I spent many hours in the test kitchen, trying different apples, spices and pastry finishes to bring you the best deep-dish apple pie. I tested variations of apples, spice blends, lattice and full pastry tops, and different pie dishes. The result is a deep-dish pie with layered apples, warming winter spices and just enough sauce to be saucy without a soggy bottom.
Apple pie is delicious with custard, vanilla ice cream or a generous spoonful of double cream. My family are divided: I prefer custard, Chris picks ice cream and the kids insist on both. It’s a classic dessert that finishes a Sunday roast beautifully — expect smiles and a few proud glances as you bring this to the table.
This recipe is easier than it looks. I’ve tested it carefully and can promise a crisp, buttery pastry and a filling that balances sweet and tangy apples with warming spices. It’s one of our favourites — I hope it becomes one of yours too.
🍏 What do we need?
- Apples (see note below)
- Pastry – ready-rolled shortcrust pastry or your own homemade shortcrust
- Sugars – soft light brown for the filling and coarse sugar for the topping
- Flour and cornflour (cornstarch) to help thicken the sauce
Full ingredient quantities are shown in the recipe card below.
*Note on the apples:
Pick apples that cook in roughly the same time and give a balance of sweetness and tang. I recommend mixing Bramley cooking apples (for tang) with sweet eating apples such as Jazz or Pink Lady. You can use Granny Smith with Jazz or Pink Lady, or just Bramleys if you prefer a more tart pie.
🥧 How to make it
Full step-by-step instructions are in the recipe card below.
- Line a deep pie dish with rolled pastry and chill in the fridge while you prepare the filling.
- Toss the sliced apples with lemon juice, then add the plain flour, cornflour, cinnamon, ground ginger and a pinch of ground cloves.
- Stir in the light brown sugar and vanilla extract, then pack the apple slices firmly into the pastry-lined tin. Trim the edge and brush with egg wash.
- Cut the remaining pastry into strips and weave a lattice on top. Brush the exposed pastry with egg wash, sprinkle with coarse brown sugar and bake for 55–60 minutes until deep golden. If the pastry browns too quickly, cover loosely with foil for the remainder of the bake.
PRO TIP: Don’t skip the lemon juice— it prevents browning. Keep slices uniform and pile the apples high; they will shrink during baking so packing them tightly prevents gaps.
This pie is Autumn on a plate — beautiful, fragrant and comforting.
🍽️ What to serve it with
- Homemade custard
- Vanilla ice cream
- Extra thick double cream
Bring this to the table on a cold Sunday and watch everyone tuck in — especially with warm custard. Serve it cooled slightly if you prefer a firmer filling; warm is delicious too.
🙋 FAQ’s
I like a mix of Bramley cooking apples for tang and Jazz or Pink Lady for sweetness. They soften in a similar time so they hold together without turning mushy.
Yes. Reheat gently in the oven — avoid the microwave to preserve a crisp crust. Serving cooled also helps the sauce set so slices hold their shape.
Arrange and pack the slices carefully and use apples with similar cooking times. Pile the filling high because fruit will shrink as it cooks.
Use a combination of plain flour and cornflour to thicken the apple juices, and a lattice top so steam can escape. These steps reduce the chance of a soggy base without blind baking.
Loosely tent the pie with foil for the remaining bake time until the pie is fully cooked.
🍨 More fantastic desserts
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Apple Crumble Cake
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Sticky Toffee Pudding
Cakes & Desserts
Chocolate Caramel Mug Cake
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📋 Deep Dish Apple Pie Recipe
30 mins
1 hr
1 hr 30 mins
Ingredients
- 3 x 320g rolls shortcrust pastry
- 5 large cooking apples
- 3 sweet eating apples (Jazz or Pink Lady)
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 3 tbsp plain (all-purpose) flour
- 1 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch)
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- Pinch ground cloves
- 150 g light brown sugar (3/4 cup)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 small egg, lightly whisked
Topping:
- 1 tbsp coarse brown sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 190°C / 375°F (fan).
- Unroll two rolls of pastry and line a deep pie dish (about 24cm diameter by 5.5cm deep). Don’t worry about seams—press them together. Keep the pastry chilled while you prepare the filling.
- Peel, core and slice the apples about 1/2 cm thick. Place in a large bowl and toss with the lemon juice to prevent browning.
- Add the plain flour, cornflour, cinnamon, ground ginger and ground cloves and toss to coat. The flour helps create a thick sauce as the apples cook.
- Stir in the light brown sugar and vanilla extract.
- Pack the apple mixture into the chilled, pastry-lined dish, arranging the slices carefully and packing them tightly so there are no gaps.
- Trim any excess pastry from the edges and brush the rim with the whisked egg.
- Unroll the remaining pastry and cut into strips about 1.5–2 cm wide. Arrange strips vertically over the pie, leaving about a ½ cm gap between them. Fold back every other strip and lay a horizontal strip across, then fold the strips back to create a lattice. Continue until the pie is covered.
- Trim any overhang, brush all exposed pastry with egg wash and sprinkle the coarse brown sugar over the top.
- Bake for 55–60 minutes until the pastry is deep golden brown. If the pastry is browning too fast, loosely tent with foil after 30 minutes and continue baking until the filling is cooked through.
- Remove from the oven and cool for 15 minutes before slicing.
Video
Notes
Nutritional information is approximate, per serving (this recipe serves 12).
Nutrition
Carbohydrates: 75 g |
Protein: 7 g |
Fat: 5 g |
Sugar: 26 g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.
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