Having grown up on the East Coast, I’ve long associated fall with apple picking. As soon as the leaves begin to crackle underfoot and the Atlantic breeze turns too brisk for lobster rolls on the beach, I know it’s time. That’s when I head to the orchard to stock up on bags of Honeycrisps and McIntoshes. And of course, I turn to baking those sweet, tart fruits into a pie. Nothing beats digging into a warm, comforting slice while wearing a cozy crewneck and catching up on all the shows I skipped during the heat of summer. It’s pure autumn bliss.
But in a world flooded with TikTok cooking tutorials and endless Google search results, tracking down a solid apple pie recipe can feel surprisingly overwhelming. To complicate things further, celebrities have joined the fray, each touting their version of the nostalgic classic as the ultimate one.
With fall just around the corner, I decided to cut through the noise by testing a few of the most popular celebrity apple pie recipes. Turns out, a handful of them are actually worth your bag of Granny Smiths.
How I Chose the Celebrity Apple Pie Recipes
I hate to admit it, but I’m endlessly fascinated by the lives of celebrities. Whenever one of my favorites drops a kitchen secret, I’m all ears, ready to soak up every bit of their culinary wisdom. For this taste test, I gathered apple pie recipes from famous chefs, TV personalities, and even a former First Lady.
All of the recipes involve a buttery crust and a spiced apple filling at their core. Some celebrities took creative liberties, adding toppings like oats or pecans, while others stuck with the classic approach. Each one promised a delicious take, and I was ready to find out which version truly delivered.
How I Tested the Celebrity Apple Pie Recipes
I followed each celebrity recipe as written. Some called for homemade crusts, while others relied on store-bought shortcuts. Still, I judged each one in its entirety, paying close attention to flavor, texture, baking time, and, most importantly, whether the effort was worth it.
For the crust, I gave higher marks to those with rich, buttery flavor and a light, flaky texture. As for the filling, I looked for tender apples with a slight bite, subtly spicy notes, and a gooey, saucy consistency rather than a watery mess.
Since I prefer apple pies that don’t take all day to make, I also paid attention to how much time and energy each recipe demanded and whether the end result justified the work.
A few pies checked all the boxes. I’m already counting down the days until I can make them again. Keep reading to see how each one stacked up.
The Best Celebrity Apple Pie Recipes, Ranked
6th Place: Ina Garten’s Deep-Dish Apple Pie
Ashia Aubourg
Ina Garten’s recipe may appear traditional at first glance, but following it closely reveals a unique approach to the filling. The entire process took about two hours, including the homemade dough. While the crust came together without much trouble, I didn’t find it significantly better than a solid store-bought option.
The real standout here is the filling. Garten adds orange and lemon juice, along with plenty of citrus zest, which brings bright, unexpected notes to the tartness of the Granny Smiths. She also uses a generous mix of warm spices—cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice—that add the cozy depth you’d want in a fall dessert.
If I revisit this recipe, I’ll skip her homemade dough to save time and go with a store-bought one instead. Garten’s crust didn’t have the tender, flaky texture I was hoping for, but the bold, flavorful filling more than made up for it.
5th Place: Kardea Brown’s Mini Apple Pies
Ashia Aubourg
Out of all the celebrity apple pie recipes I tested, Kardea Brown’s stood out as the most exciting during my research. Instead of a traditional pie crust, the Food Network star uses phyllo dough, and rather than one large pie, she opts for mini versions. Since I couldn’t find the mini phyllo shells, I made a full-size version using standard sheets instead.
Brown’s method calls for pre-baking the mini phyllo shells, then filling them with a caramelized apple mixture sautéed with warm spices like cinnamon and nutmeg. Each pie gets finished with a generous oat crumble on top and then baked again.
If you can find the mini phyllo shells, I highly recommend using them; they’re far easier to work with than delicate sheets. Still, even with the adaptation, I was really happy with how this pie turned out. It doesn’t taste like a classic apple pie, but that’s part of the charm. Think of it as a cross between baklava and apple crisp. The dessert packed a ton of flavor, from the spiced, caramelized apple filling to the buttery oat topping.
