The Perfect Dutch Apple Pie with Pappy's

Fall baking has officially arrived. Welcome to the season of cinnamon, nutmeg, and warm, welcoming desserts. Today we are sharing an especially cozy recipe for Pappy’s signature Dutch Apple Pie. Featuring a classic spiced apple filling and a rich, buttery streusel, this pie is sure to please your fall guests. While everyone has a favorite fall dessert, this pie deserves a centerpiece on the seasonal table.

What is Dutch Apple Pie?

The magical difference between a double-crust apple pie and a Dutch apple pie is a sweet, buttery streusel topping. Instead of rolling out a second sheet of pastry dough, you top your pie with a crumble of butter and sugar. The topping melts and crisps while baking, giving you tons of flavor in every bite. Dutch apple pie is also less time-consuming and a little more foolproof than weaving a lattice top, so it makes the perfect apple pie for beginners and veteran bakers alike.

Choosing the Right Apples

A pie is only as good as its filling, and the secret to a great Dutch apple pie starts with the apple blend. When baking, you want sturdy, baking-friendly varieties that pack lots of flavor and hold up to the heat of the oven. Here are a few apples we recommend using in your Dutch apple pie:

• Granny Smith: Granny Smith apples are popular in pie because of their tart flavor and structure, which holds up well when baked.

• Honeycrisp: Honeycrisp apples are an all-around favorite, perfectly balanced, sweet-and-tart. 

• Pink Lady: Pink Lady apples are firm and bright, giving you that ideal texture while packing a ton of flavor.

• Macintosh: Macintosh apples have a beautiful red-and-green color and incredible flavor. Many bakers combine Macintosh apples with a firmer variety in their pies to get that flavor without becoming overly mushy.

• Haralson: Highly popular for pies because they hold up well when cooked, all while having a delicious flavor profile.

• Golden Delicious: More popular in late fall, the Golden Delicious apple has a balanced honey-sweet and tart flavor. These do tend to break down a little faster than other varieties, so pull your pie as soon as the crust is done for the best texture.

Looking to get adventurous? Lots of home bakers swear by a mixture of flavorful and firm apples to create the perfect pie. Next time you bake a pie, you could try a blend of Granny Smith, Macintosh, and Honeycrisp.

The Perfect Streusel

The topping for Dutch apple pie is easy to make, and only has one major requirement: You have to use cold butter. Warm butter will cream into the sugar and flour instead of creating distinct crumbs. During baking, the butter will melt on top of your pie and create a mess rather than a delicious topping. Simply using cold butter will ensure your streusel holds its shape and gives you that incredible texture you desire.

Recipe

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Dutch Apple Pie

Yield: 8

Ingredients

Filling

• 6-7 cups sliced baking apples
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ¼ cup packed brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Topping

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ½ cup packed brown sugar
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 stick cold unsalted butter

Crust

• 1 pod Pappy’s Pie Crust Dough

Instructions

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
2. Prep the Dough: Roll out your thawed but still slightly chilled Pappy’s Pie Crust Dough. Place it in a 9-inch pie dish, crimping the edges and ensuring nothing hangs over. Place the crust back into the fridge while you prepare the filling.
3. Prepare the Filling: After slicing your apples, toss them into a large mixing bowl with the lemon juice.
4. In a smaller bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, ¼ cup brown sugar, 3 tablespoons flour, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and ¼ teaspoon nutmeg. Pour the mixture over the apples and toss until evenly coated.
5. The Crumb Topping: In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and cinnamon for the topping. Cube the cold butter and cut it into the dry ingredients using a pastry blender or two forks until the mixture resembles pea-sized crumbs.
6. Pour the apple pie filling into the pie crust, making sure the slices are highest in the center.
7. Evenly sprinkle the crumb topping over the apples, ensuring it sticks to the surface.
8. Place the pie dish on a foil-lined baking sheet to catch any bubbling.
9. Bake on the center rack for 50-60 minutes until the topping is golden brown and you can see bubbling around the edges of the crust. Tip: Watch your pie carefully and place a tented sheet of aluminum foil on top for the final 15 minutes if the streusel browns too quickly.
10. Cool on a wire rack, allowing the warm apple mixture to set before serving.

pappyspiedough.com/recipes/dutch-apple-pie

Serving Suggestions

Dutch apple pie needs to cool completely before serving for best results. Cutting into your pie too early could lead to leakage and your pieces not holding up. Let the pie cool and the juices set for the best slices. After the pie has cooled and you are ready to dive in, we recommend serving your Dutch apple pie à la mode with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. If you like your ice cream a little melty, you can always slice your pie and reheat your slice before adding ice cream.

Storage Tips

After enjoying your fresh pie, use these storage tips to keep any leftovers as fresh as possible. To keep the streusel topping of a Dutch apple pie from crumbling or falling off, avoid tightly wrapping the pie in plastic. Instead, loosely cover the dish with aluminum foil so no condensation gets trapped and makes your topping soggy. Keep your Dutch apple pie at room temperature for up to two days, or pop it into the refrigerator for 4-5 days. When you are ready for round two, simply warm up your slice in the oven for a few minutes.

Want to make sure all of your pies stay as fresh as possible? Check out our guide on keeping pie fresh here!