This Dutch Apple Pie may just be the best apple pie you’ve ever had. It is piled high with apples, spices, cider and an amazing brown sugar streusel topping. You can enjoy it hot, cold or room temp and don’t forget the vanilla ice cream on top!
My No Churn Honey Vanilla Ice Cream would make a delicious topping as well! Click here for the recipe.
Dutch Apple Pie is a great pie because it’s really great to make year round. Who doesn’t love a good apple pie in the summer?! Apple pie in the fall is kind of a “must” in my book then you’ve got the holidays; Thanksgiving and Christmas. A perfect pie for either of those holidays.
What is Dutch Apple Pie?
The difference between a traditional apple pie and Dutch apple pie is the topping. A traditional apple pie has a crust topping and Dutch apple pie has streusel topping. Both are delicious in their own ways but I feel like you really just can’t go wrong with streusel. I could top just about anything with streusel.
What is streusel?
Streusel is a buttery crumb topping. This streusel consists of brown sugar, flour, nutmeg, salt, vanilla and butter. If you’ve never had streusel then you’re in for a pleasant surprise.
Streusel is great for topping a variety of baked goods. Some of my favorite things to top with streusel are:
- Pie
- Quick Breads (pumpkin bread, apple bread, banana bread)
- Muffins
- Coffee Cake
How to store Dutch Apple Pie
After baking your Dutch Apple Pie you have two choices on storing it. You can either store it in the fridge or on the counter. Storing it on the counter won’t last quite as long.
If storing your apple pie on the counter you’ll want to wrap the pie tightly with plastic wrap. It will only last up to 2 days on the counter so if you don’t think you’ll eat it that quickly then this is not a good option.
If storing the apple pie in the fridge then you also want to make sure to wrap the pie tightly with plastic wrap. The pie will last up to 5 days in the refrigerator. This is the better option if you don’t plan on eating the whole pie right away.
Can I freeze Dutch Apple Pie?
Yes, absolutely! Apple pie freezes really well. I prefer to freeze the pie in individual slices then you can just grab it out a serving at a time as needed.
To do this just slice the apple pie into individual servings then freeze the slices on a baking sheet unwrapped. Once the slices are frozen remove them from the baking sheet and wrap them tightly in plastic wrap.
Usually I wrap 2-3 times then you can either place them back into the freezer just like that or find a piece of Tupperware that will hold all the slices and store them in that. Now you have Dutch Apple Pie on demand!
Reheating Dutch Apple Pie
When reheating your apple pie you can use either the microwave or the oven. If you just want the pie to be room temp you can remove it from the fridge or freezer several hours ahead of time and let it sit out on the counter to come to room temp.
Reheating in the microwave – If the pie is coming out of the refrigerator then place the unwrapped slice on a plate and heat in the microwave on full power for 45-60 seconds.
If the pie is coming out of the freezer then it’s best to let it sit out for about 30 minutes and then microwave the unwrapped slice for 60 seconds.
Reheating in the oven – Preheat the oven to 350°F. If the pie is coming out of the refrigerator then place the unwrapped slice either on a baking sheet or an oven safe dish. Bake the slice for 8 minutes.
If the slice is coming out of the oven then place the unwrapped slice on a baking or oven safe dish and bake for about 15 minutes.
Ingredients for Dutch Apple Pie
Brown Sugar – I always like to use dark brown sugar but light would work too!
All Purpose Flour – This is for the pie crust and the streusel.
Nutmeg – I love grating fresh nutmeg but dried is great.
Kosher Salt – Salt goes really well with sweets.
Vanilla Extract – Vanilla is used for the streusel and the pie here.
Butter – Use your favorite unsalted butter!
Apples – I like to use Honeycrisp apples when baking.
Lemon Juice – Fresh lemon juice is best, don’t use concentrated.
Granulated Sugar – There’s a mix of both brown and granulated sugar in the apple filling!
Cinnamon – Cinnamon is a staple flavor in apple pie!
Allspice – Allspice is a key flavor in apple pie for me!
Cardamom – Cardamom can really give your apple pie extra flavor but you don’t want to over do it!
Cornstarch – Cornstarch will help all the extra juice from the apples thicken up.
Vanilla Bean Paste – If you don’t have vanilla bean paste then you can substitute equal parts for vanilla extract.
Apple Cider – This thickened apple cider really gives this pie an extra deep apple flavor.
