Dutch apple pie, also known as apple crumb pie, is a classic dessert loved by people of all ages. It is a delicious and comforting pie that is perfect for any occasion, from a casual weeknight dinner to a special holiday meal.
This recipe is easy to follow and produces a perfect Dutch apple pie every time. The key to a great Dutch apple pie is to use a variety of tart apples, such as Granny Smith and Braeburn.
These apples will give the pie a delicious balance of sweet and tart flavors. The crumb topping is also an important part of the pie. It gives the pie a crunchy texture and adds extra flavor.
Dutch apple pie is best served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream or with a cup of coffee for a classic pairing.
How to Make Dutch Apple Pie
Note: The full instruction is provided in the recipe card below.
For the Crust: Dice the unsalted butter and shortening and place it in the freezer; while preparing the flour mixture in a food processor fitted with a steel blade, pulse flour, salt, and sugar to combine, about 5 seconds.
Add the chilled butter and shortening pieces and pulse until the mixture resembles a coarse crumble with only a few larger pieces, about 10 pulses. In a small bowl, combine 3 tablespoons of ice water and 1 tablespoon of pure vanilla extract.
With the machine running, pour the ice water mixture down the feed tube and pulse the machine until the mixture forms clumps and no dry flour remains, about 12 pulses, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Don't let the dough form into a ball in the machine. Turn the pie dough onto a sheet of plastic wrap and form into a 4-inch disk. Wrap tightly in plastic and refrigerate for 1 hour, preferably overnight.
( Wrapped dough can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 6 weeks. If frozen, let the dough thaw completely on the counter before rolling.)
For the Filling: Toss all ingredients in a large bowl until the apples are evenly coated. Let it sit at room temperature for at least 1 hour or up to 2 hours. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 350 F degrees.
Let the chilled dough sit on the counter to soften slightly, about 10 minutes before rolling-roll dough into a 12-inch circle on a lightly floured counter.
Loosely roll the dough around the rolling pin and gently unroll it onto a 9-inch pie plate, letting the excess dough hang over. Ease the dough onto the plate by gently lifting the edge with one hand while pressing into the plate bottom with the other hand. Trim the overhang to ½ inch beyond the lip of the plate.
Tuck overhang under itself: The folded edge should be flush with the edge of the plate. Crimp dough evenly around the edge of the plate using your finger.
Wrap the dough-lined plate loosely in plastic wrap and refrigerate until the dough is firm at least 30 minutes.
For the Topping: Stir all the ingredients in a medium bowl until no dry spots remain and the mixture forms clumps. Refrigerate until ready to use. Place the dough line plate on a parchment paper lined rimmed baking sheet.
Working with 1 large handful at a time, distribute the apple mixture on a plate, pressing it into an even layer and filling in gaps before adding more.Take care not to mount the apple mixture in the center of the plate.
Pour any remaining liquid from the bowl into the pie. Break the topping ( it will harden in the refrigerator) into pea-size crumbs and distribute evenly over the apple mixture. Pat topping highly to adhere. Bake pie on the sheet until the top is golden brown, and the paring knife inserted in the center meets no resistance. It takes about 1 hour and 10 minutes to rotate the sheet halfway through baking.
Let pie cool on a wire rack for a least 4 hours or preferably overnight. Serve.
Camila's additional tips for making a perfect Dutch apple pie: Use a variety of tart apples, such as Granny Smith and Braeburn. Don't overfill the pie crust. Leave about ½ inch of space at the edge of the crust so that the filling doesn't bubble over. If the crumb topping starts to brown too much, cover the pie with foil for the last 10-15 minutes of baking. Let the pie cool completely before slicing and serving. This will allow the filling to set and the crust to become flaky.
