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Apple pie with one slice cut out. Apple and striped towel.
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5 from 1 vote

Apple Pie with Crumb Topping

A tart apple pie with a sweet, crumb topping and cinnamon apples. Make this a family tradition. It's a sweet one your family and friends will love.
Course: Dessert
Keyword: apple pie, fruit pies, pie, pie recipe, thanksgiving pie
Yield: 8

Equipment

  • deep dish pie pan (see notes)

Materials

For the Pie Dough (makes 1 single pie crust)

  • 1 ¼ cups (170g) all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon sugar
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 8 tablespoons (113g) unsalted butter, cold (cut into small pieces)
  • ¼ cup (60 ml) water, ice cold

For the Crumb Topping

  • ½ cup (70g) all-purpose flour
  • cup ( 85g) sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 8 tablespoons (113g) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

For the Pie

  • 2 ¼ pounds (1135g) baking apples (*see note below) about 10-12 small
  • ¾ cup (160g) sugar
  • 2 tablespoons corn starch
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • zest of 1 lemon
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon salt

Instructions

Make the Pie Dough

  • In a food processor, pulse together flour, sugar and salt. (If making by hand, whisk to combine in a medium bowl.)
  • Add butter to the flour mixture. Pulse until butter resembles small, pea-sized shapes. (To make by hand, rub butter into the flour between your fingers or use a pastry blender.)
  • While pulsing the food processor, gradually add the cold water until mixture is a cornmeal consistency. Squeeze a little of the mixture in your hands. It should hold together easily. If not, add a tablespoon of water at a time and pulse until it does. (If making by hand, stir with a fork while adding water.)
  • Dump the mixture onto a large piece of plastic wrap or waxed paper. Press mixture into a flat, round disk and wrap well. Chill for at least 1 hour in the fridge or 30 minutes in the freezer before rolling out.

Make the Crumb Topping

  • Combine flour, sugar and salt in a food processor (or a medium bowl if making by hand). Pulse until mixture resembles small pebbles in sand, about 18-20 quick pulses. (If making by hand, rub butter into the flour between your fingers or use a pastry blender.) Keep refrigerated until ready to use.

Assemble the Pie

  • Roll out pie crust on well-floured surface to a circle larger than the top diameter of your pie pan. Gently place in pie pan and trim edge (if needed) so there is a 1 inch overhang. Tuck edge under and crimp pie crust, as desired. Place in fridge to re-chill while prepping the apples.
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Peel and slice apples about ¼ inch thick. Combine apples with sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, zest, cinnamon and salt. Toss to coat well. Let sit at room temperature for about 15-20 minutes.
  • Using a slotted spoon or hands, arrange apples in pie crust, fitting apples slices in tightly and neatly without gaps. This will ensure the filling won’t have air pockets and collapse. Disregard any excess juices in the bowl.
  • Spoon crumb topping evenly over the apples (it may seem like a lot). Bake on a rimmed sheet pan (to catch drips) for about 1 hour or until golden brown and bubbling. Lower heat to 325 degrees if browning too quickly. Cool for at least 1 hour before cutting.

Notes

*this recipe is for a deep dish pie pan. If using a regular pie pan, decrease the amount of apples to 2 pounds (900 g).
-good apples to bake with are granny smith, jonagold, honeycrisp, braeburn, mutsu, winesap, cortland and pink lady. I like to use a mix.
-pie dough can be made and kept frozen, well wrapped, for three months.  Thaw out in the refrigerator overnight before rolling.
-pie crumble and dough can be made 2 days in advance and kept in the fridge.