Apple Crumble Pie

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Pie dedication: To Marc…I know, the apples are not mushy enough.

The pie I think least about is apple pie. Not apple sour cherry or apple plum – just regular apple pie. It seems boring to me, yet it’s the most coveted emblem of American dessert eating. I have made plenty of apple mash-ups, but when a friend reached out for apple pie recipes, I realized that I had never added a good old fashioned Dutch Apple Pie. It just feels wrong to have a pie blog and not have this recipe on there.

Anyone can make a good apple pie. I’m certain of it. Like most things in life, it’s personal – the spices, the texture, the sweetness is completely up to you. I’m going to outline the basic tips for a good apple pie and then you can experiment from there.

  • Use a mix of sweet and tart apples to create more depth of flavor (Granny Smith, Pink Lady, Jonagold, Honeycrisp…and of course anything growing locally!)
  • Peel and slice your apples about 1/4 inch thick. If the apples are too thick and crunchy, they will tumble out of the pie and off your fork as soon as the pie is cut.
  • Cook the apples down and make the filling first. It’s not absolutely necessary, but I think it helps, plus you can make the filling ahead of time. Throw them in a skillet or dutch oven with sugar and cook them down to release some juice (stop before they are super soft). Pour off some juice if you need to (you want some juice so that it will thicken) and then add your cornstarch/spice mixture and the rest of the sugar. It will thicken and come together on the stovetop. Turn off heat, add lemon juice and set aside to cool.
  • I do not like super sweet pie, so I think an apple pie needs no more than 1/2 cup sugar. Experiment with what type of sugar combinations you like – brown sugar, granulated sugar, maple syrup – all great choices to try.
  • Lemon is key. Lemon prevents the pie from getting weighed down with too much spice and brightens up the apple flavor.
  • Spices. This is where your personal taste comes in. I would say no more than 1 1/2 – 2 teaspoons of spices total and that cinnamon is probably the leading spice. I think there needs to be some nutmeg in there to taste like apple pie and then I never pass on a chance to use cardamom. I choose that instead of ginger.
  • Do what you will with the top. I will be using a crumble topping like always… but if you must use a top crust, use more apples. Heaping apples are good for a top crust because it will help it hold its shape. If you are doing a crumble top, keep the apples more shallow.

Go forth and bake up a storm – it’s apple season!

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Apple Crumble Pie

Ingredients

  • 1 recipe 9-inch pie crust
  • 1 recipe crumble topping

Apple Pie Filling

  • 6-7 apples (mix of tart/sweet) Usually translates into 4-5 cups of apples
  • 1 tbsp lemon zest I just zest one lemon
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 3 tbsp corn starch
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  • 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

Instructions

  • Prepare, roll and plate pie crust of choice or use our Best of Both Worlds pie crust. This can be done up to 3 days in advance and kept covered well in the refrigerator.
  • Preheat oven to 425
  • Peel and slice apples 1/4 inch thick and place in a dutch oven or large, deep skillet.
  • Zest lemon over the apples and add 1/4 cup brown sugar. Gently mix.
  • Slowly cook over medium heat for about 5-8 minutes or until the apples are just starting to soften but still hold their shape.
  • While apples are cooking, combine 1/4 cup sugar, 3T cornstarch, 1 tsp cinnamon and 1/4 tsp nutmeg in a small bowl.
  • When apples are ready, add the cornstarch mixture and gently stir until juices thicken and you can leave streaks at the bottom of the pan.
  • Remove from heat immediately and place filling into a bowl to cool. Add 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice.
    • You can adjust the filling to your taste. I like a brighter filling, so I generally add more lemon juice. If you want it sweeter, you can add more sugar.

Prepare Crumble Topping

  • While the apples cool, you can prepare your crumble topping. This is also a great step to do in advance. You can follow our crumble topping recipe HERE.

Assemble and Bake Pie

  • Once the apple mixture as cooled, turn out into prepared pie shell and top with crumble topping.
  • Place pie on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and place into oven on middle or lower rack.
  • Bake at 425 for 15 minutes and then lower the temperature to 350. Bake for another 30-35 minutes until the juices come to a slow, thick bubble.
  • Remove pie from oven and cool completely before slicing. Once cool, keep at room temperature loosely covered for up to 3 days.