This Dutch Apple Pie recipe is one of our absolute favorite fall desserts and the best way to put apples to use when they’re in season! Made with a flaky, buttery crust, a cinnamon-apple filling, and a sweet streusel topping, it’s super impressive in appearance but secretly easy to make. It’s the dessert favorite that we always bring to gatherings or fall dinners, and it’s even better topped with a cold scoop of vanilla ice cream!
Table of Contents
What Makes Dutch Apple Pie Different?
The main difference between Dutch apple pie and classic apple pie is the topping! Traditional apple pie is typically finished with a second layer of pie crust or a lattice crust. Meanwhile, Dutch apple pie is topped with a buttery streusel, similar to the topping on our cinnamon streusel muffins. As a result, the mouthfeel is a little crumblier, and the flavor is slightly sweeter with more depth.
Why You’ll Love This Dutch Apple Pie Recipe
- Easy to Make – The ingredients are minimal, and the prep time is quick, making this a great pie recipe for beginner bakers. You can even make things easier by using a store-bought crust!
- Sweet, Spiced Fall Flavor – Fresh apples, brown sugar, and plenty of cinnamon create an irresistible warm, comforting flavor.
- Great for Sharing – One pie makes enough for up to 12 servings. We love to serve this pie for Thanksgiving, holidays, and fall gatherings!
- Make-Ahead Friendly – This pie is perfect for preparing in advance. That way, when you’re hosting, you can have dessert ready to go without spending even more time in the kitchen and away from guests.
RELATED: Apple Cinnamon Cake
Ingredients
- Pie Crust – We use our easy pie crust, but store-bought crusts are a great way to save time. Use a gluten-free pie crust if needed.
- Butter – A little butter helps grease the pie pan and prevent the crust from sticking.
Streusel
- Flour – All-purpose flour forms the base of the crumbly streusel topping. Substitute a 1:1 all-purpose gluten-free flour if needed!
- Sugar – We use a combination of light brown sugar and granulated sugar to give the streusel the perfect amount of sweetness while keeping it slightly moist and crumbly.
- Cinnamon – This adds warmth and helps tie the flavor of the streusel in with the filling.
- Unsalted Butter – Melted butter brings the streusel together and helps it bake into crisp, buttery clusters.
Filling
- Lemon Juice – The acidity brightens the filling and balances the sweetness. Freshly squeezed lemon juice is best, but bottled also works well.
- Apples – We love Honeycrisp apples, but feel free to use your favorite baking apples! Pink Lady, Braeburn, or Granny Smith are great options. Or, use a combination of apples for a sweet, tart taste!
- Sugar – We use both light brown sugar and granulated sugar to sweeten the apple filling and add subtle molasses flavor.
- Flour – A small amount of all-purpose flour helps thicken the juices released by the apples as they bake, preventing the filling from being runny. To keep the pie gluten-free, substitute a 1:1 all-purpose gluten-free flour instead.
- Spices – Cinnamon adds depth and warm flavor, and a pinch of salt balances the sweetness.
- Vanilla – Just a splash helps enhance the rest of the ingredients.
How to Make Dutch Apple Pie
Don’t worry if you’ve never made a homemade pie! This recipe is straightforward and easy. All you need is a pie pan, a rolling pin, pie weights or beans, and a couple of mixing bowls. Here’s how to make a homemade Dutch Apple Pie:
Prepare the Crust
- Roll the dough – On a floured surface, roll the prepared pie dough into a large circle. Make sure it’s at least 2 inches wider than your pie pan!
- Transfer the dough – Press the dough into a greased pie pan, and trim the excess dough around the edges. Then, use a fork to poke holes all over the bottom of the crust. This prevents it from bubbling up as it bakes!
- Crimp the crust – Use your knuckle and thumb or index finger on the opposite hand to make indentations around the edge of the crust.
- Chill and bake – Transfer the crust to the fridge while the oven heats. Then, fill the crust with parchment paper and dry beans or pie weights, and bake just until it’s very lightly golden. It will bake again when we add the filling!
- Cool – Remove the beans or weights and parchment paper, and set the crust aside to cool slightly.
Assemble the Pie
- Prepare the streusel – Mix all the streusel ingredients in a large bowl. We like to use our hands to pinch the mixture and form clumps!
- Make the filling – Toss all the filling ingredients in a large bowl, coating the apples completely.
