An easy dutch apple pie recipe made with the best crumble pie topping and homemade pie filling! This is one of the best pie recipes and soon will be your favorite!
In my family there is always the question whether to make dutch apple pie or regular apple pie. It’s most likely a personal preference as to the texture. The crumble topping adds a bit of a crunch in addition to elevating the sweetness level. I personally prefer dutch apple pie. And so today I want to share with you how to make my mom’s dutch apple pie recipe.
Dutch Apple Pie VS Apple Pie
The difference between dutch apple and traditional apple pie is the homemade pie topping. With this recipe you’ll find the same homemade apple filling. Regular apple pie has a top crust. Dutch apple has a crumble brown sugar crust for the topping.
Here’s why I prefer dutch apple over apple pie.
- The crumble topping gives it a bit of a crunch in each and every bite.
- With tart apples, the extra sweetness of the pie topping brings one amazing combination.
- It’s easy to make when you layer the apples with the crumble topping. No top crust to worry about.
But before we start making this recipe I do think it’s important to talk about apples. Not any apple variety goes good in a pie. What am I saying? It’s pie. It’s all good. But some apples are better than other apples to bring out the best flavor in your homemade apple pie.
What Are the Best Apples for Dutch Apple Pie
For dutch apple you want a tart but sweet apple that bakes well under high temperature. Granny Smith apples are the most popular baking apple. However, you may be surprised to know that Jonagold apples are my preference. They bake really well and I might dare say, better than granny smith apples. They still hold the same tartness but are also a bit sweet which helps to balance the sweetness of the pie crust and crumble topping. Jonagold apples can be harder to find in your local grocery store, so here’s a few more ideas for the best apples.
How To Make Homemade Apple Pie Filling
Peel and slice 6 cups of tart apples into a large bowl. Add the sugar, flour, and cinnamon and mix well. Place in a prepared homemade pie crust.
How Do You Make Crumble Topping for Dutch Apple Pie
Combine flour, white sugar, brown sugar and room temperature butter with a pastry blender. Spread on top of the homemade apple pie filling and slightly pat to hold in place.
How Long Do You Bake Dutch Apple Pie
Bake at 375° F for 25 minutes. Add pie crust shield and bake 20-25 minutes longer or until crust is golden brown and filling is just beginning to bubble. If the crumble topping is browning too much, cover with foil. Cool on a wire rack.
As you’ll find with all my pie recipes the pie really holds together well with a thick homemade pie filling and a perfectly baked pie crust. This is the result of much testing in our family kitchen. And I’m happy to share all the details with you!
This dutch apple pie really is so easy to pull together and the combination of flavors is out of this world! While cherry pie is still my all time favorite, this dutch apple pie is a very, very close second. Topped with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream… yum!
I hope you enjoy this dutch apple pie recipe as much as our family does!
More Best Pie Recipes
- Fresh Peach Pie Recipe
- Pear Pie with Almonds and Raspberries
- Old Fashioned Rhubarb Pie
- Pumpkin Pie Recipe From Scratch
- No Bake Peanut Butter Pie Recipe
- The Best Cherry Pie Recipe
Dutch Apple Pie Recipe
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 8 1x
Print Recipe
Pin RecipeDescription
A crispy crumble topping on a homemade apple pie filling make this dutch apple pie a family favorite!
Ingredients
Homemade Apple Pie Filling
- 1/2 cup white sugar plus 2 Tablespoons of brown sugar
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 6 cups thinly sliced peeled apples
Homemade Dutch Apple Crumble Topping
- ¾ cup of flour
- ¼ cup of white sugar
- ¼ cup of brown sugar
- 1/3 cup of butter, room temperature
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375° F.
- Peel and slice 6 cups of apples into a large bowl. Add sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Mix well and place in prepared pie crust. (See note below.)
- Blend the crumble topping ingredients with a pastry blender is a separate bowl. Spread on top of apples, slightly pat to hold in place.
- Bake at 375° for 25 minutes. Add pie crust shield and bake 20-25 minutes longer or until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbly. Cool on a wire rack.
Notes
Before adding my homemade apple pie filling to the pie crust, I add about 2-3 teaspoons of flour to the bottom. My great-grandma always did and so do I. I believe it helps to take some of the extra juices from the apples and thickens them to allow the bottom crust to cook completely. I do this trick for every single pie I make!
If crust is browning too much, cover with foil during the baking process.
How do you know when your pie is done? Every oven can be a little different. I bake mine for about 5 minutes less than what the directions say. I then check the pie two ways. One, I look for just the slightest little bubble coming from the pie filling. Two, I take my pie and very carefully, lift it up to see the bottom crust. (I use these pot holders for maximum grip.) The bottom crust should be a nice golden brown. If the pie is not met these two goals, then I put it back into the oven for five more minutes and check again. I check every five minutes until the pie is done!
Make sure to let your dutch apple pie cool on a wire rack. It will need to cool about one hour before serving.
Make sure to pick a tart apple for your pie. I prefer Jonagold apples but Granny Smith apples also work well with this recipe.
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: dutch apple pie, best dutch apple pie, dutch apple pie topping
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Jenna says
November 12, 2019 at 5:32 pmWas never a big fan of apple pie but I just so happen to have all the ingredients and decided to make for my family. Homemade apple pies are always watery but the added flour solved that problem. This was hands down the best apple pie I’ve ever had homemade or store bought and it stayed together for 24hrs before it quickly disappeared overnight! Super easy.
★★★★★
Lynette says
November 12, 2019 at 6:22 pmYay! I’m so glad you enjoyed it. Your comment made my day. It’s one of my favorites too. 🙂
Nancy says
October 22, 2019 at 9:20 pmOver the years I have made so many apple pies. This Dutch Apple Pie recipe is now my #1 go to. Loved it and will make it again and again!
★★★★★
Lynette says
October 24, 2019 at 11:13 amAwesome! I’m so happy to hear that! It’s our favorite too. 🙂
Sarah says
October 20, 2019 at 11:44 amMade this pie last night. It was delicious. Can you make it ahead and freeze? I have 50lbs of apples. 😳
★★★★★
Lynette says
October 20, 2019 at 1:49 pmOh my! That’s a lot of apples. I’ve never tried to make the pie from frozen, but I’m not sure why it wouldn’t work. My only concern would be that the bake time would be longer and there would be more browning from frozen. But, I think it’s worth a try! If you do give it a try, please let me know how it goes.
Kaz says
November 10, 2019 at 11:34 pmOur school does a fundraiser with Dutch apple pies. They buy boxes of peeled frozen apple slices from a local fruit processor (we are in orchard area for mainly apple, and cherry). Then get the ingredients (sugars, flour, cinnamon and butter etc…) donated from parents & community. Everyone from the class that does it(10th grade) goes in to assemble the pies on a Saturday morning. This is one of the best fundraisers and people actually want the pies. It is basically this recipe. It’s been a couple years since I had one so I can’t remember how they are packaged. I do remember picking the apples and crumble from the frozen pie when I had one sitting on my counter waiting to go in the oven!
Lynette says
November 12, 2019 at 6:23 pmWow! What a great idea for a fundraiser! I can understand why people would want the pies. Homemade pie is the best!
Diane says
October 13, 2019 at 6:32 pmWhat about Gala apples.
Lynette says
October 14, 2019 at 10:17 amYou can use any type of apples you prefer but I think a more tart apple like granny smith or jonagold is better. It’s a personal preference, but I like the tart with all the sweetness you add with the recipe. Gala apples are pretty sweet apples that my family loves when eating on their own, but I would not recommend them for this recipe.