Egg – This is to egg wash the pie crust to give it a nice golden color
Demerara Sugar – This is a course sugar sprinkled onto the crust for extra flavor, look and crunch
Tips for Dutch Apple Pie
- Slice the apples thin so they cook well, about 1/8 inch
- Cook the pie for the full 2 hours, it won’t be done if you don’t
- This is the cast iron skillet I use for this recipe. You can also use a DEEP pie dish
- If you don’t want your pie slices to fall apart on you when serving then let the apple pie cool to at room temp or slightly warmer
- You can make your pie crusts days ahead of time, even months. The uncooked pie crust can be stored in the fridge for 4 days or the freezer for up to 2 months. Just pull it out and let it thaw before rolling
- The streusel topping can be made up to 4 days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to use
- If the streusel or crust begins to brown too much while the pie is still cooking then cover the top of the pie with aluminum foil and continue to bake
- If you want to indulge even more, make my caramel sauce to drizzle over the top. You can find the recipe for homemade caramel sauce in my No Churn Salted Caramel Pretzel Ice Cream
How to make Dutch Apple Pie
- Make the pie crust – The pie crust is a simple recipe, the most important part is to use COLD butter and ICE water. Work quickly with the dough and refrigerate it for at least 1 hour or up to 4 days before using.
- Make the streusel – Combine the streusel ingredients and refrigerate until needed, at least 20 minutes ahead of time and up to 4 days.
- Make the pie filling – Slice the apples, combine them with the sugar, spices, lemon juice and cornstarch then let sit. Make the apple cider sauce and add it right before filling the pie crust.
- Bake the pie – Fill the crust with apple filling, top with streusel then bake it at 350°F for 2 hours. Let the pie cool until warm before slicing.
Can I use store bought pie crust?
You can use store bought pie crust if that is what you like and/or prefer. It’s not my recommendation, I don’t love it but it does work. In my opinion the crust of a pie can really make or break the whole pie.
I grew up hating pie crust. Once I started experimenting and making my own pie crust I realized I actually love pie crust! I can just eat the plain crust straight out of the oven.
So really, it’s up to you and what you like. I recommend at least trying this homemade pie crust at least once. The recipe is super simple and it will take your Dutch Apple Pie to a whole different level.
Please leave a rating and/or review if you try my Dutch Apple Pie recipe!
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Dutch Apple Pie
Equipment
- oven
- food processor
- stove top
Ingredients
Pie Crust
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1.5 tsp Kosher salt
- ¾ cup unsalted butter COLD, cut into ¼ inch cubes
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup ice water + about 7tbsp
- 1 egg for egg washing crust
- 1.5 tsp Demerara sugar for sprinkling on crust
Apple Filling
- 5 lbs honey crisp apples peeled and sliced ⅛ inch thick
- 3 tbsp lemon juice fresh
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1.5 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp Kosher salt
- ½ tsp allspice
- ¼ tsp cardamom
- 6 tbsp cornstarch
Apple Cider Sauce
- ¾ cup apple cider
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla bean paste
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tbsp cold water
Streusel Topping
- ¾ cup all purpose flour
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ½ tsp nutmeg
- ½ tsp Kosher salt
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter melted
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
Making the Pie Crust
- In a food processor pulse the flour and salt 5 times to mix evenly
- Remove the butter from the fridge or freezer, cube it and add it to the food processor. Pulse about 5 times for 1 second each until the flour mixture resembles a coarse meal
- Add the apple cider vinegar and the ¼ cup of ice water and mix with a fork
- Continue adding more ice water a tbsp at a time until the dough is wet enough that it just starts to come together in a ball but looks a little shaggy still
- Quickly bring all of the dough together with your hands into a ball then wrap it tightly with plastic wrap and store it in the fridge for at least 1 hour or up to 4 days
Making the Apple Filling
- Peel, core and slice the apples into ⅛ inch slices and place in a bowl
- Add the lemon juice and mix well to coat the apples
- In a separate bowl stir together both sugars, cinnamon, salt, allspice, cardamom and cornstarch. Add that mixture to the apple and mix well to coat
- Let the apples sit for 30 minutes
Making the Apple Cider Sauce
- In a small sauce pan over medium heat add the apple cider, brown sugar and vanilla bean paste. Bring this mixture to a boil
- Mix the cornstarch and cold water together then add it to the boiling cider while whisking constantly. The mixture will thicken, simmer it while stirring for an additional 30 seconds then remove from the heat and set aside until needed
Making the Streusel
- In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, brown sugar, nutmeg and salt
- Using a fork stir in the melted butter and vanilla until fully combined. Store the streusel in an airtight container in the refrigerator until needed
Assembling the pie
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and place a sheet pan on the second shelf of the oven to catch any spill over of the pie
- Remove the pie crust from the fridge and let it sit out for 3-5 minutes. Roll the dough into about a 12 inch circle then place it in your pie dish. Crimp the edges and prick the bottom and sides of the dough with a fork all over
- Pour the apple cider sauce over the apple filling and toss to coat evenly. Add the apple mixture into the pie crust piling it in the middle
- Mix up the egg and brush it along the outside edges of the crust. Sprinkle the Demerara sugar over the top of the edges
- Top the pie with streusel
- Bake for 2 hours. If the streusel or the crust start to brown to quickly then cover the pie with foil and continue baking the full 2 hours. Let the pie cool and enjoy!
Nutrition
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