4th Place: Martha Stewart’s Old Fashioned Apple Pie
Ashia Aubourg
Martha Stewart’s apple pie recipe sticks to a classic approach. I spent a total of about two hours—mixing, kneading, resting, and rolling out the dough, preparing the fruit filling, and baking the pie. The process felt straightforward, and I appreciated thoughtful touches, such as lemon zest and cloves to the filling, which added depth and brightness.
When the pie came out of the oven, the crust turned out incredibly flaky. Even after resting, it crumbled slightly as I sliced into it, which, to me, is a good sign, but might not be so fun if you’re serving guests and caring about appearances. The overall flavor leaned nostalgic, with a cinnamon-forward filling and a rich, buttery crust.
3rd Place: Michelle Obama’s Ultimate Apple Pie
Ashia Aubourg
I couldn’t help but fan-girl while testing Michelle Obama’s recipe. But I promise I didn’t let that sway my findings. Technically, she calls it a “cobbler,” but since it leans on store-bought pie crust, I felt it deserved a spot in this taste test. At first glance, the recipe follows a classic approach, though it includes a few clever twists.
Rather than making dough from scratch, Obama relies on her go-to store-bought crust. For the filling, she takes a different route by marinating sliced apples overnight in a mix of brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, flour, and a pinch of salt.
Compared to some of the higher-ranked recipes on this list, this one requires a bit more planning. But after the first bite, it was clear the extra time paid off. The filling bursts with warm cinnamon and floral notes from the nutmeg. Despite soaking in spices overnight, the Granny Smiths hold onto their tartness and distinct flavor. Simple in technique but bold in flavor, this recipe proves that a few thoughtful steps can crank out a delicious pie.
2nd Place: The Pioneer Woman’s Dreamy Apple Pie
Ashia Aubourg
Ree Drummond doesn’t shy away from kitchen shortcuts, so it came as no surprise that her apple pie recipe called for store-bought crust. That one hack saved me from having to mix, knead, and roll out dough from scratch.
I grabbed my go-to store-bought crust, laid it into a pan, and moved on to the filling. No cooking is necessary here; just a quick mixture of sliced apples, heavy cream, brown sugar, granulated sugar, flour, vanilla, and cinnamon.
The recipe takes a unique turn with the topping. Instead of a second crust, Drummond finishes her pie with a crumble made of butter, flour, sugar, salt, and pecans. After assembling, the pie bakes for just 15 to 20 minutes, and in under an hour, the dessert is ready to come out of the oven.
While this recipe doesn’t follow the traditional apple pie formula, the result delivers classic flavors with a twist. Some bites have the crunch and gooey richness of a soft pecan cookie, others offer tender, cinnamon-soaked apples, all held together by a buttery crust. If you’re looking to upgrade your apple pie without spending hours in the kitchen, Drummond’s version offers a delicious shortcut.
1st Place Winner: Gordon Ramsay’s Caramelized Apple Pie
Ashia Aubourg
I know I’m not supposed to pre-judge during these taste tests, but I couldn’t help feeling a bit hesitant about Gordon Ramsay’s apple pie recipe. Marketed as a caramelized version, it raised some red flags. I worried the fruit filling would break down too much, turning into a puree of sorts.
But after the first bite, all my reservations vanished.
To start, Gordon’s sweet tart pastry comes together easily. You blend butter and sugar in a food processor or use a pastry cutter to break it up, then mix in an egg and flour until the dough forms. A quick knead, a 30-minute rest in the fridge, and it’s ready to roll.
While the dough chills, the real magic begins. Gordon suggests caramelizing spiced apples in sugar and butter until they brown slightly but still hold their shape. Once the mixture cools, you roll out the crust, assemble the pie, and bake it for about 35 minutes. From start to finish, the entire process took just under two hours.
The crust turned out beautifully flaky with rich, buttery notes. I couldn’t get over the tender texture, especially the bits that stuck to the roof of my mouth in the best way. As for the filling, it delivered deep caramel flavor with subtly spicy, aromatic hints of cinnamon and nutmeg. Best of all, the apples kept their bite, even after cooking down. Consider me converted. This pie might just become a new fall tradition.
