Apple Crumb Pie

Also known as Dutch apple pie, the best crumb pie starts with the apples: we always suggest a mix of different tastes and textures for a balanced filling that is both sweet and tart with toothsome and soft pieces. For example, Granny Smith apples are tart, Golden Delicious hold their shape nicely and McIntosh add an applesauce-like quality – a mix of these and/or your favorite varieties are ideal. For a simple upgrade, toss the filling with a couple tablespoons of heavy or sour cream for added richness. The pie dough gets special attention too: a preheated baking sheet acts as an extra heat conductor and sets the bottom crust before it has a chance to become soggy. Keep an eye on the crumb topping and cover with foil if it browns too quickly.

Print Recipe

Cook Time 50

Total Time 3

Course lunch/dinner

Cuisine british

Servings 6 people

Calories 4721.1 kcal

Equipment

2 Mixing Bowls One large for crust/filling, one medium for crumb topping
1 Rolling Pin For rolling pie dough
1 9-inch Pie plate
1 Paring Knife For peeling and slicing apples, testing doneness
1 Baking Sheet Heavy duty, for preheating and preventing soggy bottom crust

Ingredients

Main

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour plus more for dusting
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 stick cold unsalted butter cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup ice water plus more if needed
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 stick unsalted butter cut into 1/2-inch pieces, at room temperature
3 pounds mixed apples such as Golden Delicious, Granny Smith and Gala, peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick
4 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt

Instructions

Make the crust: Whisk the flour, granulated sugar and salt in a large bowl. Rub the butter pieces into the flour using your fingers until pea-size pieces form. Drizzle in the vinegar and ice water; stir gently with a fork to combine. If the dough doesn’t hold together when you squeeze it, add more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time. Turn out the dough onto a piece of plastic wrap and form into a disk; wrap tightly. Refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour or overnight.
Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface into a 13-inch round. Ease into a 9-inch pie plate. Trim the edges, leaving a 1-inch overhang, then tuck the overhanging dough under itself; crimp the edges with a fork. Refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour or overnight.
Meanwhile, make the crumb topping: Mix the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt in a medium bowl. Rub the butter into the mixture with your fingers until no longer floury and crumbs form. Freeze until ready to use.
Make the filling: Place a foil-lined baking sheet on the lowest oven rack; preheat to 400˚. Mix the apples, melted butter, both sugars, flour, lemon juice, cinnamon and salt in a large bowl. Spoon the filling into the chilled pie crust. Pat the crumb mixture on top.
Bake the pie on the hot baking sheet until lightly browned, about 30 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350˚ and bake until the apples are completely soft when pierced with a paring knife, 60 to 80 more minutes. (If the topping is getting too dark, cover loosely with foil.) Transfer the pie to a rack to cool completely.

Notes

Using a mix of apple varieties (tart like Granny Smith, firm like Golden Delicious, soft like McIntosh) creates a more complex and interesting filling texture and flavor. Ensure all pie dough ingredients are very cold for a flaky crust. The technique of preheating a baking sheet on the lowest rack is crucial for achieving a crisp bottom crust. Monitor the crumb topping during the longer bake time and loosely tent with foil if it begins to brown too quickly to prevent burning. For extra richness, consider tossing the apple filling with a tablespoon or two of heavy cream before baking.