Apple Pie With Crumb Topping

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This apple pie with crumb topping is a classic dessert made with sweet, cinnamon-spiced apples and a buttery crumb topping instead of a second pie crust. Also called Dutch apple pie, it’s one of my favorite apple pies. I love the crunch of that buttery topping, and it’s always a crowd-pleaser whenever I make it around the holidays.

Unlike a traditional apple pie recipe with two rolled crusts, this one skips the extra dough and tops the filling with a simple crumb instead.

This is one of my favorite apple pies to make because that buttery crumb topping bakes up with such a good crunch, and it pairs so well with the sweet, cinnamon-spiced apples underneath. It’s a must-have for your Thanksgiving spread or Christmas dessert table.

If you’re an apple crumb pie fan too, my Apple Crumb Cake and Blueberry Crumb Bars have that same buttery crumb topping in a different form.

Best Apples For Pie

Not every apple holds up well for pie making, so picking the right variety matters. Here are a few of my favorites for this recipe:

• Golden Delicious: A mild, sweet apple that softens a little in the oven but still holds its shape.
• Gala: Sweet with a soft, juicy bite, and a nice choice mixed with a firmer apple.
• Cortland: Sweet-tart with white flesh that resists browning, so your slices stay pretty.
• Northern Spy: An old-fashioned variety with a sweet flavor and a hint of honey, and one of my go-to pie apples.
• Granny Smith: If you like a tart apple pie, Granny Smith is a classic choice. It’s firm and holds its shape beautifully under the crumb topping.

For even more options, check out my Best Apples for Baking guide, which covers 27 varieties and which desserts each one works best in.

Ingredients

Filling

• 6 medium apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Topping

• 1 cup flour
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup butter, melted

1 (9-inch) unbaked pie crust

How To Make Apple Pie With Crumb Topping

Preheat The Oven

Preheat your oven to 425°F.

Make The Crumb Topping

In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour, brown sugar, white sugar, and cinnamon. Add the melted butter and stir until evenly moistened, then set the topping aside.

Make The Filling

In a separate large bowl, add the sliced apples, brown sugar, flour, lemon juice, cinnamon, and salt.

Toss until the apples are well coated, then pour the filling into your pie crust.

Add The Crumb Topping

Sprinkle the crumb topping evenly over the apples.

Bake

Place the pie on a baking sheet and tent it loosely with foil. Bake for 20 minutes, then remove the foil, reduce the oven to 375°F, and bake for another 30 minutes, until the filling is bubbly and the crumb topping is golden brown.

You can also poke a toothpick into the center of the pie to check that the apples are tender all the way through.

Cool And Serve

Let the pie cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing so the filling has time to set.

Substitutions

• Pie crust: Use a homemade or store-bought pie crust, whichever you have time for.
• Brown sugar: White sugar can be used in the filling in a pinch, though brown sugar gives it a richer flavor.

Variations

• Add nuts: Stir a handful of chopped pecans or walnuts into the crumb topping for extra crunch.
• Add oats: Swap a portion of the flour in the topping for old-fashioned oats for a heartier, oatmeal-crumble texture.
• Add caramel: Drizzle caramel sauce over the filling before adding the crumb topping for an extra-sweet twist.

Storage

This pie can be made ahead of time and kept at room temperature for 1 day, or in the fridge for 3 to 4 days, though the topping will start to soften after a few days.

How To Freeze Apple Pie With Crumb Topping

Let the pie cool completely, then wrap it well in foil and freeze for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to use it, let the pie fully defrost, then place it on a cookie sheet and tent it with the foil you had it wrapped in. Heat at 350°F for 15 minutes, until it’s warmed through.

To freeze an unbaked pie, assemble the pie and wrap it in a layer of thick aluminum foil, making sure it’s well sealed.

When you’re ready to bake, remove it from the freezer and unwrap it, placing it on a cookie sheet. Tent it with the foil and bake according to the recipe, though it might need 10 to 15 extra minutes. Bake until the juices are bubbling, the apples are tender, and the top is nicely browned.

More Easy Apple Recipes:

• Apple Pie Pops
• Easy Apple Crisp
• Old Fashioned Apple Cobbler

FAQ’s

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