Dutch Apple Pie

Get ready for the ultimate comfort dessert that combines buttery pastry, tender spiced apples, and a crumbly streusel topping that’ll make your kitchen smell like heaven. This Dutch Apple Pie isn’t just dessert – it’s a warm hug in pie form.

What makes this pie extra special is the perfect balance of sweet Golden Delicious and tart Granny Smith apples, all tucked under a gloriously crispy brown sugar crumb topping. Trust me, this isn’t your regular apple pie – it’s the one that’ll have everyone begging for the recipe.

Ingredients

For the Crust:

• 1 cup (142g) unbleached all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp granulated sugar
• 1/4 tsp (heaping) salt
• 8 Tbsp (113g) unsalted butter, well chilled and diced
• 3-5 Tbsp ice water

For the Crumb Topping:

• 1/2 cup packed (100g) light brown sugar
• 3/4 cup (106g) unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 6 Tbsp (85g) unsalted butter, melted
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

For the Apple Filling:

• 2 1/2 lbs apples (4 Golden Delicious and 4 Granny Smith)
• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
• 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
• 3 Tbsp (26g) unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Steps

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 cup flour, 2 tsp sugar, and salt for the crust. Cut in cold butter using a pastry blender until pea-sized crumbs form – you should still see small butter pieces for flakiness.
2. Add ice water one tablespoon at a time, gently tossing until dough just comes together. Shape into a 6-inch disk, wrap, and chill for 60 minutes until firm.
3. Roll chilled dough into a 12½-inch circle on a floured surface. Transfer to a 9-inch deep dish pie plate, crimp edges, and refrigerate 1 hour or freeze 15 minutes.
4. Preheat oven to 400°F. Line crust with foil, fill with pie weights, and blind bake for 15 minutes. Remove weights, prick bottom, and bake 8-12 minutes more until starting to dry.
5. For crumb topping, combine brown sugar, flour, nutmeg, and salt. Stir vanilla into melted butter, then mix into dry ingredients until evenly moistened. Refrigerate.
6. Toss sliced apples with melted butter and lemon juice. Add sugar, flour, and cinnamon, coating evenly.
7. Layer apples into crust, pressing down to fit all slices. Top with crumble mixture in small clumps.
8. Bake at 350°F for 45-55 minutes until apples are just tender. Check halfway through and tent with foil if browning too quickly.
9. Cool on wire rack for 2 hours before serving warm with vanilla ice cream.

Smart Swaps

• Plant-based butter for regular butter (1:1 ratio) for a dairy-free version
• Coconut sugar for brown sugar to reduce refined sugars
• Gluten-free flour blend with xanthan gum for all-purpose flour (1:1 ratio)

Make It Diabetes-Friendly

• Replace sugar with monk fruit sweetener (use 1/3 cup instead of 1/2 cup)
• Use whole wheat pastry flour for 50% of the all-purpose flour
• Increase cinnamon to 1 tsp to help regulate blood sugar
• Serve smaller portions (10 slices instead of 8) with protein-rich Greek yogurt

Pro Tips

• Keep all ingredients cold until needed for the flakiest crust
• Slice apples uniformly for even baking
• Let pie cool completely for clean slices
• Store at room temperature for up to 2 days, covered loosely with foil