This apple pie has a deep golden, buttery shortcrust pastry that shatters gently at the fork, revealing a softly spiced filling of tender Bramley apples with just the right balance of sweetness and sharp fruit flavour. The pastry holds its shape neatly when sliced, while the filling stays moist without turning watery. It is the sort of bake that works equally well at a Sunday lunch table or a quiet Tuesday evening, and it requires no specialist equipment or advanced technique. From start to finish, it is ready in around 1 hour 30 minutes.

Ingredients

For the pastry

300g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
150g unsalted butter, cold and cut into small cubes
2 tbsp caster sugar
1 large egg, beaten
2–3 tbsp cold water
A pinch of fine salt

For the apple filling

700g Bramley apples, peeled, cored, and cut into roughly 1.5cm chunks
80g golden caster sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
1 tbsp cornflour
1 tsp lemon juice

To finish

1 egg, beaten, for glazing
1 tbsp granulated sugar, for sprinkling

How to Make Mary Berry Apple Pie Recipe

Make the pastry: Put the flour, salt, and cold butter into a large bowl. Rub the butter into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture looks like coarse breadcrumbs with no large lumps of butter remaining. Keeping the butter cold prevents the fat from melting into the flour, which gives the finished pastry its short, crumbly texture.
Bring the dough together: Stir in the caster sugar, then add the beaten egg and one tablespoon of cold water at a time, mixing with a flat-bladed knife until the dough just comes together. Turn it out onto a lightly floured surface, shape it into a flat disc, wrap it in cling film, and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
Prepare the filling: Place the apple chunks in a large bowl. Add the golden caster sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cornflour, and lemon juice, then toss everything together until the apple pieces are evenly coated. The cornflour will absorb the juices released during baking and stop the base from becoming soggy.
Preheat the oven: Set the oven to 200°C (180°C fan) / Gas Mark 6. Place a heavy baking tray on the middle shelf to heat up at the same time.
Line the tin: Lightly grease a 20cm round pie dish. Take two-thirds of the pastry and roll it out on a floured surface to a circle roughly 3–4mm thick. Carefully lay the pastry over the dish and press it gently into the base and sides, leaving a small overhang around the rim.
Add the filling and top the pie: Spoon the apple mixture into the lined dish, mounding it slightly in the centre. Roll out the remaining pastry to a circle large enough to cover the top. Lay it over the filling, then press the edges together firmly and trim away the excess with a sharp knife. Crimp the edges between your fingers or press down with a fork to seal.
Glaze and vent: Brush the pastry lid all over with beaten egg. Use a small, sharp knife to cut three or four short slits in the centre of the lid to allow steam to escape during baking, which keeps the pastry crisp rather than soft. Scatter the granulated sugar evenly across the top.
Bake the pie: Carefully place the pie dish onto the hot baking tray in the oven. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until the pastry is a deep, even amber-gold and the filling is bubbling gently at the vents. If the edges begin to colour too quickly after 20 minutes, cover them loosely with a small strip of foil.
Rest before serving: Remove from the oven and leave the pie to settle for at least 15 minutes before cutting. This allows the filling to firm up slightly so it holds its shape when sliced.

Tips for the Best Mary Berry Apple Pie

Why is the base of my apple pie soggy?

The most common cause is excess moisture from the apples. Make sure you coat the apple pieces in cornflour before adding them to the pastry, and always bake the pie on a preheated baking tray. The burst of heat from below helps the base pastry cook through from the start rather than steaming in its own liquid.

Why does my pastry shrink away from the sides of the tin?

Pastry shrinks when it has not been rested properly. Always chill the dough for at least 30 minutes before rolling, and avoid stretching it when you lay it into the dish. Stretched pastry contracts back to its original size in the oven.

How do I stop the pastry lid from cracking when I lift it over the filling?

Roll the pastry around the rolling pin loosely and then unroll it directly over the dish. If it does crack, simply press the edges together gently with a damp finger. A crack in the lid does not affect the flavour, and any visible joins will be covered by the glaze.

Why is the apple filling still too firm after baking?

