Best Dutch Apple Pie Recipe.

Indulge in a Dutch apple pie featuring a flaky, buttery crust with a spiced apple filling. The golden-crisp crumb topping provides contrasting textures and nutty crunch. Perfect for holidays, this pie captivates taste buds with its harmonious blend of sweet, tart, and warmly spiced flavors, making every bite a celebration.

Jump to Recipe

I’ve been experimenting in my kitchen for a while now and this Best Dutch Apple Pie Recipe really stands out. I love how this pie combines a flaky, buttery crust made with 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, a pinch of salt and 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter with a filling of 6 to 8 medium apples that are peeled, cored and thinly sliced.

The filling also includes 3/4 cups granulated sugar and 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon which add to the apple flavor while keeping each bite full of nutrients like vitamin C and fiber from the apples. The topping is the best part for me.

A golden-crisp crumb consists of 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar, and 1/3 cup cold unsalted butter with a little extra crunch provided by 1/3 cup old-fashioned rolled oats. I promise this pie is easy to make and perfect for any holiday.

Enjoy!

Why I Like this Recipe

I like this recipe because the crust is super flaky and buttery which makes every bite really satisfying. I love how the apple filling mixes together spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and a splash of lemon juice so the flavors pop in every bite. The crumb topping is just amazing, it gets beautifully golden and crunches perfectly with each bite. And honestly, it’s so easy to make – it might even look fancy but you can whip it up without too much hassle, which always makes me happy.

Ingredients

Print Recipe (No Advertisments)

All-purpose flour provides carbohydrates that form the pie’s structure and crunchy texture.
Apples provides natural fiber and vitamins while givin a fresh sweet tang to the filling.
Cold unsalted butter gives creaminess and help bind the dough for a tender crust.
Granulated sugar adds sweetness while giving texture but is less healthy if overused.
Rolled oats bring a slight crunch and extra fiber boost to the crumb topping.
Lemon juice brightens the apple mixture and gives a tangy balance to the flavors.
Ground cinnamon and nutmeg offer warm spices that makes the filling cozy and aromatic.
Light brown sugar in the crumb topping adds molasses hints with a chewy finish.

Ingredient Quantities

- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (for the bottom crust)

- 1/4 teaspoon salt (for the crust)

- 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed (for the crust)

- 3 to 4 tablespoons ice water (for the crust)

- 6 to 8 medium apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced

- 3/4 cup granulated sugar (for the apple filling)

- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon (for the filling)

- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg (for the filling)

- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (for thickening the filling)

- 2 teaspoons lemon juice (for the filling)

- 1/4 teaspoon salt (for the filling)

- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (for the crumb topping)

- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar (for the crumb topping)

- 1/3 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed (for the crumb topping)

- 1/3 cup old-fashioned rolled oats (optional, for extra crunch in the topping)

How to Make this

Print Recipe (No Advertisments)

1. In a bowl, mix 1 1/4 cups flour and 1/4 teaspoon salt then add 1/2 cup cold cubed butter; cut it in with a pastry cutter or your fingers until the mixture looks crumbly. Slowly add 3 to 4 tablespoons ice water until it forms a dough.

2. Form the dough into a disk, wrap it in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

3. While that chills, peel, core, and thinly slice 6 to 8 medium apples. Toss the apple slices in a large bowl with 3/4 cup sugar, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, 2 tablespoons flour, 2 teaspoons lemon juice, and 1/4 teaspoon salt.

4. Preheat your oven to 375°F.

5. Roll out the chilled dough on a lightly floured surface and gently transfer it to your pie pan, pressing it into the corners and trimming off any excess.

6. Pour the apple mixture evenly over the crust in the pie pan.

7. In a separate bowl, combine 1/2 cup flour, 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar and 1/3 cup cold cubed butter; use a fork or your fingers to mix until it forms a crumbly mass. If you want extra crunch, stir in 1/3 cup rolled oats.

8. Sprinkle the crumb topping evenly over the apple filling.

9. Bake the pie in the preheated oven for about 50 to 60 minutes until the filling is bubbly and the topping is golden and crisp. Let it cool a bit before serving.

Equipment Needed

1. A large mixing bowl for combining the flour, salt, and butter
2. A pastry cutter (or use your fingers if you prefer) to cut the butter into the flour
3. Measuring cups and spoons for accurate ingredient amounts
4. Plastic wrap to cover the dough when it goes into the fridge
5. A refrigerator to chill the dough
6. A peeler and a corer, or a good knife to prep the apples
7. A separate large bowl for tossing and coating the apple slices
8. A rolling pin to roll out the chilled dough on a floured surface
9. A pie pan to neatly press in the dough and hold your filling
10. Another bowl to mix up the crumb topping, plus a fork for stirring that mixture

Hope this helps simplify your prep and makes the process easier to follow!

