Dutch Apple Pie Recipe

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A golden crumble-topped apple pie bursting with spiced filling and bakery-style flavor.

Dutch Apple Pie is the lovechild of a classic American apple pie and a cozy apple crisp. What sets this pie apart is its buttery, golden crumb topping that replaces the top crust. Paired with a flaky pie shell and a warm, spiced filling of caramelized apples, this dessert is everything you want in a fall (or year-round) pie. If you’re after a showstopper that delivers bold apple flavor and texture in every bite, you’ve found your pie.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Crumb topping for days — no flimsy sprinkle of streusel here.
• Caramel-like apple filling that’s cooked before baking for intense flavor.
• Flaky bottom crust that doesn’t go soggy.
• Easier than it looks — especially if you prep components ahead of time.

Ingredients Breakdown

For the Apple Filling:

• 5 pounds apples (Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, and Golden Delicious recommended)
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1/4 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 3/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon cardamom (optional but wonderful)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Crumb Topping:

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

For the Crust:

• 1 homemade or store-bought pie crust, chilled and fitted into a 9-inch pie dish

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Cook the Apple Filling

1. Peel, core, and slice apples about 1/8 inch thick.
2. In a 12-inch skillet, combine the apples with lemon juice and zest.
3. Add both sugars, flour, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom.
4. Cook covered over medium heat for 20 minutes, stirring every few minutes.
5. Once tender but not mushy, stir in vanilla and transfer filling to a sheet pan to cool completely (about 30 minutes in freezer or 2 hours at room temp).

Step 2: Make the Crumble

1. In a bowl, whisk flour, sugars, and salt.
2. Pour melted butter over the dry mixture.
3. Stir gently until it resembles wet sand with some clumps. Chill until assembly.

Step 3: Prep the Crust

1. Roll out pie dough and place in a 9-inch pie dish. Crimp edges.
2. Chill the prepared crust in the freezer for 30 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425°F with a pizza stone or baking sheet on the center rack.

Step 4: Assemble the Pie

1. Pour cooled apple filling into the chilled crust.
2. Sprinkle about 1 cup of the crumb topping over the apples (reserve the rest).
3. Bake at 425°F for 15 minutes.

Step 5: Add More Topping

1. Reduce oven to 350°F and bake for 10 more minutes.
2. Remove pie, sprinkle on remaining crumble, and cover crust with a foil ring.
3. Return pie to oven and bake another 25–35 minutes until topping is golden.

Step 6: Cool Before Serving

1. Let pie cool at room temperature for at least 4 hours before slicing.
2. Serve with vanilla ice cream or warm salted caramel sauce.

Tips for Success

• Cook the filling first: It concentrates the flavor and prevents watery pie.
• Use a mix of apples: Tart and sweet together give a balanced taste.
• Don’t skip chilling the components: Cold filling + cold crust = crispy crust.
• Hot oven, hot surface: Use a pizza stone or preheated baking sheet.
• Double bake the crumble: Layering the topping ensures crispness.

Variations

• Add pecans or oats to the crumble for crunch.
• Use apple pie spice if you don’t have individual spices.
• Try pears instead of apples for a twist.

Make Ahead & Storage

• Make-Ahead: Prepare filling and topping up to 2 days ahead.
• Fridge: Store leftover pie loosely covered at room temp for 2 days or in the fridge up to 5.
• Freezer (Unbaked): Assemble pie, freeze tightly, and bake from frozen, adding 15–20 minutes.
• Freezer (Baked): Cool completely, wrap well, and freeze for up to 3 months.

Dutch Apple Pie Recipe

Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Cooling Time: 4 hours
Total Time: 6 hours 5 minutes
Yield: 10 servings

Ingredients

Filling:

• 5 lbs apples, peeled and sliced
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1/4 tsp lemon zest
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup flour
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 3/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp cardamom (optional)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Crumble:

• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

Crust:

• 1 pie crust, homemade or store-bought

Instructions

1. Cook apples with sugars, spices, and flour until tender. Cool completely.
2. Mix crumb topping and chill.
3. Roll and chill pie crust.
4. Fill pie with apple mixture and partial crumb.
5. Bake at 425°F for 15 mins.
6. Lower heat to 350°F, bake 10 mins. Add rest of crumble, cover crust with foil.
7. Bake 25–35 mins more.
8. Cool 4 hrs before slicing.

This Dutch Apple Pie is a labor of love, but every step pays off in flavor and texture. With a rich filling, crisp topping, and flaky crust, it might just become your new fall favorite. Don’t forget the scoop of vanilla ice cream—you’ve earned it.