We've been making this apple pie recipe in our family for over 50 years. It's a classic pie using fresh apples and it's as simple to make as it is delicious.
This apple pie recipe is adapted from a recipe in a 1966 Better Homes and Gardens cookbook which is one of the few things I inherited from my Grandmama. Don't get me wrong. It's not that she didn't love me.
But my Grandmama lived a very simple life and she just didn't have a lot of belongings. What she did have was a love of family and she knew her way around the kitchen.
Y'all may remember me talking about her before. She's the one that would protect the last bag of creamed corn in the freezer until I came to visit because she knew it was my favorite.
On to the pie. This pie is simple and classic. Other than the pastry (I like the kind from the dairy section of the store) it uses just apples, sugar, flour, cinnamon, salt and butter. If you want to make your own crust, this is a great, basic recipe.
Another great use for that refrigerated type pie crust is Cheese Tartlets - they just so easy, but very elegant.
Be forewarned. This apple pie is not one of those that the slices will come out of the pan picture-perfect. It's going to be a bit messy and may fall apart a little. Besides that, my Mama and Grandmama didn't do "fluting" on the edge of their pies, but simply mashed the tines of a fork around the edges to seal the bottom and top crust together. I guess it's not the prettiest, but it's effective and it's the "family" way, so that's the way I do it, too. Feel free to get as fancy as you like.
The apple pie recipe calls for "tart" apples. My preferred apple for it is the Granny Smith variety.
You can certainly use any variety that stays firm when cooking. You don't want to end up with applesauce pie, after all. These pretty red ones are gala apples.
They're best for eating raw, but there are a number of apples which are good for cooking:
Best Apples for Cooking
- Granny Smith
- McIntosh
- Cortland
- Fuji
- Jonagold
- Pippin
- Gravenstein
- These are also great to use for fried apples!
I shared this apple pie recipe in the cookbook our family put together about 25 years ago, The Selph Family Cookbook.
Back then I used the title from the recipe I adapted it from, which was "The World's Greatest Apple Pie". When Buddy saw that he said something to the effect of "Aren't you tooting your own horn a little?" So, I decided to tone it down for y'all. Very simply, it is the recipe for the Best Apple Pie You Have Ever Tasted. There.
This recipe made our Reader Favorites of 2017. Check out the rest here.
For a fun and quick look at this recipe watch the Google Web Story.
📖 Recipe
Better Homes and Garden Apple Pie
Ingredients
Instructions
- Line 9" pie pan with pastry.
- Combine sugar, flour, cinnamon and salt.
- Mix in apples.
- Fill pastry with apple mixture.
- Cut butter into thin slices and lay on top of of apples.
- Top with pastry, trim and seal edges.
- Cut a few slits in top of crust to let steam escape.
- Sprinkle with additional sugar and cinnamon if desired.
- Bake at 400 degrees for 50-60 minutes, or until apples are done.
Notes
More Recipes from the Family Archives
Aunt Susan says
Always loved your apple pie. Anyone that doesn't like apple pie hasn't tried yours- simply the best 🙂
Pam says
Awwww..... thanks for saying that Aunt Susan.
Marlene Cassidy says
I have been making this apple pie for 55 years. I received my cookbook as a wedding gift in 1968. I also use the recipe for pastry from the same cookbook. I’ve bought many apple pies over the years but my husband always says it’s not like your apple pie. I’m in the process of making one now. I could have gotten out my book but I thought I’d Google and see if it came up and sure enough you had posted it. Thank you.
Pam says
Awww... thanks for sharing that story Marlene!