Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)
Quick Ingredients
- 1 unbaked 9-inch deep-dish pie shell (homemade or store-bought)
- 3 lb firm apples (about 6–7; mix tart and sweet)
- 1 cup + 2 tbsp sugar (split: white and light brown)
- 3 tbsp flour + 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon + pinch nutmeg and cloves
- 1 tsp fine salt (split between filling and topping)
- 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tsp vanilla
- 10 tbsp cold unsalted butter (2 tbsp for filling, 8 tbsp for crumb)
- 1 egg and 1 tbsp cream or milk (for crust edge, optional)
Do This
- 1. Blind-bake the chilled pie shell at 400°F (200°C) for about 20–25 minutes until lightly golden; cool slightly and reduce oven to 375°F (190°C).
- 2. Peel, core, and slice apples 1/4-inch thick; toss with sugars, flour, cornstarch, spices, salt, lemon juice, and vanilla.
- 3. Pile apples into the warm crust, mounding high in the center; dot with 2 tbsp butter.
- 4. Mix crumb topping: flour, sugars, cinnamon, salt, and 8 tbsp cold butter; pinch into large, chunky crumbs.
- 5. Sprinkle crumbs thickly over apples, pressing gently so they adhere; brush crust rim with egg wash if using.
- 6. Bake at 375°F (190°C) on a foil-lined sheet 45–55 minutes, until the topping is deep golden and thick juices bubble at the edges and through the crumbs.
- 7. Cool at least 1–2 hours so the filling sets and becomes syrupy before slicing.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Classic Amish-style Dutch apple pie: a deep-dish, rustic beauty with an extra-thick layer of cinnamon apples.
- Golden, buttery crumb topping that bakes into crunchy-sandy clusters and caramelizes around the edges.
- Sturdy enough to slice neatly, but still juicy and syrupy inside, thanks to the right mix of thickeners and apple varieties.
- Great for making ahead: the crust and crumb topping can be prepared in advance to keep baking day relaxed.
Grocery List
- Produce: 3 lb firm apples (Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Braeburn, or similar), 1 lemon (for juice)
- Dairy: Unsalted butter, 1 egg, heavy cream or milk (for optional egg wash)
- Pantry: All-purpose flour, cornstarch, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, fine salt, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, ground cloves (optional), vanilla extract, pie weights or dried beans (for blind baking, optional)
Full Ingredients
Single Crust (9-inch Deep-Dish)
- 1 1/4 cups (150 g) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp fine salt
- 1 tsp granulated sugar
- 8 tbsp (113 g) cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
- 3–5 tbsp ice water, as needed
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar or white vinegar (optional, helps tenderness)
Cinnamon-Spiced Apple Filling
- 3 lb firm apples (about 6–7 medium; a mix of tart and sweet), peeled, cored, and sliced 1/4 inch thick
- 2/3 cup (135 g) granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup (70 g) packed light brown sugar
- 3 tbsp (24 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp (16 g) cornstarch
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/8 tsp ground cloves (optional, for a warmer spice profile)
- 1/2 tsp fine salt
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp (28 g) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces (for dotting over the apples)
Crumb (Dutch) Topping
- 1 cup (130 g) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (110 g) packed light brown sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp fine salt
- 8 tbsp (113 g) cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
Optional Finish
- 1 egg, beaten with 1 tbsp cream or milk (for brushing crust rim)
- 1–2 tsp coarse sugar, for sprinkling on the crust edge
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Make the pie dough
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and sugar for the crust. Add the cold cubed butter. Using a pastry cutter, two knives, or your fingertips, work the butter into the flour until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces of butter still visible. Drizzle in 3 tbsp of ice water (and the vinegar if using), tossing gently with a fork. Add more water 1 tbsp at a time just until the dough starts to clump when pressed. It should be moist enough to hold together but not sticky or wet.
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently bring it together into a disk without overworking it. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 45 minutes (or up to 2 days). This rest helps the dough hydrate and stay flaky.
Step 2: Roll out and fit the crust
On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled dough into a roughly 13-inch circle, rotating and lightly flouring underneath as needed to prevent sticking. Aim for an even thickness, about 1/8 inch. Carefully transfer the dough to a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate by rolling it loosely around your rolling pin or folding it in half, then unfolding it into the pan.
Gently ease the dough into the corners of the pan without stretching it, letting it drape down naturally. Trim the overhang to about 1 inch beyond the rim, then fold the overhang under itself to create a thicker rim. Crimp or flute the edges as you like. Place the shaped crust in the refrigerator for 30 minutes, or in the freezer for 15 minutes, to firm up before blind baking. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) with a rack in the lower-middle position.
Step 3: Blind-bake the crust
To help keep the bottom crust crisp under the juicy apples, blind-bake it. Line the chilled crust with parchment paper or heavy-duty foil, pressing it gently into the corners. Fill completely with pie weights, dried beans, or even granulated sugar (these keep the crust from puffing up).
Bake at 400°F (200°C) for 15 minutes. Carefully lift out the parchment and weights. If the bottom has puffed, gently press it down with the back of a spoon or fork. Prick the bottom a few times with a fork, then return the crust to the oven for 7–10 minutes more, until the bottom looks dry and just turning light golden at the edges. Remove from the oven and let it cool slightly on a rack. Reduce the oven temperature to 375°F (190°C).