- Layer – Transfer the filling to the crust, and sprinkle the streusel evenly on top.
- Bake – Place the pie in the oven and bake until the filling is bubbly and the apples soften.
- Serve – Let the pie cool at room temperature. Then, slice and enjoy!
Tips
- Keep the crust cold. Refrigerate the prepared pie crust before baking. This helps it hold its shape and creates a flaky texture.
- Slice the apples thinly. Try to keep the apple slices fairly thin and uniform so they soften evenly as the pie bakes.
- Watch the topping. If the streusel starts to brown too quickly, lightly cover the entire pie with foil and continue baking until the filling is bubbly and the apples are tender.
- Let the pie cool completely. Allow the Dutch apple pie to cool for at least 1 hour before slicing. This gives the filling time to set and makes it easier to get clean slices.
- Create clean cuts. Use a sharp knife to slice the pie, wiping the blade clean between each cut for picture-perfect slices.
You’ll Also Love: Apple Fritter Cake
Variations
Add Nuts – Mix chopped pecans or walnuts into the streusel for extra crunch and a slightly nutty flavor.
Add Caramel – Drizzle caramel sauce over individual slices just before serving for an extra-sweet finishing touch.
Make Single Servings – Divide the crust, apple filling, and streusel between smaller pie dishes to create individual Dutch apple pies for serving. Just be sure to keep an eye on your oven, and adjust the baking time as needed! Mini Dutch apple pies will likely bake much faster.
How to Store
This Dutch apple pie recipe is great to prep ahead of time, and leftovers store super well, too!
- Room Temperature: Once cool, cover the Dutch apple pie tightly with foil or plastic wrap, or transfer slices to an airtight container. Store at room temperature for up to 2 days.
- Refrigerator: For longer storage, keep the pie covered or transfer leftovers to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: Wrap the entire pie or individual slices tightly in plastic wrap followed by foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before serving.
- Reheating: Enjoy leftovers cold or at room temperature, or warm individual slices in the microwave. You can also reheat the pie in the oven to help crisp up the streusel topping! If it begins to brown too quickly, cover the pie with foil to prevent the top from burning.
More Easy Pie Recipes
- Lemon Chess Pie
- Coconut Custard Pie
- Blueberry Crumble Pie
- Banana Cream Pie
- Easy Pumpkin Pie
- Lemon Meringue Pie
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Easy Dutch Apple Pie Recipe
This Dutch Apple Pie recipe is one of our absolute favorite fall desserts and the best way to put apples to use when they’re in season! Made with a flaky, buttery crust, a cinnamon-apple filling, and a sweet streusel topping, it’s super impressive in appearance but secretly easy to make. A crowd favorite, it's delicious on its own and even better topped with a cold scoop of vanilla ice cream!
Equipment
- Pie Weights
Ingredients
Crust:
- 1 pie crust, homemade or store-bought (I used this pie crust recipe from the site), cold from the fridge
- Butter, to grease the pie pan
Streusel:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Filling:
- 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
- 3 pounds apples, approx. 6-9 apples, peeled & thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
The Crust
- Brush a 9-inch pie pan lightly with butter.
- Roll the dough on a floured surface into a large circle, at least 2 inches in diameter wider than your pie pan.
- Press the pie dough into the prepared pan.
- Use a knife to trim the excess dough around the edges. Use a fork to poke a few holes in the bottom of the crust. Use your knuckle and thumb/index finger on the opposite hand to make indents along the edge of the pie.
- Refrigerate the crust for 15 minutes while you preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Line your chilled pie crust with a large piece of parchment paper, fill with dry beans or pie weights, and bake for 10 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and reduce the oven temperature to 350°F. Carefully remove the parchment with beans/pie weights and let the crust cool for 15 minutes before filling.
Assemble the Pie
- In a large bowl, combine the streusel ingredients and mix until combined. Pinch the mixture together to form clumps.
- In a large bowl, toss together the filling ingredients.
- Fill the partially cooled pie crust with the apple filling. Sprinkle the top with the streusel.
- Bake the pie for 50-55 minutes, until the filling is bubbly and the apples have softened. If the streusel becomes too browned, lightly drape a piece of foil over the entire pie and continue baking.
- Let the pie cool for at least 1 hour before slicing!
Nutrition
Serving: 1Slice
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