Go Back

Apple Crumble Pie

Apple crumble pie combines tender cinnamon-and-nutmeg apples with a flaky homemade crust and a buttery, pea-size crumb topping. Bake it until the topping is golden brown and the filling bubbles, then cool it so the filling sets before slicing.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 35 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Chilling and cooling 4 hours
Total Time 5 hours 45 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the crust, filling, and crumble topping
  • 2.25 cups all-purpose flour divided: 1 1/4 cups for the crust, 1/4 cup for the filling, and 3/4 cup for the topping
  • 0.5 tsp salt divided: 1/4 teaspoon for the crust and 1/4 teaspoon for the filling
  • 1 cup unsalted butter 2 sticks; cold and cut into pieces; divided: 1/2 cup for the crust and 1/2 cup for the topping
  • 4 tbsp ice water 4 to 6 tablespoons
  • 2.5 lb baking apples such as Granny Smith and Honeycrisp; peeled, cored, and sliced 1/4 inch thick
  • 0.67 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 0.25 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 0.5 cup light brown sugar packed

Equipment

  • 1 9-inch pie plate
  • 1 rimmed baking sheet

Method
 

Make the crust
  1. In a large bowl, whisk together 1 1/4 cups flour and 1/4 teaspoon salt.
  2. Cut in 1/2 cup cold butter with a pastry cutter or your fingertips until the mixture has pea-size pieces.
  3. Sprinkle in 4 tablespoons ice water and toss with a fork.
  4. Add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, just until the dough holds together when squeezed.
  5. Shape into a disk, wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Prepare the filling
  1. In a large bowl, whisk together the remaining 1/4 cup flour, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, granulated sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
  2. Add the apples and lemon juice and toss until evenly coated.
Make the crumble topping
  1. In a medium bowl, combine the remaining 3/4 cup flour and brown sugar.
  2. Cut in the remaining 1/2 cup cold butter until coarse crumbs form, with some pieces about the size of peas.
Assemble and bake
  1. Heat the oven to 425°F with a rack in the lower third.
  2. Roll the chilled dough into a 12-inch circle on a lightly floured surface.
  3. Fit the dough into a 9-inch pie plate, and trim and crimp the edges.
  4. Spoon the apple filling into the crust, mounding it slightly in the center.
  5. Scatter the crumble topping evenly over the apples.
  6. Set the pie on a rimmed baking sheet.
  7. Bake for 20 minutes at 425°F, then reduce the oven temperature to 375°F and bake for 40 to 50 minutes more, until the topping is golden brown, the apples are tender when pierced with a knife, and the filling bubbles.
  8. Loosely cover the edges with foil if they brown too quickly.
  9. Cool the pie on a rack for at least 3 hours before slicing so the filling can set.

Notes

For a crisp topping, keep the butter cold while cutting it into the flour. Refrigerate covered for up to 4 days; freeze yes, wrapped well, for up to 3 months. For a dairy-free variation, use a firm plant-based butter in place of the unsalted butter.