Begin by peeling, coring, and thinly slicing your apples. If you’re a fan of kitchen gadgets, a Johnny apple peeler will make this process a breeze, allowing you to peel, core, and slice all at once. Those apple slices should be thin enough to cook through but thick enough to hold their form in the pie.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together the ground cinnamon, ground allspice, ground cloves, ground nutmeg, kosher salt, and three-quarters cup of granulated sugar. Mixing these dry ingredients in advance allows their flavors to meld before they meet the apples.

In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Once the butter starts to foam but before it browns, add the sliced apples with lemon juice—a little acidity to brighten the flavor. Sprinkle your sweet spice mix over the apples, gently stirring to coat. Let this delicious mixture cook for about 3-5 minutes until the apples are slightly tender.

Next, sprinkle the flour and cornstarch directly over the apple mixture. Toss everything together until the apples are evenly coated. The cornstarch will help create that perfectly thick filling we all love in a pie! Remove the skillet from the heat and let it cool to room temperature. If you want to speed up this process, transferring the apple mix to a baking sheet will help it cool fast!

While your filling cools, prepare your oven. Place a large baking sheet on the middle rack and preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). This step ensures you get a beautifully crisp bottom crust, so don’t skip it!

Take one disc of your homemade pie dough from the refrigerator and roll it out into a circle about 12 inches in diameter. Gently place this crust into a 9-inch pie dish and pop it into the fridge while you roll out the second crust. This keeps the dough cold and makes for a flakier crust.

Retrieve the pie pan from the fridge and pour in your apple filling. Now, it’s time to add the second layer of dough. You can either cover the filling entirely and cut a few slits in the top for ventilation or get fancy with a lattice crust. Pinch the edges together to seal your pie, and use your fingers or a fork to crimp the edges.

Mix one beaten egg with a tablespoon of milk or water to create your egg wash. Lightly brush the top of the pie with this shiny mixture and sprinkle a tablespoon of sugar on top. This will give your crust that extra crisp and a delightful sheen.

Place your pie on the hot baking sheet in the preheated oven. Bake for the first 20 minutes at 425°F (220°C) before reducing the temperature to 375°F (190°C). Allow the pie to continue baking until the filling is bubbling and the top crust turns a beautiful golden brown. This takes an additional 30 to 40 minutes. If you notice the crust browning too quickly, feel free to tent it with aluminum foil.

Once your pie is baked to perfection, remove it from the oven and let it cool completely—at least 2 to 3 hours. This cooling time allows the filling to set up nicely, so it doesn’t fall apart when sliced. Trust me, it’s worth the wait!