Last Updated September 16th, 2021 at 09:05 am by Lisa
Homemade apple pie filling, "foolproof" pie crust, and a crumble topping make this Apple Crumble Pie, one scrumptious apple pie recipe.
Some people also call this pie Dutch Apple Pie, Apple Crumb Pie, and even French Apple Pie.
What makes this dessert so good, is that well, the crust is homemade. And I have a recipe that WORKS every time. Hey, you can certainly buy your crust, and make the filling and topping..but if you go for it and do all three (crust, filling, and topping), I promise this is the best apple pie you will ever taste or so I have been told...
What Is Apple Crumble Pie?
An apple crumble pie has a traditional bottom crust, apple pie filling, and a crumble topping made of butter, sugar, and flour.
This is the first recipe I ever had published in print, and it has been lovingly perfected for over 25 years. I still have my copy of the Balboa Island community cookbook where a version of this recipe was originally published. It is filled with recipes from my neighbors and that wonderful community who I still visit often, and although that recipe was good, this one is even better...
Why You'll Love This Apple Pie
- It's pretty!
- A classic American dessert for family dinner celebrations
- An American tradition to serve on July 4th, Thanksgiving, or Christmas
- A store-bought crust will work just as well as homemade!
- The crumble topping is so yummy, and just 3 ingredients.
- The homemade apple pie filling is thick and doesn't turn the crust soggy... a very big deal when baking!
- It will impress your guests at parties and holidays, bet the want the recipe.
- You can make the filling beforehand days ahead or freeze it.
- And the crust can be premade and ready to go from the freezer as well.
My love of baking apple pies goes back a long way. Growing up I would watch my Mom make her own, and I still use her rolling pin, yes that rolling pin above is my Mom's!
The sound it makes reminds me so much of her cooking in the kitchen.
I hope you love these Apple Crumble Pies as much as I do. All those years ago, I can still remember baking in my little beach house on Balboa Island, CA.
Here Is What You Need:
- Pie dough — you can make this or you can buy it from the store if you're short on time.
- Apple pie filling — of course, you CAN buy canned apple pie filling, but once you make your own, you will always make it at home. IS SO FAST AND EASY and the flavor is simply divine. You make the filling ahead of time and keep it refrigerated or pack it in zip-top bags in the freezer beforehand and have it ready to go, so convenient!
- Crumble topping — pull your butter out an hour ahead so it softens, toss the ingredients of flour, butter, and brown sugar in a bowl and crumble with a fork.
Pie crust ingredients
- 1 ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon kosher sea salt
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ cup cold diced butter
Apple pie filling ingredients
- large Granny Smith apples peel, core and cut into ½" pieces
- 3 tablespoons butter
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Crumble topping ingredients
- ½ cup butter softened
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 cup flour
How to Make "Foolproof" Pie Crust
The neighbors could smell it baking and came over for a slice of warm apple pie. Little did I know what was in store for that recipe. That memory makes me so thankful and happy! Yay for apple pie... for friends...family...and neighbors...🥧🍏
Step 1: In a food processor, blend flour, salt, baking powder, cold butter pieces, and pulse 10 times until the butter is the size of “peas”.
Step 2: Add ⅓ cup ice water, pulse until ball forms.
Step 3: Wrap in plastic wrap, chill in the fridge for 30 minutes before baking.
Use in a recipe or freeze for use in a recipe later.
THAT IS IT!! Works every time...
Now, I know you are thinking, what do I do without a food processor?
How To Make Pie Dough By Hand
If you don't have a food processor, you can make pie dough in a bowl. Simply add the flour, salt, cold butter, and baking powder, then use a large fork or a pastry cutter to cut the butter into the flour until it forms a crumbled mixture. There should be large chunks remaining in the mixture. Then, add the ice water a few tablespoons at a time, mix with a rubber spatula. Sprinkle in additional ice water one tablespoon at a time. Toward the end of using your ice-cold water, mix after each addition. The pie dough will have large clumps. Once you can squeeze it with your hands and it holds together, don't add more water. Push the dough together on a board, wrap in plastic, and chill at least 30 minutes before using in a recipe.
PRO TIP: The amount of water in pie dough is important...
If you add too much, the dough will become too soft and sticky requiring more flour which changes the ratio resulting in a tough crust.
If you don’t add enough water, the dough will be dry and crumbly and not pull together correctly.
