comes together but is still slightly crumbly.
  4. Divide the dough into two equal disks; wrap each in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour or overnight.
  5. In another bowl, toss sliced apples with lemon juice immediately to prevent browning.
  6. In a separate bowl, combine sugar, flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg if using.
  7. Pour dry mixture over apples and gently toss until well coated.
  8. Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C).
  9. On a lightly floured surface, roll out one disk of pie dough into about an inch larger than your pie pan; transfer it to an ungreased standard pie dish carefully pressing it down without stretching.
  10. Fill with apple mixture evenly across the bottom crust.
  11. Roll out second disk similarly; place over filling gently pressing edges together to seal them—trim excess dough if necessary.
  12. Cut slits in top crust for steam vents; brush top generously with egg wash for golden color when baked.
  13. Bake in preheated oven for about 45–50 minutes until filling is bubbling through vents and crust is golden brown—check halfway through baking; you may want to cover edges loosely with foil if they brown too quickly.