Dutch Apple Pie
intro
A cozy, spiced apple pie with a flaky butter crust and crisp oat streusel top, baked until golden and bubbly, ideal for cool fall days and holiday gatherings.
Ingredients
Steps
Prep the pie crust
In a large bowl, mix 180g (1 1/2 cups) all-purpose flour, 1 tbsp granulated sugar, and 1/4 tsp salt. Cut in 113g cold cubed unsalted butter with a pastry cutter until the mixture forms pea-sized crumbs. Drizzle in 3-4 tbsp ice water, 1 tbsp at a time, mixing gently until the dough just comes together. Shape into a 1-inch thick disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Mix apple filling
In a large mixing bowl, toss 900g (6 cups) 1/4-inch thick sliced peeled Granny Smith apples with 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 135g (2/3 cup) granulated sugar, 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg, and 16g (2 tbsp) all-purpose flour until every apple slice is evenly coated. Set aside for 10 minutes to let the apples release their natural juices.
Line the pie pan
Preheat your oven to 190°C (375°F). On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled pie dough into a 12-inch circle that is 1/8-inch thick. Gently lift the dough and drape it over a 9-inch standard glass pie pan, pressing it firmly into the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Trim any overhanging dough to 1 inch, then crimp the edges decoratively with your fingers.
Make streusel topping
In a medium bowl, combine 120g (1 cup) all-purpose flour, 150g (3/4 cup, packed) light brown sugar, 45g (1/2 cup) rolled oats, and 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon. Cut in 113g cold cubed unsalted butter using your fingertips or a pastry cutter until the mixture forms coarse, clumpy crumbs the size of small pebbles. Do not overmix, as uneven crumbs create the best texture.
Assemble the pie
Pour the spiced apple filling and all its accumulated juices into the crust-lined pie pan, spreading the slices into an even layer. Sprinkle the streusel topping evenly over the entire top of the apples, covering every gap so no fruit is visible, and gently press the crumbs to adhere to the filling. Place the pie pan on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet to catch bubbly drips during baking.
Bake until golden
Place the baking sheet with the pie in the preheated 190°C (375°F) oven and bake for 55 minutes, until the streusel is deep golden brown, the apple filling is visibly bubbling through the edges of the crumb topping, and the crust is crisp. If the streusel browns too quickly before the filling is done, tent the top loosely with aluminum foil after 35 minutes of baking.
Cool before serving
Remove the baked pie from the oven and transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely for a minimum of 2 hours at room temperature, to allow the filling to set fully before slicing. Serve slices with a dollop of freshly whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream if desired.
Tips
2.Do not skip the full 2-hour cooling time: cutting the pie while it is hot will cause the thickened apple filling to run out of the crust, resulting in soggy, misshapen slices.
3.Use firm, tart baking apples like Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, or Braeburn for the filling; soft, sweet eating apples (like Red Delicious or Gala) will break down into mushy texture during the long bake time.
OMG this Dutch apple pie was an absolute game changer for our Sunday family dinner! The crumb topping is so buttery and perfectly crisp, way better than the regular two-crust apple pie I’ve made for years. My kids went back for seconds before they even finished their first slice, even my super picky 7 year old asked for more! Took it to my neighborhood potluck last night and every single person asked for the recipe. 10/10 will be making this for Thanksgiving this year no question.
Really solid Dutch apple pie, way better than the store-bought version I usually grab for holiday meals. Only hiccup for me was the cook time — I have an older oven that runs hot, so my edges got a little darker than I wanted around the 1 hour 20 minute mark. Flavor was still chef’s kiss though, the cinnamon apple filling is perfectly spiced, not too sweet. Next time I’ll tent the edges with foil halfway through.
SO good. I made this for my partner’s birthday since Dutch apple is his favorite, and he said it tasted exactly like the one his grandma used to make when he was a kid. The crumb topping has that perfect salty-sweet balance that makes you want to eat a handful of it straight from the bowl before you even put it on the pie. No notes, will be on regular rotation in our house.
Help! I’m a total newbie to baking and I decided to try this for my first ever pie for my office fall party. The recipe says medium difficulty and I was feeling confident, but my filling came out super runny? Did I do something wrong? I followed the measurements exactly, I swear. Tasted amazing but it was like apple soup under the crumb topping, oops.
I was skeptical that a from-scratch pie would be doable for my weekly meal prep to have as a little weekend treat, but this came together way easier than I thought! I prepped the crumb topping and sliced the apples the night before, stored them separate in the fridge, and popped it all in the oven after work on Friday. Cooked perfectly, the whole house smelled like fall for hours. My roommate kept sneaking bites straight from the pie dish when she thought I wasn’t looking lmao.
I swapped the regular all purpose flour for a 1:1 gluten free flour blend for the crust and crumb topping, and it came out INCREDIBLE. I’ve tried so many gluten free apple pie recipes that turn out gummy or gritty, but this one didn’t have that weird texture at all. My whole family (who eats regular gluten) didn’t even notice it was GF, that’s how good it was. Will be making this every fall from now on.
Made this for our college football tailgate last weekend and it was gone in literally 10 minutes. I was worried it would be messy to serve outside without plates, but the filling set up perfectly so people could hold slices in napkins no problem. Only thing I added was a little drizzle of salted caramel on top before serving, chef’s kiss. 10/10, perfect tailgate dessert.
Took one bite and immediately texted this recipe to my mom and both my sisters. The crumb topping is so much better than the traditional lattice top I usually stress over for holiday pies — no fumbling with cold dough or trying to make pretty crimps, just sprinkle the topping on and go. It’s got the perfect amount of crunch, and the apples are tender but not mushy. Worth every minute of cook time, trust me.
I’ve been chasing the perfect Dutch apple pie recipe since my grandma passed 5 years ago, and this is the closest I’ve ever gotten. The spice blend is spot on, the crumb is just the right ratio of brown sugar to butter, and the apples don’t turn to mush when they bake. I did add a tiny splash of vanilla extract to the filling like she used to, and it made it taste exactly like I remembered. Got a little emotional eating the first slice, ngl.