Step 4: Prepare the apples
While the crust chills and bakes, prepare the apples. Peel, core, and slice them into 1/4-inch thick wedges. Try to keep the slices fairly even so they cook at the same rate. Place the sliced apples in a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle over the granulated sugar, brown sugar, flour, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves (if using), and salt. Add the lemon juice and vanilla extract.
Toss everything together gently but thoroughly until each slice is coated and no dry pockets of starch remain. Let the apples sit for 10–15 minutes while you make the crumb topping. This short rest helps them start releasing their juices, which mix with the sugars and thickeners to form a syrupy filling in the oven.
Step 5: Make the crumb topping
In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt for the topping. Add the cold cubed butter. Using a pastry cutter or your fingers, work the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture forms clumps that hold together when squeezed. You want a mix of fine crumbs and larger, chunky pieces; these bake up into that classic Dutch apple crumble top.
If the topping feels too sandy and will not clump, squeeze handfuls of it firmly, then break into big pieces. Keep the topping chilled in the refrigerator while you assemble the pie; cold butter makes the crumbs bake up nicely crisp and defined.
Step 6: Fill the crust with apples
If juices have pooled at the bottom of the apple bowl, give everything another light toss. Spoon the apples into the warm, blind-baked crust, layering and arranging them to minimize large air pockets. Mound the apples higher in the center than at the edges; they will shrink down as they bake. Pour any remaining juices from the bowl over the apples.
Dot the top of the apples with the 2 tbsp of butter, tucking the little pieces around the top. If you like, brush the exposed crust rim lightly with egg wash (beaten egg with cream or milk) and sprinkle with coarse sugar for extra shine and crunch.
Step 7: Add crumb topping and bake
Sprinkle the chilled crumb topping evenly over the apples, breaking up any extra-large chunks if needed but keeping plenty of visible clumps. Gently press the crumbs into the apples so they hold in place, but do not pack them tightly; you want some air so the crumbs bake up crisp.
Set the pie on a foil-lined baking sheet to catch any drips. Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 45–55 minutes. About halfway through, check the crust edge; if it is browning too fast, cover just the rim with foil or a pie shield. The pie is done when the crumb topping is a deep golden brown and you see thick, slow bubbles of syrupy juice at the edges and in a few spots in the middle. Juices should look glossy and somewhat clear, not cloudy.
Step 8: Cool and serve
Transfer the baked pie to a wire rack and let it cool for at least 1–2 hours before cutting. This cooling time is important: the hot juices need time to thicken into a luscious, caramel-like syrup that holds the slices together. Cutting too early will give you a tasty but very runny pie.
Serve slices warm or at room temperature, plain or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of lightly sweetened whipped cream. The crumb topping will stay crisp on the first day; leftovers remain delicious and develop an even deeper apple-cinnamon flavor.
Pro Tips
- Use a mix of apples: Combine tart (Granny Smith, Braeburn) and sweeter (Honeycrisp, Jonagold, Fuji) apples for balanced flavor and good texture. Avoid all-soft varieties like McIntosh, which can turn mushy.
- Slice evenly: Aim for 1/4-inch thick slices. Thicker slices can stay too firm; thinner slices may turn mushy. Consistent size means consistent baking.
- Do not skip blind baking: Pre-baking the crust keeps the bottom from going soggy under the juicy filling, especially in a deep-dish pie.
- Look for bubbling juices: The best doneness cue is thick, slow bubbles breaking through the topping near the center. If the crumbs are brown but there is no bubbling, tent the top loosely with foil and keep baking.
- Let it cool properly: At least 1–2 hours of cooling gives you neat slices and that beautiful, syrupy Amish-pie texture instead of a pool of juice.
Variations
- Oatmeal crumb topping: Replace 1/2 cup (65 g) of the topping flour with rolled oats. This gives a heartier, more rustic texture and a slightly nutty flavor.
- Caramel Dutch apple pie: Drizzle 1/3 cup of thick caramel sauce over the apples before adding the crumb topping. Reduce the granulated sugar in the filling by 2 tbsp to balance sweetness.
- Extra-spiced “harvest” version: Increase cinnamon to 2 tsp and add 1/4 tsp allspice along with the nutmeg and cloves for a warmly spiced fall flavor.
Storage & Make-Ahead
Let the pie cool completely, then cover it loosely with foil or plastic wrap. Store at room temperature for up to 1 day, or in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. To reheat a slice, warm it in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 10–15 minutes, or briefly in the microwave (the oven keeps the crumb crisper).
For make-ahead prep, you can: (1) make the pie dough up to 2 days in advance and keep it chilled, or up to 2 months in the freezer (thaw overnight in the fridge); (2) prepare the crumb topping and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 2 months (bake from frozen crumbs); and (3) blind-bake the crust earlier in the day, then fill and bake before serving. Fully baked pie also freezes well: cool completely, wrap tightly, and freeze up to 2 months. Reheat from frozen at 325°F (165°C) for 25–35 minutes, until hot in the center and the topping is crisp again.
Nutrition (per serving)
Approximate values per slice (1/8 of the pie): about 520 calories; 24 g fat (15 g saturated); 75 g carbohydrates; 4 g protein; 4 g fiber; 45 g sugars; 260 mg sodium. Actual values will vary based on specific ingredients and portion size.
