Tall, Flaky, and Full of Apples

Old-Fashioned Deep Dish Apple Pie — tall, flaky, and full of apples. With a homemade crust and layers of spiced filling, this bakery-style pie bakes high and slices beautifully.

Apple pie is the star of any holiday table, and this deep dish version consistently gets all the attention. With its towering height and flaky, golden crust, it brings a rustic charm that feels like fall in every bite.

I’ve baked this pie for Thanksgiving every year since moving to Virginia, and it always disappears first from the dessert table. Family and friends ask for it by name — it’s become the pie they expect me to bring.

What makes this recipe different is the method. By pre-cooking the apple filling for just a few minutes, the apples soften without turning mushy, and the filling sets without leaving a gap under the crust.

The result is a homemade pie that looks bakery-perfect yet keeps all the comfort of a classic.

Best Apples for Baking Pies

When it comes to pie baking, both tart and sweet apples can work beautifully. Here are some top choices:

• Granny Smith, Jonagold, and Pink Lady – These apples are tart, firm, and hold their shape well, making them ideal for pie baking. Pink Lady adds a crisp texture, while Jonagold brings a sweet-tart balance.
• Honeycrisp, Gala, and Braeburn – These mildly sweet apples hold their texture and release little liquid during baking. Honeycrisp is a favorite for its crunch, while Gala and Braeburn offer a well-balanced sweetness.
• Golden Delicious and Northern Spy – Golden Delicious has a mild flavor and softens easily, so it’s best paired with firmer apples like Northern Spy, which is sweet, slightly tart, and perfect for fall pies.
• McIntosh & Cortland – While often considered baking apples, these tend to get too soft and mushy when baked. They’re better suited for making applesauce.

Tip: Use 3-4 different apples—most people stick to one type, but mixing varieties gives your pie a better balance of flavor and texture. After testing different mixes, I found that Granny Smith gives the tart bite, Gala softens with gentle sweetness, and Golden Delicious fills out the body of the filling.

For more delicious apple desserts made with baking apples, try my Apple Brownies or Soft Apple Cookies. Both are cozy fall treats that are easy to make and perfect for using up extra apples.

Perfect Pie Crust

The key to an outstanding apple pie starts with a perfectly buttery, flaky crust. Homemade crust brings a tenderness and texture you just can’t beat. Try my lard and butter pie crust recipe, which blends the richness of butter with the lightness of leaf lard for the best of both worlds.

Once you try this pie crust recipe, you won’t go back to your old methods. Plus, it can be made ahead and stored in the fridge or freezer until you’re ready to use it.

How to Make Deep Dish Apple Pie

You don’t need fancy equipment to make a pie, but for this tall apple pie, a deep dish pie pan is a must.

Prepare the Apples. Peel, core, and slice the apples evenly so they bake at the same rate. You’ll need about 12 cups of fruit for a true deep dish pie.

Pre-Cook the Filling. Simmer the apples with sugar, cinnamon, and lemon juice for about 5 minutes. This step keeps the fruit tender but intact, and it prevents that big gap under the crust once baked.

Roll the Crust. Work on a floured surface and keep the dough cold. If it softens, chill it briefly before fitting it into your deep dish pan. Cold dough = flaky layers.

Tip to prevent the soggy pie crust bottom: Brush the bottom of the pie crust with the beaten egg white (if using). Then keep it in the fridge while you roll out the top crust.

Assemble the Pie. Heap the cooled filling into the prepared crust. Don’t worry if it looks tall — it will settle as it bakes. Cover with the top crust and seal the edges.

Top + Bake. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle sugar for sparkle. Cut a few slits to let steam escape. Bake until the crust is golden brown; tent with foil if it darkens too quickly. When done, let the pie cool on a wried rack.

Best way to Serve Apple Pie

Warm up a slice of this apple pie. In our house, it’s always paired with a scoop of vanilla ice cream — the hot-and-cold contrast makes it unforgettable.

Helpful Pie Baking Tips

Follow these tips for the best homemade pie experience.

• Lower your oven shelf to the bottom 1/3 or 1/4 position: Pies need a long baking time. And the higher the oven shelf is, the more browning occurs. If you bake the pie on the lower shelf, it prevents the top crust from browning too much.
• Place a large baking pan (lined with foil) underneath the pie pan to catch overflowing juice dropping – easy clean-up!
• If the top crust browns too much before it finishes the baking time, place a loose foil tent over the pie to prevent it from browning further.
• If you have a baking stone or baking steel, put it on the lowest rack of your oven, but not touching your baking pan directly. The heat from the baking stone (steel) will rise and cooks the bottom crust quickly, making it nice and crisp. Big difference!
• 3 to 3 1/2 lb (1.3 to 1.6 kg) baking apples, Use 3 different varieties of apples such as Granny Smith, Golden Delicious, Gala, Northern Spy, Jonagold, Honey Crisp, and Braeburn