Dutch Apple Crumb Pie

It doesn't get much better than a good old-fashioned apple pie! And what happens when you put a sweet brown sugar streusel on top? You get this delicious, cinnamon-sugary Dutch Apple Crumb Pie. This beauty bakes to perfection in under an hour and is ready to become your next pie obsession. Filled to the brim with juicy Wild Twist or sweet Honeycrisp, this one's truly a gem!

Why We Love It

Fall will soon be in the air and that means that I start thinking about apples. Aren't they such a tasty, versatile fruit? It's hard for me to decide which variety is my favorite, especially because there are so many these days!

You might be surprised to learn though that I often get my apples from the grocery store. In the fall, the variety is plentiful and the quality is great.

When I first started baking, I was an apple pie queen. I whipped one of them up on a fairly regular basis. Peeling? Coring? Lattice Crusts? None of that was a bother.

But eventually I had a family. It got harder to find the time for all the above and I got a little kitchen lazy. That was, until my husband revealed that apple pies are one of his favorite desserts.

That's when I knew that it was time to ditch the canned stuff and go back to the fresh. Let's face it: anything with fresh fruit is always better (plus I want to keep my man happy). And I've since learned that peeling and coring apples is much like riding a fruity bicycle; once you've got it down, it all comes back to you!

My husband is so thrilled that I started making fresh apple pies again. I'm happy because with this Dutch Apple Crumb Pie, I can make an amazing pie without having to do the lattice work on top. (Did you notice I never mentioned I was okay with that part again?) Hey, I'm all for the fresh apples, but I'm perfectly happy to leave the extra work on top behind--at least when it comes to this yummy pie!

Why You'll Love It

Have you been in a pie rut like me, using a lot of tried and true canned faves to get a decent enough tasting dessert on the table? Well, I'm going to share a few really nice perks about making this homemade Dutch Apple Crumb Pie:

• If you buy medium to large sized apples, you'll most likely only need to peel, slice and core four or five--that's right!
• It is very easy to make the syrup--no heating on the stove, I promise.
• And here's the best kept secret about this recipe: we use a frozen, store-bought crust! Yup, you read that right!

Let's sum this up: if you're not being forced to deal with a lattice AND you don't have to make a crust, that leaves you with prepping 4-5 apples and mixing a few ingredients. For the great trade off in flavor and fresh taste, that's not so bad.

So, what are you waiting for??? Let's DO this!

Oh, and if you love streusel topped desserts, check out Blueberry Buckle Coffee Cake! It's the best!

Dutch Apple Crumb Pie Ingredients

• 1 frozen deep dish pie crust- a deep dish crust is essential to hold all the goodness inside
• 4 cups peeled, cored and sliced apples (about 4-5 medium/large apples)- I prefer Wild Twist or Honeycrisp for this recipe
• 2/3 cup sugar- sweetens the apples
• 2 tablespoons flour- acts as an emulsifier to thicken the syrup
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon- brings flavor to the syrup
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg- accentuates the apples' flavor
• 1/2 cup flour- used as a bonding agent in the crumb topping
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter- provides flavor and richness to the topping
• 1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar- adds sweetness and flavor to the topping

How to make Dutch Apple Crumb Pie

You'll want to gather the following equipment:

• paring knife
• fruit/vegetable peeler
• cutting board
• large mixing bowl
• small mixing bowl
• mixing spoon
• measuring cups
• measuring spoons
• baking sheet, lined with foil
• pastry cutter (optional, but helpful for the topping)

Before starting...

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees
• Defrost frozen pie crust on counter (usually takes about 15 minutes--start thawing when prepping the apples)
• Soften butter on counter

Start making this delicious dessert by prepping the apples. Wash and peel the skins. Then use a paring knife to halve and core the apples. Slice apples into even-sized slices, aiming for 1/8 inch thickness or less in each slice. Then set them momentarily aside.

Kitchen Ready Betty tip: It's important to try to keep the slices uniform so that the apples bake evenly in the pie. Aim for thin slices so the pie filling is fork-tender after it bakes.

In a large mixing bowl, combine sugar, flour, cinnamon and nutmeg; mix well.

Add apple slices and mix until apples are evenly coated.

Spoon mixture into thawed pie shell. Place on a baking sheet lined with foil and set aside.

In a small mixing bowl, combine the flour, softened butter and brown sugar until crumbly.

Kitchen Ready Betty tip: You may choose to use a pastry cutter to help with the blending.

Sprinkle topping over apples.

Bake at 400 degrees for 35-40 minutes, or until crumb topping is slightly browned.

Allow pie to cool for 1 hour before serving. Top with whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream and enjoy!

Dutch Apple Crumb Pie Leftovers?

Cover with foil and refrigerate for up to 5 days.

Enjoy leftovers right out of the fridge, or cover loosely with aluminum foil and reheat at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes.