One Hour Quick & Easy Apple Pie | Store Bought Crust

Ready in just one hour, this apple pie recipe features a buttery, flaky crust and a lightly spiced, wonderfully tender filling. The secret is using store bought crust - perfect for holidays, especially Thanksgiving!

Why we love this recipe

This easy recipe is perfect for beginners or anyone looking to save time in the kitchen.  Using store-bought crust to make apple pie is a game changer. By cutting out the time needed to make a homemade pie crust, you can have a steaming hot apple pie on the table in an hour. Premade crusts are readily available from local grocery stores and can be kept in the fridge for up to 3 months. This recipe makes it very easy to make a freshly baked bubbly pie at the drop of a hat. Its perfect for special holidays - like Thanksgiving!

What type of apples should I use?

The secret to making the best apple is to selecting the right apples. Certain apple varieties lend themselves more favorably to baking, offering a delightful combination of taste and texture. Here's a guide to some of the most commonly used apples in baking apple pie:

• Gala (sweet, strong apple flavor, relatively firm): Ideal for those who appreciate a sweeter note with a firm texture.
• Granny Smith (tart, strong apple flavor, extremely firm): Perfect for those who enjoy a tart kick and desire an exceptionally firm apple in their pie.
• Honey Crisp (very sweet, strong apple flavor, relatively firm): A great choice for those seeking a highly sweet profile with a firm texture.
• Golden Delicious (sweet and tart, medium apple flavor, somewhat firm): Strikes a balance between sweetness and tartness while maintaining a somewhat firm texture.
• Braeburn (sweet and citrusy, apple flavor with pear notes, very firm): Ideal for those who appreciate a sweet and citrusy flavor profile with a very firm texture.
• Pink Lady (sweet, tart, and tannic, medium apple flavor, firm): Offers a blend of sweetness, tartness, and a hint of tannic notes with a firm texture.

Working with store bought crust

Working with store-bought crusts is a convenient way to streamline the process of making a delicious apple pie. Here's a simple approach to handling store-bought crusts:

• Store in the Freezer: Always keep your store-bought crusts in the freezer, maintaining them in their original packaging.
• Thawing Process: Place the frozen crust on your kitchen counter for approximately one hour for a quick thaw. Alternatively, for a more gradual thawing process, let the crust defrost overnight in the refrigerator.

Tip: Always work with very cold, slightly stiff premade crust so that the baked pie crust is flaky and crispy. If the pie crust gets too soft, it means that the butter in the dough has started to melt. If that happens place it in the fridge for about a half hour on a baking tray lined with parchment.

What is the secret to making the best apple pie?

The secret to making the best apple pie is a beautifully flaky, butter pie crust and the perfect combination of sweet and/or tart apples. I like using sweet Gala apples for my apple pie - feel free to use your favorite apple type or a combination of apples. Just adjust the sugar to your taste according to the type of apple used. Thus you will need need more for Granny Smith and less for sweeter Honey Crisp apples.

Apple Pie Filling Ingredients

The best part of this delicious apple pie recipe is the filling - you can use it in pies or tarts or to replace a can of apple pie filling. It takes a few minutes to prep and tastes so good!

• The type of apple that should be used in apple pie varies by personal preference. I love using Gala apples because they are sweet and have just the right texture. If you prefer a tarter version, you can use Granny Smith apples. Some home cooks swear by a combination of sweet and tart apples. Avoid apples like Red Delicious which while delicious when raw, cook into a mushy mess when baked in the oven. One large apple yields about 1- 1 ½ cups of sliced apples. For a typical 9-inch pie pan you will need about 5-6 large apples.
• Lemon juice and salt is used to brighten the flavors in the filling.
• I like using a combination of light brown and white sugar because it adds just the right amount of sweetness and caramelization. For me, too much brown sugar, takes away from the subtle apple flavor.
• I like using a cinnamon and nutmeg but feel free to create your own flavor mix based on your favorite spices! Ginger, cardamom and allspice are popular flavors that are often added to apple pie.
• Corn starch or corn flour is used to thicken the liquid released by the apples. I prefer cornstarch to flour because only half the amount. Cornstarch is essentially flavorless and quickly produces a glossy, silky texture. Flour sometimes leaves an aftertaste.
• Butter helps flavor the apples and creates a smoother, luxurious filling

• For this easy recipe. you will need two 9-inch pie crusts. You can use homemade pie crust or pre-made pie crust for this simple apple pie recipe. I have had good success using store-bought crust from Pillsbury and Trader Joe's. To thaw frozen pie crust, leave it outside for an hour or in the fridge overnight.
• Egg is used to brush the top of the pie crust to create that beautiful golden-brown crust.
• I love brushing my pastry crust with a little apricot glaze because it gives the pie a warm, glossy finish.

