Bugga’s Apple Pie

Apple Pie is a classic dessert for a reason, and this Cinnamon Apple Pie recipe, adapted from my grandmother, Bugga, is a family favorite. Bursting with Granny Smith apples and cinnamon, this golden brown pie is utterly delicious. Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, and this pie is perfection.

2024 Update: This recipe was originally shared in August 2013 on my mom’s birthday. The recipe and post include new photos, as well as more detailed instructions, tips and tricks. I hope you love this classic pie recipe!

Pie making is a big deal in my family. My grandmothers all baked pies when I was growing up, and it is still considered a time-honored tradition on both sides of my family. When I was a kid, I spent a lot of time in the kitchen marveling over my grandmothers’ skills, especially when they were baking, and that love has carried over into my adulthood.

However, no matter how much I love baking, I used to not bake pies because I found them time-consuming and overwhelming. After all, cookies, brownies and cake are a little faster and less fussy. 😉 

Why I love this recipe:

This lovely Cinnamon Apple Pie, a riff on my grandmother’s classic apple pie recipe, was whipped up when my mom was visiting Dallas for July 4th many years ago.

One of the things I love about family recipes is that you get a lot of the lore surrounding them as you make the recipes with people who know how they’re supposed to look, feel and taste. 

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You can also follow your family member around the kitchen with measuring spoons and a kitchen scale to accurately quantify the recipe instead of eyeballing it, which is what we’d always previously done.

According to my mom and her mom, Bugga, for an apple pie to have full-out flavor and for the filling to be wonderful, you’ve gotta mix in the ingredients bit by bit.

As in my mother was sprinkling in a little sugar, a little cinnamon and a little butter over the apples and mixing the ingredients with her hands until the filling was deemed the right texture. I don’t make the rules, my friends, but you don’t have to mix these with your hands because I have the measurements for you below.

While this isn’t necessarily an easy apple pie recipe (because it requires some effort!), it is an absolutely DELICIOUS one that calls for simple ingredients and a beautiful flaky crust, too.

I’m breaking down exactly how my family makes this so that you can do the same in your own kitchen!

More apple desserts we know and love: Apple Crumble | Caramelized Apples | Vegan Apple Crisp | Apple Pie Dip

What you need to make this recipe:

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• Rolling pin
• 9-inch pie plate
• Sharp knife and cutting board
• Vegetable peeler
• Mixing bowl
• Rubber spatula
• Citrus juicer

Here’s what you need to grab from the grocery store:

• Pie crust — you can use homemade flaky pie crust recipe (like this Buttermilk Pie Crust) or purchase the pre-made kind from the freezer section at the grocery.
• Granny Smith apples — you need about 3 ½ lbs. of these tart apples. This equated to 5 large apples, but please weigh them in store to confirm. You’ll need to peel them and then cut them into slices.
• Freshly squeezed lemon juice — this prevents the apples from browning while they sit and macerate for a little bit.
• All purpose flour — this serves as a thickener to our apple mixture. I do not recommend replacing it with a different type of flour and have never attempted to make this pie gluten free.
• Granulated sugar — this is also known as white sugar, and it sweetens the apples. We also sprinkle a little on the crust before baking. You could use brown sugar in place of the granulated sugar inside the pie if you prefer.
• Ground cinnamon — you can grind your own (if you like it more potent!) or use the pre-ground kind. This goes into the bowl with the apple slices, and we sprinkle a little on the crust, too.
• Unsalted butter — this goes into the pie and adds a little fat to the apple mixture. I do not recommend replacing it with a dairy-free alternative.
• Half-and-half — we brush a little of this onto the crust to help encourage browning. You may use heavy cream instead. We use this instead of a traditional egg wash.

If you love nutmeg and other warming spices, feel free to use an apple pie spice blend in place of the ground cinnamon for maximum flavor!

What are the best apples to use in apple pie?

My mom and I enjoy using super tart Granny Smith apples. My Bugga swore by Rome apples in her pie.

There are so many apple varieties around, though, that you could attempt pies with different versions that YOU love.

Honeycrisp apples, as well as Pink lady apples and Braeburn apples, are good apple pie options, too, because they will hold their shape.

How to make Apple Pie from scratch

Make the homemade pie crust, if you’re going to do this. (If you’re using a store-bought pie crust, skip on to the next step.)

Typically, a homemade pie crust needs to chill in the fridge for at least an hour before you roll it, so DO THAT FIRST. I like to divide my pie crust into two rounds and wrap them in plastic wrap before refrigerating to aid in the rolling later on.

Preheat the oven to 425°F, and place an oven rack in the direct center of the oven. This is important for consistency.

Prepare the apples. Use a vegetable peeler  or a paring knife to remove the peel of the apples. Slice the apples thinly with a sharp knife, and place the apple slices in a large bowl. There will be about 2 ½ lbs. of apples after they’ve been peeled and diced.

Add the seasoning. Measure the sugar, cinnamon, butter and lemon juice into the bowl with the apples.

Toss gently so the ingredients are evenly dispersed, and set this apple pie filling aside. Give it a taste. Depending on the tartness of your apples, you might consider adding additional (2-3 tablespoons) sugar.

Roll out the pie crust. Use a rolling pin to roll the crust on a floured work surface. This will become the bottom crust of the pie, so roll it into a round as best you can. 

Fold it into quarters and transfer it into the pie pan. Fold over the excess dough or cut it off, and crimp or fold in a decorative manner. Use a fork to poke a few holes in the bottom to let moisture escape as the pie bakes.

Pour the homemade apple pie filling into the crust.

Roll out the top crust on the same lightly floured surface. Carefully transfer it on top of the pie. Poke a few holes in this, as well.

You may do this with a fork or you may cut slits with a knife or do something fancier, like use a cookie cutter to remove part of the crust. You could also make a lattice crust if you’re feeling fancy.

Brush the pie crust with half and half. Sprinkle with additional cinnamon and granulated sugar.

Place the pie dish on a rimmed sheet pan to prevent it dripping into the bottom of the oven.

Bake the pie in the preheated oven for 40-45 minutes or until the top is golden brown and juices are bubbling out of the crust. ou may use a pie shield or gently place aluminum foil over the crust if it starts getting too brown too quickly.

Enjoy warm or at room temperature with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or homemade sweetened whipped cream!

How to store:

Store leftover apple pie wrapped in plastic or in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Reheat in the microwave or eat cold or room temperature.

Erin’s Easy Entertaining Tips

Homemade Apple Pie for a gathering is simply the best kind of treat! It’s also an amazing dessert to serve for a holiday, like July 4 or Thanksgiving.

If you’re making this apple pie to share, here are some things I would do…

• Make the pie dough in advance. Since the pastry crust needs to chill out before you roll it, it’s easy to make this in advance. You can even make it weeks in advance and put it in the freezer, then let it thaw in the fridge before using.
• Bake the pie early, too. The pie needs to cool before you slice into it, so baking it the morning of or even the day before works!
• Offer options for topping the pie. We love this with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream, but it’s also delicious with a sprinkling of powdered sugar!

Frequently Asked Questions

Quick tips and tricks to the best apple pie recipe:

• Give the crust time to chill out. This is imperative so it doesn’t fall apart or melt into the apples!
• Bake the pie for long enough. It needs to be golden brown and the juices need to be bubbling out of it when it’s officially done.
• Let it cool completely before slicing into it. A hot pie will fall apart during this process.
• Swap out the apples or spices. Use a different kind of apples for this recipe or swap out the cinnamon for the same amount of an apple pie spice blend, which involves cinnamon along with other warming spices.

Here’s how you make it: