An everyday apple pie you will make over and over for the family. A refrigerated crust takes most of the work out of this homemade pie. Add a few fresh apples and some seasoning, and finish with an easy-to-make crumb topping. And you will be making this pie over and over.
Introduction
Everyday recipes need to be easy enough that the first step does not stop you in your tracks. For most of us, that would be a made-from-scratch homemade pie crust. I can only get over that barrier occasionally. A refrigerated crust takes that wall down, which is full speed ahead for me.
Almost anybody can make this pie. Slice up a few fresh apples, and add some sugar and spices. Make a simple crumb topping. Put it all together and bake. That is it. You made an apple pie for the family.
I was inspired by southerncooking.about.com. I changed a few things and expanded the instruction details.
👨🍳How to make this pie
- Preheat the oven to 375°.
- Place refrigerated pie crust into a standard 9-inch pie pan—crimp the edge.
- Mix crumb topping.
- Peel and slice 4 large or 5-6 medium apples to make 5-6 cups of slices. Mix white sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over apple slices.
- Pour apple slices into the pie crust.
- Top with the crumb topping.
- Bake for 20 minutes, then protect the edge of the pie crust with foil.
- Bake a total of about 50 minutes until golden brown.
- Allow to cool completely before cutting—3-4 hours.
🍎What are the best apples to use
Some good choices are Honey Crisp, MacIntosh, Granny Smith, Gala, Braeburn, Winesap, Jonathon, and Jazz. If I'm buying apples to make a pie, I would combine Granny Smith and Gala. But I’m not very picky about my apples.
There are many good apples for cooking and a few not so good, but I believe you use what you have. Delicious Apples are probably the only common poor choice.
I prefer to peel the apples and cut them into slices. If they are set for more than a few minutes, a splash of lemon juice will prevent the browning from oxidation.
You need 5-6 cups of apple slices. Four large apples or 5-6 medium size apples will do.
❓FAQs
Standard pie pans are 9 inches in diameter and 1-¼ inches deep. There are larger 9-½- and 10-inch pans, and I have seen bigger, but I suggest the standard size.
An old trick is to put pies on baking sheets preheated in the oven. It will melt the fat in the crust faster and create a shield to prevent the filling from penetrating the crust.
None, two names for the same thing.
❄️Pie Storage
Keep your apple pie covered loosely with foil or plastic wrap. You can generally keep baked apple pie at room temperature for up to two days. If refrigerated, your pie will keep for 3-4 days.
Apple pie may be frozen for 4 months. Cool completely and cut into slices. Seal airtight with two layers of plastic wrap and/or foil.
📖Other Pie Recipes
Or try this easy quick bread: Apple Pie Bread
This recipe is listed in these categories. See them for more similar recipes.
🖼️Step-by-Step Photo Instructions
Preheat the oven to 375° and place a cookie sheet on the bottom rack for any overflow. You can place the sheet on the rack you are using to help prevent soggy crust.
Prepare a pie crust. Either make one or use a Pillsbury®️ refrigerated one and crimp the edges.
Start with one cup of AP flour in a large bowl. Add ½ cup brown sugar, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, and ⅛ teaspoon salt—mix well. Add one stick (½ cup) of butter cut into chunks. Using a fork or pie cutter, mix in the butter until evenly distributed—set aside.
Peel and slice apples. Use 4 large or 5-6 medium Granny Smiths. You need 5-6 cups of apple. Other apples or combinations are acceptable. A combination of with Gala and Granny Smith is frequently suggested.
Mix ½ cup granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon together, then sprinkle over the apple slices. Mix well to coat.
Pour apple mixture into a 9-inch uncooked pie crust.
Top with the crumble topping mixture.
Bake on the middle rack. About 20 minutes into baking, check the pie. You may need to protect the edges of the crust, either with aluminum foil or with a pie crust edge protector.
Bake for a total time of about 50 minutes until golden brown. Allow to cool completely before cutting. 3-4 hours.
📝Recipe
Easy Homemade Apple Crumb Pie—Quick to Make
Ingredients
- 1 uncooked pie crust - I used Pillsbury
- 5-6 cups cooking apples - pealed and sliced
Coating for Apples
- ½ cup granular sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Crumb Topping
- 1 cup AP flour
- ½ cup brown sugar - packed
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 1 stick butter - ½ cup
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375° and place a cookie sheet on the bottom rack for any overflow. You can place the sheet on the rack you are using to help prevent a soggy crust.
- Prepare a pie crust. Either make one or use a Pillsbury®️ refrigerated one and crimp the edges.
- Start with one cup of AP flour in a large mixing bowl. Add ½ cup brown sugar, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, and ⅛ teaspoon salt—mix well. Add one stick (½ cup) of butter cut into chunks. Using a fork or pie cutter, mix in the butter until evenly distributed—set aside.
