apple pie in a cast iron skillet

Hands Down This is The Best Apple Pie in The Whole World

Classic Apple Pie with a flaky crust, perfectly set filling, and just a hint of cinnamon—does anything shout Pi Day more than this?

apple pie in cast iron skillet

For a recipe that hits the mark while at the same time is simple to make, perfecting The Apple Pie has been irritatingly difficult.

I’m married to an incredibly discriminating apple pie connoisseur. Overpowering spice, an annoying hint of lemon, crust too soggy, “curdled” filling, overcooked, undercooked—I’ve battled every possible variation. I can confirm that this is The One. This is the recipe that makes all my husband’s Apple Pie dreams come true.

The Crust

(Full recipe and printable recipe card below; scroll down or click on Jump to Recipe button above)

Here’s what you need for the foolproof, perfect pie crust:

  • all-purpose flour
  • solid vegetable shortening
  • sugar
  • salt
  • egg
  • cold butter
  • vodka
  • ice-cold water

This recipe (see below) makes a perfectly flaky pie crust that can be sweet or savory (for savory simply omit the sugar). And I’m pretty sure I know what you’re thinking: Why vodka?

Here’s why vodka belongs in your pie crust: The vodka makes the crust flakier and lighter. It stops the gluten in the flour from developing, making the crust tender and super flaky. It will cook out, so no worries when it comes to serving this to your entire family! Just make sure you follow exactly including the “par-bake” step to make sure you avoid the heartbreak of a soggy bottom.

The Filling

The number of ingredients may come as a big surprise. What? No allspice, nutmeg, or cloves?! No tapioca, flour or corn starch? No lemon? Right!

This filling is all about the apples with no distractions. And it comes out perfectly set—not thick or lumpy. Just the clear, pure, uncluttered taste of apples.

  • Granny Smith apples (or your choice)
  • sugar
  • cinnamon
  • butter

That’s it! So pure, so right! And it’s important that you follow the steps exactly. Adding the sugar to the apples too soon will cause the apples to macerate making them too “saucy” and, you guessed it, soggy bottom!

The Pie Pan

This Apple Pie calls for a 9-inch pie pan. My favorite is quite deep, which takes 7 apples to abundantly fill, which is the way we like it. Quite often, I will use this recipe for two 6-inch cast-iron skillets, one is pictured below. It works really well!

apple pie in cast iron skillet

apple pie in cast iron skillet
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
4.70 from 10 votes

Best Apple Pie in the World

I'm married to an incredibly discriminating apple pie connoisseur. Overpowering spice, an annoying blast of lemon, bottom crust too soggy, "curdled" filling, overcooked, undercooked—I've battled every possible variation. I can confirm that this is The One. This is the recipe that makes all my husband's Apple Pie dreams come true.
Prep Time45 minutes
Cook Time55 minutes
Total Time1 hour 40 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 8 people
Calories: 451kcal

Ingredients

The Crust

  • 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening NOTE 2
  • 1/2 cup butter, salted cold, and cut into small pieces
  • 1 tbsp white granulated sugar (omit for a savory crust)
  • 1 egg at room temperature
  • 1/2 tspn salt
  • 1 tbsp vodka NOTE 1
  • 1/4 cup cold water
  • coarse sugar for top garnish optional

The Filling

  • 6 - 7 Granny Smith apples, peeled and cut up thinly or other tart variety of apples
  • 1 cup white granulated sugar or substitute brown sugar
  • 1 tspn ground cinnamon
  • 2 tbsp butter, cut into slices

Instructions

Crust

  • Combine flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl.
  • Cut in shortening and butter using a pastry blender or fork, until it looks evenly lumpy, with lumps the size of a small pea.
  • In a separate bowl, mix egg, water, and vodka together until combined. Pour into flour all at once and blend with a fork until dough forms a ball.
  • Evenly divide into two pieces, form them into disks, wrap and seal in plastic wrap; refrigerate for at least an hour, if not overnight. 
  • Once dough is chilled, preheat oven to 450F.
  • Roll out one disk and press it into a pie pan (traditional glass, ceramic or cast iron skillet(s). Do not prick the bottom with a fork! You do not want to make holes in it. Place it into the 450F oven for just 5 - 7 minutes, or until the bottom just begins to puff up and form "bubbles" and hints at turning brown. Do not take your eyes off of it! This will happen quickly. Remove from oven and fill with apple filling (see below). NOTE 3.
  • Roll out the second disk, lay over top of the apples. Cut holes into the top crust to allow steam to escape. Fold edge to fit and press down gently. Don't worry if it does not fully seal, since the bottom crust has been par-baked. It will meld slightly as the pie bakes. Sprinkle the top with sugar, if desired.
  • Bake at 450F for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 375F and bake for another 35 minutes or until beautifully browned. Remove from oven to cooling rack. Yum!

