Apple Pie à la Mode

Apple Pie à la Mode is the ultimate classic dessert with flaky crust, sweet cinnamon apples, and a scoop of creamy vanilla ice cream.

There’s a reason Apple Pie à la Mode has remained such a beloved dessert. A flaky, buttery crust filled with tender cinnamon-spiced apples is delicious on its own, but add a scoop of cold vanilla ice cream and you have that perfect contrast of warm pie and creamy sweetness.

This homemade apple pie is a wonderful choice for Thanksgiving, Sunday dinner, or any time you want a classic dessert that feels a little special. The filling comes together with simple ingredients, and letting the apples rest before assembling the pie helps create a beautifully full filling with plenty of flavour.

Tips for the Best Apple Pie

• Serve it warm: For the classic à la mode experience, serve a slice while it is still warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
• Choose the right apples: For apple slices that hold their shape, firmer varieties such as Granny Smith, Fuji, Braeburn, Gala, Empire, and Honeycrisp work well. For a softer, more tender filling, McIntosh, Jonagold, or Golden Delicious are good choices.
• Don’t skip the resting step: Letting the prepared apple filling sit for about an hour allows the apples to soften before the pie is assembled and helps reduce the gap between the filling and top crust.
• Keep all those juices: If you rest the filling before assembling the pie, pour all of the juices into the crust along with the apples. Those juices carry plenty of flavour.
• Use ice-cold water: Cold water helps keep the pastry dough from becoming too soft while you’re working with it.
• Don’t overwork the pastry: Mix the crust just until the dough comes together, then chill it before rolling.
• Cut the apples consistently: Similar-sized apple slices will cook more evenly.
• Protect the crust edges: Cover the edges with foil or use a pie crust protector if they begin browning too quickly.
• Let the pie cool before slicing: Give the baked pie at least 15 minutes to cool so the filling has a chance to settle.

About the Equipment Needed for Apple Pie

Pastry crimper – If you aren’t the best at crimping pie shells use a pastry crimper.

Pie plate – You will also want a 9-inch diameter deep-dish pie plate.

Electric mixer – An electric mixer makes it a lot easier to make fluffy, smooth frosting. Use either a stand mixer or hand mixer.

Ingredients & Substitutions

• All-purpose flour: Forms the base of the homemade pastry. Scoop and level the flour rather than packing it into the measuring cup.
• Salt: Enhances the flavour of the pastry and balances the sweetness of the filling.
• Vegetable shortening: Gives the pie crust a light, flaky texture. Cold butter can be substituted if preferred.
• Ice-cold water: Helps bring the pastry dough together while keeping it cold.
• Apples: Choose an apple variety based on your preferred texture. Granny Smith, Fuji, Braeburn, Gala, Empire, and Honeycrisp hold their shape well, while McIntosh, Jonagold, and Golden Delicious create a softer filling.
• Granulated sugar: Sweetens the apples and helps draw out their juices.
• Cinnamon: Adds classic warm spice to the apple filling.
• Nutmeg: Adds another layer of warm spice. It can be omitted if you prefer.
• Tapioca starch: Thickens the juices released by the apples. Tapioca flour can also be used. The original recipe notes that 2 tablespoons of cornstarch can be substituted, although tapioca gives the preferred texture.
• Unsalted butter: Dotting the filling with butter before adding the top crust adds richness and helps with bubbling.
• Vanilla ice cream: The traditional finishing touch for apple pie à la mode. Use your favourite vanilla ice cream, or serve the pie with another flavour if you prefer.

Frequently Asked Questions

Looking for More Classic Dessert Recipes

If you’re looking for more apple desserts, here are a few favourites to try next:

Old Fashioned Apple Crisp has sweet, slightly spiced apples topped with a buttery crumble.

Apple Pie Cookies turn the flavours of apple pie into bite-sized treats with caramel and a flaky pie crust.

Apple Pie Fries are a fun twist on traditional apple pie, made with pie crust and apple pie filling and served with caramel for dipping.

Caramel Apple Cupcakes combine tender spiced apple cupcakes with creamy frosting and caramel for another delicious fall dessert.

Apple Pie à la Mode

Yields: 8 Servings | Prep time: 20 minutes | Bake time: 45-50 minutes

Ingredients

Pie Crust

• 3 cups (375 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon (5 mL) salt
• 1¼ cups (285 g) vegetable shortening
• 7–12 tablespoons (105–180 mL) ice-cold water

Pie Filling

• 6 cups (about 700 g) peeled and sliced apples
• ⅔ cup (135 g) granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon (5 mL) ground cinnamon
• ⅛ teaspoon (0.5 mL) ground nutmeg
• 4 tablespoons (30 g) tapioca starch
• 2 tablespoons (28 g) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

For Serving

• Vanilla ice cream

Note: To make a deep dish pie, double the filling ingredients and roll out the bottom crust to a 12-13 inch diameter.

Directions

1. Prepare the pastry.
   In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt. Cut in the vegetable shortening until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Gradually add the ice-cold water, adding only enough for the dough to come together. Divide the dough into two portions, wrap, and chill for about 30 minutes.
2. Prepare the apple filling.
   Peel, core, and slice the apples. Toss them with the sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and tapioca starch. Allow the mixture to rest for about 1 hour so the apples soften and release some of their juices.
3. Roll out the dough.
   Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C). Roll one portion of the chilled dough out on a lightly floured surface and use it to line a 9-inch (23 cm) pie plate.
4. Fill the pie.
   Spoon the prepared apple filling into the pastry-lined pie plate, including the juices. Dot the top with the pieces of butter.
5. Add the top crust.
   Roll out the remaining dough and place it over the apples. Trim and crimp the edges to seal. Cut several vents in the top crust to allow steam to escape.
6. Bake the pie.
   Bake at 450°F (230°C) for 10 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (175°C) and continue baking for 35–40 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbling.
7. Cool and serve.
   Allow the pie to cool for at least 15 minutes before slicing. Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.