This Apple Pie a la Mode is the ultimate dessert! There's just nothing tastier than a homemade apple pie made from scratch and served up with an ice cold scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Everyone loves apple pie a la mode, right? But making your own homemade apple pie might seem a bit intimidating.
But have no fear - I’m going to show you how easy it is to make your own apple pie filling and homemade apple pie crust with just a few simple ingredients.
This holiday-worthy dessert only takes 45 minutes from start to finish!
This apple pie a la mode is:
- Flavorful and delicious.
- Warm and satisfying.
- A surefire crowd pleaser.
- Made from scratch with real ingredients.
- A perfect holiday dessert.
How to Make Apple Pie from Scratch
How to Make Pie Crust
Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
Prepare pie crust. Add flour, salt and vegetable shortening to a large bowl and mix with a hand held mixer. Gradually add ice-cold water until the dough binds together and can form a ball. Chill for 30 minutes.
Divide the dough into 2 even sections. Roll out each piece of dough into a 10-11 inch diameter for a 9 inch pie, and then line a pie dish with one of the crusts.
Add filling to the pie crust. Then, top with the second pie crust.
How to Make Apple Pie Filling
Peel and slice apples and add to a large bowl. Mix with sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg.
Add filling to the pie crust.
Place top crust over the pie and crimp the edges together. A pastry crimper works great for this! Cover edges with foil or a pie crust protector.
Bake for 10 minutes at 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and continue baking for 35-40 minutes.
FAQs
What are the best apples for apple pie?
Most bakers opt to use Macintosh apples for their homemade apple pie, as they are one of the most naturally sweet apple varieties.
If you’re looking to make a more tart-flavored pie then you may use a Cortland apple or granny smith apple.
Gala apples are also good for pie if you want a mildly sweet flavor.
Do you prebake crust for apple pie?
You don’t need to prebake the pie crust.
All you need to do with this homemade pie crust is mix the ingredients, form the dough into balls, then let it sit in the fridge for 30 minutes to rise. Then shape the crust and place it into your pie pan.
What do you brush pie crust with before baking?
If you want to add a golden appearance to the top of your homemade pie crust then you can brush the top with an egg yolk, using a pastry brush. I always use an egg yolk separator to ensure I get just the yolk.
The exact mixture I like to use for my egg wash is: 1 egg yolk whisked with 1 teaspoon of water.
If you want a shiny appearance but not a golden one, you can brush the crust with egg whites or a little bit of half-and-half or cream.
How do you keep apple pie from getting watery?
If you’ve found that your apple pie is too watery, you have a few options.
Venting the top of our homemade pie crust will allow some of the fluid to escape during bake time, which would help your pie keep from getting overly watery.
Another option is to let your pie filling drain for an hour before using it, which will reduce the liquid. If you do this, you could make an apple syrup with the excess juices!
Pie and Cake Supplies
- Stand Mixer or Hand-held Mixer- This makes it SO much faster to whip the topping. Like I said above, it can be done without a mixer, but make sure you have a strong arm and patience. I have a KitchenAid Pro Mixer that I've had for 12+ years and love it!
- Round Cake Storage and Carrier- Having a pan with lid and carrier makes it easier for storage. No more having to deal with plastic wrap that gets messy and twisted up.
- 8-inch Parchment Rounds- No more dealing with cake sticking to the bottom of the pan!
- Cake Leveler- This tool is a must if you want to make layered cakes. It allows you to evenly remove the rounded part of the cake top and make perfectly level layers.
- Cake Server- A good cake server makes a world of difference. It makes it so much easier to lift the dessert lasagna out of the pan in nice and even slices.
- Cake Decorating Set- Making a pretty cake is reasonably easy when you use the tools in this decorating set. With a little practice, you will be decorating cakes like a pro in no time.
More Pie Recipes
If you love this homemade apple pie a la mode, don't miss these other delicious recipes:
Apple Pie a La Mode
Ingredients
Pie Crust
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 ¼ cups vegetable shortening
- 7-12 tablespoons ice-cold water
Pie Filling
- 6 cups peeled and sliced apples
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
For Serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Prepare pie crust. Add flour, salt and vegetable shortening to a large bowl and mix with a hand held mixer. Gradually add ice-cold water until the dough binds together and can form a ball. Chill for 30 minutes.
- Peel and slice apples and add to a large bowl. Mix with sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg.
- Divide the dough into 2 even sections. Roll out each piece of dough into a 10-11 inch diameter for a 9 inch pie.
- Add filling to the pie crust.
- Place top crust over the pie and crimp the edges together. Cover edges with foil or a pie crust protector.
- Bake for 10 minutes at 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and continue baking for 35-40 minutes.
- Cool before serving with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Aloysius
I just have an ample likeness for pies. Thanks for sharing this .