This Dutch Apple Pie is our favorite Fall pie. It is filled with tart apples and baked with a sweet and buttery crumb topping.
Dutch Apple Pie
Dutch Apple Pie is by far my husband’s favorite pie, we actually call it Beau’s Dutch Apple Pie. He feels that he owns it, and I don’t argue because it comes from his side of the family. I originally got this recipe from Beau’s mom and she was the one who first taught me how to make it. I immediately fell in love with this pie and could understand what my husband had been raving about. Now we make it all the time, especially in the fall when we can get fresh off the tree apples from our local orchards. And of course, it is ALWAYS made for Thanksgiving.
Easy As Pie
I love how easy Dutch Apple Pie is to make. The crust is just a mix and press crust that is so much easier than traditional pie crusts that you have to roll out. Then you mix the apples with some cinnamon and nutmeg and sugar, but the best secret ingredient to the filling is the almond extract. It gives the apples the most amazing flavor, it is so yummy.
The key is using tart and crisp apples, like Granny Smiths or Pink Ladies. Never make this pie with a really sweet and soft apple like a red delicious. It will not taste as good and it will get too mushy. Braeburn and Galas work great for this recipe too.
Then the best part, the crumb topping! I prefer a crumb topping so much more over a traditional pie crust top. It gives the top of the pie a rich, buttery, sweet, slightly crunchy taste. This pie is absolutely wonderful on its own, but is also really good served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream (and maybe even a little drizzle of some caramel topping).
The Brown Paper Bag
A lot of people get freaked out because you cook this Dutch Apple Pie in the oven in a brown paper bag. Don’t worry, the bag will not catch on fire, you will not open the oven to find flames. You just get a perfectly cooked, delicious apple pie. The brown bag is seriously magic, it makes the pie cook so perfectly and evenly without burning the crumb topping. Just be sure to have it centered on the bottom rack and that the bag is at least a good six inches from the burners along the top of the oven.
Oh yes! A la Mode
Even though this delicious pie can totally stand on its own, who can resist the option of serving it up a la mode? Especially when you pair it with our fabulous homemade vanilla ice cream. This sweet, creamy, homemade treat is perfect on a hot summer day. And is perfect next to hot Dutch Apple Pie.
How to make Dutch Apple Pie
This Dutch Apple Pie is our favorite Fall pie. It is filled with tart apples and baked with a sweet and buttery crumb topping.
Serves: 8
Ingredients
For the Apple Filling:
Instructions
For the Crust:
- Combine all the ingredients in a bowl. Mix well and pat into the bottom and sides of a pie pan. Don't roll the dough out.
For the Apple Filling:
- Combine all ingredients except the apples in a bowl.
- Mix well then toss the apples in the mixture. Put the apple filling into the unbaked pie crust.
For the Crumb Topping:
- Use a pastry blender to cut the butter into the four and sugar, mix until crumbly. Cover the apple filling with the crumb topping.
- Yes, you really do put the pie inside a brown paper bag. Once the pie is inside, roll up the the top of the bag and close it together with either staples or large paper clips.
- Place the bag on the lowest shelf in the oven. Bake at 350 for 90 minutes.
- Don't open the bag until the time is up and you have let it cool outside the oven for about 5 minutes.
- Serve with vanilla ice cream.
Equipment
- Conventional Oven
Recipe Video
Nutrition
Calories: 564kcal | Carbohydrates: 82g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 31mg | Sodium: 344mg | Potassium: 160mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 51g | Vitamin A: 415IU | Vitamin C: 5.2mg | Calcium: 21mg | Iron: 1.9mg
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Tiffany says
I stumbled upon your recipe recently and it is definitely a winner!! We love it so much, I’ve made it several times. That brown paper bag does amazing things! Thank you for sharing! I did want to ask if you think this recipe can still be used with a normal lattice top as opposed to the crumb topping? I absolutely love the crumb topping but am teaching a youth group how to make pies and thought teaching a lattice top would be fun for them. Thank you!!
Favorite Family Recipes says
We haven’t tried this with a lattice top – we just love the crumb topping too much! But let us know how it goes if you do try it!
Billie S. Alost says
This looks great! I am wondering, would it work to substitute berries for the apples? If so, how many cups of berries would you recommend?
Favorite Family Recipes says
We haven’t tried it with berries. Berries have a lot more liquid in them, so I wouldn’t recommend using them in this recipe.
Heidi says
I made this recipe a few times and I love it. The only thing I would change would be to have the top brown a little. Is there some way to do that?
Favorite Family Recipes says
You could remove it from the bag after cooking and place it back in the oven for a few minutes to brown the top. I haven’t tried it that way before, but that’s what I would do.
Axel says
Delicious! Using the crust recipe for most of my pies. It’s a favorite.
Alicia Atwater says
How do you cook this in a Dutch oven?
Favorite Family Recipes says
We haven’t tried it in a dutch oven before, so I’m not sure! Let us know how it goes if you try it!