Truly comforting homemade Apple Pie made the old-fashioned way. This easy Apple Pie recipe is packed with sweet, spiced apples and wrapped in a golden shortcrust pastry, just like my Mum always made with apples from the garden.
I never really appreciated an Apple Pie until recent years. It’s something my Mum has always made plenty of each year, but as a lover of all things chocolate, I’d usually lean toward desserts that felt a bit more moreish.
The reason behind her yearly apple pie bonanza? A little apple tree that lives in my Dad’s garden. Originally bought as a potted tree from Woolworths back in the ’90s, it eventually outgrew its pot and was planted in the ground. Despite only standing about as tall as me, it still manages to produce hundreds of apples every single year — so many that we’re always amazed it doesn’t just snap under the weight of them!
Of course, when you’re suddenly overrun with apples, there’s only one thing to do… get baking! And a proper homemade apple pie is always the firm favourite with friends and family. My Dad could easily eat a whole one in a day (or three), if my Mum would let him.
This classic British Apple Pie recipe is made with buttery shortcrust pastry and sweet, cinnamon-spiced apples. Simple, comforting, and just the right balance of sweet and tart. Perfect served warm with custard, cream, or even on its own.
If you’re a fan of old-school puddings like this, you might also enjoy my Jam Roly Poly or Rhubarb Crumble. Both proper nostalgic British bakes!
Top Tips for Apple Pie Success:
• Use whatever apples you have to hand: There’s no need to be fancy here, any eating apples will work just fine. This recipe was made to make the most of a glut of apples from the garden, and it’s just as lovely whether you use Braeburns, Galas, or a mix.
• Peel your apples, even if they’re small: It might feel like a bit of a faff, especially with smaller apples, but peeling them gives the best texture once baked. The skins can stay a bit tough otherwise.
• Keep your apple slices chunky: Cutting your apples too thin can lead to a mushy filling. Keep the chunks thick and even so they soften nicely but still hold their shape and give a bit of bite to the pie.
• Don’t forget the steam hole: That wee hole in the top isn’t just for decoration! It helps steam escape as the apples bake, stopping the pastry from lifting or cracking.
• Let it cool in the tin: Once baked, let the pie cool in the tin for a good while. This helps the filling settle and makes it easier to slice without everything falling apart.
More Fruity Bakes You'll Love:
Apple Pie (UK Recipe)
INGREDIENTS
For the Pastry
- 250 g Butter or Block Margarine
- 125 g Caster Sugar (Superfine Sugar)
- 1 Free-range Egg
- 500 g Plain Four (All-purpose Flour)
For the Filling
- 1 kg Apples peeled & cored
- 100 g Caster Sugar (Superfine Sugar)
- ½ tsp Ground Cinnamon
- 1 tbsp Cornflour (Corn Starch)
INSTRUCTIONS
For the Pastry:
- In a large bowl, cream the butter/margarine and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the egg and mix through.
- Sift in the flour and combine until the pastry comes together, using your hands to bring together if needs be.
- Wrap the pastry in cling film and refrigerate until required.
For the Filling:
- Preheat your oven to 180°c (160°c for fan-assisted ovens, Gas Mark 4 or 3500°F) and grease a 20-22cm loose-bottom pie tin before dusting it with a little excess flour. Set aside.
- Roughly chop your apples and set aside. In a small bowl, mix the sugar, cinnamon & cornflour and set aside.
- Take your chilled pastry from the fridge and remove about ⅓ of it, setting it aside for the top of the pie. Roll the remaining pastry on a well-floured work surface until it is big enough to line your pie tin.
- Gently lift the pastry into your prepared pie tin, pressing it into the edges and use any excess pastry to patch up any breaks or holes.
- Add your apples to your pastry-lined pie tin, ensuring they are evenly distributed. Sprinkle the sugar mixture on top of the apples.
- Roll your remaining pastry until it is large enough to cover your pie. Wet the edges of your pie with a little water before transferring the pastry lid to the top, pressing the edges together to seal the pie. Again, patch up any holes or breaks with excess pastry.
- Trim the edges of the pastry before making a few holes in the top to allow the steam to escape while baking.
