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My absolute favorite thing: an Apple Crumble Pie recipe! This is a delicious apple pie with crumb topping. The tart apples with the sweet crumb topping is the perfect combination!
This pie is the reason I started my blog! I’ve been making this pie for over 25 years and everyone loves it. It’s my most requested pie recipe whenever a holiday hits. If you bring this pie to Thanksgiving you’ll be the hit of the party!
Why This Recipe Works
With the from scratch crust, apples that are the perfect texture, and buttery sweet crumble topping, this pie is sure to be a hit. I have been making this pie for over 25 years and every single person who tastes it loves it.
I first posted this pie in the early days of this blog. I’m not going to link it because, really, no one needs to see those horrible photos. Then I updated it back in 2012. I reshot it and reposted but I still didn’t know how to take pictures of food properly.
The first time I made this pie, I was in college. My mom was hosting Thanksgiving and I wanted to make my OWN pie recipe. I scoured her Better Homes & Gardens red-checked cookbook and found a crumb apple pie recipe that I then altered to make the perfect dutch apple pie.
Over the years I’ve fine tuned the crust, the apple filling and the crumble topping to get the BEST ever dutch apple pie recipe!
Apple Pie with Crumble Topping Recipe Video
Table of Contents
Look at that crumb? You guys, I’m drooling, for real.
Apple Pie with Crumble vs Dutch Apple Pie
A regular apple pie is a two crust pie. It’s got a bottom pie crust, apple pie filling, and a second pastry crust on top, either as a double crust or a lattice or other decorative topping.
A Dutch Apple Pie is also known as an Apple Crumble Pie: it’s an apple pie with crumb topping. The crumble topping is a mix of butter, sugar and flour and bakes up crunchy and sweet, which is the perfect contrast with the softened apples.
My Apple Crumble Pie Recipe is the absolute BEST; it’s a family tradition! It’s basically the same thing as a Dutch Apple Pie.
Ingredients in Apple Pie
There are three main components of apple crumble pie:
- The Crust: Use my crust recipe or buy one from the grocery store
- The Apple Filling: Granny Smith Apples, sugar, and cinnamon
- The Crumble: Butter, sugar and flour
Let’s talk about each of them separately.
What kind of crust goes best with apple pie?
Traditionally, an apple pie is made with a pastry crust. When I first started making this pie I used a refrigerated pie crust (Pillsbury). When I’m not in the crust making mood, I still use that, or a frozen pie crust.
Now, most of the time I make my favorite All Butter Pie Crust recipe. It’s easy and so good once it gets soaked with the filling. The butter makes it turn out perfect every time – no dry, burned crust here!
How do you prepare apples for apple pie?
This is where my recipe differs from most apple pie recipes and why it’s better: I cook my apples before adding them to the pie.
I hate crunchy apples in pie. My secret to the perfect apple filling? I cook the apples before adding them to the crust.
I peel, core, and slice my apples (using my handy dandy apple peeler, get one, it saves your sanity) then quarter the apple rings and boil them for just a few minutes in a pot with a bit of water.
You don’t want them to get mushy and turn to apple sauce; you want them to just be turning opaque, then immediately strain them and let them cool a few minutes. This creates the PERFECT apple filling.
Cooking the apples for a few minutes before adding them to the pie creates the perfect apple texture!
PRO TIP
What is crumble topping made of?
Dutch apple pie topping is a buttery crumble mixture made with sugar and flour. It’s actually the perfect topping for ANY fruit pie!
Ingredients in Crumb Topping:
- Flour: Use all-purpose flour
- Butter: You can use either unsalted or salted (omit salt if using salted butter)
- Sugar: Brown or granulated sugar – I use granulated for this recipe but you can use a mix.
- Salt: Add if you’re using unsalted butter.
To make the crumble topping, add all the ingredients to a large bowl and use a pastry cutter to cut the butter into the flour/sugar until it resembles small crumbs the size of peas.
There is a LOT of crumb on this pie and it has a lot of butter and sugar which makes it SO FREAKING GOOD. The crumb cooks together in the oven so it turns into a crunchy layer on top of the perfectly cooked apples. I don’t ever even want apple pie without crumb. Heck, I’d put this on a pudding pie, a lemon pie, ANY PIE. It’s that good.
FAQ
When the top is browned and the crust is golden, the pie is done. It usually takes a good amount of time in the oven. I recommend using a pie crust shield to make sure your pie crust doesn’t get too brown (if you’re using a refrigerated crust this is more important – those cook faster than my all butter crust).
I highly recommend using Granny Smith Apples for this pie. The tart apples mixed with the sugary crumb topping are the perfect combination. Granny Smith apples are also a bit firmer and can withstand the cooking then baking process. Other apples (i.e. Gala, Fuji, Macintosh) are softer and will become mushy if you use them in this recipe.
I use about 5-7 large apples to make a 9-inch pie. Sometimes the apples are smaller, so I use more. It just depends: the apples in the you-pick section of the store of often bigger than the ones that come in the 3-pound bags. I’ll use about 5 large ones or a full 3-pound bag of smaller ones.
