This deep dish apple pie recipe will make you feel incredibly thankful this year! With layers of tender, spiced apples, a flaky butter crust, and a hint of bourbon, this is not just any apple pie—it’s an amazing, comforting dessert that anyone will enjoy.
Why This Deep Dish Apple Pie Recipe Works
This isn’t your average apple pie. The deep dish style means you get more of everything you love—more apples, more crust, and more flavor. Here’s what makes this recipe special:
Pre-cooking the apples: By sautéing the apples in butter with brown sugar and spices, you concentrate the flavors and prevent a soggy bottom crust. This step ensures your pie filling is perfectly caramelized and not watery.
Bourbon adds depth: Just a splash of bourbon enhances the warm spices and adds a sophisticated depth of flavor. Don’t worry—the alcohol cooks off, leaving only rich flavor behind.
Homemade crust: While store-bought crust works in a pinch, nothing beats a homemade all-butter pie crust. It’s flaky, tender, and tastes amazing.
Deep dish pan: Using a deep pie dish allows you to pack in 7-8 apples, creating those beautiful tall slices everyone loves.
Best Apples for Deep Dish Apple Pie
For this deep dish apple pie recipe, I always use Granny Smith apples. Here’s why:
- They hold their shape when baked and don’t turn mushy
- Their tart flavor balances the sweetness perfectly
- They have the right texture for pie filling
- They’re available year-round
You can also mix in Honeycrisp or Braeburn apples if you prefer a slightly sweeter pie, but Granny Smith are my go-to choice.
Tips for Making the Perfect Deep Dish Apple Pie
Keep your butter cold: This is the secret to a flaky crust! Cold butter creates steam pockets as it melts in the oven, resulting in those beautiful flaky layers.
Don’t skip the egg wash: Brushing the crust with beaten egg before baking gives you that gorgeous golden color and professional bakery shine.
Let it cool: I know it’s tempting to cut into a hot pie, but letting it cool for at least an hour helps the filling set properly so your slices hold together.
Pre-cook those apples: This step might seem like extra work, but it’s what prevents a soggy crust and that disappointing gap between filling and crust. Trust me on this one!
Use a deep dish pie pan: A standard pie pan is about 1-1.5 inches deep, but a deep dish pan is 1.5-2 inches deep. This extra depth is what allows you to pack in more apples and create those impressive tall slices.
Serving Suggestions
Serve your deep dish apple pie warm or at room temperature. Here are my favorite ways to enjoy it:
- Vanilla ice cream: Classic and absolutely necessary in my opinion! The combination of warm pie and cold ice cream is unbeatable.
- Whipped cream: A dollop of freshly whipped cream is heavenly
- Caramel sauce: Drizzle with warm caramel for extra decadence
- Sharp cheddar cheese: A traditional pairing that’s surprisingly delicious
Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
Storage: Cover leftover pie with foil or plastic wrap and store at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerate for up to 5 days. Reheat individual slices in the microwave for 20-30 seconds or in a 350°F oven for 10 minutes.
Make-Ahead: You can prepare the pie crust up to 2 days in advance and keep it wrapped in the refrigerator. The apple filling can also be made 1 day ahead and refrigerated. You can even assemble the entire pie, cover it tightly, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours before baking.
Freezing: This pie freezes beautifully! Wrap the baked and cooled pie tightly in plastic wrap, then aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Why Making Pie Matters
There’s something nostalgic about making pie. It’s comforting, soothing, and when shared with someone, it creates a bonding experience. I look forward to making pies with my children and teaching them this tradition.
Whether you’re making this deep dish apple pie recipe for Thanksgiving, a fall gathering, or just because it’s a cozy Sunday afternoon, I hope it brings warmth and joy to your table. There’s something special about pulling a golden, bubbling pie from the oven and watching your family’s faces light up.
This Thanksgiving, try making a dish with your loved ones. Maybe even this deep dish apple pie. Whatever you decide to make, let family be the intent and the connection that binds everyone together.
Happy baking!
Commonly Asked Questions
A deep dish apple pie is made in a pie pan that’s deeper than a standard 9-inch pie plate (usually 1.5-2 inches deep). This allows you to use more filling and create those tall, impressive slices. This recipe uses 7-8 apples compared to 4-6 in a regular pie.
Absolutely! The bourbon adds depth and enhances the spices, but you can omit it or substitute with apple cider, apple juice, or even water. The pie will still be delicious.
Pre-cooking the apples in this deep dish apple pie recipe helps prevent a soggy bottom crust. The apples release most of their liquid during the sauté step, so your pie won’t be swimming in juice. Also, make sure your filling is completely cool before adding it to the crust.
Your pie is done when the crust is deep golden brown and you can see the filling bubbling through the vents in the top crust. This usually takes 45-50 minutes at 350°F. If the edges brown too quickly, cover them with foil.
Yes! If you’re short on time, use two store-bought refrigerated pie crusts. While homemade crust tastes better, store-bought will work in a pinch and still give you a delicious pie.
Yes, I recommend peeling the apples for the best texture. Apple skins can be tough and chewy in pie, and they don’t break down during baking.
Similar Recipes
If you like pie or recipes with apples like this, you will enjoy the ones below:
- Apple Pie Cinnamon Rolls
- Fried Dutch Apple Pie
- Skillet Dutch Apple Pie Recipe
- Caramel Apple Cake Recipe
- Bourbon Butter Pie Recipe
Deep Dish Apple Pie Recipe
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 mins
- Yield: 8 1x
Description
This Deep Dish Apple Pie recipe is perfect for fall! Flaky crust, spiced apples, and bourbon flavor make this the best apple pie.