Apple Filling

  • Peel, core and cut apples into medium-thin pieces
  • Combine sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl or cup
  • Pile prepared apples into par-baked pie shell, distributing evenly.
  • Pour the sugar cinnamon mixture evenly over apples.
  • Lay butter slices over the top of the apples and sugar mixture.
  • Proceed to finish pie with the top crust (see above)

Notes

See Hands Down This is The Best Apple Pie in The Whole World for more specifics and photos for how to make the world's best apple pie!
1. Here's why vodka belongs in your pie crust: The vodka makes the crust flakier and lighter. It stops the gluten in the flour from developing, making the crust tender and super flaky. It will cook out, so no worries when it comes to serving this to your entire family! Just make sure you follow exactly including the "par-bake" step to make sure you avoid the heartbreak of a soggy bottom. You can substitute plain white vinegar for vodka, but with a slightly less tender outcome.
2. You can use all shortening (in place of half shortening/half butter, or conversely, all butter).
3. When making this pie in a cast-iron skillet, instead of par-baking in the oven, I set the skillet on a stovetop burner set to Low to Med-Low. Seriously! And I stand over it like a hovering mother bear. I wait until the pastry starts to turn white-ish and begins to puff. Also, my experience is that the bottom crust will not become “browner” or burnt during the baking process, even during the 15 mins. at 450F. That bottom pie crust is stubborn that way. Just make sure you don’t overdo it on the stovetop—but don't "under-do" it, either. You want to give it a really nice headstart.

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 451kcal | Carbohydrates: 97g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 59mg | Sodium: 164mg | Potassium: 371mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 57g | Vitamin A: 633IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 33mg | Iron: 2mg
Print Friendly, PDF & Email

More from Everyday Cheapskate

traditional st patricks day meal corned beef and cabbage potatoes carrots
quick dinner recipe italian cheesy meatball bake casserole dish
spicy homemade pico de gallo vegetable chopper tomato onion jalapeño cilantro
women serving small bites for appetizers party
ingredients on a table for homemade pizza with no-rise dough
pile of rotten produce food waste in Amerian
Frozen food in the refrigerator. Vegetables on the freezer shelves.
february-2024-wallpaper-calendar-valentines-day


Please keep your comments positive, encouraging, helpful, brief,
and on-topic in keeping with EC Commenting Guidelines



Caught yourself reading all the way 'til the end? Why not share with a friend.

29 replies
Newer Comments »
  1. Delish!! says:

    5 stars
    I’ve always been too intimidated by my mother’s excellent pie-making skills —and critiques of others’— to try baking a pie on my own. And I love to bake. But I finally decided to take the leap…and it was a hit!! Served it to a neighbour foodie snob to rave reviews, then tried it again with rhubarb (tart like Granny Smiths, right?) Attempt #2 was also a hit with the family and guests. This recipe is going to go on regular rotation. Thanks, Mary!!

    Reply
    • Mary Hunt says:

      Yes, you can do that. It’s not an exact substitute, but the purpose of the alcohol is to counteract the gluten in the flour. It won’t make your pastry gluten-free but it deactivates it so the pastry doesn’t puff up or become too elastic. Vinegar will act in a similar way.

      Reply
  2. Kathy says:

    5 stars
    I made this lucious pie tonight. I, mostly, followed the recipe as written. I used apples from the “pear tree” we had gotten from our friend. We don’t know what kind of apples they are – but they are crisp and have a slightly tart taste and make a delicious pie. It was very simple to make and came out great.
    This is a great recipe and is a definite keeper. Thanks, Mary!

    Reply
    • Melinda Tuma says:

      3 stars
      Laurie- yes you can use a pampered chef pie plate. I did and it baked just fine.

      My only issue was there was a lot of liquid in inside the pie. I don’t know what would’ve caused that.

      The crust was delicious and turned out beautifully, but the liquidy interior was a disappointment.

      Reply
  3. Gina D Stevens says:

    5 stars
    I’ve made this pie several times, as instructed, and it’s the BEST pie, hands down. Mary made me a pie baker! I used her original instructions in a cast iron skillet. It’s phenomenal!

    Reply
  4. Joyce Pachorek says:

    The instructions do not say anything about adding the sugar when making the pie crust. Assuming you add to the flour with the salt?

    Reply
    • Mary Hunt says:

      Yes! Did I fail to say that? Whoops … for this recipe I use both my two six-inch cast-iron skillets, OR my 10-inch cast-iron skillet OR a regular pie pan. No particular reason, just whatever mood happens to strike 🙂

      Reply
  5. Joanna says:

    Vodka works wonders in a pie crust! I learned this trick a couple of years ago, replacing half of the water in my favorite crust recipe with vodka. Out of personal preference, I stopped using shortening many years ago in favor of all butter.

    Reply
  6. Gina Stevens says:

    I will try this recipe in a cast iron skillet, as shown. My “soggy bottom crust” has kept me from EVER baking pie for dessert. It’s a shame I can’t talk about… Dear God, let this be my time to shine! Thanks for giving me hope, Mary!

    Reply
    • Mary Hunt says:

      Gina … Cast iron skillet is an awesome way to do this. HINT: Instead of par-baking in the oven when using cast-iron, I set the skillet on a stovetop burner set to Low to Med-Low. Seriously! And I stand over it like a hovering mother bear. I wait until the pastry starts to turn white-ish and begins to puff. Also, my experience is that the bottom crust will not get “browner” or burnt during the baking process, even during the 15 mins. at 450F. That bottom pie crust is stubborn that way. Just make sure you don’t overdo it on the stovetop, but don’t under-do, either. It’s a bit of a learned skill perhaps? You want to give it a nice headstart. I cannot wait for you to try this!

      Reply
Newer Comments »

Leave a Reply

Want to join the discussion?
Feel free to contribute!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

How was it?