Move over bland apple pie, here's a pretty lattice apple pie bursting with intense apple flavor! The secret is including boiled apple cider and a blend of spices in the filling. This apple pie recipe is an all-around winner!
Prepare the crust: Prepare and chill a pie crust for a double crust pie, using a double crust 12 : 8 : 4 recipe ratio of flour, butter, and water (by weight), sweetened with 2 to 3 tablespoons granulated sugar. Or, use a store-bought double crust pie dough.
Preheat the oven to 425 °F with racks placed on the bottom rung and in the center of the oven. If desired, lightly spray a 9-inch pie pan (that’s at least 1½-inches deep) with baking spray (which will make serving the pie easier after it's baked and cooled).
On a lightly floured surface, roll out one of the discs into a 12-inch circle, about ¼-inch high (if your pan is 2-inch deep, increase the circle to 13-inches). Transfer the dough to the pie pan by draping the dough loosely around the rolling pin. Gently settle the dough into the pan and trim the overhang to about 1-inch, setting aside any scraps. Chill the pie crust while you make the filling.
Prepare the filling: Peel, core, and slice the apples into ¼-inch thick wedges (see the Recipe Notes for tips on the best way to do this step). Place apples in a large bowl and stir in the lemon juice to coat.
In a small bowl, whisk together the sugar, Instant ClearJel (or your thickener of choice), spices, and salt. Sprinkle the mixture over the apple slices, stirring. Fold in the boiled cider (or apple juice concentrate) and the vanilla, if using.
If your mixture is especially wet, you can place the apples in a large colander and allow the juices to drain into a bowl while you get ready to assemble the pie.
Assemble the pie: Remove the pie crust from the refrigerator and spoon in the drained apple mixture. Replace the pie back in the refrigerator.
If you drained the apples, transfer the liquid into a small sauce pan. Bring it to a boil and reduce until it’s thickened and coats the back of a spoon. Pour the syrup over the filling.
Distribute the butter cubes over the top of the apples, then return the pie to the refrigerator while you prepare the lattice.
Roll out the second dough disc on a floured surface into a 12-inch circle. Using a pastry wheel, pizza cutter, or sharp knife, cut the rolled-out dough into strips 1- to 2-inches wide, or to your desired width.
Remove the pie from the refrigerator and top it by weaving the dough strips over and under each other, pulling back alternating strips to make the weave (see How to make a lattice pie crust for step-by-step instructions and pictures).
Press the edges of the strips into the bottom pie crust edges to seal, then tuck the overhang under itself and press down to create the edge. Smooth around the edges for a neater appearance, then crimp the edges with a fork or your method of crimping. You can use any dough scraps to roll out and cut decorative shapes.
To create a shiny glaze on the finished crust, brush the lattice and edges with milk or an egg wash. If you made decorations, place them on top of the lattice and glaze them as well. Sprinkle coarse sugar all over the top of the pie for a nice crunch, then place it in the refrigerator for 10 minutes to firm up the crust while the oven finishes heating.
Place a half sheet baking pan lined with a Silpat silicone mat or parchment paper on the bottom rack to preheat.
Bake the pie: Place the pie on the preheated baking pan and bake for 20 minutes until the crust begins to turn golden. Rotate the baking pan, move it to the center rack, and reduce the oven to 375 °F. Cover the edges of the pie with a pie shield or foil to keep them from browning too quickly, if necessary. Continue baking for 40 to 45 minutes more until the crust is golden brown and you can see the thickened juices bubbling.
Remove the pie from the oven and allow it to cool completely on a wire rack for 3 to 4 hours to allow juices to set before slicing. You don’t want those juices all over your plate instead of in your pie, so be patient.
Storage instructions: Store the pie for a day or so at room temperature. Alternatively, cover and refrigerate it for up to 5 days, or wrap it well and freeze for longer storage.
Make-ahead instructions: Homemade pie dough can be made up to 3 days in advance and chilled, or frozen for up to 3 months (thaw overnight in the refrigerator before using).
Recipe Notes
Use your favorite apples (solo or in combinations) that will be sweet and tart but won’t turn to mush when baking. I use Granny Smith and Empire, and Epicurious suggests Honeycrisp and Braeburn apples. Need more inspiration? Check out The very best pie apples from King Arthur Baking.If you have an apple peeler/corer/slicer, you can prep the apples in a single step. Otherwise, a serrated peeler will make quick work of peeling the apples, and a melon baller is a good way to scoop out the core. Using a mandolin slicer speeds up the slicing and insures uniform pieces. Just be careful with the sharp blade, and make sure you use the food guard!You can substitute ¼ cup flour or 2 tablespoons cornstarch for the Instant ClearJel.It's easy to make your own homemade apple spice mix. Just whisk together the following ingredients (alter the spices and amounts to your preference). Makes about 2 tablespoons:
4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon ginger
½ teaspoon allspice or cloves
½ teaspoon cardamom
To make this pie without the lattice, simply cover the filling with one 12-inch pie dough circle. Cut slits in the top to form steam vents. Trim and crimp the edges, then bake as directed.