How to Make Apple Pie Filling
prepare apples and thickener
- Wash the apples, peel, core (use apple corer/slicer), and cut into ½ pieces. Place into a bowl with lemon juice to prevent browning.
- Squeeze ¼ cup fresh lemon juice, whisk in 1 tablespoon cornstarch. Set aside-this is your pie filling thickener.
cook the apples
- In a large skillet or cast iron pan, melt 3 tablespoons butter and cook the cut apples for about 5 minutes, stirring every minute until they just turn soft. I like them with a little firmness, so taste them and cook them to the firmness you prefer.
- Next, pour the lemon juice and cornstarch "thickening" mixture over the apples and stir until well combined for a couple of minutes.
- Sprinkle ½ cup brown sugar, ½ cup white sugar over the apples, and the sea salt. Stir until well combined.
- Remove from the heat and add the cinnamon and nutmeg off heat. The reason you do this is to keep the flavor of the spices!
- Let the pie filling cool completely so it thickens. Once the apple filling is cool, use it in a recipe, store in in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days in a Mason jar, or freeze in zip-top bags.
How To Make Crumble Topping
Simply mix soft butter, brown sugar, and flour in a bowl with two forks until it's a small crumbled mix.
How to Assemble and Bake
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Step 2: In a 9" or 10" pie dish, roll the pie dough ¼" thick, just slightly larger than pie dishes. Place pie crust in the bottom of the pie dish, and make the edge of the pie dough neat around the dish.
Step 3: Add 4 cups apple pie filling. (Add 5-6 cups of pie filling for larger pie dishes like a 10" deep dish)
PRO TIP: If you are short some pie filling, simply peel an apple or two, slice them thinly, and add to the apple pie filling. A fresh apple adds a nice texture to the pie filling, you will LOVE IT!
Step 4: Sprinkle crumble apple pie topping on top of pie filling.
Step 5: Bake 400 degrees, 45 minutes until the pie crust is golden brown and bubbly.
Note: If baking a large pie like a deep dish, it can take up to 1 hour.
IMPORTANT: All our ovens bake slightly differently, the pie dish type, size, and amount of filling can make a difference.
Apple Crumble Pie FAQs
The crust will be golden brown, and the crumble apple topping will turn a little darker brown, the apples in the filling should be soft.
If baking a large deep-dish pie, it can take up to 1 hour. Factors that affect baking are; ovens bake differently - gas or electric, the pie dish type-ceramic or metal, 9" standard pie plate vs 10" deep dish, and the amount of filling can all make a difference in the bake time. It is best to check on the pie every 10-15 minutes to see how it is doing until you learn how your oven bakes!
It is fine on the counter for a few hours while cooling but then needs to be refrigerated. Simply cover with plastic wrap, and keep cold.
Pull the pie from the refrigerator about an hour before to bring it to room temperature. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees, and heat the pie for 10 minutes or until warmed through.
Vanilla ice cream, whip cream, or cool whip.
What Are The Best Apples for Apple Pie?
- Granny Smith
- Esopus Spitzenburg
- Northern Spy
- Idared
- Pink Pearl
- Ginger Gold
- Golden Delicious
- Jazz
- Jonagold
- Pink Lady
Granny Smith green apples are my pick for apple pies! They have a slight tart flavor which balances perfectly with the sweet crumble topping. Granny Smith apples hold up well during baking and are a classic choice.
These ten apple varieties are classic favorites for apple pie. Some fall into the firm-tart category, and some the firm-sweet. You can even use a combination of the two apples listed below.
More Apple Pie Recipes
- Homemade Apple Pie Recipe by A Farmgirls Kitchen
- Apple Pie by Grandma Ople by All Recipes
- Apple Pie Recipe by Preppy Kitchen
More Pie Recipes
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Apple Crumble Pie (aka Dutch Apple Pie/Apple Crumb Pie)
Ingredients
Foolproof Homemade Pie Dough:
- 1 ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon kosher sea salt
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ cup cold diced butter
For the Apple Pie Filling:
- 6 large Granny Smith apples cored and cut into ½" size pieces
- 3 tablespoons butter
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
For the Crumble Apple Pie Topping:
- ½ cup butter softened
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 cup flour
Instructions
homemade pie dough:
- In a food processor, blend flour, salt, baking powder, butter and pulse 10 times until the butter is the size of “peas”.
- Add ⅓ cup ice water, pulse until ball forms.
