Peel, core, and slice the apples into thin wedges. Toss them in lemon juice, sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Let them sit for 10 minutes to release their juices. (Pro tip: sneak a slice while mixing. Quality control, obviously.)

Place one pie crust into a 9-inch pie dish, pressing gently so it fits snugly. Leave a little extra hanging over the edge—it’ll come in handy later for sealing.

Pile the apple mixture into the crust. Don’t be afraid if it looks a little too full. Apples shrink as they bake, so go ahead and give it that dramatic mountain. Dot with small cubes of butter for melt-in-your-mouth richness.

Place the second crust over the apples. You can keep it classic (just lay it flat) or cut strips for a cute lattice top. Press the edges to seal, then trim off extra dough. Crimp the edges with a fork or your fingers. Cut a few small slits on top if you’re using a full crust—so steam can escape.

Brush with a beaten egg (optional, but makes it shiny-shiny). Sprinkle coarse sugar on top if you’re feeling fancy. Bake at 400°F (200°C) for 20 minutes, then reduce heat to 350°F (175°C) and bake another 35–40 minutes, until golden brown and bubbly.

Let it cool for at least 2 hours (yes, I know it’s hard). This helps the filling set so you don’t end up with apple soup. Then slice, serve, and take a victory lap around your kitchen.