This Easy Apple Crumb Pie (AKA Dutch Apple Pie) uses fresh apples, a premade pie crust, and a delicious homemade crumble topping.
An everyday apple pie recipe you will make over and over using refrigerated store-bought pie crust takes to do most of the work for you.
Ingredients
Pie crust—uncooked refrigerated
Apples—peeled and slice
Coating for apples—granular sugar, ground cinnamon, flour, nutmeg (optional), lemon juice (optional but suggested)
Crumble streusel topping—all-purpose flour, brown sugar, butter, cinnamon, salt. Optionally, add some pecans or walnuts.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Featured comment from Hquinzelle:
"This recipe is great, I made it twice, and it turned out fantastic both times."
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 Apple Crumb Pie
- Place refrigerated pie crust into a standard 9-inch pie pan—crimp the edge.
- Mix crumble topping.
- Peel and slice 4 large or 5-6 medium apples to make 5-6 cups of slices. Coat with lemon juice (optional but suggested.) Mix white sugar, flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg (optional) and sprinkle over apple slices—mix to coat.
- Pour apple slices into the pie crust. And top with the crumble topping.
- Bake at 375° for about 50 minutes until golden brown. But 20 minutes into cooking, protect the edge of the pie crust with foil.
- Allow to cool completely before cutting—3-4 hours.
This is a summary of the steps and ingredients. See the recipe card or the step-by-step photo instructions below for complete instructions.
🍎What are the best apples to use
Some good choices for baking apples are Honey Crisp, MacIntosh, Granny Smith, Gala, Braeburn, Winesap, Jonathon, and Jazz. If I buy apples to make a pie, I would combine Granny Smith and Gala.
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 due to the texture when cooked.
I prefer to peel the apples and cut them into slices. A splash of lemon juice will prevent the browning from oxidation if they are set for over a few minutes.
You need 5-6 cups of apple slices. Four large apples or 5-6 medium size apples will do.
📖Other pie and apple recipes
For other pie recipes, see Fresh Strawberry Pie and Blueberry Crumb Pie.
Simple recipes also use fresh apples like Apple Cinnamon Bread, Crock Pot Apple Crisp, Small Batch Apple Crisp, and Crock Pot Apple Cobbler.
How to prevent soggy pie crust bottoms
Firmer apples will release less fluid, so apple choice plays a role. This is part of what makes Granny Smith or Honey Crisp apples excellent choices.
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. So a pizza stone or a heavy sheet pan works well for this—preheated with the oven.
How to serve fresh apple pie
Apple pie is best served warm. Add a drizzle of caramel sauce with a large scoop of vanilla ice cream. It is easy to reheat a slice of pie in the microwave for 20-30 seconds.
❄️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 foil.
❓FAQs
If you want, replace the fresh apples and the coating ingredients with one can of apple filling.
Standard pie dishes 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.
American apple pie is a two-crust pie with a vented or laced crust topping.
Dutch apple pie is commonly called apple crumb pie or apple crumble pie. It is a single-crust pie topped with a cinnamon buttery crumble topping. It is an Americanization of the Dutch apple tart. I prefer to use the term apple crumb, which is more descriptive.
A French apple pie usually starts with cooking the apples and perhaps raisins, cherries, or other ingredients. Then, it is topped with a pastry or cookie-type topping and baked. It is served "up-side-down" with an open fruit face. There are other versions that are also called French apple pie.
This recipe is listed in these categories. See them for more similar recipes.
Have you tried this recipe, or have a question? Join the community discussion in the comments.
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 a soggy crust.
Prepare a pie crust. Either make one or use a Pillsbury®️ refrigerated one and crimp the edges.
Start with 1 cup of all-purpose 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 Smith apples. 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, 3 tablespoons of all-purpose flour, and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, 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 with aluminum foil or 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.
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📖 Recipe
Easy Apple Crumb Pie
Ingredients
- 1 uncooked pie crust
- 5-6 cups cooking apples - pealed and sliced to make 5-6 cups
Coating for Apples
- ½ cup granular sugar
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg - optional
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice - optional
Crumb Topping
- 1 cup all-purpose 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 1 cup of all-purpose 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 Smith apples. 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, 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour, 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 with aluminum foil or 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.