Some desserts feel like the heartbeat of the holiday table — familiar, generous, and somehow even better when shared. Deep-Dish Apple Pie is one of them. Ours begins with the timeless flavors you expect: buttery crust, tart apples, warm spice. But with a few thoughtful touches, it becomes something even more memorable — a pie that brings comfort and elegance in equal measure.
At Thanksgiving, when aromas fill the house and friends and family gather close, this pie offers both nostalgia and lift. Bright citrus zest cuts through the richness, cinnamon and nutmeg warm each slice, and the deep, golden crust holds everything together with that irresistible shatter. It’s the kind of dessert that makes people pause, smile, and go back for “just a little more.”
The Story Behind the Dish
Ina Garten’s take on Deep-Dish Apple Pie feels like a love letter to tradition with a modern point of view. The citrus brings brightness, the spices add warmth, and the tender but structured apples give the pie its backbone. The crust — impossibly flaky, thanks to cold butter and a touch of shortening — gives it its soul.
It’s luxurious without being fussy, generous without being heavy, and exactly the kind of dessert that deserves a special place on the Thanksgiving table.
Ingredients
For the Filling:
4 lbs Granny Smith apples, peeled, quartered, and cored
Zest of 1 lemon
Zest of 1 orange
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp fresh orange juice
½ cup sugar, plus 1 tsp to sprinkle on top
¼ cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp kosher salt
¾ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground nutmeg
⅛ tsp ground allspice
For the Crust:
12 tbsp (1½ sticks) cold unsalted butter
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tbsp sugar
⅓ cup cold vegetable shortening
6–8 tbsp (about ½ cup) ice water
For the Finish:
1 egg beaten with 1 tbsp water (for egg wash)
Directions
Make the crust.
In a food processor, combine flour, salt, and sugar. Add the cold butter and shortening, pulsing until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. With the machine running, slowly add ice water until the dough just comes together. Form into two balls, wrap, and chill for 30 minutes.
Prepare the filling.
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Cut the apples into thirds crosswise, then toss them with lemon and orange zest, their juices, sugar, flour, salt, and spices. The citrus brightens the fruit and prevents it from browning.
Assemble the pie.
Roll out one ball of dough and drape it into your pie pan, letting the edges hang slightly over. Spoon in the apple mixture. Brush the rim with egg wash, then top with the second crust. Trim, tuck, and crimp the edges, brush again with egg wash, and sprinkle with sugar. Cut several slits for steam to escape.
Bake and serve.
Place the pie on a sheet pan and bake for 1–1¼ hours, until the crust is golden and the juices bubble. Cool slightly before slicing and serve warm — ideally with vanilla ice cream or a drizzle of heavy cream.
Notes from Our Kitchen
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Use firm apples. They hold their shape beautifully and keep the filling from turning mushy.
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Cold butter, warm heart. The colder the butter, the flakier the crust.
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Make it ahead. Bake the day before and reheat gently.
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Add a twist. A splash of Calvados or bourbon in the filling adds grown-up depth.
Perfect Pairings
A pie this classic, fragrant, and deeply satisfying deserves wines that can keep pace with its orchard fruit and warm spice. Here are four Eno selections that elevate each slice:
Scrimaglio Chardonnay NV Brut
A lively Italian sparkler with crisp apple, citrus, and fine bubbles that cut beautifully through the buttery crust and sweet fruit. Ideal for a celebratory finish.
Pieropan Soave Classico
Fresh, floral, and delicately textured, with almond, lemon zest, and pear. Its mineral backbone complements both the citrus in the filling and the pie’s gentle spice.
Fèlsina Chianti Colli Senesi
Bright cherry, red plum, and savory spice bring surprising harmony to baked apples and cinnamon. A wonderful red option for the holiday dessert lover.
99 West Pinot Noir
A smooth, fruit-forward Willamette Valley Pinot Noir with notes of red cherry, cranberry, and soft baking spice. Its elegant acidity and gentle tannins pair beautifully with the pie’s warm apples, flaky crust, and hint of citrus — a perfect Thanksgiving red.
ENO Thanksgiving Collection
Explore these wines — and our entire seasonal collection of Thanksgiving wines, beers, and spirits .
A Toast to Tradition
Thanksgiving is built on dishes that bring us together — flavors that tie the past to the present, and moments that become memories. This Deep-Dish Apple Pie captures that spirit perfectly: timeless, generous, and always welcome at the table.
