A classic fall dessert, Granny Smith Apple Pie features a tender, buttery pie crust, a tart apple filling, and a touch of cinnamon and sugar mixed in. Served it warm warm on its own or topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!
Pin this recipe now to save it for later
Pin RecipeI love using Granny Smith apples in recipes like Easy Apple Dumplings, Caramel Apple Monkey Bread, and this Granny Smith Apple Pie because they’re nice and crisp and hold up well when baked. You never have to worry about a mushy pie filling when using Granny Smiths, and the tart flavor pairs perfectly with the otherwise sweet, buttery ingredients.
Plus, this apple pie recipe is so easy to make you’ll never go back to store-bought varieties again. It’s the kind of dessert recipe that dreams are made of!
Granny Smith Apple Pie Recipe
My Granny Smith Apple Pie recipe is different than any other apple pie recipe you’ve ever tasted before! For instance, it’s made with just one kind of apple to make the pie filling. Most recipes use a combination of apples which, I admit, can be delicious. However, there’s just something about the combination of tart apples and sweet filling that’s simply irresistible!
In addition, rather than just tossing apples in with dry ingredients, this recipe uses caramel syrup to make the filling. Not only does it add an incredible caramel flavor throughout the pie, but it also ensures the filling is thick and sticky, never watery. The syrup also coats the lattice crust, helping it turn golden brown and crisp as it bakes. No need for an egg wash here! Once you make an apple pie with a cinnamon sugar syrup filling, you’ll never go back!
Grab My Favorite Tools
Click on the items below to see my favorite tools for making this recipe!
Ingredients for Granny Smith Apple Pie
See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
- Granny Smith apples – Choose apples that are firm and evenly colored. Eight green apples should equal about 10 cups of sliced apples.
- Butter – You can use salted butter or unsalted butter for this recipe. Both work well!
- Flour
- Granulated sugar
- Cinnamon
- Vanilla
- Water
- Frozen pie crusts – You can choose to make your own homemade pie crust rather than using a store-bought crust. Just be sure to make enough pie dough for both a bottom crust and a top lattice crust.
Variations
Here are a few ingredients substitutes and recipe variations you may want to try.
- Replace the white sugar with light brown sugar for a richer pie filling with more of a molasses flavor.
- Use an apple crumble topping rather than a lattice top crust. Just be sure to pour the sugar syrup over the pie filling before you sprinkle the crumb topping onto the pie.
- Chop the apples into small cubes rather than cutting them into slices. This will give the pie a whole new texture.
How to Make Granny Smith Apple Pie
- Prepare: Preheat your oven to 425ºF. Then, get out your 9” pie pan, and set aside.
- Make the syrup: Melt butter in a small pot over medium heat, and whisk in the flour. Cook the flour until it begins to brown. Then, whisk in the sugar and water. Boil the syrup for 5 minutes, whisk in the vanilla and cinnamon, and set the sugar mixture aside to cool.
- Roll the crust: Use a rolling pin to gently roll the store-bought pie crust on a lightly floured surface, and gently lay it over the pie dish, pressing it down slightly.
- Fill the pie: Add the apple slices to the unbaked pie crust. The apples will be piled high inside the pan!
- Make the lattice crust: Lay the pie crust strips over the top of the pie, alternating each strip to create a lattice pattern. Pinch the butter pie crust together around the edges, and use a sharp knife to trim off any excess dough from the edges of the pie.
- Add the syrup: Pour the sugar syrup over the lattice crust and into the pie.
- Bake: Bake the pie for 15 minutes. Then, lower the oven temperature to 350, and bake for another 35 minutes. The pie will be golden brown on top and bubbling around the edges when it is done.
- Cool: Let the pie cool for about 20 minutes before serving to allow the filling to thicken. Serve the Granny Smith Apple Pie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, some homemade whipped cream, or a drizzle of caramel sauce!
Quick Tip
Skip the lattice crust, and drape the whole second pie crust over the top of the pie. A full top crust requires half the work and still looks stunning and tastes incredible. Just remember to cut decorative slits into the top crust to allow steam to come out of the pie as it bakes! Then, brush the double pie crust with the sugar syrup, and pour the rest of the syrup into the slits of the pie to make the filling.
How to Store Granny Smith Apple Pie
Once your homemade apple pie has cooled, wrap it in plastic wrap, and store it at room temperature for 2-3 days. You can also store the covered pie in the refrigerator to keep it fresh for up to one week.
To reheat your apple pie, pop a slice into the microwave, and heat it in thirty-second increments until it is warm. You can also reheat apple pie in the toaster oven. This will help make the pie crust crispy and flakey once again.
FAQs
Yes! In my opinion, they are the absolute best type of apples for apple pie. They are nice and crisp, hold their shape as they bake, and have the perfect tart flavor to compliment a sweet pie filling. Plus, Granny Smith apples are very easy to find in your local grocery store, even when apples are not apple season.
I like Granny Smith apples better than Honeycrisp apples for pie. Granny Smith apples have a very tart flavor that balances out the sweetness of the filling wonderfully. Honey Crisp apples are naturally sweeter. However, since you are already adding sugar and spices to the filling, you really don’t need an overly sweet apple. Granny Smith will work perfectly, and they are much less expensive than Honeycrisp!
No! You should not cook your apple pie filling before adding it to the pie crust. This will make your filling mushy. The apples will soften as the pie bakes in the oven. So, there is no need to cook them twice!
More Amazing Pie Recipes
Recipes
Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie
Recipes
Chocolate Cream Pie
Recipes
No-Bake Peanut Butter Pie
Quick & Easy Desserts
Peach Pie
Recipes
Coconut Cream Pie
Granny Smith Apple Pie
Equipment
- 9" Pie pan
- Rolling Pin
- Small pot
- Measuring cup
- Measuring spoon
- Large mixing bowl
- whisk
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter
- 4 Tablespoons flour
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 9" frozen pie crusts
- 8 Granny Smith apples, peeled, sliced
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425ºF.
- Add the butter to a medium saucepan and melt over medium heat.1/2 cup butter
- Add the flour to the pot and whisk to make a paste. Cook the flour and butter for about 1 minute. It will turn a light brown color.4 Tablespoons flour
- Add the sugar and water to the pot and whisk. Bring the mix to a boil then lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Whisk in the vanilla and cinnamon then set the mix aside for now.1 cup sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1/4 cup water
- Roll out the thawed pie crust slightly so it is larger than the pie pan. Press the crust into the bottom of a 9” pie pan The crust should come up over the edges of the pan.2 9" frozen pie crusts
- Fill the pie crust with the sliced Granny Smith apples.8 Granny Smith apples, peeled, sliced
- Lay four of the pie strips on top of the apples. Place the larger strips in the center and the smaller ones on the sides of the pie. Fold the first and third strips up and place another strip horizontally across the pie. Put the first and third strips back down and raise the second and fourth vertical strips back. Add another horizontal strip and lower the second and fourth strips. Repeat this weaving until the lattice is complete.
- Pinch the edges of the pie crust to seal the lattice strips to the bottom crust.
- Pour the butter and sugar syrup over the pie, drizzling it over the lattice and into the apples.
- Bake the pie for 15 minutes then lower the heat of the oven to 350ºF and continue to bake the pie for another 35 minutes. The top will be golden brown and the juices from the pie will be bubbling.
- Let the pie cool for 20 minutes before slicing and serving.
