Best Apple Crumb Pie
Posted Oct 11, 2023, Updated Sep 30, 2024
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
This apple crumb pie recipe is a delicious twist on classic apple pie! An apple filling is layered between a flaky pie crust and buttery crumble topping. Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for the perfect fall dessert.
My favorite thing about the fall is that it’s apple season. So, I found it fitting to share our family’s favorite Apple Crumb Pie Recipe with you (also try this apple crisp, apple cobbler, homemade caramel apples, and these easy cinnamon apples).
I prefer a crumb topping on my pies instead of a double pie crust (click here for a double-crust apple pie). It’s buttery, sugary crumbly texture is just irresistible! And it’s easy to sprinkle on the top instead of form into shapes (like a lattice).
This homemade Apple Crumb Pie recipe uses only a few, simple ingredients, allowing the taste of the apples to really shine. It’s the perfect dessert for Thanksgiving (along with these Thanksgiving recipes) or any time of the year.
Fun fact, this was the very first Thanksgiving dessert recipe I shared when I started my blog in 2016.
Apple Crumb Pie: Ingredient Substitutions
- Pie crust. I suggest making your own flaky butter pie crust (instructions are in the recipe card). Or, you can use a store-bought crust to make the recipe even easier.
- All-Purpose Flour. Use a 1:1 all-purpose gluten-free flour blend to make the recipe gluten-free. Pastry flour also works well.
- Granulated Sugar. Brown sugar can be used in place of granulated sugar in the filling for a deeper flavor.
- Apples. Choose your favorite apple variety. I recommend pink lady, honey crisp, gala, jazz, granny smith, McIntosh, etc. A sweet/tart mixture is my favorite.
How to make Apple Crumble Pie
Let’s walk through this recipe together, and don’t forget to watch the video.
Make the Crust
Since this apple crumble pie is homemade, begin by making the crust. I always make pie crust because it’s easy and delicious (like in this French Silk pie and this Pumpkin Pie).
Whether you use a food processor or a good old-fashioned pastry cutter, making this all-butter pie crust recipe literally takes 5 minutes. It is super easy and tastes so much better than the store-bought crusts. Halve the recipe and follow the instructions here: Butter Pie Crust.
The crust needs to be chilled for at least 1 hour or overnight. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and put it in the fridge.
After chilling, roll out the dough. I suggest using your pie plate to measure the dough to make sure I rolled it large enough.
Then, form it into the pie dish and crimp the sides with your thumb and pointer finger (see the video).
Make the Apple Crumble Pie Topping
While the pie crust is chilling, make the crumble topping. Begin by combining the dry ingredients in a large bowl.
Then, cut in the softened butter with a fork or pastry cutter, or with your hands.
The topping should look like the photo below, well-mixed with large crumbs. Set it aside until you assemble the pie.
Make the Apple Crumble Pie Filling
I suggest making the apple filling with the dough is chilling as well. Begin by peeling, coring and slicing the apples and placing them in a microwave-safe bowl.
Then, cook the apples in the microwave for 5 minutes, until they are soft to the touch.
Once they finish cooking, transfer them to a colander to drain any excess water.
Why Precook Apples?
I suggest cooking the apples slightly before using them in this Apple Crumb Pie (and this classic apple pie) because it ensures two things
- The pie won’t “sink” when it’s baked and
- The filling and crust will finish baking at the same time.
While the apples are cooking, combine the dry filling ingredients (sugar, flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg) in a small bowl.
After the apples have been drained and cooled slightly, add the dry filling mixture and stir to combine.
Assemble the Apple Crumb Pie
Once all the components are ready, it’s time to assemble the pie. Pour the apple filling into the prepared pie crust.
Then, evenly sprinkle the crumble topping over the apple filling.
Bake & Cool
Cover the crust with a pie crust shield and bake in the preheated oven for about one hour.
You know this Apple Crumble Pie is done when the filling starts to bubble and the top is a delicious golden-brown.
This pie is best after it has cooled until it’s just barely warm. I recommend letting it cool on a wire rack for at least 3 hours, preferably longer.
Serve
Serve this apple crumble pie with a dollop of fresh homemade whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a perfect fall treat.
Store
Store leftovers at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Freeze
This pie freezes very well! There are 2 ways to freeze this recipe:
- Freeze the entire pie. Let the pie come to room temperature, then wrap it tightly with plastic wrap and foil and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before cutting and serving.
- Freeze individual slices. Put the slices on a baking sheet and transfer them to the freezer. Then, once they’re frozen, wrap them in plastic wrap and store in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator for about 6 hours.
Apple Crumb Pie Recipe FAQs
The crumble topping is make with granulated sugar, all-purpose flour, butter softened, ground cinnamon, and sea salt.
I really like a tart variety like Granny smith or pink lady, but all varieties work well.
Be sure to use a colander to let the water drain out of your apples as they cool before mixing the dry ingredients into them.
Let the apple pie cool completely before serving. This will thicken up the filling and harden the crust.ย
Do not add any excess water to the pie when you add the filling.ย
Bake the apple crumb pie on the bottom rack in your oven.
If you make and love our recipes, it would mean so much to me if you would leave a comment and rating! And don’t forget to follow along with us on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and Youtube – be sure to tag @joyfoodsunshine and use the hashtag #joyfoodsunshine so we can see your creations!
