Dutch Apple Pie

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With a flaky pie crust, tender apple filling, and crumbly streusel topping, this Dutch Apple Pie is delicious and full of flavor. It’s like a combination of apple pie and apple crisp! Perfect for Thanksgiving and the holidays!

Why You’ll Love This Dutch Apple Pie Recipe

I love this pie! It’s similar to my classic apple pie recipe but it’s piled high with streusel topping instead of crust on top. The classic apple pie filling is amazing, the flakey pie crust is great and the streusel topping has great flavor and is nice and crisp. The combination of flavors and textures is perfect.

Here are a few more reasons why I love it:

• Streusel topping! The streusel topping is truly what sets Dutch apple pie apart from regular apple pie. The sweet, crumbly topping is a beautiful contrast to the flaky crust on the bottom and the tender apples in the filling.
• Tender, spiced apples. The apple filling is cooked until each slice is soft and tender. There’s no need to worry about an undercooked filling in this pie!
• Easy to prep ahead. Making apple pie from scratch takes time. The great thing about this recipe is that it’s easy to split up and do some of the heavy lifting ahead of time. You can prep your pie crust and the filling several days ahead, for example, and then assemble and bake the day you want to serve it.

What You’ll Need

For this recipe, you’ll need your favorite pie crust, apples, and a few pantry staples. Scroll down to the recipe card below for the exact measurements.

• Pie crust – I love to use my homemade pie crust for this Dutch apple pie. Note that my recipe makes two crusts so you can either cut the recipe in half or freeze the other half for later. You can also use storebought crust.

For the Apple Pie Filling

• Apples – I used Granny Smith and Honeycrisp apples in this pie. See below for more notes on choosing the best applies for pie.
• Lemon juice – Fresh lemon juice is best. It adds a brightness to the apple flavor of the pie, without making it taste like citrus.
• Sugar – You’ll need both light brown sugar and granulated sugar for this recipe.
• All-purpose flour – For a little thickening power.
• Spices – Salt, ground cinnamon and nutmeg give this pie amazing flavor, without taking away from the apples.
• Vanilla extract

Streusel Topping

• All-purpose flour
• Sugar – Light brown sugar & granulated sugar melt into the topping and help give it the crumbly texture.
• Salt – Enhances the other flavors.
• Unsalted butter – Melted. If you use salted butter, you may want to reduce or omit the salt added.
• Vanilla extract

What Are The Best Apples For Pie?

It’s best to use at least 2 different varieties of apples when making this Dutch apple pie recipe. Using only Granny Smith apples would make the pie too tart. You want a mix of tart and sweet/flavorful apples. For the second kind of apple, Honeycrisp, Fuji, Brauburn, or McIntosh would be good.

Beyond flavor, another thing to consider is that tart apples tend to keep their shape a little more and stay more crunchy while sweet apples can become mushy during the cooking program. Using two varieties offers the perfect texture.

How To Make Dutch Apple Pie

Making Dutch apple pie from scratch is likely easier than you expect. You can find the printable version of these instructions in the recipe card.

Make the Pie Crust

• Make the pie crust. Make the pie crust dough according to the directions. Refrigerate for at least an hour (or up to two days) then let it sit out on the counter for an hour or so to bring it back to a workable temperature.
• Prep the crust. Place the crust in a deep dish 9-inch pie pan, crimp the edges, and “dock” the crust by pricking it with a fork. This helps allow the steam to escape evenly and prevents the crust from bubbling up.
• Chill. Refrigerate the crust for 2-3 hours or freeze for an hour.
• Blind bake the crust. Preheat the oven to 350F. Line the crust with parchment paper, ensuring it presses all the way against the crust. Fill the crust with pie weights, rice, or beans. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the edges of the crust begin to brown. Remove the parchment paper and pie weights then bake for an additional 5-10 minutes, until the crust is lightly golden brown.

Make the Apple Pie Filling

• Prep. Peel, core, and slice the apples to 1/8 thick. Toss with the lemon juice as you slice them.
• Season the apples. Add the sugars, flour, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg to the apple slices. Gently toss to coat, being careful not to break the apples as you toss them.
• Cook the apple mixture. Add the apple mixture to a large 5-quart skillet and cook over medium heat for about 20 minutes. They should be tender but hold their shape and be at the level of doneness you want them when they come out of the oven.
• Add to the pie crust. Remove the apples from the heat, gently stir in the vanilla extract, and add the pie filling to the warm pie crust.

Make the Streusel Topping

• Make the streusel. Combine the dry ingredients in a medium bowl. Add the melted butter and vanilla then stir with a fork. There should be some larger and smaller chunks. Sprinkle evenly over the pie filling.
• Bake. Bake the pie until the topping is golden and the filling begins to bubble. This should take 15-20 minutes.
• Cool. Let the pie cool to room temperature on a wire rack. This should take about 4 hours. The filling will thicken as it cools – if you cut it while it’s still hot, the juices will pool.

Why Do I Need To Pre-Cook The Apples?

Pre-cooking the apples is the key to a great Dutch apple pie (or any apple pie). It prevents all of the main problems people have with their pies – undercooked apples and a soggy filling. Keep these tips in mind.

• Pre-cook the apples to the exact texture you want them to be later because they will not soften more in the oven. I know, it sounds counter-intuitive but it’s true!
• Pre-cooking the apples also helps to thicken the filling properly, preventing a super watery or soggy filling that doesn’t set properly as the pie chills.

All that to say…don’t skip this step!

Tips For The Best Pie

• Use two kinds of apples. Most apples are tart or sweet. Since we’re looking for a mix of these two flavors, use a couple of different apples in this recipe. Peel and pre-cook them to ensure the apples are tender and have the right texture.
• Slice the apples evenly. Try to make sure each apple slice is roughly the same thickness so that they all cook evenly. You don’t want to bite into a hard chunk of apple in the pie!
• Weigh the apples. I weigh my apples so that I have 2 1/1 pounds of each. I usually use about 5-6 large Granny Smith apples and 4-5 large Honeycrisp apples. The number of apples could vary depending on size.
• Peel the apples. I know some people leave the skin on when making apple pie but I think this recipe is so much better when the apples are peeled.
• Cool before slicing. Once the pie comes out of the oven, let it cool to room temperature for several hours before serving. If you slice it immediately, the filling will fall everywhere and the juices will pool.

Can I Make This In Advance?

Yes, both the pie crust and the apple filling can be prepared in advance.

The pie crust can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 3 months. (You can find more info on storing it in my pie crust recipe.) The apple filling can also be prepped and stored in an airtight container in the fridge for a few days.

Proper Storage

• Fridge. You can leave your Dutch apple pie at room temperature for up to 24 hours but after that, it needs to be refrigerated. You can heat it before serving if desired.
• Freeze. To freeze, cut any remaining pie into slices and place them uncovered in the freezer. Once frozen, wrap the slices in plastic wrap and place them back into the freezer. You can keep them there for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to eat, let the slices thaw overnight in the fridge. Heat them up before serving.

More Pie Recipes To Try

• Peanut Butter Pie
• Classic Pecan Pie
• Caramel Turtle Pie
• Pumpkin Pie
• Chocolate Cream Pie
• Salted Honey Pie

Watch How To Make It

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