At the moment we’re making a variation of basic apple pie, however as an alternative of a high crust, we’re piling on a thick, buttery brown sugar crumble. This apple crumble pie is the definition of fall consolation, and also you don’t have to fuss with an ornamental pie crust on high.
I initially revealed this recipe in 2015 and have since added new pictures and some extra success suggestions.
At the moment we’re giving basic apple pie a twist—identical cozy flavors, however as an alternative of a high crust, we’re piling on a thick, buttery brown-sugar crumble. This apple crumble pie is pure fall consolation, and bonus: no have to fuss with an ornamental high crust.
Do-it-yourself pie is my all-time favourite dessert, and for those who’ve made my basic apple pie earlier than, this one will really feel very acquainted: heat spices, a mountain of apples, and a buttery crust… just a bit simpler, due to that crumble topping.
This model captures the whole lot you like a few conventional double-crust apple pie, however with a crunchy-tender walnut crumble topping that makes it particularly excellent in your Thanksgiving unfold.
At the moment’s Apple Crumble Pie:
- Has a buttery, flaky crust
- Has a wealthy apple filling that’s juicy, compact, candy, and cinnamon-spiced
- Is topped with a brown-sugary, buttery, toasty walnut crumble
- Is the proper spot for vanilla ice cream
…and most of all, it’s the very best model I do know!
Right here’s the whole lot it’s essential to get began:
Begin by Making the Pie Dough
Begin with the all-butter pie dough. The recipe under makes 1 single crust, so it’s excellent for immediately’s pie, once we are doing a crumble on high as an alternative of latticing a second crust on high like we do with this salted caramel apple pie.
It’s buttery, flaky, and durable sufficient to carry all these juicy apples. You may also use 1 of the crusts from my flaky pie crust recipe as an alternative (that recipe yields 2 crusts). I just like the model under as a result of it yields *barely* extra dough for a single-crust pie. Plenty of dough to work with to flute that fairly edge. It’s truly what I exploit after I make an apple galette.
Make the dough, then chill it earlier than rolling it out and including the filling.
Crumble Topping
Whereas the dough is chilling, make the crumble topping. You need the crumble topping to additionally chill within the fridge a bit to agency up, so the crumbs maintain their form within the oven.
The crumble might look humble, however it’s really the star right here. Brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, melted butter, and walnuts… easy pantry components that bake into one thing extraordinary!
The walnuts toast within the oven because the pie bakes, including a heat, nutty crunch that contrasts superbly with the smooth apple filling. When you desire to skip nuts, use the crumble topping from my apple cranberry crumble pie as an alternative.
Stir the dry components collectively after which pour melted butter on high. Combine till it seems thick and crumbly—not moist, not sandy. Similar to this:
As soon as your pie dough has chilled for no less than 2 hours, roll out the crust and tuck it right into a 9-inch pie dish. Flute or crimp the pie dough edges. See my full how you can flute pie crust tutorial for all the small print.
Brush the sides of the crust with egg wash (simply an egg crushed along with just a little milk), which is vital for the crust to develop that stunning golden sheen when it bakes. Refrigerate the formed crust when you make the filling.
Apple Pie Filling
That is the best half. It’s such a easy, basic combine: apples, lemon juice, sugar, flour, spices, and a little bit of vanilla for further taste.
I all the time use quite a lot of apples for the very best taste. A tart apple like Granny Smith combined with a sweeter one like Honeycrisp, Fuji, or Pink Girl. That stability of tart and candy delivers excellent apple pie taste in each chew. Here’s a full checklist of the very best apples for baking.
My #1 tip: Be sure your apple slices are across the identical thickness. You don’t need some tremendous thick apples (that received’t actually cook dinner) and a few tremendous skinny apples (that may turn out to be mushy). Intention for round 1/4-inch thickness.
Even slices imply tender apples with simply the correct quantity of chew.
Stir the whole lot collectively, then spoon it into the crust, making an attempt to ensure there aren’t any huge gaps between all of the apple slices:
Add the chilly crumble topping. It’ll appear to be an absolute mountain of topping, however it bakes down completely:
One thing you’ll discover in regards to the baking directions for this apple crumble pie: start baking at a better oven temperature. Placing a pie into a really, very popular oven helps the crust brown. After 20 minutes or so, scale back the temperature. This permits the pie’s filling to cook dinner completely earlier than the crust burns.
How Do I Know When Apple Crumble Pie Is Achieved?
A visible cue is useful when figuring out the pie’s doneness. If the crust is golden, and the filling is effervescent up across the edges, the apple crumble pie is completed. If you wish to be exact, the interior temperature of the filling taken with an instant-read thermometer ought to be round 200°F (93°C) when completed.
Earlier than digging in, you’ll should let the pie calm down. The longer you let apple pie cool, the extra the filling will set. I like to recommend cooling for no less than 3 full hours earlier than slicing and serving. I do know, it’s practically unattainable to attend!
Searching for an apple pie-like deal with in a fraction of the time? Attempt my apple crisp, apple cobbler, or apple galette as an alternative.
Description
This can be a variation of basic apple pie, however as an alternative of a high crust, we’re piling on a thick, buttery brown sugar crumble. This apple crumble pie is the definition of fall consolation, and also you don’t have to fuss with an ornamental pie crust on high. Be sure to sit back every element as directed. Chilly pie dough and a chilly crumble topping maintain their form significantly better throughout baking.
