Best Dutch Apple Pie Recipe

Does anyone else feel like they are just not with it lately? A giant package arrived in the mail this week, the day before my daughter Valentine’s 5th birthday. Certain grandmas had told me to be expecting something, so I figured this was it and set off to wrap it.

(Eric tried to convince me that it was big enough that it didn’t need to be wrapped. Just slap a bow on and call it good. But I mean come on, what could a 5-year-old love more than ripping a ridiculous amount of paper from a present the size of her body??)

So anyway, I wrapped it all up and tied on the ribbon. On Val’s birthday, we face timed grandma to let her in on the fun. She took one look at the wrapped present and said, that’s not what I sent.

Utterly confused, we opened the box to find a beautiful baby play mat. And we even had a moment looking at each other with blank faces, asking, who would think a 5-year-old would be into this baby toy??

And ONLY THEN did I remember that just days previously, I had bought the play mat for my cousin, whose baby shower is coming up. And I had even commented to Eric about it. “That present for my cousin hasn’t arrived yet, I’d better check the order.”

You guys! What is it with me! I guess I’ll have to wrap it back up again, for the second time. (There’s no “slapping a bow on it” for a baby shower either, Eric. This is your etiquette tip for the day. There will be a test. Just kidding.)

The best apple crumb pie

Tis the season for PIE my friends. I mean I know it’s Thanksgiving and all, but Dutch Apple Pie kind of transcends the holidays, don’t you think?

Raise your hand if you’ve made my Best Homemade Apple Pie? I posted this recipe in fall 2020, and all you Covid hermits went INSANE. I’ve never seen traffic on a recipe like that before. Thousands of people have since made that pie and fallen in love.

I’ve had so many requests over the last year to create a Dutch Apple Pie version of that recipe, and today is the day my friends! The best homemade apple pie, Dutch-ified! But what does that even mean, you ask??

What is Dutch Apple Pie?

Dutch Apple Pie has flaky crust on the bottom, apple filling in the center, and the most amazingly golden-crisp, buttery crumb streusel on top. It’s heavenly!

Apple pie vs dutch apple pie

Traditional Apple Pie has pie crust on the top and bottom, with apples and sugar in the middle.

Dutch apple pie, like so many other American traditions, is a combining of cultures. Basically, it’s like traditional Apple Pie (which is French, using pie crust) and Apple Crisp (which is German/Dutch, using streusel on top) got busy and had a pastry-bottomed, crumb streusel-topped baby. A delicious, glorious baby. Business on the bottom, party on the top. Best of both worlds!

Here is why you will love this dutch apple pie recipe

• A homemade flaky, tender and buttery pie crust
• We’re using a heck ton of apples for supreme apply flavor
• The apple filing is cooked on the stovetop to caramel-y perfection. No crunchy raw apples here my friends. (Most Dutch apple pies call for raw apples layered into the pie pan but we are so much better than that.)
• a pinch of cardamom rounds out the cinnamon and nutmeg so nicely
• double the amount of streusel that most recipes call for, because I AM ALL ABOUT THE STREUSEL!
• it’s even easier than regular Apple Pie!

Apple crumble pie recipe ingredients

Here are the ingredients you’re going to need! Quantities are listed in the recipe below but here are the basics:

Best apples for an apple pie recipe with crumb topping

An apple pie can only be as quality as the apples themselves. Fortunately these days we have access to a massive variety of apples to choose from. These are my most important tips when it comes to apples:

• Use a ton of apples! The best way to get the MOST apple-y flavor in your pie is to utilize the apples themselves! Most apple pies call for 2-3 pounds of apples. We are using 5 pounds! Like 11 or 12 big apples.
• Use a variety of apples. I used Granny Smith (very tart), Honeycrisp (middle), and Golden Delicious (on the sweet side). Using only one type of apple gives you only one flavor profile. Using a blend means your pie will land somewhere perfectly in the middle of tart and sweet. Here is a list of common apple varieties, listed from most tart (Granny Smith) to sweetest (Fuji).

