Paula Deen Old-Fashioned Apple Pie is built on a from-scratch butter crust and a mix of Braeburn, Granny Smith, and Fuji apples. Cinnamon, lemon zest, and brown sugar bring the filling together. It bakes in about 80 minutes, serves 8, and fits right in at Thanksgiving dinner or a church supper.
The crust is what sets this apart. Two full sticks of cold butter get pulsed in a food processor until pea-sized, then the dough chills for at least an hour. Skip that step and the dough fights you on every roll. Get it cold and it handles like a dream.
Make the dough the night before. It keeps overnight in the fridge and rolls out easier when well chilled. After baking, let the pie cool a full three hours before slicing, or the filling runs all over the plate.
Paula Deen Old-Fashioned Apple Pie
Course: DessertCuisine: American, SouthernDifficulty: Medium8
servings30
minutes1
hour20
minutes420
kcalA double-crust apple pie with a flaky, food-processor butter pastry layered over thick-sliced apples seasoned with cinnamon and lemon. The top crust gets a braided edge and a light sugar sprinkle before baking.
Ingredients
2 1/4 cups plus 1 tablespoon, divided all purpose flour
1 tablespoon plus 1/2 cup + 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
3/4 teaspoon plus 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) cold, cut into pieces unsalted butter
4 tablespoons (up to 6 tablespoons) ice water
1 lightly beaten egg
1 tablespoon milk
6 large Braeburn, Granny Smith and Fuji, peeled, halved, cored and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices Apples
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1 tablespoon lemon zest
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
6 tablespoons cold, cut into small pieces Butter
Directions
- Make the crust: Put the 2 1/4 cups flour, 1 tablespoon sugar and 3/4 teaspoon salt in a food processor; pulse until blended. Add the unsalted butter and pulse until the butter is the size of peas. Add 4 tablespoons of the ice water and pulse 3 or 4 times.
- Test the dough: The dough should hold together when squeezed with your fingers, but should not be sticky. If it is too dry, add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, pulsing until the mixture just begins to come together. Do not over process.
- Chill the dough: Gather the dough into a ball and cut in half. Pat each half into a disk and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until well chilled, at least 1 hour or overnight.
- Make the filling: Combine the apples, 1/2 cup sugar, light brown sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, 1 tablespoon flour, cinnamon and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large bowl; toss until well mixed.
- Preheat the oven: Position the rack in bottom third of oven and preheat the oven to 400 °F.
- Roll the bottom crust: On a lightly floured surface, roll out one disk of dough to a 12-inch round; ease into a 9-inch glass pie plate. Trim the excess dough flush with the edge of the pie plate. Reserve the trimmings for decorating the pie.
- Add the filling and top crust: Spoon the filling into the crust and dot with 6 tablespoons cold butter cut into small pieces. Roll out the remaining disk of dough to a 12-inch round. Place over the filling, trimming the crust flush with the edge of the pie plate. Press the edges to seal.
- Braid the edge: Gather the reserved trimmings and divide into 9 pieces. Roll each piece into a 12-inch long rope, braiding three ropes together at a time.
- Apply the egg wash: Brush the crust lightly with some of the egg wash and secure the braids along the edge of the crust, stretching or cutting to fit.
- Finish the top: Sprinkle the top of the pie with the remaining 1 teaspoon sugar. Cut a few slits in the top to allow steam to escape.
- Bake: Bake for 20 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 °F and bake until the crust is golden and the filling is bubbly, about 1 hour longer, depending on the type of apples used. If the crust begins to brown too quickly, cover the rim of the pie with strips of aluminum foil. Cool the pie on a rack at least 3 hours before serving.
FAQs
Can I use just one type of apple?
You can, but the mix of Braeburn, Granny Smith, and Fuji gives you tart, sweet, and firm all in one pie. If you go with only Granny Smith, add a tablespoon more brown sugar to balance the sourness.
Why does the pie need to cool for three hours?
The filling is still liquid when it comes out of the oven. Cutting it early means runny slices and a soggy bottom crust. Three hours lets the juices thicken into a soft gel that holds its shape on the plate.
Can I make the whole pie ahead of time?
You can bake it a day ahead and store it covered at room temperature. The crust softens a little overnight, so pop it in a 350 °F oven for 10 minutes before serving to crisp it back up.
What if my dough cracks when I roll it?
It is probably too cold or too dry. Let it sit at room temperature for 5 minutes, then try again. Small cracks can be patched by pressing a scrap of dough over them and smoothing with your finger.
Do I need to blind bake the bottom crust?
No. Paula’s method bakes everything together, starting at 400 °F on the lowest rack. That high heat from below sets the bottom crust before the filling soaks through it.
