Apple Crumble Pie
This Apple Crumble Pie is piled high with juicy Granny Smith apples and finished with a buttery, golden topping. It’s cozy, simple, and exactly what you want on a crisp fall day!
Best Apple Pie
I think it’s high time we finally talk apple pie, y’all. And with a homemade all‑butter pie crust in my back pocket, this felt like the perfect moment.
Whenever I bake with apples, I can’t help but think back to my childhood in Iowa and my years in Minneapolis, where fall always meant apple picking. I was famous for losing track of what I was doing in the orchards and coming home with way too many apples.
It always makes me think – if I had orchard access again, what on earth would I do with all those apples. Make apple pie!
Why This Recipe Works:
- Simple ingredients. This pie comes together with simple, everyday ingredients, so you don’t have to fuss with anything fancy.
- Make the house smell like heaven. As it bakes, it fills the whole house with the coziest, warm‑apple smell — truly heaven.
- Perfect for the holidays. It’s a natural fit for the holidays, whether you’re hosting or bringing a dessert to share.
- Delicious flavor. And honestly, the taste is next‑level, especially when you serve it warm with a scoop of homemade ice cream.
What You’ll Need:
- pie crust – homemade or store-bought is fine
- apples – we use Granny Smith
- lemon juice
- all-purpose flour
- sugars – both granulated sugar and brown sugar
- unsalted butter
- vanilla extract
- spices – cinnamon and nutmeg
- kosher salt
Looking for more delicious apple recipes? Try our Apple Cinnamon Cobbler, Apple Streusel Cake, or Mason Jar Apple Pie.
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How to make Apple Crumble Pie:
Step 1
Prep. Preheat oven to 425°F.
Step 2
Mix topping. In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Add butter and use a fork to combine well.
Step 3
Prep apples. Use a sharp knife to peel, core, and slice apples into thin slices (approximately ⅛ inch). Toss apples with freshly squeezed lemon juice. Then add sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla extract.
Step 4
Prep pie crust. I normally use our All Butter Pie Crust, but store-bought is just fine. Lightly flour your work surface and rolling pin, then roll the dough out evenly so that it is about two inches larger than the pie plate.
Carefully transfer pie dough to pie plate, gently pressing it into the bottom and sides without stretching. Trim any excess dough, fold under the edges, and crimp or decorate as desired.
Step 5
Assemble pie. Layer the apple slices into the pie shell (it’ll be nice and full) and pour any leftover juices right over the top. Add the crumble topping, gently pressing it into the apples. Set the pie pan on a cookie sheet – really full pies tend to drip, and this saves your oven.
You may want to place foil over the edges of the pie to prevent it from browning too much. I find it easier to add the foil at the beginning and then take off later.
Step 6
Bake apple crumble pie. Start by baking at 425°F for 20 minutes. Lower the temperature to 375°F, remove foil along the edges, and bake for another 45–55 minutes. Check doneness by poking the center with a fork – the apples should be soft throughout.
If pie is browning too quickly, use aluminum foil to tent the pie.
Step 7
Let cool. Remove pie from oven and let rest for a couple of hours so that the center has time to fully set and thicken.
Step 8
Serve. Serve pie with your favorite ice cream. We enjoy it with our Homemade Vanilla Bean Ice Cream or Cinnamon Ice Cream!
Recipe Tips:
- Slice the apples thin so they soften evenly and give you that perfect tender filling.
- Toss the apples well with the sugar, flour, and spices – it helps the juices thicken as they bake.
- Pack the apples high in the pie shell; they cook down, so a full pie is a good sign.
- Press the crumble lightly into the apples so it stays put and bakes up crisp and golden.
- Let the pie cool a bit before slicing – it helps the filling set and makes cleaner slices.
Recipe FAQs:
Yes. Granny Smith is classic because it holds its shape, but Honeycrisp, Braeburn, or a mix of firm apples works great too.
No. Thinly sliced apples soften beautifully in the oven, and the flour-sugar mixture thickens the juices as they bake.
Make sure your butter is melted and fully mixed into the dry ingredients, and bake long enough for the topping to turn golden.
Poke the center — the apples should feel soft all the way through, and the topping should be nicely browned.
Apple pies are naturally juicy. Setting the pie pan on a cookie sheet catches any drips and keeps your oven clean.
Absolutely. Bake it earlier in the day and warm slices in the oven before serving, or prep the filling and topping separately and assemble right before baking.
Other Delicious Pie Recipes:
Kitchen Tools Used: (affiliate links)
xoxo ~Sue
Apple Crumble Pie
Ingredients
- 1 pie crust
For the apple filling:
- 8 cups thinly sliced apples – I use Granny Smith
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice – freshly squeezed
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the crumble topping:
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter – melted
Instructions
- Prep. Preheat oven to 425°F.
- Mix topping. In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Add butter and use a fork to combine well.3/4 cup all-purpose flour, 3/4 cup light brown sugar, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- Prep apples. Use a sharp knife to peel, core, and slice apples into thin slices (approximately ⅛ inch). Toss apples with freshly squeezed lemon juice. Then add sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla extract.8 cups thinly sliced apples, 1 Tablespoon lemon juice, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Prep pie crust. I normally use our All Butter Pie Crust, but store-bought is just fine. Lightly flour your work surface and rolling pin, then roll the dough out evenly so that it is about two inches larger than the pie plate.Carefully transfer pie dough to pie plate, gently pressing it into the bottom and sides without stretching. Trim any excess dough, fold under the edges, and crimp or decorate as desired.1 pie crust
- Assemble pie. Layer the apple slices into the pie shell (it’ll be nice and full) and pour any leftover juices right over the top. Add the crumble topping, gently pressing it into the apples. Set the pie pan on a cookie sheet – really full pies tend to drip, and this saves your oven.You may want to place foil over the edges of the pie to prevent it from browning too much. I find it easier to add the foil at the beginning and then take off later.
- Bake apple crumble pie. Start by baking at 425°F for 20 minutes. Lower the temperature to 375°F, remove foil along the edges, and bake for another 45–55 minutes. Check doneness by poking the center with a fork – the apples should be soft throughout.If pie is browning too quickly, use aluminum foil to tent the pie.
- Let cool. Remove pie from oven and let rest for a couple of hours so that the center has time to fully set and thicken.
- Serve. Serve pie with your favorite ice cream. We enjoy it with our Homemade Vanilla Bean Ice Cream or Cinnamon Ice Cream!
Notes
- Store leftover pie in an airtight container (or the pie plate, covered) in your refrigerator for 3-4 days.
- Granny Smith apples are classic for pie because it holds its shape, but Honeycrisp, Braeburn, or a mix of firm apples works great too.
- You do not need to pre-cook the apples for this pie.
- We normally cover the outsides of the pie for part of the baking time and watch to see if the topping needs to be covered later on.
Just like Grandma used to make!
Amen!