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

posted by

Jump to Recipe

SomethingSwanky is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you.

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.

Related Recipes:

  • Texas Southern Pecan Pie
  • Caramel Oreo Pie
  • Nestle Toll House Chocolate Chip Pie
  • Coconut Cream Pie
Paula Deen's Apple Pie Recipe - Something Swanky Dessert Recipes (1)

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
Paula Deen's Apple Pie Recipe - Something Swanky Dessert Recipes (2)
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.

Paula Deen's Apple Pie Recipe - Something Swanky Dessert Recipes (4)

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

  • Substitute for Rosemary: Best Fresh and Dried Substitutes to Use

  • Orange Zest Substitute: How to Use Lemon Zest Instead

  • Substitute for Sage: Discover the Best Dried Substitutes

  • Irish Christmas Cake: A Delicious Traditional Recipe

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

FAQs

Which apples make the best apple pie? ›

The best apples for making apple pie
  • Braeburn. This apple is a descendant of Granny Smith, but slightly sweeter. ...
  • Cortland. ...
  • Crispin (Mutsu). ...
  • Golden Delicious. ...
  • Granny Smith. ...
  • Honeycrisp. ...
  • Jonagold or Jonathan. ...
  • Northern Spy.
Oct 8, 2021

Can you use Paula Red apples for pies? ›

Paula Red apples are suitable for both eating fresh and cooking, although they become extremely soft when cooked, which suits them to some dishes (applesauce) and not others (pies).

Why do people like apple pie and cheese? ›

The cheese-apple pie connection traces back to England, where both cheddar and apple pie are said to have originated. In the 17th and 18th centuries, a dairy-based sauce often topped English pies, such as custard. Somehow, some folks decided to try out cheddar along the way, and the rest was history.

What are the best apples for apple pie that is not runny? ›

Mutsu Apples

Their firm flesh holds its structure exceptionally well during baking, which leads to tender, not mushy, pie filling.

What is the sweetest apple? ›

The sweetest apples come from a select group of varieties, including Fuji, Gala, Honeycrisp, and Golden Delicious apples. These apples are particularly high in natural sugars and are best enjoyed in season.

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? ›

Very often flour or cornstarch is used, but in certain instances tapioca, arrowroot and potato starch can also help achieve the desired consistency. Tapioca starch is preferable for products that will be frozen because it will not break down when thawed.

What is one thing you should not do when making pie crust? ›

A: First, don't just reach for more flour—too much extra flour will make the crust tough, and won't treat the real problem, which is that your butter is too soft. I recently read in Weller's cookbook A Good Bake that it should take no more than one to two minutes to roll out a pie crust.

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.

What is the best thickener for fruit pies? ›

Tapioca-it's not just for pudding! This old-school ingredient may be what your great grandmother used to thicken her pies, and it's still great for making a perfect fruit pie with a clear, stable filling. Tapioca is derived from cassava (also known as yuca or manioc), a starchy root native to South America.

How many apples are needed for a 9 inch pie? ›

It's hard to know exactly how many apples you'll need for an apple pie, but for one 9-inch pie, you probably won't need more than 10 apples. If your apples are smaller, you'll probably need 10; if they're really big apples, you'll use fewer of them.

Is it illegal to sell apple pie without cheese in Wisconsin? ›

Let's begin with one of the most frequently cited state laws, which reportedly requires that “all apple pie in Wisconsin must be served with a slice of cheese on it.” Sadly, despite the law's prevalence among weird-law lists, the law itself is just a myth.

What is it called when you put ice cream on apple pie? ›

Pie à la Mode (literally "pie in the current fashion"/ "fashionable pie") is pie served with ice cream. The French culinary phrase à la mode used in the name of this American dessert is also encountered in other dishes such as boeuf à la mode (beef à la mode).

What kind of cheese goes on apple pie? ›

Cheddar is the most common variety, but there are regional preferences. In parts of Yorkshire, they prefer their regional cheese of Wensleydale. There's a saying that comes from the area: "An apple pie without the cheese is like a kiss without the squeeze."

What are the top 5 apples for baking? ›

For the best pies, crisps, and other baked treats, apples need to be firm enough to hold their own during the cooking process. We call these apples “baking apples” and to namedrop, they include Braeburn, Cortland, Honey Gold, Jonathan, Fuji, Gala, Granny Smith, Haralson, and Newtown Pippin.

Which is better, gala or Honeycrisp? ›

Gala apples have a sweet flavor, a good crunch and has been the top apple at Kauffman's Fruit Farm for a few years. Yet Clair Kauffman, orchard manager, can see other apples soon rising to the top. Take the Honeycrisp, which has a more complex flavor than a Gala, he says.

What are the best apples for pies and turnovers? ›

Apple turnover cinnamon filling

Apples – Granny Smith apples are my favourite apple option. Good balance of tartness with sweet, and they hold their shape. Most red apple varieties will break down more so you end up with a compote inside (which makes base soggy), and are sweeter.

Is a Honeycrisp apple good for baking? ›

Honeycrisp. One of the sweetest apples around, this Midwestern favorite is good for anything—including baking. It boasts a distinctive juicy crispness and is firm enough that it won't cook down much. It complements just about any other apple variety to make a stellar pie.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Dr. Pierre Goyette

Last Updated:

Views: 5934

Rating: 5 / 5 (50 voted)

Reviews: 89% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Dr. Pierre Goyette

Birthday: 1998-01-29

Address: Apt. 611 3357 Yong Plain, West Audra, IL 70053

Phone: +5819954278378

Job: Construction Director

Hobby: Embroidery, Creative writing, Shopping, Driving, Stand-up comedy, Coffee roasting, Scrapbooking

Introduction: My name is Dr. Pierre Goyette, I am a enchanting, powerful, jolly, rich, graceful, colorful, zany person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.