How to make this easy apple pie recipe

Step One: Preheat the oven to 450°F. Place the oven rack in the lower third of the oven. Place a baking sheet on the rack before preheating the oven.

Step Two: Line the pie pan with one crust. Cover with plastic wrap and chill until the apple filling is ready. Wrap the other crust in plastic wrap and chill.

Step Three: Place the apple slices, cinnamon, nutmeg, light brown sugar, granulated white sugar, salt and lemon juice into a large bowl. Mix well.

Step Four: Pour the apple mixture into the chilled pie crust lined pan or pie dish. Dot with the chilled butter.

Step Five: Gently place the second pie crust on top. Seal around the edge. If needed, trim the excess. Crimp the edges. Using a sharp knife, make 5-6, 2-inch slits from the center of the pie out towards the edge to allow for steam to be released as the pie bakes. In a small bowl, whisk the egg and water. Brush the top of the pie with the egg wash. Sprinkle with granulated sugar.

Step Six: Place the pie on the heated baking sheet on the lower third of the oven. Bake for about 10 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F. Bake for about 50 more minutes. The pie is done when the internal temperatures is 200°F, the top is golden brown and the pie juices bubble through the steam slits for 5 minutes. During the baking process, check the pie from time to time. If it looks like the edges or top of the pie is browning too fast, cover with aluminum foil.

Step Seven: Place the pie on a wire rack to cool. Make the apricot glaze by mixing the apricot jam and water. Brush the glaze over the top pie crust and edges of the crust. For the Best Thanksgiving Apple Pie, let the pie cool for at least 4 hours. Serve warm or at room temperature with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

How to serve this apple pie

A classic crowd pleaser, you can never go wrong when serving warm apple pie with a dollop of freshly whipped heavy cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Its perfect for holidays like Thanksgiving when you want a classic, homemade bubbly pie but don't have time to make the whole pie from scratch.

Tips

• Use fresh, crisp apples: Softer ones like Red Delicious or apples that have been in the fridge too long tend to fall apart. The best apple pie will contain apples that become tender but still retain their structure.
• Preheat the oven with a baking sheet: To get the best flaky pie crust on the bottom, bake the pie on a hot baking sheet or cookie sheet. This allows the bottom crust to cook faster and avoids a soggy bottom crust.
• Use foil if the pie browns too fast: If the top of the pie or edges brown too fast, cover them lightly with foil. This prevents direct exposure to heat, ensuring the filling and bottom crust have enough time to cook.
• Be patient - allow the freshly baked pie to cool: Cutting into the apple pie too soon may cause the filling to spill. Allow it to cool for at least 15 minutes, so the filling has enough time to thicken.
• Do not allow the filling to sit: If the homemade apple pie filling sits, the sugar will cause the apples to release their juices. Discard the liquid or reduce it until very thick and add it back into the pie filling.

Nutrition

Each serving of this classic apple pie recipe has about 245 calories with 77.9g of carbohydrates, 5.6g of fat and 1.4g of protein.

This homemade apple pie recipe yields approximately 6 servings. The nutritional information has been calculated using an online recipe nutrition calculator and is intended for informational purposes only and should be used as a general guideline. If the nutrition information is important to you, you should independently verify it using your preferred tool.

Storage

Short-term (up to 4 days): For optimal flavor, the pie should be cooled completely then stored in an airtight container on the counter (at room temperature) for about two days. After this, the baked pie should be kept in the refrigerator and will last for about two more days.

Freezing (up to 3 months): Apple pie freezes beautifully and stored properly will last up to 3 months in the freezer. Both baked and unbaked pies can be frozen. To freeze, initially place the pie uncovered in the freezer. Once frozen, transfer it to either an airtight container or a freezer bag. For added protection against freezer burn, I recommend wrapping it with several layers of heavy-duty aluminum foil before placing it back in the freezer. This method ensures the pie remains fresh for an extended period of up to 3 months.

Tip: Unbaked frozen apple pie should be baked right out of the freezer. Baked apple pie should be thawed overnight in the fridge. For best flavor, the thawed apple pie should be warmed in the oven at 350°F prior to serving.

Variations

• Apple hand pies: cut each pie crust into quarters and make smaller pies.
• Dutch apple pie: use a crumble topping instead of a top pie crust.
• Caramel apple pie: add some caramel sauce to the pie filling. You can also drizzle the pie with caramel sauce.

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