Apple Pie
with Cinnamon Apples and an All-Butter Crust

How to make it

1. Peel and slice the apples ¼-inch thick. Toss with both sugars, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and lemon juice. Let them sit 15 minutes so the sugar draws out juice and the cornstarch dissolves into it.

2. Heat the oven to 425°F (220°C) with a sheet pan on the bottom rack — a preheated pan under the pie heats the bottom crust fast so it sets before the filling can soak it.

3. Fit one crust into a 9-inch pie plate. Pile in the apples (mound them; they shrink), and dot with the butter.

4. Cut the second crust into 1-inch strips and weave a lattice. Crimp the edges, brush with the beaten egg, and sprinkle with the coarse sugar.

5. Bake on the hot sheet pan 20 minutes, then drop to 375°F (190°C) for 35 to 40 more, until the juices bubble slowly and thickly through the lattice. Tent with foil if the edges brown early.

6. Cool at least 3 hours on a rack. Cornstarch only sets fully as the filling cools, so cutting early lets the juices run; the long rest is what produces clean slices.

✅ How to know it's done

The crust is deep golden — bronze, not blond — and the filling bubbles thickly through the vents. Fast, thin bubbling means the cornstarch has not activated yet — give it 5 to 10 more minutes; the juices need to reach a full boil to thicken.

💡 Practical tips (and what not to do)

• Keep the butter cold. Visible butter flecks in the dough become flaky layers in the oven.
• Taste your apples first. Sweet apples need less sugar, tart ones a little more — adjust the filling before baking.
• Vent generously and bake on a sheet pan. Steam escapes and the pan catches any drips.
• If the edge browns early, wrap it in foil. A crust shield protects the rim while the center finishes.
• Cool at least 3 hours. Cornstarch-thickened juices are still liquid at oven temperature and only gel as they cool; a warm pie will always run.