▪️Granny Smith
▪️Braeburn
▪️Macintosh
▪️Honeycrisp
▪️Red Delicious
▪️Golden Delicious
▪️Ambrosia
▪️Gala
▪️Fuji

If you like pies a bit more on the tart side, grab a few more Granny Smith. If you like them a bit more sweet, go heavier on the Gala or Golden Delicious. I would avoid Red Delicious (too mushy, and honestly if you don’t like to eat it plain why would you want it in a pie? Are there people who actually still eat Red Delicious??)

How many apples are needed for this pie?

Since apples can vary in size, it’s best to weigh them rather than to go by count. However, there are about 3 medium apples in 1 pound. Buy at least 15 to be on the safe side. With the large apples I used, I only needed about 12. If you have leftovers, you have something to snack on while making your pie!

Dutch apple pie: is it better to use cooked or raw apples?

Cook your apple pie filling. My last tip is kind of super duper important: COOK YOUR APPLES. So many apple pie recipes add raw sliced apples to a pie shell, and bake a long time so the apples soften in the oven. I’ve tried this lots of times, and just don’t love it. For one, you risk under baking your apples. Does anyone else hate this as much as I do? Say no to crunchy apple pie! That is the absolute worst!

Secondly, apples have a lot of water, and all that water ends up in your pie if you don’t cook some of it off first. This means your apple pie is not as flavorful.

I tested this pie twice: the first one with uncooked apples and the second one with cooked apples. The raw apple pie definitely had less flavor. It was bland guys. I mean, still a passable apple pie, just nothing to write home about.

The pie with the cooked filling, on the other hand, had a darker, deeper flavor. It was almost caramel-y, and there was more sauce in the filling. There’s no chance of under-baking, and the flavor is INCREDIBLE.

I know it’s inconvenient to cook the filling (even more inconvenient when I tell you that you’re going to have to cool that filling before adding it to the pie) but hey, you didn’t sign up to make an apple pie because you needed a quick dessert, did you? Take the extra 20 minutes to cook the filling. You won’t regret it!

Best dutch apple pie recipe filling

First gather up all your apples.

You need 5 pounds before coring and peeling. That’s about 11-12 large apples to make 5 pounds.

Here’s how I slice my apples. You can use a mandolin if you want, but be sure to use a metal glove. Those suckers are sharp!

Keep slicing around the core until you have these segments. Then slice to about 1/8 inch. You can slice thicker than that if you like (you may have to cook longer), but I love thin apples in my pie.

As you are slicing up the apples, toss them in a 12 inch high sided skillet (heat should be off) with the lemon juice and zest. Give it a stir to coat the apples with lemon.

Time to cook it down. Add some sugar, brown sugar, flour, salt, and spices. NO extra liquid, the apples will release plenty!

Place it over medium heat and let cook for about 20 minutes. Cover the pan, but stay nearby because you’re going to have to stir the mixture every couple minutes, replacing the lid each time. This keeps the steam in and helps cook the apples. You are going to get this glorious caramel-y sauce going.

Something magical happens when you gently cook the apple pie filling over a longer period of time like this. The pectin in the apples is converted to a heat-stable form. (Thanks Cooks Illustrated!) That means when you cook the apples again in your pie in the oven, the apples won’t become mushy. Whatever level of “al dente” they are at when you finish cooking them on the stove, that’s how it will taste in your pie. So you can adjust the cooking time a bit to reach your level of apple perfection. Cook longer if you like softer apples; shorter if you like them more firm. You don’t have to calculate for further cooking in the oven. Crazy, right? Science! 

How do you keep dutch apple pie from getting soggy?

The biggest trick to prevent a soggy or melting crust is to make sure all your ingredients go COLD into the oven. This includes all 3 components of the pie: pie crust, apple pie filling, and the crumble.

If you added this hot filling into a pie crust right now, it would melt your crust into a sad heap of butter. Your crust will be soggy sad.

So we are taking that hot apple, caramel-y goodness and giving it a chill. Pour the mixture onto a half sheet pan (any cookie sheet, one with a lip) and spread it out evenly. I stuck mine in the freezer to chill for about 20 minutes. You can put it in the fridge, or just leave it in the pan you cooked it in and wait for it to come to room temperature (a couple hours), if you are not in a hurry.

