One of the most popular pies people make for Thanksgiving is a Dutch Apple Pie. I recently did a survey on Instagram asking people what their favorite pie was. Apple was the clear winner. French Silk and Key Lime pies were the other front runners. Growing up my mom always made a classic apple pie for Thanksgiving. Her recipe is delicious, and my sister even won a bake-off with that recipe. I turned her recipe into a Dutch Apple Pie, and it’s fantastic!
The only real difference between a classic apple pie and a Dutch Apple Pie is the way you top the pie. A Dutch Apple Pie has a crumble top, and a classic apple pie is a two-crust pie. I’m in a stage of life where making pie crust is just an extra mess, so unless I’m really craving a homemade pie crust, I turn to Pillsbury in the freezer section. I’m a big fan of their frozen, deep-dish pie shells. Using the ready crust makes it possible to have a pie like this together and in the oven in no time.
Ready made crusts are my secret to being able to have such a variety of pies on Thanksgiving. Otherwise, I would probably only have time to make two pies. Most of the pies I make for Thanksgiving do not require a top crust.
Here are some of my favorite pies:
- Brown Butter Raspberry Pie
- Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie
- Chocolate Pecan Pie
- Best Pumpkin Pie
- Coconut Cream Pie
- Fresh Strawberry Pie
Oatmeal Pie (No nuts Pecan Pie)
how to make a dutch apple pie
Frequently asked questions about making a Dutch Apple Pie
what is the difference between a classic apple pie and a dutch apple Pie?
The only real difference between a classic apple pie and a Dutch Apple Pie is the way you top the pie. A Dutch Apple Pie has a crumble top, and a classic apple pie is a two-crust pie.
what type of apples should i use in a dutch apple pie?
For this pie, Granny Smith is my favorite apple to use. I do like to throw in 1-2 apples that are a different variety just to give a little bit of dimension to the flavor. I usually use whatever I have in the house–Pink Lady, Honey Crunch, Golden Delicious or Gala.
can this pie be made gluten free?
Yes, you can definitely make this pie gluten free. You just need to use a gluten free pie crust, and switch out the all purpose flour for your favorite, gluten free flour blend.
what size pie dish do I need?
For this pie, you will need a 9-9 1/2 inch pie dish. The inches represent the diameter. I prefer to use a deep dish, which is less likely to overflow and make a mess in my oven.
can i use a sugar substitute?
Personally, I haven’t tried it, but it shouldn’t be a problem. If you are used to making substitutions for sugar, you can switch out the granulated sugar for your favorite sugar substitute. In the crumble, it calls for half granulated and half brown sugar. You need to make sure you also have a brown sugar substitute.
how thick should the apple slices be?
There’s two different ways you can go with apple slices. You can go for thin and uniform with an apple peeler and corer, or you can go for a little more rustic look and hand slice the apples. Both are fine,but you want them as similar in size as possible, so you don’t bite into a partially raw chunk of apple.
how do you keep the top of the pie from getting too dark while it bakes?
What I like to do is gently place a sheet of aluminum foil over the top of the whole pie about halfway or two-thirds baking time. This help keeps the edges and top from getting dark. I usually check about 10 minutes before the pie is cooking, and sometimes I remove the foil, if it is not as quite as brown as I would like it to be. To keep the edges from browning, another option is a pie crust shield.
Give me all the crumble!
- 1 ready-made deep dish pie crust or a homemade crust (only the bottom shell)
- 6-8 Granny Smith Apples (I like to substitute 2 with a different variety--Gala or Golden Delicious)
- ½ cup + 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 4 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
- dash of ground nutmeg
- CRUMB TOPPING
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- 3 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 3 Tbsp light-brown sugar
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp salt
- 5 Tbsp melted butter
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Remove pie crust from freezer, if using a ready-made crust, and thaw while making mixture.
- Peel, core and thinly slice apples--6 cups total.
- Place sliced apples in a medium-size bowl, toss apple in lemon juice.
- In a small bowl, combine the flour, sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg and mix well.
- Sprinkle over the apple slices and toss or stir until evenly coated. Set aside.
- Prepare crumble topping by combining flour, 3 Tbsp granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt. Mix well. Then add melted butter. Stir until everything holds together and is crumbly. Set aside.
- Pour the apple mixture into the thawed, uncooked pie crust. The dish will be really full. Mound apples toward the middle, if needed.
- Next, evenly cover the top of the apples with the crumble topping.
- Place the pie on a cookie sheet to bake in case it overflows.
- Bake pie at 350 degrees for 55-65 minutes. After 40 minutes, lightly cover the top of the pie with a sheet of foil to keep the crumble from getting too dark.
- Let the pie cool completely before cutting into slices.
- *If not eating the pie right away, store in refrigerator after it cools. Refrigerate any leftovers.
- *Pie can also be frozen once it has completely cooled. Wrap it tightly with foil and place in a large Ziploc bag or cover with plastic wrap, if you don't have a large Ziploc bag.
- Enjoy!
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