Bramley apples vary in size and moisture, and cutting pieces too thick can leave them undercooked. Keep the chunks to around 1.5cm and make sure the filling is bubbling visibly through the vents before removing the pie from the oven. A longer bake at the same temperature for a further 5 to 8 minutes will usually finish the job.

How do I get an even golden colour across the whole pastry top?

Apply two thin coats of beaten egg rather than one thick coat. Brush the first coat on as soon as the lid is on, then brush a second time just before placing the pie in the oven. This builds a deeper, more even amber glaze without the egg pooling in patches.

Serving Suggestions

Serve warm with a generous pour of double cream over the top, allowing it to run down into the vents.
Pair with a scoop of good-quality vanilla custard for a classic British pudding presentation.
Add a ball of clotted cream ice cream alongside for a dinner party dessert that needs no further decoration.
Offer a wedge at room temperature with a pot of strong Assam or English Breakfast tea for afternoon serving.
Dust lightly with icing sugar just before serving if presenting at the table, for a clean, simple finish.

Storage

Room temperature

Keep the cooled pie covered loosely with foil or in an airtight tin at room temperature for up to 2 days.

Refrigerator

Wrap the pie dish tightly in cling film or transfer individual slices to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days. Bring to room temperature for 20 minutes before serving, or warm individual slices in an oven set to 160°C for around 10 minutes to restore the pastry’s texture.

Freezing

The pie freezes well either whole or in slices. Wrap tightly in a double layer of cling film followed by a layer of foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge, then reheat in the oven at 170°C for 15 to 20 minutes until warmed through and the pastry has crisped up again.

Nutrition

Calories: 380 kcal
Carbohydrates: 52g
Protein: 5g
Fat: 17g
Saturated Fat: 10g
Sodium: 85mg

Nutrition values are estimates based on standard ingredient quantities and may vary depending on the specific brands used and the size of each serving.

FAQs

Can I use eating apples instead of Bramley apples?

You can, but eating apples such as Cox or Granny Smith hold their shape better than Bramleys and will give a firmer, chunkier filling rather than the soft, collapsing texture that most people expect from a classic apple pie. If using eating apples, reduce the sugar by around 20g as they are naturally sweeter.

Can I make the pastry ahead of time?

The pastry dough can be made up to 2 days in advance and kept wrapped in cling film in the fridge. You can also prepare the whole pie, unbaked, and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours before glazing and baking straight from the fridge. Add an extra 5 minutes to the baking time if baking from cold.

Can I use shop-bought shortcrust pastry for this recipe?

Ready-made shortcrust pastry works well here and makes the recipe noticeably quicker. Use a 500g block, divide it into two thirds for the base and one third for the lid, and follow the same rolling and assembly instructions. The finished result will be slightly less rich but still a well-structured pie.

What size pie dish works best for this recipe?

A 20cm round, deep-sided pie dish is ideal for these quantities. A shallow dish will not hold all the apple filling comfortably, and the pastry ratio will feel off. If you only have a 23cm dish, increase the apple filling by an extra 150g and add an additional 10g of sugar to compensate.

Can I add other fruits to the apple filling?

Blackberries are a very good addition. Stir in 100g of fresh or frozen blackberries with the apple mixture before spooning it into the pastry case. The berries soften and release a deep purple juice that colours the filling attractively and adds a gentle sharpness alongside the spiced apple.

Conclusion

This Mary Berry apple pie recipe delivers everything a good homemade pie should: a crisp, buttery pastry shell, a deeply flavoured spiced apple filling, and a golden lid that comes out of the oven looking as though real effort went into it. The recipe makes one 20cm pie, which will comfortably serve 6 to 8 people depending on portion size. The steps are straightforward, the ingredients are easy to source, and the result is a bake that holds up well whether served straight from the oven or brought out hours later at room temperature.

If this has become a go-to recipe in your kitchen, share it with someone who would appreciate a reliable classic apple pie. Leave a comment below to let others know how your version turned out, or if you made any small changes to the filling spicing. If you enjoyed this, you might also like the Mary Berry soda bread recipe, another simple, no-fuss bake that is perfect for beginners and experienced home bakers alike.