Begin by zesting the lemon directly into a large (12-inch) high-sided skillet with the heat off. Add the lemon juice to the skillet to prevent browning. Peel, core, and slice the apples into 1/8-inch pieces, adding each apple to the skillet as you go and tossing with the lemon mixture. Once all apples are prepped and in the pan, sprinkle in the brown sugar, granulated sugar, flour, kosher salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and, if using, cardamom. Gently stir to coat the apples without breaking them. Place the skillet over medium heat. When everything is moistened and there are no dry patches, cover and cook for 20 minutes, stirring every few minutes, until the apples are fork tender but not overly soft. If they stick, add small amounts of water. When done, remove from heat and stir in the vanilla.

Transfer the hot apple filling, along with all its caramelized juices, to a rimmed sheet pan or any shallow container. Spread it out evenly to speed up the cooling process. Chill the filling in the refrigerator or freezer until completely cool. If you’re using the freezer, it takes around 30 minutes; otherwise, allow a couple of hours in the fridge.

Roll out the homemade pie dough and line a 9-inch pie dish with it, folding the edges under and crimping them decoratively. For a flaky result, chill the prepared crust in the refrigerator or freezer for about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, place a baking sheet or pizza stone on the oven’s center rack and preheat to 425°F for at least 20–30 minutes so it’s piping hot when you’re ready to bake.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and kosher salt. Melt the butter separately, then pour it over the dry ingredients and mix gently until you get a sandy, slightly clumpy mixture. Chill the crumble in the fridge until you're ready to assemble the pie. I like to sneak a bite or two of the crumble before using it—it’s irresistible!

Once both the apple filling and pie crust are well-chilled, fill the pie crust with all of the cooled apple mixture, making sure to scrape in all juices. Top with 1–2 cups of the cold crumble, just enough to evenly cover the apples. Return the remaining crumble to the fridge for later.

Place the assembled pie onto the preheated baking sheet in the oven. Bake at 425°F for 15 minutes until the edges start to brown. Prepare a foil shield during this time to protect the crust later. After 15 minutes, decrease the oven temperature to 350°F (do not remove the pie) and bake for another 10 minutes. Remove the pie briefly, sprinkle the remaining chilled crumble on top, break up any large pieces, and place your foil shield over the edge of the crust to prevent burning. Return the pie to the oven and bake for 25–35 more minutes, or until the crumble is golden and the crust is browned. For more color, remove the shield and bake an extra 5–10 minutes if desired. I always watch for a golden, crisp crumble as my cue for doneness.

Let the freshly baked pie cool on a wire rack for at least 4 hours to set the filling and preserve the crisp topping. Resist slicing too soon, or the filling will be runny and the crumble will lose its texture. Serve at room temperature, ideally with a scoop of vanilla ice cream (my favorite way) and a drizzle of caramel sauce for extra decadence. Store any leftovers covered at room temperature or in the fridge after 2 days.