I do because I don’t like crunchy partially cooked apples. I simply par-cook them for just a few minutes and they end up soft but not soggy.
I always bake the pie at 425°F for about 10 minutes then lower the temperature to 350° – this helps cook the bottom crust.
Yes – you should store leftovers in the refrigerator. They’ll last about 3 days.
Yes you can – wrap it well and freeze for up to 2 months, or freeze slices in plastic baggies.
I love serving it warm, with ice cream or whipped cream.
Other pie recipes you’ll love:
- Crumble Topping for any fruit pie
- Apple Cider Pie
- Blueberry Pie
- How to make a lattice crust
- Raspberry Double-Crust Pie
- Mini Apple Crumble Pies
- Blueberry Crumble Pie (with brown sugar crumble)
Serve this pie at the holidays with:
Have you made this recipe?
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Dutch Apple Pie (Apple Crumble Pie)
Ingredients
For the pie:
- 1 All Butter Pie Crust or you can use a refrigerated pie crust
- 6-7 Granny Smith apples about 3 pounds
- ¼ cup (50g) sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
For the crumb:
- ⅔ cup (133g) sugar
- 1 ½ cups (186g) flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 12 tablespoons (170g) unsalted butter slightly softened
Instructions
- Roll out your pie crust according to recipe or package directions and place in your 9″ pie plate. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- Peel and core the apples, then slice into thin slices. I like using my apple peeler for this step. Place one inch of water in the bottom of a large pot. Add apples and cook, stirring occasionally, approximately 3-5 minutes after water boils, or just until the apples start to turn the slightest bit opaque.
- While apples are cooking, add the crumb ingredients to a large bowl. Using a fork or pastry cutter, cut the ingredients together until they form coarse crumbs, about the size of a pea.
- Drain apples very well. Let them sit in the strainer for a few minutes to cool, then place them in pie crust. Sprinkle 1/4 cup sugar and cinnamon over apples. Add your crumb mixture evenly on top. Place pie on a cookie sheet to avoid mess in the oven. Cover outer edge of crust with thin strips of foil or a pie crust shield.
- Bake at 425° for 10 minutes then lower the oven temperature to 350°F for 30-40 minutes. Remove pie crust shield during the last 15 minutes of baking to ensure that the crust browns.
- Pie may be made a day in advance. Refrigerate overnight. Serve with whipped cream or ice cream.
Recipe Notes
Recipe Nutrition
See more of my ultimate pie recipes here!
**Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!**
Last Updated on June 1, 2021
Hi, This was the first recipe I used from your sight. I’m tired of buying pies from the store, they are not as good. I’m very picky when it comes to desserts. I like homemade. I used an 8-inch glass baking dish, so I didn’t use all the crumble. I used double the cinnamon for the apples. I also didn’t use all the apples, left out 2 small apples. I used Gala bc that’s all I could find. I used brown sugar for the topping, needs more sugar. I did dock the dough. Everything else was the same. This was very time consuming. I made the dough and apples yesterday and the rest today. We just ate our first piece, and it was just ok. I think it needs tweeting. The bottom crust came out soggy, but the top part tasted great. I didn’t pre-cook the crust. Should I?
Usually my bottom crust cooks through but if you’re having trouble with that you can pre-cook the crust for about 10 minutes at 400 – be sure to line it with parchment and pie weights.
It’s in the oven now but I can tell by the aroma, it’s going to be a favorite. So I give it 4 to start based on ease of prep and SMELL! I’ll get back to you this evening! I’ll TRY to post pix however I’m NEW at this so PLEASE be patient. Thank you.. I think I’m going to enjoy several of your recipes and baking with my Grandchildren!!! LoL
This was the most tasteless apple pie I’ve ever eaten. I will definitely make some adjustments on the ingredients if I use this recipe again! Definitely needs more spice, more salt, and the apples should be tossed in the cinnamon sugar mixture, rather than sprinkling it on top of them after putting in the shell.
Yes I have tried making your Dutch apple crumb pie and it turned out very well and so delicious! I like crumbs on the pie better than the usual pie and it’s the best recipe I have ever tried ! Thanks very much for sharing!
One part you left out for us is the temp of ones oven when we bake this Crumb topping on our pies or crisps
That depends on the recipe you are using. I usually bake my pies at 425 for 10 min then lower to 350 for the remainder, but again, follow the recipe you’re using.
Making this today! If I use a store bought crust do I need to let it defrost and come to room temp before baking?
Made this during the week and my son and husband loved! Very very easy to make. It will definitely be on repeat in our house!
I just posted comments about the Dutch Apple Pie.
I thought I gave it 5 stars- I meant to do that!
Thanks again.
Lisa
Hi Dorothy and everyone…
this pie is beyond outstanding!
The crust melts in your mouth, and the filling is very satisfying, as is the crumb topping. And making it even easier to love, is this recipe is very easy to make.
I followed the recipe exactly.
Thank you Dorothy for sharing another gem! It’s so good!
Lisa
I just made your Dutch apple crumble pie. The crust is amazing, love it. The pie was so good, hard to stay out of it. Thank you so much for a great recipe.
Linda
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