Old Fashioned Dutch Apple Pie
This Dutch Apple Pie recipe layers cinnamon-spiced apples in a flaky crust under a buttery crumb topping for the coziest slice of fall in every bite.
The Coziest Dutch Apple Pie You'll Ever Bake
There is something about a Dutch Apple Pie that feels like a warm hug in dessert form. Unlike a traditional double crust apple pie, this version trades the top crust for a thick, buttery crumb topping that turns golden and craggy in the oven. If you have ever wondered how to make Dutch Apple Pie that tastes like it came from a cozy countryside bakery, this is the recipe to bookmark.
This Dutch Apple Pie recipe uses tart Granny Smith apples, warm cinnamon, and a brown sugar streusel that gets irresistibly crisp as it bakes. It is the kind of pie that fills your kitchen with the smell of fall no matter what season it actually is.
Before we get cooking, the right tools and ingredients make a real difference here. A sturdy pie dish that conducts heat evenly, a good pastry cutter for the crumb topping, and fresh, firm apples are what separate an average pie from the best Dutch Apple Pie you have ever made. These are the products that genuinely help this recipe shine:
Why This Is the Best Dutch Apple Pie Recipe
What sets this old fashioned Dutch Apple Pie apart is the balance. The filling is bright and just sweet enough, thickened gently with flour so it holds its shape when sliced instead of running all over the plate. The crumb topping, meanwhile, is thick, buttery, and studded with little pockets of brown sugar that caramelize as they bake.
- Tart apples keep the filling from tasting one-note sweet
- A splash of lemon juice brightens the whole pie and keeps the apples from browning
- Cold butter in the topping is the secret to those craggy, crisp crumbs
Chef's Tip: Keep your butter cold right up until it goes into the flour mixture. Warm butter makes a paste instead of crumbs, and you will lose that irresistible craggy texture on top.
Ingredient Notes
A few small choices make a big difference in this recipe:
- Apples: Granny Smith is the classic choice for its firm texture and tartness, but a mix of tart and sweet apples works well too.
- Flour in the filling: This is what thickens the juices as the apples release them during baking, so do not skip it.
- Brown sugar in the topping: Packed brown sugar gives the crumb its deep caramel flavor and helps it turn a beautiful golden brown.
How to Make Dutch Apple Pie Step by Step
Once your crust is chilled and your apples are sliced, the whole process comes together quickly. You will toss the apples with sugar, spice, and a little flour, mound them into the crust, then cover everything with a thick layer of buttery crumb topping before baking until golden and bubbling.
Ready to make it? Here is the full step-by-step recipe:
Old Fashioned Dutch Apple Pie
This Dutch Apple Pie recipe layers cinnamon-spiced apples in a flaky crust under a buttery crumb topping for the coziest slice of fall in every bite.
Ingredients
- 1 pie crust, homemade or store-bought, fitted into a 9-inch pie dish, unbaked
- 6 cups Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced (about 6 large apples)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar, for the filling
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour, for thickening the filling
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon, plus a pinch more if you like it spicier
- 1 tbsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 1/4 tsp salt, for the filling
- 1 cup all-purpose flour, for the crumb topping
- 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed, for the crumb topping
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed, for the crumb topping
- 1/8 tsp salt, for the crumb topping
Instruction
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Fit the pie crust into a 9-inch pie dish, crimp the edges, and set aside in the fridge to stay cold.
In a large bowl, toss the sliced apples with granulated sugar, flour, cinnamon, lemon juice, and salt until evenly coated.
Pour the apple mixture into the prepared crust, mounding it slightly in the center.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, and salt for the crumb topping. Add the cold cubed butter and use your fingers or a pastry cutter to work it in until the mixture forms coarse, pea-sized crumbs.
Sprinkle the crumb topping evenly over the apples, covering the filling completely.
Place the pie on a baking sheet to catch any drips, then bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until the topping is golden brown and the filling is bubbling at the edges.
If the topping browns too quickly, loosely tent the pie with foil for the last 15 to 20 minutes of baking.
Let the pie cool on a wire rack for at least 2 hours before slicing, so the filling has time to set.
Equipment
- 9-inch pie dish
- Large mixing bowl
- Pastry cutter or fork
- Baking sheet
- Wire cooling rack
Notes
Serving and Storing Your Pie
Let the pie cool for at least two hours before slicing. I know that is hard when it smells this good, but the cooling time lets the filling set so your slices hold together instead of sliding apart.
Serve slightly warm or at room temperature, ideally with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a drizzle of caramel sauce. Leftovers keep beautifully at room temperature, loosely covered, for a couple of days, or in the fridge for up to five.
Freezing Tips
This pie freezes surprisingly well, both baked and unbaked. If freezing unbaked, assemble the pie without the topping, freeze it solid, then add the crumb topping fresh before baking straight from frozen, adding about 15 extra minutes to the bake time.
Chef's Tip: Always bake this pie on a rimmed baking sheet. The filling tends to bubble over as it cooks, and the sheet will save you a messy oven cleanup.
However you slice it, this old fashioned Dutch Apple Pie recipe is proof that sometimes the simplest desserts are the ones we come back to again and again.
