This Dutch Apple Pie beats every other apple pie recipe out there! It’s made with an easy homemade crust, plenty of apples, and a crumbly, buttery walnut topping. Recipe includes a how-to video!
The Ultimate Dutch Apple Pie
Allow me to introduce you to the recipe that has absolutely ruined me for every other apple pie out there. Truly nothing compares to the flavor of this Dutch apple pie, with its buttery, streusel topping, tender spiced apples, and flaky homemade pie crust. Adding a scoop of ice cream on top? That’s just sinful (and highly recommended)!
This recipe takes about 45 minutes to prep and includes tips on which apples to use, how to cut them, and how to prevent a runny filling. You’ll love how easy it is (especially if you have a food processor!) and how mouth watering the results are!
What makes this pie so great?
- Lots of apples! Using 3 hefty pounds of sliced tart apples means we’ll have plenty of apples in every bite, even after they cook down in the oven.
- A thick, NOT runny filling. We’ll make sure to toss our apples in a few key ingredients (detailed below) so our filling is far from runny.
- Buttery crumble topping. This is my favorite part! It’s what sets this pie apart from any other.
- Easier than a two-crust pie. No rolling a second batch of dough for the top–just let your food processor make the topping for you!
What You Need
Here are the key ingredients that make this the BEST Dutch apple pie recipe ever:
- Apples. I recommend using a firm, tart apple. My personal preference is Granny Smith, which I like using for most of my baked apple recipes (like my apple crisp or apple dumplings). Make sure to slice your apples ¼″ or thinner, and try to keep them all around the same size! This will help them cook evenly.
- Sour cream. This is a key ingredient in our filling (and the crust, if you use my recipe!). It provides an incredible flavor (it doesn’t actually taste like sour cream, I promise) and keeps the filling from being runny or weepy.
- Brown sugar. I use brown sugar in the filling and the crumble topping for a warmer, richer flavor. My preference is light brown sugar; dark brown will give a stronger molasses flavor than desired.
- Walnuts. You can always leave these out if you don’t like them or can’t have nuts, but I love the flavor they add. Pecans could also work here too!
SAM’S TIP: You can definitely use a regular crust topping on this recipe if that’s what you prefer, but I definitely recommend trying the crumble topping at least once!
Remember, this is just an overview of the ingredients I used and why. For the full recipe please scroll down to the bottom of the post!
How to Make a Dutch Apple Pie
- Roll out your dough and fit into your pie plate. Let this chill while you make your filling.
- Combine the sugars and dry ingredients in a large bowl, then add the sour cream, lemon juice, and vanilla and stir well.
- Add your apple slices, toss them to coat, then pour them into your prepared pie crust.
- Add the flour and brown sugar to a food processor and pulse to combine.
- Add the butter and pulse until crumbs form, then add the walnuts and pulse.
- Sprinkle the crumble topping over your pie and bake.
SAM’S TIP: A food processor will make the crumble topping a breeze to combine, but if you don’t have one, you can always use a pastry cutter or two knives to combine the ingredients.
Frequently Asked Questions
The main difference is the topping. Regular apple pie has a plain pie crust topping (or a lattice crust!) while Dutch apple pie has a crumbly, streusel top with chopped walnuts.
Some believe the walnuts are what makes this type of pie Dutch, but most research will tell you this pie isn’t even really Dutch (kind of like how Italian cream cake isn’t really Italian!)
I do not recommend pre-cooking your apples for this recipe. Some recipes recommend this either to prevent the apples from shrinking in the oven or to keep the pie from becoming runny. My recipe includes steps to prevent both from happening, so pre-cooking isn’t necessary.
It will last longer if stored in the refrigerator (keep covered to prevent it from drying out), up to 6 days. But you can also store it covered at room temperature for up to two days, if you don’t want to refrigerate or don’t have space to do so.
Don’t have vanilla ice cream? Homemade whipped cream will work in a pinch!
