Paula Deen's Apple Pie Recipe - Something Swanky Dessert Recipes (2024)

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Paula Deen’s Apple Pie

Paula Deen’s Apple Pie is a deliciously classic recipe with a buttery homemade lattice top crust and brown sugar apples.

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Who doesn’t love a juicy apple pie with that carmel-y sweet crunch of flaky crust. So perfect yet so difficult to achieve just the right balance of apples, sweetness and crunch.

Choosing your apples

Step one: select apples for apple pie. It is important to choose firm apples that are less likely to turn to mush when baked. The best apples for pies are crisp and crunchy with a low water content. These would inclue Honeycrisp, Cortland, Granny Smith and Pink Ladies.

As you’re shopping for apples, look for ones that feel firm and smell fragrant. And try to avoid apples that have ugly bruises or soft spots. Go for the freshest apples you can find. Even the highest quality apples can get mealy after being stored too long.

Ingredients for Paula Deen’s Apple Pie

  • brown sugar
  • flour
  • cinnamon
  • nutmeg
  • green apples, peeled and sliced
  • lemon juice
  • butter, cubed
  • unbaked pie crusts
  • egg wash for brushing on crust
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Paula Deen's Apple Pie Recipe - Something Swanky Dessert Recipes (3)

Must-Read Tips

  1. First sweat your apple slices before using them in the pie filling. This will prevent a runny filling and a soggy crust bottom!Read this post to learn how.
  2. Using store-bought pie crust dough is fine. But if you want to make your own, here are my favorite recipes by comfort level with making pie crusts:

✓ Total Novice: No Rolling Press-in-the-Pan Pie Crust*
✓ Beginner: Easiest All-Butter Pie Crust
✓ Intermediate: Buttermilk Pastry Pie Crust
✓ Experienced: Classic 2-Pie Crust Recipe

*You’ll need to turn this recipe into a Dutch Apple Pie if you opt to use the Press-in-the-Pan pie crust, since this recipe does not make dough that rolls out easily.

Have no fear– it’s easy! Simply replace the second crust that goes on top with a yummy crumble (use the crumble from this recipe) and adjust the baking time and temperature to: 60 minutes at 350°F. Place foil over the crumble topping if it gets too brown during baking.

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What does it mean to “Sweat” Apples?

The process of sweating apples simply means to reduce the amount of juice in the apple slices intended for pie. You can easily draw the juice out of the apple slices by coating them in sugar and lemon juice and allowing them to sit for at least an hour at room temperature. Then you’ll see the juice has gathered at the bottom of the bowl (you can use this juice later to make cider or syrup!) and you can proceed to use the slightly dehydrated apples for a pie filling using any recipe.

Paula Deen's Apple Pie Recipe - Something Swanky Dessert Recipes (5)
Paula Deen's Apple Pie Recipe - Something Swanky Dessert Recipes (6)

Paula Deen's Apple Pie

Paula Deen's classic Apple Pie with a buttery homemade lattice top crust and brown sugar apples.

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup flour
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • pinch of nutmeg
  • 7 medium green apples, peeled and sliced
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 3 tbsp butter, cubed
  • 2 unbaked pie crusts
  • egg wash for brushing on crust

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375ºF.

Mix together the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

Place the apple slices in a large mixing bowl. Toss with the dry ingredients mixture to coat.

Press a pie crust into a 9-inch pie dish. Fill with the apple mixture.

Drizzle the lemon juice over the apples. Sprinkle the cubed butter over top as well.

Place the second pie crust over the filling (you can make a lattice top or simply cut slits to vent the steam). Press edges to seal.

Bake for 55-60 minutes. Let cool before slicing.

Helpful Related Posts

Paula Deen's Apple Pie Recipe - Something Swanky Dessert Recipes (10)

Paula Deen's Apple Pie Recipe - Something Swanky Dessert Recipes (11)

Why and How to Sweat Apples for Pie

Paula Deen's Apple Pie Recipe - Something Swanky Dessert Recipes (12)

Classic 2-Pie Crust Recipe

After years of struggle, I finally perfected the Classic 2-Pie Crust Recipe. I picked up a few tricks along the way, and I'm sharing them with you in this post!

Paula Deen's Apple Pie Recipe - Something Swanky Dessert Recipes (13)

Buttermilk Pastry Pie Crust

If you're like me, and the art of pie crust-making has eluded you... give this one a try! I like that it's a little softer to work with; I've found that it cracks less when I'm rolling it out. And I also like that I can skip the rolling part if I want and just use my hands to press it into the pie dish.

Paula Deen's Apple Pie Recipe - Something Swanky Dessert Recipes (14)

Easiest All Butter Pie Crust

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Paula Deen's Apple Pie Recipe - Something Swanky Dessert Recipes (2024)

FAQs

Why are McDonald's apple pies so good? ›

Many pie fillings are made with a processed thickening agent that keeps the filling jelly-like and in place. But McDonald's uses a dehydrated apple powder. The powder not only thickens the filling, but it also adds that extra apple taste that you love.

