Recipes
Apple Cinnamon Pie
2025-09-09
Apple cinnamon pie is one of those recipes that barely changes from one generation to the next — not because no one’s tried to improve it, but because the balance is already right where it should be. A buttery shortcrust holds its shape while staying tender, and a cinnamon-spiced apple filling fills the kitchen with an unmistakable autumn smell well before the pie even comes out of the oven.
For the filling, firmer apples with a good amount of tartness work best — they hold their shape during baking instead of collapsing into mush, and they give the filling the right balance of sweet and tangy. If the apples on hand are very sweet, a bit of extra lemon juice helps keep the overall flavor from turning cloying.
The cornstarch (or flour) in the filling isn’t just there to thicken things — it soaks up the juice the apples release as they bake, keeping the bottom crust from turning soggy. Skip this step and the filling can end up too runny, with a crust that never quite crisps up.
The pie is good both warm and fully cooled, and its flavor often deepens even further the next day, once the cinnamon and apple juices have had time to soak into the crust. Serve it plain, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, or a dollop of sour cream — both pair nicely with the warm spice of the cinnamon.
Ingredients
- 300 g all-purpose flour
- 180 g cold butter
- 80 g sugar for the dough
- 1 egg
- a pinch of salt
- 6-7 medium tart-sweet apples
- 80 g sugar for the filling
- 1.5 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tbsp cornstarch or flour for the filling
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
Instructions
- Cut the cold butter into cubes and rub it into the flour, sugar, and salt until it resembles fine crumbs, then add the egg and quickly bring the dough together into a ball.
- Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill it for at least 30 minutes.
- Peel and core the apples, slice them thinly, and toss with lemon juice to keep them from browning.
- Mix the apples with sugar, cinnamon, and cornstarch, and let them sit for 10 minutes to release their juices.
- Divide the dough into two unequal pieces, roll out the larger one, and line a pie dish with it, pressing it up the sides.
- Spread the apple filling over the dough and level it out.
- Roll out the remaining dough to cover the pie, crimp the edges to seal, and cut a few slits for steam to escape.
- Bake at 180°C (350°F) for about 40-45 minutes until golden brown, then let it cool for at least 20 minutes before slicing.
Share via email