Description
A classic Sweet Dutch Apple Pie featuring a tender homemade pie crust filled with a blend of cinnamon-spiced apples and a buttery crumb topping for a delightful texture contrast. Perfectly baked to a golden brown finish, this pie offers a comforting and flavorful dessert ideal for any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Pie Dough
- 1 single homemade pie dough (1 sheet)
Apple Filling
- 1/4 tsp lemon zest
- 2 tbsp lemon juice (from 1/2 lemon)
- 5 lb apples (before peeling/coring)
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 3/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp cardamom (optional)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Crumble Topping
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 3/4 cup melted butter (1 1/2 sticks)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Set your oven to 425°F (220°C) to ensure it’s at the right temperature when you’re ready to bake the pie.
- Prepare Pie Crust: Roll out your homemade pie dough and fit it into a 9-inch pie dish, shaping it evenly to create the base for the apple filling.
- Mix Apples with Lemon: In a large bowl, combine lemon zest, lemon juice, and thinly sliced apples to prevent browning and add a bright citrus note.
- Add Sweeteners and Spices: To the apple mixture, add brown sugar, granulated sugar, all-purpose flour, kosher salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, optional cardamom, and vanilla extract. Mix everything thoroughly to coat the apples evenly.
- Fill Pie Crust: Pour the seasoned apple mixture into the prepared pie crust, spreading it out evenly for consistent baking.
- Make Crumble Topping: In a separate bowl, combine flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and salt. Pour in the melted butter and mix until the mixture becomes crumbly but holds together when pressed.
- Add Crumble Topping: Sprinkle the crumble topping generously over the apple filling, covering it evenly to create a textured crust.
- Bake at High Temperature: Place the pie in the preheated oven and bake at 425°F for 15 minutes to start the browning process.
- Reduce Temperature and Continue Baking: Lower the oven temperature to 350°F (175°C) and continue baking for another 35-40 minutes until the crumble topping is golden brown and the apple filling is bubbly.
- Cool Pie: Remove the pie from the oven and allow it to cool completely before slicing and serving to let the filling set properly.
Notes
- For best texture, peel and core the apples before slicing.
- Use a mix of tart and sweet apples like Granny Smith and Honeycrisp for balanced flavor.
- If you prefer a spiced apple pie without cardamom, feel free to omit it.
- Letting the pie cool before serving helps the filling thicken and improves sliceability.
- The crumble topping can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to a day.
