I Tested Our 5 Most Popular Apple Pie Recipes and Here’s the One I’ll Make Over and Over Again

One of the first pies I ever baked was an apple pie. At the time, I was living in Massachusetts and went apple picking with friends. We didn’t plan to make pie that day, especially since none of us were experienced bakers, but that’s exactly what we ended up doing. We mixed a variety of apples, made a buttery crust, and served it warm with vanilla ice cream. It became one of the most unforgettable pies I’ve ever tasted.

That memory has stayed with me, but I’m always up for trying new recipes—even when it comes to apple pie. That’s why I decided to test some of the top apple pie recipes on the site, reviewing your favorites to find my top five. Here’s how I went about it.

Which Apple Pie Recipes Did I Try?

I picked the best of the best, choosing recipes with a rating of 4.7 stars or higher. These high ratings and rave reviews made these recipes the perfect contenders. While all the pies use apples, common sweeteners, spices, and store-bought crusts, each one stands out with its unique method of preparation.

One pie is baked in a cast-iron skillet, another uses a pre-made deep-dish crust, and one features a rich caramel sauce. Two of the recipes are quite similar, with one layering apple slices and cinnamon-sugar, while the other simply tosses the apples in the cinnamon-sugar mix. Here’s a look at the recipes I tested:

• Apple Pie by Grandma Ople by MOSHASMAMA
• Apple Crumble Pie by LEHOUX
• Grandma's Iron Skillet Apple Pie by T.L. Dixon
• Easy Apple Pie by Carol
• Sunday’s Apple Pie by Donna

How I Rated the Apple Pie Recipes

To ensure a fair test, I used only Granny Smith apples, slicing them uniformly. All the crusts were Pillsbury refrigerated options, and I stuck with the same brand for sugar, cinnamon, flour, and butter. Otherwise, I followed the recipes exactly. Testers were asked to take notes on flavor, particularly spice and sweetness, as well as the texture of the apples and crust. Here are the results.

The Results

Best Pie for Beginners: Easy Apple Pie

• The recipe: Easy Apple Pie, submitted by Carol
• Average rating: 4.7
• Rave review: “I won first prize at a local Farmer's Market apple pie contest so thanks!" —Ellen

With just five ingredients and five simple steps, it’s easy to see why this recipe is called 'easy.' It was definitely one of the quickest pies to prepare. The process begins by placing a refrigerated pie crust in the pie dish, followed by layers of sliced apples sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar. A final dollop of butter goes on top before sealing it with a second pie crust.

Easy doesn’t always mean ‘delicious.’ After tasting this pie, we all agreed it was just ‘okay.’ One tester even compared it to the kind of pie you’d get from a gas station, which left everyone else a bit puzzled. In the end, it was our least favorite. The flavor and texture didn’t stand out, and we all thought it would taste much better with a scoop of ice cream on top.

Get the recipe: Easy Apple Pie

Best Flavorful Crust: Apple Pie by Grandma Ople

• The recipe: Apple Pie by Grandma Ople, submitted by MOSHASMAMA
• Average rating: 4.8
• Rave review: “This is the best apple pie recipe I’ve ever found. We always make it for special occasions, like graduations, Thanksgiving, and Christmas." —Alisha M

Out of all the pies we tested, this one felt like the most hands-on. After putting the pie together, including topping it with a lattice crust, you create a rich sauce using butter, flour, and sugar. This warm sugar sauce is then poured over the lattice crust, which proved to be a bit tricky. Unlike the other recipes, this one skipped the cinnamon but used both granulated and brown sugar.

The pie was visually stunning when it came out of the oven. The lattice crust, though a bit labor-intensive, definitely gave it a charming, homemade appearance. In fact, the crust was probably the highlight. The sauce had caramelized nicely, delivering a rich, sweet bite. However, the rest of the pie didn’t leave much of an impression. The apples turned out too soft and lacked texture, and the filling had more of an applesauce taste than a traditional pie. It was a good pie, just not our favorite.

Get the recipe: Apple Pie by Grandma Ople

Best for People Who Love Plenty of Crust: Grandma’s Iron Skillet Apple Pie

• The recipe: Grandma's Iron Skillet Apple Pie, submitted by T.L. Dixon
• Average rating: 4.9
• Rave review: “Over the past 45 years I have probably made hundreds of apple pies but this one is just a treat!" —Grandma Lizzy

One of my favorite things about this pie is the crust. When I saw that this recipe called for three rolls of refrigerated pie dough, I knew it was going to be good. Out of all the pies, I enjoyed making this one the most—not just because of the dough, but because it’s baked in a cast-iron skillet, starting with a rich, buttery brown sugar base. Then, layers of pie dough and seasoned apple slices are stacked up, topped off with another layer of dough that gets finished with a sprinkle of sugar and butter.

This pie had more of a cobbler vibe, but we didn't mind at all—it was absolutely delicious! The caramelized bottom layer, which was sweet and crunchy, was a showstopper. We also loved the flaky crust layers, which had the perfect balance with the apple filling. If I had to rate it, I’d give it 5 stars without hesitation.

Get the recipe: Grandma’s Iron Skillet Apple Pie

Best Basic Apple Pie: Sunday’s Apple Pie

• The recipe: Sunday’s Apple Pie, submitted by Donna
• Average rating: 4.7
• Rave review: “I make this every year for Thanksgiving. This year I made two because last year my husband didn't get a piece and I heard about it all year!" —Becky Rorabaugh

This pie is quite similar to the Easy Apple Pie mentioned earlier, but instead of layering the cinnamon-sugar mixture with the apples, everything is tossed together before going into the pie pan. The addition of a bit of flour helps absorb the liquid released by the apples as they cook, thickening up the filling.

Like the 'Easy' pie, this one felt simple and straightforward. The flavor was all about the apples, but it lacked depth and came off as sweet with a single note of flavor. One tester even called it 'boring.' While it was a solid pie, it didn’t feel particularly special or exciting. Another one that would be better served with a generous scoop of ice cream.

Get the recipe: Sunday’s Apple Pie

Best Overall: Apple Crumble Pie

• The recipe: Apple Crumble Pie, submitted by LEHOUX
• Average rating: 4.8
• Rave review: "So easy to make and delicious. I had 0 leftovers. My husband was impressed and ate two pieces that night!" —Laura Hessler

This was the only pie on the list with a crumble topping, and it was a clear favorite. The process starts like many other pies, with a base of refrigerated pie dough in the dish, followed by layers of apples, cinnamon, and sugar. Instead of a traditional top crust, you make a crumble topping by mixing sugar, flour, and butter, then sprinkling it over the pie just before baking.

We all agreed that this was the best pie because it delivered the most intense apple flavor. The crumble topping was perfectly balanced, adding just the right amount of sweetness to complement the tart, tender apples beneath it. It was incredibly easy to prepare and will definitely be a recipe I make again—no adjustments needed.

Get the recipe for Apple Crumble Pie here