- Bake in your pre-heated oven for around 40-50 minutes, until golden on top.
- Remove from the oven and sprinkle with some caster sugar whilst still hot. Allow to cool in the tin for a while before slicing and serving while still a little warm.
IMPORTANT NOTE:
All my recipes are developed using a digital scale and the metric system (grams and millilitres). Cup measurements are available as a conversion but these, unfortunately, won't always be as accurate. For best results, I always recommend baking with a digital scale.
RECIPE NOTES:
- Make Ahead: You can make the pastry in advance and store it in the fridge for up to 2 days, or freeze it for later. The assembled, unbaked pie can also be kept in the fridge for a few hours before baking.
- Storage: Once baked and cooled, your apple pie will keep well for up to 3 days in an airtight container, or in the tin, wrapped in clingfilm or tin foil. Store it at room temperature or in the fridge if your kitchen is particularly warm.
- Freezing: Apple pie freezes brilliantly. You can freeze it baked or unbaked:
- To freeze unbaked: Assemble the pie and freeze it in the tin, wrapped well in cling film and foil. Bake straight from frozen, adding an extra 10–15 minutes to the baking time.
- To freeze baked: Let the pie cool completely, then wrap well and freeze. Defrost at room temperature and warm in the oven, if desired, before serving.
- Serving Suggestions: Best served warm with custard, cream or ice cream. Or just on in slices, on its own with a cuppa.
How to make British Apple Pie?
What apples should I use in Apple Pie?
What pastry should I use for Apple Pie?
Free-from & Vegan:
Gluten-free: You can try swapping the plain flour for a gluten-free plain flour blend in the pastry to make this a gluten-free apple pie recipe; you may need to add a bit of xanthan gum, if your flour blend doesn’t already include it. Alternatively, you can use a ready-to-roll sweet shortcrust pastry for ease.
Dairy-free: To make this a dairy-free apple pie recipe, simply use a dairy-free margarine in your pastry. Just be sure to use a block margarine, as opposed to the spreadable kind, which will be too soft for pastry.
Egg-free: You can easily make this an egg-free apple pie recipe by leaving the egg out of the pastry. As a result, the pastry will be a little less rich in flavour, but the addition of some sugar to the pastry means it shouldn’t suffer without an egg. However, you may need to add a little cold water to the pastry to help it come together if it’s a bit crumbly in texture without the egg.
Vegan: To make this a vegan apple pie recipe, you can follow the dairy-free and egg-free tips above.
N.B. Any advice or suggestions to make recipes “free-from” or vegan are purely that – suggestions. Please be careful to double-check all ingredients individually, taking extra caution when serving to those with allergies & intolerances.
For more info on common food allergies, please see food.gov.uk | For more info on coeliac disease, please see coeliac.org.uk | For more info on a vegan diet, please see vegansociety.com
Originally published in October 2018. Updated in June 2025.
Thank you to Naomi Seiler for creating the updated photos.
9 responses
I was rubbish at rolling the pastry for placing into my dish. In fact I almost cried with frustration as it just looked a mess. Sad or what?!! But I filled in the holes…….and was amazed at how lovely it still looked coming out the oven. And tastes wonderful too. But I’m still going to crack this pastry rolling…….!
Interesting, the measurements were very off but we persevered. Slightly upsetting for my daughter though who was looking forward to this.
Hello. Can you clarify what you mean by the measurements being very off?
Fabulous recipe. Have been looking for a similar pastry recipe to the one my mother used to use and have found it – many thanks! Made for my son in law’s birthday dinner and he was in heaven!
This recipe is great this is the second time iv baked this tastes amazing,thankyou.
Does the pastry on the bottom of apples not go soggy
How can these measurements be off , they’re exactly the same as I use for all my pastry except for savoury then I just leave out the sugar and add a little salt ? It makes far better pastry than any you can buy !
well can you say on your recipes how much cups cause i am from usa and i do not know what you mean on apple pie.thanks
I have only rated a 3 because although the pie was tasty, the pastry was an absolute nightmare to work with. Save yourself the bother and source an alternative recipe for the pastry.