Description

This Dutch Apple Pie is an apple lover’s dream, y’all. The three main elements here are pie crust, a swoon-worthy, luscious apple filling, and a buttery streusel crumb topping. The apple center is laced with heaps of warmly spiced apples that are nestled in a rich and decadent, caramel-like sauce. Don’t fret, this homemade apple pie recipe is so easy to make and the perfect nostalgic treat for any occasion!

Ingredients

For the pie crust:

Homemade pie crust or 1 store-bought pie crust shell

For the apple filling:

2 tablespoons salted butter
3 lbs apples (about 6 large apples)- cored, peeled & thinly sliced (see notes)
⅓ cup packed dark brown sugar
¼ cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground allspice
½ teaspoon ground cardamom
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
2 tablespoons bourbon (we love Uncle Nearest!)
1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract)
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar (or lemon juice)
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon cornstarch

For the crumble topping:

½ cup (1 stick) butter, melted
1 cup all-purpose flour
⅓ cup packed dark brown sugar
⅓ cup granulated sugar
1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon

For serving dutch apple pie:

Vanilla bean ice cream or whipped cream- optional

Instructions

Prep the pie crust. If you’re making a homemade pie crust, go ahead and make the pie dough. Then chill the dough, roll it out, and shape the crust into a pie plate. Keep the shaped pie crust stored inside the fridge until you’re ready to add in the apple filling. Alternatively, if going the store-bought crust route, keep the shell in the freezer.
Make the apple pie filling. Melt the butter in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced apples into the skillet and toss well to coat them in the butter. Then sprinkle in the brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, allspice, cardamom, nutmeg, and ginger, and stir/gently toss to fully combine. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Let the apple mixture cook for about 5 minutes, stirring the apples every so often, until the apples are a bit tender and the mixture is fragrant. Next, stir in the bourbon, vanilla bean paste (or extract), and apple cider vinegar. Lastly, sprinkle in the flour and cornstarch, and toss well to coat. Continue cooking the apple filling for another 3-4 minutes until the flour/cornstarch dissipates, and the sauce thickens some and develops into a caramel-like consistency that coats the apples.
Let the filling cool down. Remove the skillet from heat and set aside for the apple pie filling to cool down to room temperature.
Preheat the oven. Position an oven rack in the center position, and then preheat the oven to 375°F.
Make the crumble topping. In a medium bowl, combine the melted butter, flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and cinnamon. Use your hands (fitted with disposable gloves if desired) to stir the mixture together until it looks like wet sand crumbles. Cover the bowl and set aside until ready to assemble the pie.
Assemble the dutch apple pie. Grab your shaped pie crust from the fridge/freezer and place it onto a large foil-lined baking sheet. *This step is a good measure just in case any of the filling bubbles over and there is spillage. Then carefully pour the apple filling (be sure to scrape in all that brown sugar gooeyness, too!) into the crust, and use a rubber spatula to pack the apples into the crust. Then evenly sprinkle the crumble topping over the apple filling.
Bake the pie for 55-65 minutes or until the crumble and pie crust edges are lightly golden brown. At the 35-minute mark, cover the pie edges with foil or one of those pie shields if you have them. This will allow for the pie to continue cooking, but prevent the crust from browning too quickly and burning.
Let the baked pie cool down. I know, it’s tempting to want to dive on in after baking, but don’t. Place the pie onto a wire rack to cool down for at least 6 hours. This time allows for the pie to settle and for the filling to set beautifully. If you cut into it too early, the pie will be runny and likely fall apart, I’d hate that for you. So, let the pie rest!
Serve dutch apple pie. When ready, slice the pie into wedges and serve it with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream (if desired) for the most delicious treat you’ll ever have, whew. Enjoy, y’all!

Notes

Apple note: I use a mixture of both Honeycrisp apples and Granny Smith apples- a mixture of apples allows for contrast/depth in overall pie flavor with tart and sweet notes as opposed to using only one variety. As such, I recommend mixing apple varieties for this reason.
Gluten-free needs? Swap the all-purpose flour for any gluten-free flour as a 1:1 ratio (we love Bob’s Red Mill gf flour!).
Storing at room temperature: This pie can be kept on the kitchen counter (covered well) at room temperature for 1-2 days.
Storing in the fridge: Make sure the pie has cooled down to room temperature. Then cover it tightly with foil (or keep it in one of those pie containers). This dutch apple pie will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Storing in the freezer: Make sure the pie has cooled down to room temperature. Cover the pie with plastic wrap and then cover it with foil as a double measure for optimal freshness. It will keep in the freezer for up to 2 months (probably a little longer). Simply thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat slices in the microwave until warmed through or in the oven at 325°F for 30 minutes or until warmed through.
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