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Apple Crumble Pie

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This easy Apple Crumble Pie is a fun twist on a classic apple pie recipe. The fresh sliced apples are coated with white and brown sugar, loads of cinnamon and maple syrup. Then the crumble topping is made with brown sugar, oats and cinnamon. If you need a basic apple pie, this is it! 

A white plate with a gold rim has a slice of apple pie with a crumble topping and a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. There's a gold fork resting on the plate

Homemade Apple Crumble Pie

We LOVE apple pie in our house and this easy apple pie recipe is perfect for new bakers. The crumb topping comes together in only a few minutes and is much simpler than making a double crust pie. I love how the pie filling has a variety of thinly sliced apples tossed with a combination of flour, sugar, and plenty of cinnamon. Everything cooks down to make the apples a little saucy and sweet with the most perfect texture. The contrast between the tender apples and slightly crunchy crumble topping is to die for!

If you’re looking for Thanksgiving dessert ideas, or simply want to make the most of fall apples while they’re in season, this homemade pie is the recipe you’re looking for! It’s no fuss and full of incredible autumn flavors.

A look inside a whole apple pie with a crumble topping, one slice is missing from the pie showing all the layers of apples inside.

What You’ll Need

The great thing about an old-fashioned pie recipe like this is that you don’t need any fancy ingredients. Here’s what you’ll need for this crumble pie:

For the crust:

  • Unsalted butter – Make sure it’s cold.
  • All-purpose flour
  • Salt
  • Eggs
  • Distilled White Vinegar
  • Ice water

For the filling:

  • Apples – You’ll need 6 medium to large sized apples. I used a mixture of green and gala apples to offer a little variety in taste.
  • Lemon juice – Helps prevent discoloration and cuts the sweetness a bit.
  • Flour – This will thicken the filling so it isn’t too runny.
  • Sugars – White sugar and brown sugar
  • Spices – Cinnamon and Nutmeg
  • Maple syrup

For the crumble:

  • Unsalted butter – Use cold butter.
  • All Purpose Flour
  • Light brown sugar – You could also use dark brown sugar if that’s what you have on hand.
  • Rolled oats
  • Cinnamon
A slice of apple pie with the first bite taken out of it, showing the inside of pie and the gooey filling. It's topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

How to Make Apple Crumble Pie

There are three steps needed to make this homemade apple pie. First, you’ll make the pie crust, then the filling. Lastly, you’ll assemble a quick crumb topping and sprinkle it over the pie before baking.

Make the Pie Crust

Prepare your pie crust and have it all ready to go before you start your filling. Some crust recipes require a long period of time in the fridge or freezer. The recipe I use only requires about 60 minutes.

  • Cut the butter into cubes. Each piece should be about ½ inch thick. Butter should be very cold.
  • In a food processor, combine the flour and salt and pulse gently to combine. Add the cubes of butter and continue pulsing until the mixture is crumbly.
  • Next add the wet ingredients. Starting with the egg and vinegar, blend until mixture is crubmly. Then slowly add the water into the flour mixture until the dough begins to stick together.
  • Press the dough into a ball, flatten into a disc, about 5 inches wide. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for a minimum of 30 minutes.
  • Roll the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Place the dough in a 9-inch pie plate, trim away the extra pie crust or fold under the edges. Crimp the edges and press a fork into the bottom of the crust several times. Refrigerate the dough while you’re preparing the filling.
  • Preheat to oven to 375°
An overhead shot of pie with crumble topping, with one slice missing. There's also some sliced apples in the background and some cinnamon sticks

Make the Apple Pie filling

  • Peel and slice your apple into thin pieces, about 1/8” thick. Then toss the apples in the lemon juice.
  • In a separate bowl, combine your dry ingredients and then toss the apple in the dry ingredients. Make sure to get your hands in there and really work the dry ingredients in, tossing from the bottom to the top until the dry ingredients are well incorporated.
  • Add the maple syrup. Finally, drizzle the maple syrup over top then pour your apples in your prepared crust.
A white plate with a gold rim has a slice of apple pie with a crumble topping.

Make the Crumble Topping & Bake the Pie

Prepare the crumble topping with these 5 simple ingredients: brown sugar, flour, oats, cinnamon and butter.

  • Cut the butter into small pieces. Since it’s cold, it will be easier to work into the dry ingredients. Combine the butter with the brown sugar and flour first and press it over and over again until it resembles a crumbly mixture. I prefer to use a pastry cutter but two forks will work as well.
  • Then add the oats. The reason I add these last is so that we don’t break them down as much as you try to cut the butter. Work the oats in with your pastry cutter for a few twists of the wrists, then get your hands in there and start pressing the mixture together. The clumps will quickly start forming once you get your hands in there.
  • Generously sprinkle the crumble over top of the apples. Be sure to use it all, filling in every nook and cranny.
  • Bake your pie at 375° for 50-60 minutes. Cool before serving. Once cooled, keep covered.
A white plate with a gold rim has a slice of apple pie with a crumble topping and a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top.

