These Are The Only Apples You Should Reach For When Making Apple Pie

Apple pie may be as American as it gets (although it's actually more complicated than that), but making a perfect one can prove to be a lot more difficult than anticipated. To get some tips and tricks for perfecting this beloved dessert, we reached out to Sofia Schlieben, a corporate pastry chef at JF Restaurants, for some intel. According to Schlieben, the types of apples you choose are one of the most crucial decisions when it comes to an award-worthy pie — and you should use more than one type.

"For me, the best apple pies come from blending apple varieties," Schlieben said. "I typically use a combination of Granny Smith and Honeycrisp apples, as they're easily accessible at most stores." When it comes to her two favorite varieties, Schlieben noted that Granny Smith apples hold their shape well, providing a firm texture, while Honeycrisp apples break down more, resulting in a softer filling. "The contrast in texture creates a more interesting bite, and the balance of tart and sweet flavors is perfect for pie," she said.

Other tart apples that you can consider using for your pies include McIntosh and Pink Lady, while some sweeter options include Fuji and Gala. Well-balanced apples that are both a bit sweet and a little tart include Golden Delicious and Braeburn. Depending on your preference, you can mix and match some of these — especially during apple picking season when you may find some of these varieties at the orchard.

Once you've selected the best varieties of apples for your dessert, you're going to want to ensure you're allowing them to shine by having some apple pie filling strategies up your sleeves. One mistake that you can easily avoid is not evenly slicing your apples. Whether you're cooking your apple filling ahead of time, or adding them raw into your pie pan to cook entirely in the oven, making sure they're all the same size will help them cook evenly. For pies, you can slice your apples to be about ¼ inch thick. If, on the other hand, you're chopping them into cubes, you can just make them about ½ inch to 1 inch pieces, depending on your preference. You can also follow these apple measurements if you're making an easy, oven-free apple crumble.

Whether you're precooking or adding your apples raw to your pie, make sure you're adding warm spices to make them pop. Options like cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and allspice work perfectly to bring depth and complexity to your dessert. If you're making the pie with raw apples, season them in a bowl and stir before pouring them into the crust. You can also add a pinch of salt to help bring all of the flavors together.