Enjoy!
Let’s bake together! I’ll be walking you through all the steps in my written recipe and video below! If you try this recipe, be sure to tag me on Instagram, and you can also find me on YouTube and Facebook
Dutch Apple Pie
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 batch homemade pie crust (click link for recipe) not baked, you may substitute one storebought pie crust instead.
Filling
- ¼ cup (50 g) sugar
- ¼ cup (50 g) brown sugar tightly packed
- ⅓ cup (45 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon allspice
- ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
- ⅓ cup (85 g) sour cream
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 pounds (1.36 kg) tart apples Peeled, cored, and sliced thinner than ¼". I use Granny Smith
Crumble Topping
- 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter cold
- ½ cup (65 g) chopped walnuts
- ⅔ cup (145 g) brown sugar firmly packed
Recommended Equipment
Instructions
Crust
- Prepare pie crust according to recipe instructions. As per recipe, prepare, chill, roll out, and arrange into a 9 ½" pie plate (do not bake). Return to refrigerator to chill while you prepare apple pie filling.1 batch homemade pie crust
- Preheat oven to 425F (220C)
Filling
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together sugars, flour, cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg.¼ cup (50 g) sugar, ¼ cup (50 g) brown sugar, ⅓ cup (45 g) all-purpose flour, 1 ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon allspice, ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
- Add sour cream, lemon juice, and vanilla extract, and stir well until completely combined (mixture will be like a loose paste).⅓ cup (85 g) sour cream, 1 Tablespoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Add apple slices and stir until all apples are coated with mixture.3 pounds (1.36 kg) tart apples
- Pour apple filling into prepared pie crust, mounding the apples in the center of the pie. Set aside while you prepare crumble topping.
Crumble Topping
- Combine flour and brown sugar in the basin of a food processor¹ and pulse to combine.1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour, ⅔ cup (145 g) brown sugar
- Sprinkle butter pieces over the mixture. Pulse until coarse crumbs form.½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter
- Add walnuts and pulse briefly (don't overdo it or the mixture will lose its crumbliness and clump together)½ cup (65 g) chopped walnuts
- Take your crumble topping and sprinkle it evenly over the pie filling. Use your hands to gently pat down the topping.
- Bake on 425F (220C) for 15 minutes. Without opening the oven door, reduce heat to 350F (175C) and continue to bake another 40 minutes, or until apples are tender (use a skewer to pierce the pie and check the apples). Keep an eye on your pie crust as it bakes, the crust is prone to browning faster than the pie is finished, and if the crust is becoming too dark you should remove the pie from the oven and cover the crust with foil before returning to oven to finish baking.
- Enjoy warm, preferably topped with vanilla ice cream.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
This perfect Apple Pie Recipe was originally published on 10/19/2016, republished with more information, better photos, a more clearly-written recipe and a video in November 2022.
RockinRic
I made this apple pie today and had a piece after dinner. It is very good and will be making it again. I made it actually as the recipe with only one ingredient omitted which was all spice which I didn’t have and neither did the grocery store in my small village I live in. But next time I drive to the big city this spring it will be on my shopping list. Thanks for such a tasty recipe.
Katie Libner
Hi there! I’m so excited to make this Apple pie! I was wondering is it possible for me to freeze the pie before baking? I would like to make it ahead of time and then bake when I’m ready.
Sam
Hi Katie! I haven’t tried it. It could be a bit risky. I would probably keep the ingredients separate, thaw the filling, assemble and bake.
Tricia
Oh my goodness! This was fantastic! A client brought us a big bag of local apples. I searched your recipes to find something wonderful. I’ve never been a huge Dutch apple pie lover, but I trust your recipes and love your videos. Decided to give it a whirl for company coming over. It was over-the-moon delicious! I’m a convert to Dutch apple. Thank you, Sam! Everyone sends their thanks! 🙂
Sam
I’m so glad everyone enjoyed it so much, Tricia! 🙂