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Apple Crumb Pie

A slice of apple crumb pie on a plate.
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4.8 from 14 reviews

This Apple Crumb Pie starts with a flaky pie crust that's filled with juicy, cinnamon-laced apples and topped with an oat crumble. It's a classic, and for good reason! Be sure not to skip the step of macerating the apples for at least 20 minutes. You can let them macerate longer, for a better texture, if time allows. If you do macerate them for longer and you find you have a lot of juice in your bowl, you can strain the juice into a pot and boil it down until it has slightly thickened. This will heighten the apple flavor and ensure you don't have a thin filling. When you are placing the apple filling in the pie, layer the apples closely together to help prevent the crumb topping from sinking.

Ingredients

For Pastry:

  • 1-½ cups (180 grams) all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon (2 grams) coarse kosher salt (see note)
  • 8 tablespoons (110 grams) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into 1" pieces
  • 1 tablespoon (15 grams) apple cider vinegar
  • 1/4 cup (60 grams) ice water, more as needed

For Apple Filling:

  • 3-½  lbs. (about 6-8) baking apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice (about half a lemon)
  • 3 tablespoons cornstarch (or 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour)
  • ⅓ cup (70 grams) light brown sugar, packed
  • ¼ cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
  • ½ teaspoon (2 grams) coarse kosher salt
  • 1-½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Crumble Topping:

  • 8 tablespoons (110 grams) unsalted butter
  • 1 cup (120 grams) all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup (80 grams) old fashioned rolled oats
  • ¼ cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup (55 grams) packed brown sugar
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • Pinch salt

Instructions

Prepare the Pie Crust:

  1. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and salt.
  2. Toss in the butter and coat with flour. Using your fingers, work the butter into the flour. Continue until most of the butter looks shaggy. Some larger pieces can remain, up to the size of a marble.
  3. Add the vinegar to the ice water, then drip in ¾ of it into the flour mixture, and toss together with your fingers. Once the dough is well hydrated, it should easily squeeze together with your hands. Drip in more water as needed. Add just enough water to bring the dough together.
  4. Using your hands, gently bring the dough together as one cohesive mass. Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap. Using a rolling pin, roll the wrapped dough out until it stretches to the edges of the plastic wrap.
  5. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, but preferably overnight.
  6. Roll out pie dough to an 11-inch circle. Fit pastry in a 9-inch pie plate, tucking in and crimping the edges as desired. Set in the refrigerator to chill until ready to use.
  7. Preheat the oven to 425ºF and place an oven rack on the second to lowest level.

Prepare and Bake the Pie:

  1. For the apple filling: In a large bowl, combine the sliced apples and lemon juice. Add the cornstarch, brown sugar, granulated sugar, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla and mix together. Let sit until the apples have released some of their juices, at least 20 minutes.
  2. For the crumble: Melt the butter in a medium pot, then turn off the heat. To the pot, add the flour, oats, granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt and mix until well combined.
  3. Place the macerated apple pieces inside of the pie, taking care to layer them tightly, leaving very little space between the apple pieces. Pour any remaining apple juices into the pie pastry. Sprinkle the crumble mixture on top of the pie.
  4. Bake the pie on a rimmed baking sheet on the lowest rack for 15 minutes. Lower oven temperature to 400ºF and bake for an additional 45-55 minutes, or until pie filling is bubbling and it reaches an internal temperature above 200ºF. If the crust or streusel is browning too quickly, loosely cover with aluminum foil.
  5. Remove the pie from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool. Let pie cool for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight. Serve at room temperature.

Notes

Use a mix of baking apples, such as Gala and Granny Smith.

Pie can be stored, covered, at room temperature for up to 1 day. For longer than 1 day, store in the refrigerator.

Want to make this apple pie without the crumble? Make the recipes as-is but top it with another pie crust to make it a double or lattice crust pie.

Weighing your flour is the most accurate way to measure. If you aren't going to weigh it, make sure to spoon it into the measuring cup and then level it off. If you scoop the flour out with the measuring cup and then level, it could change the outcome of the final product.

This recipe was tested using Diamond Crystal coarse kosher salt. If you use  Morton's kosher salt or fine salt, decrease by half for volume, or use the same amount by weight.

Find it online: https://everydaypie.com/apple-crumble-pie/