Crust
- 1 and 1/2 cups (188g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled), plus extra for work floor
- 1 Tablespoon (12g) granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) chilly unsalted butter, cubed
- 1/4 cup (60g/ml) ice-cold water, plus extra as wanted
- egg wash: 1 massive egg crushed with 1 Tablespoon (15g/ml) milk
Crumble Topping
- 1/2 cup (100g) packed gentle or darkish brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon floor cinnamon
- 3/4 cup (94g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 3/4 cup (95g) chopped walnuts
- 5 Tablespoons (71g) unsalted butter, melted and barely cooled
Filling
- 10 cups (1.25kg) 1/4-inch-thick apple slices (about 8 massive peeled and cored apples)*
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup (31g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1 Tablespoon (15g/ml) contemporary lemon juice
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons floor cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon floor cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon floor nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Make the pie dough for the crust: In a medium bowl, whisk collectively the flour, sugar, and salt. Utilizing a pastry cutter or 2 forks, lower within the butter till the combination resembles coarse pea-sized crumbs. Add the water and stir till the flour is moistened. Add 1–2 extra Tablespoons of water if the dough appears dry. Flip the dough out onto a frivolously floured work floor and, utilizing your arms, work the dough right into a ball. Flatten it right into a thick disc. Wrap the dough disc in plastic wrap or parchment paper and refrigerate it for no less than 2 hours, and as much as 3 days.
- Make the crumble topping: In a medium bowl, mix the brown sugar, cinnamon, flour, and walnuts. Utilizing a silicone spatula, stir within the melted butter. The topping shall be thick and crumbly. Place it within the fridge when you proceed.
- Roll out the chilled pie dough: On a floured work floor, roll out the disc of chilled dough. Flip the dough a few quarter flip after each few rolls till you will have a circle 12 inches in diameter. Fastidiously place the dough right into a 9-inch pie dish. Tuck it in along with your fingers, ensuring it’s easy. Use a small paring knife to trim extra dough off the sides. Flute the pie crust edges and brush them with egg wash. Place the pie crust within the fridge.
- Make the filling: In a big bowl utilizing a silicone spatula or wood spoon, mix the apples, sugar, flour, lemon juice, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and vanilla extract, stirring till the apples are all coated.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C). Place a baking sheet on the underside oven rack to catch any juices that will bubble over.
- Spoon the apple filling into the crust, ensuring there aren’t any massive gaps between the slices. It’s lots of filling! Sprinkle the chilly crumb topping evenly excessive of the apples.
- Bake for 20 minutes. Add a pie crust defend to stop the sides from browning too shortly, and scale back the oven temperature to 375°F (191°C). Bake for a further 35 to 45 minutes or till the crust is golden brown and juices are effervescent across the edges. If wanted towards the top of bake time, take away the pie crust defend and tent a big piece of aluminum foil over all the pie if the crumb topping is getting too brown.
- Enable the pie to chill for no less than 3 full hours at room temperature earlier than serving. This time permits the filling to thicken up. Serve with vanilla ice cream and salted caramel sauce, if desired. Cowl leftover pie and retailer within the fridge for as much as 5 days.
Notes
- Make Forward & Freezing Directions: This an amazing pie to make 1 day upfront—after it cools, cowl tightly and preserve at room temperature. The pie crust dough can be ready forward of time and saved within the fridge for as much as 5 days or within the freezer for as much as 3 months. Baked and cooled pie freezes properly for as much as 3 months. Thaw in a single day within the fridge and permit to return to room temperature earlier than serving. Ready filling could be frozen for as much as 3 months; thaw in a single day within the fridge earlier than utilizing.
- Particular Instruments (affiliate hyperlinks): Glass Mixing Bowls | Silicone Spatula or Wood Spoon | Pastry Cutter | Rolling Pin | 9-inch Pie Dish | Pastry Brush | Apple Peeler | Pie Crust Protect | Cooling Rack
- Apples: You want about 8 massive apples. Peel then slice apples in a uniform thickness, about 1/4 inch thick. You don’t need some strong apples and a few skinny, mushy apples. For greatest taste, use quite a lot of apples equivalent to Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Fuji, and/or Pink Girl. When you’re , try this put up: Right here Are the Finest Apples for Baking.
- Aluminum Foil Pie Crust Protect: You should purchase a pie crust defend or make one from aluminum foil. Minimize a 14-inch sq. of aluminum foil. Fold in half. Minimize out a 5-inch semi-circle on the folded edge. Unfold. Fastidiously match the aluminum foil over the pie crust edges, securing down on the perimeters as greatest you may (cautious, the pie is sizzling!), leaving the middle of the pie uncovered.
- Replace in 2025: After a decade of baking this pie, we’ve made a number of small enhancements. The unique model used half of a double-crust pie dough, fewer apples (8–10 cups), and a pair of Tbsp lemon juice. The up to date recipe now makes use of a single all-butter pie crust, barely extra apples, and fewer lemon juice. When you desire the unique methodology, make this pie crust recipe (saving the second half for an additional pie), scale back apples to eight–10 cups, and improve the lemon juice to 2 Tbsp.
