This Dutch Apple Pie is loaded with cinnamony, sweetened apples and topped with a thick layer of buttery crumb topping. It’s one of my favorite apples pies ever!

I love apple pie, but this Dutch Apple Pie happens to one of my favorite apple pies ever and I’m sure it has nothing to do with the buttery, crumbly, streusely topping (wink, wink).

With Thanksgiving just a few days away, I had to hurry and throw this one out there, just in case you need another dessert.

There really are so many reasons to love this pie . . .it’s delicious, it only requires one crust to roll out (huge plus!) and the topping is insanely good!

If you’re wondering what sets Dutch apple pie apart from any other apple pie, it’s the streusel topping. It takes this pie (or any dessert) to a whole new level of deliciousness. A warm piece of this pie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top is truly scrumptious!

What Are the Best Apples for Pie?

My favorite apples to use in this pie (or any apple pie recipe) are Granny Smith. I love that they are slightly tart and offset the sweetness of the topping. The contrast of the tangy apples with the sweetness of the filling and the topping is perfect! They also don’t release as much liquid which helps the crust not get soggy. Other varieties that I’ve used and had good success with are Gala and Braeburn.

What is the best way to peel and slice apples?

I have one of those apple/peeler/corer slicer contraptions that works great. For years that is all I ever used. Lately, my go-to method of peeling/cutting my apples is to peel them using my vegetable peeler and then slice them with an apple slicer. Then I take each apple slice and slice it into four more slices.

Tips to help prevent a soggy crust:

I like to use a glass pan so that I can see when the bottom of the crust is golden brown.
After you mix the apple filling ingredients together allow the fruit to sit for about 10 to 15 minutes. All of the juices will draw out from the sugars so use a slotted spoon to scoop the apples into the crust. *You don’t want the liquid from the apples in your pie crust, this will make it soggy!
Place the pie plate on the bottom rack of the oven closest to the heating element!
Bake your pie for at least as long as the recipe calls for! You want the pie to be bubbly because that means the filling is boiling which helps any liquid evaporate.

A couple more tips . . .

After about 20 to 25 minutes, I lay a large piece of foil on top of my pie to prevent the streusel topping from getting too dark. You definitely don’t want the topping to get too brown or it will be too crunchy and hard.
I lay a large piece of foil on the oven rack before placing the pie in my oven. The foil will catch any spills if your pie happens to bubble over a little. You could use a cookie sheet, but the foil is thinner and is less of a “barrier” so the bottom crust can still bake up nicely and get golden brown enough. (Make sense?)

French Apple Pie

Author: Jodi
Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 50 mins
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Yield: 8 servings 1x

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Scale

Ingredients

Filling:

1 pie crust (homemade or store bought)
6 cups Granny Smith Apples, peeled and sliced into 1/4– inch pieces
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg (freshly ground is my favorite!)

Topping:

1 cup flour
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup cold butter, cubed

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375°F. Adjust your oven rack to the lowest position.
Roll out crust and place it in the bottom of a pie pan. Crimp the edges and place in the refrigerator while you prepare the apples.

Filling:

In a large bowl combine the apples, lemon juice, brown sugar, granulated sugar, flour, cinnamon and nutmeg. Stir to coat evenly. Set aside for about 10 to 15 minutes.

Topping:

Combine the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon and butter in a medium bowl. Using a pastry cutter or fork, blend the mixture together until coarse crumbs form. Then use your hands to continue pinching/mixing the crumb topping until it comes together (kind of like wet sand).
Remove the pie plate from the refrigerator and using a slotted spoon, scoop the apples into the pie crust (*you don’t want to use the liquid that was released from the apples).
Sprinkle the crumb topping evenly on the apples.
Bake for 50-60 minutes, until the apple mixture is bubbly and the crumb and crust is golden. At about the 20-25 minute, cover the pie loosely with foil to prevent to crumb topping from getting too dark and over cooked. Make sure to bake the pie long enough that the mixture is bubbly to ensure that the bottom crust is cooked.