Now for the crust. I have an entire post about How to Make Flaky Pie Crust, you are definitely going to want to check it out! The most important thing to remember is to keep your pie crust super cold before putting it in the oven, so after crimping the edges to look nice, toss it in the freezer for a half hour. Dozens of people have sent me pictures of their apple pie crusts literally melting off because they went in the oven too warm. It’s about the saddest thing to happen to a pie. Don’t skip chilling!

The other important step you need to take to avoid a soggy crust is to blast the heat in the beginning of your cook time. Turn your oven up all the way to 425 degrees and stick a pizza stone (or sheet pan if you don’t have one) on the center rack in your oven. Let it preheat while everything is chilling, about 20-30 minutes. Having direct contact with that really hot surface distributes heat evenly to the bottom of the crust, which results in a firmer, crispier crust. Nobody wants a soggy bottom!

Once your apple pie filling is chilled, pour it into your cold pie crust.

How to make crumb topping for apple pie

Now it’s streusel time! Besides the amazing flavor, one of the best things about a crumb topping is just how easy it comes together.

What is the crumble on apple pie made of?

• Flour
• White and Brown Sugar
• Salt
• Butter

How do you make the crumble for an apple pie?

Grab a medium bowl and add in the dry ingredients: flour, white and brown sugars, a little salt. Whisk em up.

Then melt some butter and drizzle it over the top. Use a fork or spatula to mix it together, but don’t overdo it! It’s going to come together like cookie dough almost. Chill for a few minutes, then use a fork to break it up into crumbly bits. I’m a sucker for HUGE bites of crumble, but you can mix it into a sandier texture if you prefer.

Here’s all your components chilled and ready to assemble!

Top your pie with just enough crumble to cover the top. Don’t use all of it! Probably about a cup. Stick the rest in the fridge for later.

Bake about halfway, then we’re lowering the oven temperature a bit and adding the rest of the crumble. Adding the crumble in layers like this makes the topping nice and thick how I like it, but crispy and golden all the way through. It’s the price you pay for a ridiculous amount of streusel on your pie. I’ll take it! (we have to shield the crust anyway so we’re already taking the pie out of the oven. See below)

At this point we’re also going to top the edges of our pie with a crust cover made from super fancy tin foil. Tear off a square of foil about the same size as your pie. Fold in half, then in half again, and cut out the center. Open it up again and voila! You’re pie is ready for outer space! Just kidding. This will let the center of the pie brown without burning the edges.

You’ll know your pie is ready to come out when the crumble is a nice, light golden brown and the edges are brown.

Let the pie cool on a rack for at least 4 hours before digging in. I know, this is killer! But if you cut into it now it won’t really be pie, it will be soup. The juices need time to return to room temperature to be the right consistency. Don’t forget to serve it with some delicious Salted Caramel Sauce!

This is a great pie for making ahead (see more below), but once you cut into it, it needs to be eaten very soon afterward. The problem is that once the moisture inside the pie touches the dry crumble on top, the wetness spreads and makes your whole crumble wet. So it’s a great pie to make the day before your event, just make sure not to sneak a slice, or your crumble won’t be crumbly. You must resist!

Your pie is best served the day after making it, without any early cuts made. (This is why it’s perfect for Thanksgiving!) Store leftovers on the counter loosely covered with plastic wrap or foil for about 2 days. After that stick in in the fridge.

Freezing apple pie with crumb topping

Dutch Apple Pie is such a great candidate for making in advance: it freezes beautifully. (Total life-saver during the holidays!)

There are 3 ways to make your pie ahead of time.

1. The first is to make the crust, filling, and topping and freeze each separately in freezer ziplock bags. Thaw in the fridge, then follow the directions for assembly and baking.
2. If you prefer, you can completely assemble the pie in the pie pan, then wrap the whole pie, pan and all, really well in plastic wrap and then foil (I suggest two layers of each to avoid freezer burn) and the second half of the crumb topping in a small freezer ziplock bag. Store upright in the freezer for 1- 3 months. See notes for instructions on how to bake.
3. To freeze after baking the pie, allow the baked pie to cool completely, like a full 8 hours. Wrap it really well in plastic wrap and then foil (I suggest two layers of each to avoid freezer burn). Store upright in the freezer for 1- 3 months. See notes for cooking instructions!

Apple crumb pie FAQs

More great pies you are going to love!