The Real Reason Your Apple Pie Turned Out Mushy

Apple pie is an American tradition and many families possess a treasured family recipe for the fruit-filled dessert. Some apple pies are topped with a homemade pie crust constructed with a woven lattice or other design, while others contain a solid crust topping (per Martha Stewart). The pie's filling consists of fresh apple slices tucked into a gooey, spiced filling. The combination of crunchy crust and tart apple is a classic American flavor that's hard to resist.

But all of the dedication it takes to fashion that homemade pie crust, slice the apples, and measure the additional ingredients will be in vain if the pie turns out mushy. Some of the most skilled bakers have been pained with a watery pie. While there are techniques to fix a liquid-filled pie, wouldn't it be easier to prevent it in the first place? Keep reading to learn how to keep this from happening to your dessert.

Avoid using overripe apples to prevent your pie from becoming mushy and wet. Southern Living says choosing the perfect apple variety will be for naught if the fruit is overripe. Your pie will turn out very mushy and lack the flavor apple pie is known for. Apple pie relies on the tartness of apples to offset the ultra-rich ingredients of brown sugar, cinnamon, and butter. Southern Living says the perfect apple pie is not too sweet. The pie must possess that crisp flavor to meet your tastebuds' expectations.

Shop Market Basket recommends you observe the apples you select for your apple pie. Choose firm fruit for baking sweet, tart pies. If you find yourself with a basket of overripe apples, use them for chilled pies or applesauce instead.

Which type of apple is best for making apple pie? The Pioneer Woman says the Granny Smith apple is her favorite pick for apple pie. Granny Smith apples are very tart and can be used alone in a pie or combined with sweeter apple varieties or sweet pears. Honeycrisp and Golden Delicious are other varieties recommended for apple pie (via Bobs Red Mill).