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Apple Crumble Pie (aka Dutch Apple Pie) has tender, cinnamon apple slices baked in a flaky pie crust and is topped with a buttery crumble. It’s the only apple pie recipe you’ll ever need!
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When I think of the most iconic American dessert, apple pie is the first thing that comes to mind. It’s a dessert that’s not defined by a specific holiday (though maybe more popular in the later summer and during the fall apple season) and is generally loved by all! My grandma’s apple pie (this easy apple crumble pie I’m sharing) is my favorite for many reasons.
- The pie crust is flaky, browns up nicely and is the perfect vessel for the soft and flavorful filling.
- The pie is chock full of sliced apples, making it a beautifully tall pie.
- And the topping. I love a good pie crust or lattice topping, but nothing beats a crumb topping!! The buttery, brown sugar topping makes this the BEST apple pie!
Ingredients Needed (Amounts in recipe card below)
- Pie Crust – A store-bought pie crust or homemade pie crust
- Fresh Apples – No canned apple pie filling here!
- Sugar
- Ground Cinnamon
- Butter – I prefer salted over unsalted butter.
- Brown Sugar
- All Purpose Flour
What’s the difference between an Apple Pie and an Apple Crumble Pie (aka Dutch Apple Pie)?
The bottom crust and the apple filling in each pie is the same – the difference lies in the topping. A traditional apple pie usually has a full pie crust or a lattice crust. An Apple Crumble Pie has a delicious, buttery crumble topping, as you can see in the photos.
What apple is best for pie?
There are many apple varieties that work exceptionally well for pie. My favorites to use are Weatlhy apples (though difficult to find), Jonagolds and Braeburn, as they don’t get super mushy when baked and have the right sweet/tart ratio for my liking. However, it’s all a matter of preference. Many people really like using Granny Smith apples, pink lady, golden delicious or Honeycrisp apples in pie.
You can use all one variety or use a combination of them for more flavors!
How to Make an Apple Crumble Pie
Once you’ve got your pie crust ready (homemade or store-bought is fine), you’ll make the filling.
- Core, peel and slice your apples. It’s important to slice the apples as evenly as possible, so they cook at the same rate.
- Combine the apples, cinnamon and sugar in a large bowl. If you’re worried the apples you have are super juicy, you can add 2 tbsp flour to the mixture to ensure the pie will set up nicely.
- Add the apples to the prepared pie crust.
Next, you’ll make the crumb topping.
- Make sure you have all the ingredients and that the butter has softened to room temperature.
- Combine the butter, brown sugar and flour in a bowl until it begins to stick together a bit and form a nice crumb topping.
- Sprinkle the topping over the pie evenly.
Lastly, it’s time to bake the pie!
You’ll bake the pie for about 50-55 minutes, or until a fork poked into the center of the pie doesn’t feel any crunchy apples. (You want them tender, but not mushy!) If the crust is beginning to brown before the apples are tender, simply cover the crust with aluminum foil or a pie crust shield. Enjoy the pie warm or let cool to set up completely.
PRO TIP: Place a rimmed baking sheet on the lower rack of the oven (below the pie). This will catch any apple juices that bubble over the edge of the pie and make clean-up a breeze.
FAQ’s
No, I don’t recommend it. As you’ll see in this recipe, there’s no need to cook the apples before they go into the pie crust. Therefore, that would just add another step and may even yield a pie with mushy (overcooked apples) and a soggy bottom pie crust.
I enjoy this pie best warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!
Cover the pie loosely with foil once it’s completely cooled. I don’t like to wrap it tightly with plastic wrap or in an airtight container because the streusel topping will soften from the moisture being held in.
Other Apple Recipes I Love
Caramel Apple Cobbler is one of my favorites and is so perfect for the fall season!
Fireball Whiskey Apple Dumplings are a fun twist on a classic apple dumpling and are much easier than you’d ever imagine!
Salted Caramel Apple Crisp Bars combine sweet and salty in the most delicious way. The crisp topping makes these absolutely irresistible!
Homemade Applesauce is a must-make for our family each year. We freeze it in baggies and enjoy it all year long!
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Apple Crumble Pie
Equipment
- One 9-inch pie plate
Ingredients
- 1 pie crust* refrigerated or homemade (see my favorite in notes below)
Filling
- 7 cups cored, peeled and sliced apples
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 2-3 teaspoon ground cinnamon add the full 3 tsp if you LOVE cinnamon
Topping
- 1/3 cup salted butter softened
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 2/3 cup flour
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Unroll the refrigerated pie crust (or use an easy homemade crust, linked in notes below*) and place into a 9" pie plate; flute edges of the pie crust or decorate as desired and set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the apple slices, sugar and cinnamon; pour into prepared pie crust; rearrange the apple slices on top to fit nicely and create an even top layer; set aside.
- In a medium bowl, use a fork to combine the butter, brown sugar and flour until it forms small crumbs.
- Sprinkle the crumb topping over the pie evenly.
- Bake for 50-55 minutes, or until the apples are fork-tender and the topping is golden brown.**
- Enjoy warm or cold. (The filling will set as it cools)
The prep time was definitely more than 15 minutes. The recipe was fine, but you might want to change that. Just to be more accurate…
You made me recall a friend of mine, no really, who mixed up her cinnamon with cayenne pepper when she made her first apple pie for her new husband. Funny, the culinary mistakes one can make.
Sue