- Peel and slice apples. Use 4 large or 5-6 medium Granny Smiths. You need 5-6 cups of apple. Other apples or combinations are acceptable. A combination of Gala and Granny Smith is frequently suggested.
- Mix ½ cup granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon together, then sprinkle over the apple slices. Mix well to coat
- Pour apple into a 9-inch uncooked pie crust.
- Pour apple into a 9-inch uncooked pie crust. Top with the crumb mix.
- Top with the crumb mix.
- Bake on the middle rack. About 20 minutes into baking, check the pie. You may need to protect the edges of the crust, either with aluminum foil or with a pie crust edge protector.
- Bake for a total time of about 50 minutes until golden brown. Allow to cool completely before cutting. 3-4 hours.
Your Own Private Notes
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips
- Some good choices for the apples are Honey Crisp, MacIntosh, Granny Smith, Gala, Braeburn, Winesap, Jonathon, and Jazz.. But most apples will be fine other than Delicious.
- Use a standard pie pan, which is 9-inch diameter and 1-¼ inches deep.
- I use refrigerated pie crust. You can use frozen or make your own.
- Be sure to fully cool the pie before cutting. It will take 3-4 hours.
- Store loosely covered for up to 2 days at room temperature or 3-4 days refrigerated. Sealed well and frozen for 4 months.
To adjust the recipe size:
You may adjust the number of servings in this recipe card under servings. This does the math for the ingredients for you. BUT it does NOT adjust the text of the instructions. So you need to do that yourself.
Nutrition Estimate
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Editor's Note: Originally Published May 18, 2012. Updated with expanded discussion and updated photos.
Carroll
This recipe sounds delicious and I'm looking forward to trying it next time I have company.
I noticed that salt is missing from the list of ingredients for the crumble topping. It's in the instructions but not the list.
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
Hi Carroll,
Welcome to the blog and thanks for the proof-read... fixed.
Dan
Anna S
Mine was good except there was a lot of water that came out of the apples and it soaked the crust. Can I add corn starch to the apples and cook them before putting the pie together to prevent this next time?
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
Hi Anna,
Welcome to the blog.
More cornstarch is definitely ok.
Dan
Jill
Hi Anna-
That should be ok. Another thing is make sure you use the right type of apple. I’ve made many apple pies that came out watery before I finally found the right type of apple to prevent this. I use Granny Smith. Happy baking :)
Brenda
Just going In the oven this thanksgiving morning I also had the same problem with the topping not crumbling should have added more flour but I'll cook longer and protect the edges will update when done thanks for the quick recipe
Judy Uhl
We love apple pie! I will have to make this. Is your pie shield adjustable? So many kinds on the market!
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
Hi Judy,
This is just a good basic apple pie but that is a good thing.
The pie ring is old. I aways did the foil thing and my wife dug this out of a box from her childhood.
It is adjustable a bit and I have seen similar ones at William Sonoma several yrs ago and those cheap kitchen gadget shops at outlet malls. Search for pie rings or pie shields and you should come up with something.
Enjoy your pie.
Dan
Cheryl A Beaudoin
Ok.. Thanksgiving meal was a success and so was the desert as I used part of this recipe in my desert creation. However, can someone please tell me why my flour/sugar/butter topping did not get more crunchy nor darker? It was still soft as when I put it on top for topping and didn't change? My thought is possibly because rather than making a full pie, I used more like a cupcake tin only a bit larger to make individual pies and it didn't take as long to bake. Maybe 17 minutes. Do you think that is what might have caused the crunch to not be crunch? And if so, what can I do so it is crunchy the next time I bake this. Everything else was great! so was the not so crunchy crunch part, just not crunchy. lol thank you in advance for help/suggestions..
DrDan
Hi Cheryl,
I think you have hit it on the head. This topping takes about 45-50 minutes to get golden brown and crisp. 17 minutes just won't do it. Even with the smaller size, probably 30-35 minutes at least.
I assume you used the color of the edge of the crust to determine "done". Even in the full pie version, I need to shield the edge to prevent burning since the edge is browning long before the crumb topping. You would need to use the color of the topping as the end point and you probably need to shield the crust edge from getting overdone
You could try to hit it with the broiler for a few minutes but I doubt the results would be satisfactory. It would cook uneven and although the top part of the topping might brown, the bottom of the topping would not be so the texture would be funky.
You might Google "cupcake with streusel topping" and see some variations in proven smaller size recipes that use somewhat of a similar top and see what they do.
Those are my best guesses.
Have a good holiday.
Dan
Hquinzelle
This recipe is great, I made it twice and it turned out fantastic both times.