Which apples make the best apple pie? ›

The best apples for making apple pie
  • Crispin (Mutsu). ...
  • Golden Delicious. ...
  • Granny Smith. ...
  • Honeycrisp. ...
  • Jonagold or Jonathan. ...
  • Northern Spy. ...
  • Pink Lady. This super crisp apple certainly is sturdy enough to hold its shape when baked. ...
  • Winesap. This heirloom cultivar is said to have been around for centuries.
Oct 8, 2021

Why use Granny Smith apples in apple pie? ›

Granny Smith's high acidity contributes to this variety's flavor and helps keep it firm as it bakes. One of the least sweet among apple types, Granny Smith may be the best choice if you prefer a pie that's not super sweet, or for a recipe with a sugary filling or a sugar-topped crust.

What is the difference between the old and new McDonald's apple pies? ›

Public opinion started to lean away from fried food and more toward baked, so McDonald's switched to a baked version in 1992. The new version was undoubtedly healthier, though many longtime fans insist that the old flaky, crispy crust was tastier.

What fast food has the best apple pie? ›

Final ranking from worst to best: Burger King, McDonald's, Arby's, Popeyes, Checkers. Checkers hasn't been on my radar much, and its other desserts didn't really impress. But when it came to apple pie, Checkers rallied and landed the top spot.

What is the apple pie rule? ›

Here's a look at one of the most unusual laws on the books in the Badger State. In Wisconsin, it is illegal to serve apple pie in public restaurants without a slice of cheese on top. Yes, you read that right: cheese is required on top of any apple pie that is served in a public restaurant in Wisconsin.

What is the best thickener for apple pie filling? ›

All-purpose flour is an easy solution, as you're sure to have it in your pantry. Since it's lower in starch, you'll use more of it than you would higher-starch thickeners. Quick-cooking tapioca makes filling bright and clear, but also gives it a stippled and somewhat sticky texture.

Are honeycrisp apples good for apple pie? ›

Using a combination of tart and sweet apple varieties will create the right flavor balance for the best apple pie. The 7 best apples for baking pie: Our favorite apple pie recipe calls for Honeycrisp, Braeburn, or Golden Delicious apples, or a mix of all three.

Is pink lady a good pie apple? ›

Pink Lady® apples are a perfect accompaniment for pies as they hold their shape and don't disintegrate when baked, creating beautiful layers within your pie. Slightly el dente and naturally sweet when baked make them the perfect pie partner.

What is the sweetest apple for apple pie? ›

The Honeycrisp apple is one of the sweeter varieties, so it definitely is not lacking in the flavor department. They stay relatively firm, although less so than the Granny Smiths, and this makes them a great combination of flavor and texture for your pies.

Why did my apples turn mushy in my pie? ›

Perfect Pie Tip #6: Choose Tart Apples

When apples are cooked, this pectin breaks down, and the apples turn mushy. However, there are ways to control this pectin breakdown, helping you to ensure that your apple slices are tender, but still hold their shape in the pie. The easiest first step is to pick the right apple.

What are the three best apples for apple pie? ›

If you prioritize a more puckery pie, use mostly Granny Smiths and toss in a Honeycrisp and a Jonagold. If you like your apples to slump and soften, use mostly Golden Delicious with a Braeburn thrown in.

Why did my apple pie turn into applesauce? ›

For example, sweeter apples tend to break down easier than their acidic partners. This means that apples like Red Delicious break down quickly, turning your pie into more of an applesauce than a delectable dessert.

Is McDonalds apple pie actually apple? ›

Absolutely—McDonald's apple pie has real diced apples. The exact variety can vary from season to season, but we look for apples that are sweet and slightly tart.

Is apple pie from McDonald's good? ›

The crust is crispy, light and tasty. This gets 6 out of 10 apples from me. Content Producer Chris Sims: The chewy, almost rubbery, apples crammed into a crust smorgasbord with little filling left something to be desired compared to the original. 4.5 stars out of 10.

What is the apple pie at McDonalds made of? ›

View Ingredients & Allergens

OR: Water, Apples (23%), WHEAT Flour, Vegetable Oils (Palm Oil, Rapeseed Oil), Sugar, Modified Corn Starch, Dextrose, Salt, Spices, Lemon Juice Concentrate, Caramelised Sugar Syrup, Cassia Extract. Prepared in the restaurants using non-hydrogenated vegetable oil.

What is a McDonald's apple pie made of? ›

Ingredients: Apples (apples, Ascorbic Acid, Salt, Citric Acid), Enriched Flour (bleached Wheat Flour, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Sugar, Palm Oil, Water, Apple Juice Concentrate, Modified Food Starch, Invert Syrup, Contains 2% Or Less: Yeast, Salt, Cinnamon, Sunflower Lecithin, ...

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