Ingredients
For the Pie Crust:
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 14 tablespoons (1 3/4 sticks) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- 1/2 cup ice water, plus 1-2 tablespoons more as needed
For the Apple Filling:
- 7–8 Granny Smith apples, peeled and sliced (about 8–10 cups)
- 6 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 1/2 tablespoons bourbon (optional, can substitute apple cider)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For Assembly:
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 tablespoon sugar for sprinkling
Instructions
Make the Pie Crust:
- In a food processor, combine the flour, salt, sugar, and cold cubed butter. Pulse 10-12 times until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with pea-sized pieces of butter throughout. If you don’t have a food processor, use a pastry cutter or two forks in a large bowl.
- With the processor running (or while stirring), slowly drizzle in the ice water until the dough just begins to come together. It should look crumbly but hold together when squeezed. Add 1-2 more tablespoons of ice water if the dough seems too dry.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and gently gather it into a ball. Divide the dough in half and flatten each half into a disk about 1 inch thick. Wrap each disk tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (or up to 2 days).
Prepare the Apple Filling:
- Peel and core the apples, then slice them into ¼-inch thick slices. You should have about 8-10 cups of sliced apples.
- In a large sauté pan or skillet, melt 6 tablespoons of butter over medium-high heat. Add the sliced apples and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the apples are slightly softened and most of the liquid has evaporated.
- Add the brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, allspice, ground ginger, nutmeg, lemon juice, and bourbon to the pan. Stir well to coat the apples in the spices and sugar.
- Continue cooking for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the apples are tender and caramelized with a thick, syrupy coating.
- Remove the pan from heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Transfer the apple filling to a large bowl and let it cool completely while you roll out the crust. This is important—hot filling can melt your butter crust!
Assemble the Pie:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Position a rack in the lower third of the oven.
- Remove one disk of chilled dough from the refrigerator. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out into a 12-inch circle about ⅛-inch thick. To prevent sticking, rotate the dough a quarter turn after every few rolls.
- Carefully transfer the rolled dough to a 9-inch deep dish pie pan by rolling it around your rolling pin, then unrolling it over the pan. Gently press the dough into the bottom and up the sides of the pan, allowing any excess to hang over the edges. Don’t stretch the dough or it will shrink during baking.
- Pour the cooled apple filling into the prepared crust, spreading it out evenly with a spoon.
- Roll out the second disk of dough into a 12-inch circle. Place it over the apple filling, centering it on top.
- Trim the excess dough from both layers, leaving about ½ inch of overhang beyond the edge of the pie pan. Fold the top crust edge under the bottom crust edge, then crimp the edges together with your fingers or press with a fork to seal.
Bake the Pie:
- In a small bowl, whisk together the beaten egg with 1 tablespoon of water to create an egg wash. Using a pastry brush, brush the entire top crust generously with the egg wash.
- Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of sugar evenly over the top crust for a sparkly, golden finish.
- Using a sharp knife, cut 4-5 slits (about 2 inches long) in the top crust to create steam vents. This allows moisture to escape and prevents a soggy top.
- Place the pie on a baking sheet (to catch any drips) and bake on the lower oven rack for 45-50 minutes, until the crust is deep golden brown and you can see the filling bubbling through the vents.
- If the edges of the crust start to brown too quickly (after about 25-30 minutes), cover them loosely with aluminum foil or use a pie shield.
- Remove the pie from the oven and place it on a wire cooling rack. Let it cool for at least 1 hour before slicing. This cooling time allows the filling to set up properly so your slices will hold their shape.
- Serve warm or at room temperature with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, or a drizzle of caramel sauce. Enjoy!
Notes
- Cold butter is key: Make sure your butter is very cold when making the crust. This creates a flaky texture. If your kitchen is warm, chill your flour and bowl in the freezer for 10 minutes before starting.
- Why pre-cook the apples? This step prevents the filling from shrinking during baking, which causes that disappointing gap between the crust and filling. It also concentrates the flavors and prevents a soggy crust.
- Bourbon substitute: You can replace the bourbon with apple cider, apple juice, or simply omit it. The bourbon adds depth but isn’t essential.
- Storage: Store covered at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerate for up to 5 days. Reheat slices in the microwave for 20-30 seconds or in a 350°F oven for 10 minutes.
- Make-Ahead: The crust can be made 2 days ahead and refrigerated, or frozen for up to 3 months. The filling can be made 1 day ahead. The assembled unbaked pie can be refrigerated overnight before baking.
- Freezing: Wrap the baked and cooled pie tightly in plastic wrap, then foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 60 mins
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
This recipe is absolutely delicious! The filling is perfectly spiced, and the crust comes out beautifully flaky. It’s a new favorite in our household!”
“I made this apple pie for Thanksgiving, and it was a huge hit! The balance of sweet and tart apples with the buttery crust was perfect.”
This apple pie recipe is a classic comfort dessert, with perfectly spiced apples and a golden, flaky crust. A timeless treat that’s always a crowd-pleaser!
Thank you Samiya!
This apple pie recipe</a is fantastic! I love how flaky and buttery the crust turned out, and the filling is perfectly spiced. I added a pinch of nutmeg for a little extra warmth, and it worked beautifully. Thanks for sharing such a classic, comforting recipe.
so good recipe
This deep dish apple pie looks absolutely delicious! Totally agree pie without ice cream just isn’t complete.
I recently shared some easy home cooking ideas too might be helpful for fellow home cooks!
This classic apple pie recipe pairs tender, spiced apples with a golden, flaky crust — a timeless dessert that’s sure to delight any crowd.
That deep dish apple pie sounds heavenly—especially with ice cream on the side!
Deep dish apple pie with ice cream sounds like pure comfort—perfect for the holidays!