- Wrap in a zip-top bag, chill in the fridge for 30 minutes. This makes the butter firm and makes a flaky pie crust.
prepare apples and thickener
- Wash the apples, peel, core (use apple corer/slicer), and cut into ½ pieces. Place into a bowl with lemon juice to prevent browning.
- Squeeze ¼ cup fresh lemon juice, whisk in 1 tablespoon cornstarch. Set aside. (This is your pie filling thickener).
cook the apples
- In a large skillet or cast iron pan, melt 3 tablespoons butter and cook the cut apples for about 5 minutes, stir every minute until they just turn soft. I like them with a little firmness, so taste them and cook them to the firmness you prefer.
- Next, pour the lemon juice and cornstarch mixture over the apples and stir until well combined for a couple of minutes.
- Sprinkle ½ cup brown sugar, ½ cup white sugar over the apples, and the sea salt. Stir until well combined.
- Remove from the heat and add the cinnamon and nutmeg off heat. The reason you do this is to keep the flavor of the spices!
- Let the pie filling cool completely so it thickens. Once the apple filling is cool, use it in a recipe, store in in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days in a Mason jar, or freeze in zip-top bags.
make the crumble apple pie topping
- Mix soft butter, brown sugar, and flour in a bowl with two forks until it's a small crumbled mix.
bake your pies
- Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees
- Roll the pie dough ¼" thick, place pie crust in bottom of the pie dish.
- Add 4 cups apple pie filling.
- Sprinkle ¼ cup crumble apple pie topping.
- Bake 400 degrees, 45-60 minutes until crust is golden brown and bubbly. Baking time will vary based on the size of your pie dish. Always check every 15 minutes to be sure your crust isn't overbrowning. You can place a piece of aluminum foil with couple of holes poked in (to release steam) over the pie to protect the crust.
- If baking a large pie, it will take up to 1 hour, and up to for 1 hour 15 minutes for deep dish pies.
- Cool the apple crumble pie before slicing, serve with ice cream or whip cream.
Notes
Pie Filling:
PRO TIP: If you are short some filling, simply peel and apple or two, slice them thinly, and add to the apple pie filling. A fresh apple adds a nice texture to the pie filling, you will LOVE IT!Pie Dough By Hand:
If you don't have a food processor, you can make pie dough in a bowl. Simply add the flour, salt, cold butter, and baking powder, then use a large fork or a pastry cutter to cut the butter into the flour until it forms a crumbled mixture. There should be large chunks remaining in the mixture. Then, add the ice water a few tablespoons at a time, mix with a rubber spatula. Sprinkle in additional ice water one tablespoon at a time. Toward the end of your ice-cold water, mix after each addition. The pie dough will have large clumps. Once you can squeeze it with your hands and it holds together, don't add more water. Push the dough together on a board, wrap in plastic, and chill at least 30 minutes.PRO TIP: The amount of water in pie dough is important...
If you add too much, the pie dough will become too soft and sticky requiring more flour which changes the ratio resulting in a tough crust. If you don’t add enough water, the dough will be dry and crumbly and not pull together correctly.How Do I Know When My Apple Pie Is Done?
The crust will be golden brown, and the crumble apple topping will turn a little darker brown, the apples in the filling should be soft. If baking a large pie, it can take up to 1 hour, all our ovens bake differently-gas or electric, the pie dish type-ceramic or metal, size of that dish 9" is standard, deep dish is 10", and the amount of filling can all make a difference in baking.What Are The Best Apples for Apple Pie?
Granny Smith green apples are my pick for apple pies! They have a slight tart flavor that balances perfectly with the sweet crumble topping. Granny Smith apples hold up well during baking and are a classic choice. These ten apple varieties are classic favorites for apple pie. Some fall into the firm-tart category, and some the firm-sweet. You can even use a combination of two apples listed below.- Granny Smith
- Esopus Spitzenburg
- Northern Spy
- Idared
- Pink Pearl
- Ginger Gold
- Golden Delicious
- Jazz
- Jonagold
- Pink Lady
All I can say is, WOW!! Thank you for sharing this pie with me! I can hardly wait to impress my family with this absolutely delicious recipe!! I particularly love the crumble topping!!
So happy to share it with YOU! What a fun dinner party. One of my all-time favorite recipes that means so much to me! Thanks again Jill for your nice comment and rating.
This is my absolute favorite pie recipe for the fall! I made this pie again yesterday and it was fabulous! Such a great pie for any occasion and Thanksgiving!