Apple Crumb Pie
Every element of this easy pie is a winner, from the flaky crust to the filling with big apple flavor to the tender-crisp streusel topping.
- Nutritional Analysis
- Per Serving
- Serving Size
- 1 of 8 servings
- Calories
- 576
- Total Fat
- 29 g
- Saturated Fat
- 18 g
- Carbohydrates
- 77 g
- Dietary Fiber
- 5 g
- Sugar
- 43 g
- Protein
- 5 g
- Cholesterol
- 76 mg
- Sodium
- 266 mg
Article by Alice K. Thompson
Each component of this pie is perfected by our baking experts. When you put them all together, you’ve got an irresistible, classic apple dessert. You might call it Dutch apple pie or apple crumble pie, but under any name, you don’t want to miss this highly rated recipe. From start to finish, there are just five easy-to-follow steps and no special equipment required.
How to Bake a Classic Apple Crumb Pie Like a Pro
Our recipe developers know pies from top to bottom. Here are their secrets for every step of the pie-making process.
Cold butter makes a flakier crust. To keep it at its coldest, cut butter into cubes and place it back in the refrigerator (or in the freezer for up to 5 minutes) before adding it to the flour.
Vinegar is a tenderizer. The acid in vinegar inhibits the formation of gluten, the protein in flour that makes baked goods chewy. Adding a touch to pie dough won’t affect flavor but will help it melt in your mouth. You can also use lemon juice instead.
Dust with flour as you roll. Keep pie dough from sticking by flouring not only your surface but also your rolling pin and the top of the dough. Rotate the dough slightly between every couple rolls to make sure it’s not sticking; if it is, lift up an edge and dust more flour underneath.
A variety of apples adds flavor and texture. Ideally some of your apples will be tart, some firm, some sweet and some soft and melty. But if you’ve got a pie favorite, or find yourself with just one variety, your pie will still be excellent.
Preheat a foil-lined baking sheet. A hot baking sheet conducts heat to the pie’s bottom crust, helping to set it and keep it flaky, not soggy. Foil catches juices that overflow the pie and prevents them from scorching onto the baking sheet, a cleanup hassle.
Cool the pie for clean slices. As they cook, apples release pectin, a natural thickener. During cooling the pectin will gel the filling, producing neat slices without oozing. Don’t underestimate how long this will take; give it a couple hours.
Reheat to serve warm. If you prefer serving warm pie, tent the pie with foil and reheat it in a 350-degree-F oven for about 20 minutes. (Hello ice cream!)
How Many Apples Are Needed for this Pie?
The filling for this apple crumb pie calls for 3 pounds of apples, or about 9 medium apples. Once they’re peeled and sliced you will have around 8 cups.
What Apples are Best for Pie?
Our Food Network recipe developers have baked hundreds of apple pies and prefer a mix of apples for balanced flavor and ideal texture. Some of their easy-to-find recommendations include tart and firm Granny Smiths, softer and sweeter Golden Delicious and sweet and melting McIntoshes. You can also seek out other great varieties, especially if you visit farmer’s markets or orchards during apple-picking season. These include sweet Matsu (Crispin), juicy Braeburns, sweet-tart Courtlands and honey-like Jonagolds. Read more about these and other varieties in The Best Apples for Baking.
Classic Apple Crumb Pie
- Level: Easy
- Total: 3 hr (plus 2 hour chilling)
- Active: 50 min
- Yield: 6 to 8 servings
-
- Nutritional Analysis
- Per Serving
- Serving Size
- 1 of 8 servings
- Calories
- 576
- Total Fat
- 29 g
- Saturated Fat
- 18 g
- Carbohydrates
- 77 g
- Dietary Fiber
- 5 g
- Sugar
- 43 g
- Protein
- 5 g
- Cholesterol
- 76 mg
- Sodium
- 266 mg
- Level: Easy
- Total: 3 hr (plus 2 hour chilling)
- Active: 50 min
- Yield: 6 to 8 servings
-
- Nutritional Analysis
- Per Serving
- Serving Size
- 1 of 8 servings
- Calories
- 576
- Total Fat
- 29 g
- Saturated Fat
- 18 g
- Carbohydrates
- 77 g
- Dietary Fiber
- 5 g
- Sugar
- 43 g
- Protein
- 5 g
- Cholesterol
- 76 mg
- Sodium
- 266 mg
Ingredients
For the Crust:
For the Crumb Topping:
For the Filling:
Directions
- 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.
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