How to Store

Let your pie cool to room temperature, then cover tightly with cling wrap and store in the fridge for 4-5 days. When you’re ready to enjoy a slice, simply cut out the amount you want, top with ice cream and dig in! I sometimes like to warm my apple pie slice in the microwave for about 30-45 seconds before adding ice cream. I like how the warmth of the pie will make the ice cream just a bit melty so all the flavors mix together.

Can I Freeze Apple Pie?

Yes! Freezing apple pie is very easy to do. Simply let your pie cool to room temperature, then wrap it tightly in 2-3 layers of cling wrap. Then wrap the pie again in a couple of layers of tin foil. The double wrapping helps prevent freezer burn. Your pie will keep for up to 3 months. Defrost in the fridge overnight or on the counter for several hours when you’re ready to enjoy it.

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A Piece of Apple Crumble Pie Topped with Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

Apple Crumble Pie

  • Author: Julianne Dell
  • Prep Time: 75 minutes
  • Cook Time: 60 minutes
  • Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
  • Yield: 8-10 slices

Description

This Apple Crumble Pie is so simple to make and a fun twist on a classic apple pie recipe. The fresh sliced apples are coated with white and brown sugar, loads of cinnamon and maple syrup. The perfect crumble topping is made with brown sugar, oats and cinnamon. If you need a basic apple pie recipe, this is it! 

Ingredients

For the crust:

  • ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, cold
  • 1 ½ cup (210g) all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tablespoon (15ml) distilled white vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons ice cold water (additional as needed)

For the filling:

  • 4 medium granny smith apples
  • 2 medium gala apples
  • 1 tablespoon (15ml) lemon juice
  • ¼ cup (35g) flour
  • ¼ cup (48g) granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup (55g) packed light brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoon (5g) ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon nutmeg (optional)
  • 1 tablespoon (15ml) maple syrup

For the crumble:

  • 6 tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter, cold
  • 1/3 cup (46g) all-purpose flour
  • ¼ cup (55g) light brown sugar
  • 2/3 cup (54g) rolled oats
  • 1 teaspoon (2.5g) cinnamon

Instructions

Make the crust:

  1. Cut the cold butter into 1/2-inch thick cubes. It should be fresh from the fridge.
  2. Combine the flour, salt and butter in a food processor. Pulse several times until the mixture is crumbly, but still has large chunks of butter.
  3. Add the egg, vinegar and 2 teaspoons of ice cold water. Pulse until the dough begins to hold together. If needed, add additional water 1 teaspoon at a time.
  4. Turn the dough out onto the counter. Press it into a ball, then flatten it into a disc about 5 inches wide. Wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate it for a minimum of 60 minutes.
  5. Roll the dough onto a lightly floured surface, rolling from the center to the edges and rotating occasionally. Roll it out so it’s about 11” in diameter, leaving you at least 1 inch on each side of the pie plate.
  6. Place the dough into a 9-inch pie plate and fold under the excess edges, then crimp the edges. Refrigerate the dough while you prepare your pie filling.
  7. Preheat to oven to 375°

Make the filling:

  1. Peel and slice the apples about 1/8” thick and toss with the lemon juice.
  2. In a separate bowl, combine your dry ingredients and then toss the apples thoroughly in the dry ingredients.
  3. Finally, drizzle the maple syrup over top then pour your apples in your prepared crust.

Assemble the topping and bake:

  1. Dice the butter into small pieces and combine with the flour, sugar and cinnamon. Use a pastry cutter or two forks and press the butter into the dry ingredients until it resembles a crumbly mixture and the butter is broken down into smaller pieces.
  2. Next add the rolled oats and cut it into the flour mixture. Once it’s roughly combined, use your hands to start pressing the mixture into larger pieces.
  3. Pour your apple pie filling into the prepared crust and then sprinkle the crumble topping over top.
  4. Bake at 375° for 50-60 minutes. Cool before serving. Once cooled, keep covered.

Notes

Make it gluten free- You can easily make this gluten-free by swapping out the all-purpose flour with a measure for measure gluten-free flour and using a gluten-free oats in the topping. Try using this pie crust recipe.

Nutrition Information:
1 slice
492
34g
163mg
21/4g
70.5g
6.2g
5.8g
76mg
  • Category: Pie
  • Method: Oven
  • Cuisine: American

Keywords: dutch apple pie, crumb apple pie, homemade apple pie

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