FAQ

Q: What kind of apples should I use for this pie?

A: Use 6 to 8 medium apples that are good for baking like Granny Smith or a mix of tart and sweet apples. They hold up really well when cooked.

Q: How do I know when my bottom crust is done?

A: The crust should be lightly golden around the edges. Make sure not overbake it because you want it flaky not hard.

Q: Can I use frozen butter for the crust?

A: It is best to use cold unsalted butter straight from the fridge. Frozen butter may not cut smoothly into the flour and could make the crust uneven.

Q: Are the rolled oats really needed in the crumb topping?

A: The oats are actually optional. They add extra crunch and flavor if you have them, but you can totally skip them and still get a tasty topping.

Q: What do I do if my apple filling turns out too runny?

A: If that happens, make sure you mix in the 2 tablespoons of flour well to thicken it. You might also want to let the pie rest a bit after baking so the filling sets.

Best Dutch Apple Pie Recipe From The Food Charlatan. Substitutions and Variations

If you don’t have cold unsalted butter, you can use salted butter but then cut back on the added salt in the recipe.
Instead of all-purpose flour for the crust, you can try a gluten-free pastry blend – it works pretty well, though you might need to adjust the ice water.
For the apple filling, you can swap granulated sugar with coconut sugar for a richer, almost caramel-like flavor.
If you don’t have old-fashioned rolled oats for the topping, quick oats can do the trick for some extra crunch even if the texture changes a little.
When it comes to the apple choice, mixing varieties like Granny Smith with Honeycrisp adds a nice balance between tart and sweet.

Pro Tips

• When you’re cutting in the cold butter, make sure its super cold so that your crust comes out flaky and tender—it really makes a difference in texture.
• Using a mandoline for the apple slices can really help keep them even, which means everything bakes more uniformly; if you don’t have one, try to slice as evenly as possible.
• Keep an eye on the crumb topping while it bakes – if you see it darkening too fast, you can loosely cover the pie with foil so it doesn’t burn and stays crunchy.
• Letting the pie cool for a little bit after it comes out of the oven is crucial so the filling sets up; slicing it too soon may cause a messy, runny pie.

Recipe by Bob Jones

0.0 from 0 votes

Servings

servings

Calories

300

kcal

Equipment: 1. A large mixing bowl for combining the flour, salt, and butter
2. A pastry cutter (or use your fingers if you prefer) to cut the butter into the flour
3. Measuring cups and spoons for accurate ingredient amounts
4. Plastic wrap to cover the dough when it goes into the fridge
5. A refrigerator to chill the dough
6. A peeler and a corer, or a good knife to prep the apples
7. A separate large bowl for tossing and coating the apple slices
8. A rolling pin to roll out the chilled dough on a floured surface
9. A pie pan to neatly press in the dough and hold your filling
10. Another bowl to mix up the crumb topping, plus a fork for stirring that mixture

Hope this helps simplify your prep and makes the process easier to follow!

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (for the bottom crust)
1/4 teaspoon salt (for the crust)
1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed (for the crust)
3 to 4 tablespoons ice water (for the crust)
6 to 8 medium apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
3/4 cup granulated sugar (for the apple filling)
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon (for the filling)
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg (for the filling)
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (for thickening the filling)
2 teaspoons lemon juice (for the filling)
1/4 teaspoon salt (for the filling)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour (for the crumb topping)
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar (for the crumb topping)
1/3 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed (for the crumb topping)
1/3 cup old-fashioned rolled oats (optional, for extra crunch in the topping)

Directions

In a bowl, mix 1 1/4 cups flour and 1/4 teaspoon salt then add 1/2 cup cold cubed butter; cut it in with a pastry cutter or your fingers until the mixture looks crumbly. Slowly add 3 to 4 tablespoons ice water until it forms a dough.
Form the dough into a disk, wrap it in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
While that chills, peel, core, and thinly slice 6 to 8 medium apples. Toss the apple slices in a large bowl with 3/4 cup sugar, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, 2 tablespoons flour, 2 teaspoons lemon juice, and 1/4 teaspoon salt.
Preheat your oven to 375°F.
Roll out the chilled dough on a lightly floured surface and gently transfer it to your pie pan, pressing it into the corners and trimming off any excess.
Pour the apple mixture evenly over the crust in the pie pan.
In a separate bowl, combine 1/2 cup flour, 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar and 1/3 cup cold cubed butter; use a fork or your fingers to mix until it forms a crumbly mass. If you want extra crunch, stir in 1/3 cup rolled oats.
Sprinkle the crumb topping evenly over the apple filling.
Bake the pie in the preheated oven for about 50 to 60 minutes until the filling is bubbly and the topping is golden and crisp. Let it cool a bit before serving.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.