Apple Crumble Pie
Ingredients
Pie Crust
- 1 ยผ cups all-purpose flour
- ยฝ tsp fine sea salt
- 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
- ยฝ cup salted butter
- ยผ cup water (ice cold)
Filling
- 4 pounds apples (peeled, cored and sliced – 9 to 10 cups apples)
- ยฝ cup granulated sugar
- 3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 ยฝ teaspoons ground cinnamon
Topping
- 6 Tablespoons salted butter (softened)
- โ cup granulated sugar
- ยพ cup all-purpose flour
- ยฝ tsp ground cinnamon
- ยผ tsp fine sea salt
Instructions
Make the Pie Crust:
- Place the flour, salt, and sugar in a food processor fitted with an โSโ blade and pulse to combine.
- Add the butter (or earth balance) and cold water and process until the mixture resembles a coarse meal, begins to stick together, and holds together when pinched.ย
- Remove dough from processor (will be crumbly) and form into a ball.
- Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.
Make the Crumble Topping:
- In a small bowl, mix together sugar, flour, cinnamon and salt until combined.
- Cut in butter with a fork, a pastry cutter, or your hands until crumbly. Set aside.
Make the Apple Filling:
- Place the peeled and cored apples in a microwave safe dish and microwave for 5 minutes, until apples are slightly soft to the touch.
- While apples are in the microwave, mix together sugar, flour cinnamon and nutmeg in a small bowl.
- Remove apples from the microwave and transfer them to a colander to drain any excess water.
- Then, put them in a large bowl, add the dry mixture to the partially cooked apples and stir to coat.
Assemble the Pie
- Towards the end of the chilling time for the crust, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Remove crust from refrigerator and roll into a circle, about ยผ to ยฝ inches thick. (if it has been refrigerated overnight you will need to let it sit on the counter at room temperature until it is pliable).
- Place crust into pie plate and form the crust as you wish (pinch the sides).
- Pour filling into unbaked pie crust.
- Use your hands to evenly sprinkle the crumb topping over the filling.
- Put a pie crust shield or aluminum foil over the outer crust of the pie to protect it from burning. Remove the shield in the last 10-15 minutes of baking if it doesnโt begin to brown under the shield.
Bake & Cool
- Bake the pie in the preheated oven, on the lower rack, for 55-60 minutes, or until the filling begins to bubble and the top & crust is lightly browned.
- Let cool for at least 1 hour then serve.
Video
Notes
- Pie crust. I suggest making your own flaky butter pie crust (instructions are in the recipe card). Or, you can use a store-bought crust to make the recipe even easier.
- All-Purpose Flour.ย Use a 1:1 all-purpose gluten-free flour blend to make the recipe gluten-free. Pastry flour also works well.
- Granulated Sugar.ย Brown sugar can be used in place of granulated sugar in the filling for a deeper flavor.
- Apples. ย Choose your favorite apple variety. I recommend pink lady, honey crisp, gala, jazz, granny smith, McIntosh, etc. A sweet/tart mixture is my favorite.
- Freeze the entire pie. Let the pie come to room temperature, then wrap it tightly with plastic wrap and foil and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before cutting and serving.
- ย Freeze individual slices. Put the slices on a baking sheet and transfer them to the freezer. Then, once they’re frozen, wrap them in plastic wrap and store in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator for about 6 hours.ย
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Absolutely easy to make and tastes delicious. Thank you for sharing this recipe. Itโs the best
What type of apples do you recommend?
My favorites are granny smith and pink ladies because they are sweet and tart!
How much nutmeg do you use? There is not a measurement for the filling. Thanks!
I just use a pinch! About 1/8 tsp! You can increase it to suit your tastes!
I used royal gala apples
Could this pie be baked and then frozen? I don’t want to make it on the Thursday and let it sit until the Saturday when I need it. I would prefer to make it the weekend before hand.
So I made my pie crust last night. I’m sitting hear thinking…… I completely forget to add the COLD WATER!! Should I just throw that dough away and start over?
Hmm…Without the water it will be difficult to roll out for sure! And may result in a dry crust!
Thank you for the recipe! It tasted nice and the instructions made it quite easy for a “non-baker”.
I’m not but waking up to snow covered ground and trees and a beautiful snow fall all I want to do is sip my coffee and bake. This pie would be perfect and the house would smell amazing!
Instead we are going to to play with friends in the snow and I’m coming home to make the cranberries and Bailey’s tonight and the hubby is making caramel and cinnamon rolls to freeze to take up north for friends and family this weekend. I might just whip this up anyways tonight and give it to my dad to take to the cabin this weekend.
OoOo it sounds like you and your family had an amazing holiday weekend! I would’ve loved to have been a fly on the wall (or better yet, a guest at that table)! ๐
How much Nutmeg?
Just a tiny little pinch (I’d say about 1/16 of a tsp). Unless you LOVE nutmeg then feel free to add more!
This pie looks absolutely adorable! And such yummy flavors for this time of year ๐ Thank you so much for sharing at the Healthy Living Link Party! We hope to see you back tonight. Pinned!
Hi Laura – what kind of apples do you prefer in this pie, and approximately how many apples does it take so I can plan my shopping list. I don’t usually have as many on hand as you do!
Hey Momma! I usually estimate about 1 cup of chopped apples for every one apple! So 10 cups would need about 10 apples! I used about 6 galas and 4 granny smiths in this pie…but I’ve made pies with only gala and only granny smith and they have turned out great! Really the only apple I’d stay way from is red delicious! ๐
Your Apple Crumble Pie looks amazing and thanks so much for sharing it with us at Full Plate Thursday! Have a great day and come back to see us real soon!
Miz Helen
Thank you Miz Helen!