Pair with
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Recipe
Easy Dutch Apple Pie
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Dutch Apple Pie Crust:
- 1-½ cups all-purpose flour , spooned into a measuring cup and leveled with a knife
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter , cut into ½-inch dice
- 3 tablespoons cold vegetable shortening , such as Crisco
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract or ice-cold water
- 3 tablespoons ice-cold water
For the Dutch Apple Pie Filling:
- 2-½ pounds (about 5 -6) Use mixed baking apples such as granny smith and honey crisp or honey crisp and empire. (see note), peeled, cored, sliced ¼-inch thick
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup raisins optional
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg , optional
Streusel Topping:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon , optional
- ⅛ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg , optional
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter , melted
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup toasted pecans or walnuts, chopped optional
Instructions
For the Crust:
- Dice the unsalted butter and shortening and place it in the freezer; while preparing the flour mixture in a food processor fitted with a steel blade, pulse flour, salt, and sugar to combine, about 5 seconds. Add the chilled butter and shortening pieces and pulse until the mixture resembles a coarse crumble with only a few larger pieces, about 10 pulses. In a small bowl, combine 3 tablespoons of ice water and 1 tablespoon of pure vanilla extract.
- With the machine running, pour the ice water mixture down the feed tube and pulse the machine until the mixture forms clumps and no dry flour remains about 12 pulses, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Don't let the dough form into a ball in the machine. Turn the pie dough onto a sheet of plastic wrap and form into a 4-inch disk. Wrap tightly in plastic and refrigerate for 1 hour, preferably overnight. ( Wrapped dough can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 6 weeks. If frozen, let the dough thaw completely on the counter before rolling.)
For the Filling:
- Toss all ingredients in a large bowl until the apples are evenly coated. Let it sit at room temperature for at least 1 hour or up to 2 hours. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 350 F degrees. Let the chilled dough sit on the counter to soften slightly, about 10 minutes before rolling-roll dough into a 12-inch circle on a lightly floured counter. Loosely roll the dough around the rolling pin and gently unroll it onto a 9-inch pie plate, letting the excess dough hang over.
- Ease the dough onto the plate by gently lifting the edge of the dough with your hand while pressing into plate bottom with the other hand. Trim the overhang to ½ inch beyond the lip of the plate. Tuck overhang under itself: The folded edge should be flush with the edge of the plate. Crimp dough evenly around the edge of the plate using your finger. Wrap the dough-lined plate loosely in plastic wrap and refrigerate until the dough is firm at least 30 minutes.
For the Topping:
- Stir all the ingredients in a medium bowl until no dry spots remain and the mixture forms clumps. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- Place the dough line plate on a parchment paper lined rimmed baking sheet. Working with 1 large handful at a time, distribute the apple mixture in plate, pressing it into an even layer and filling in gaps before adding more. Take care not to mount the apple mixture in the center of the plate. Pour any remaining liquid from the bowl into the pie. Break the topping( it will harden in the refrigerator) into pea-size crumbs and distribute evenly over the apple mixture. Pat topping highly to adhere.
- Bake pie on the sheet until the top is golden brown, and the paring knife inserted in the center meets no resistance, about 1 hour 10 minutes, rotating the sheet halfway through baking. Let pie cool on a wire rack for a least 4 hours or preferably overnight. Serve.
Notes
- Use the scraps to patch any thin areas; in case of a tear.
- Be sure you roll out the dough large enough to fit in the dish with a little overhang.
- The pie dough can be made ahead and wrapped in plastic and refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 1 month. If you freeze it, thaw it overnight in the refrigerator.
- The Dutch Apple Pie can be frozen after baking for up to 1 month after it is completely cooled; double-wrap it securely with plastic freezer wrap. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
- If you're omitting the vanilla extract in the pie crust recipe, substitute the same amount the recipe calls for with ice-cold water.
- Choose crisp and tartly-sweet apples such as Empire, Granny Smith, Honey Crisp, Braeburn, or Cortland-as they hold their shape and aren't too juicy.
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer: The nutritional information provided is an estimate, calculated using standard data sources. Actual values may vary based on ingredient brands, preparation methods, and portion sizes. This information is for general reference only and should not be considered a substitute for professional dietary advice.
