The Best Dutch Apple Pie Recipe (2024)

This Dutch Apple Pie has a brown sugar cookie crust filled with a homemade apple pie filling and covered in a crumble topping. Not only is this Dutch apple pie easy to make, but it is absolutely delicious and will leave everyone asking for more.

The Best Dutch Apple Pie Recipe (1)

If you need a quick and easy pie, this Dutch Apple Pie is our favorite!

I don’t love traditional pie crust, but the cookie-like crust and crumble topping on this pie are amazing.

It is always a crowd favorite and perfect for Thanksgiving!

The Best Dutch Apple Pie Recipe (2)

Ingredients needed for Dutch Apple Pie:

  • flour
  • brown sugar
  • butter
  • quick oats
  • sugar
  • cornstarch
  • water
  • Granny Smith apples
  • vanilla
  • cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and allspice

What are the best apples for apple pie?

One of the most popular baking apples are Granny Smith apples. They are tart, tangy and perfectly firm to use in apple pie.

If you are looking for a sweeter apple, try Honeycrisp, Braeburn or Jonathan apples.

We have another delicious apple pie recipe. Be sure to make our easy and deliciousDisney’s Caramel Apple Pie recipe. It’s amazing!

The Best Dutch Apple Pie Recipe (3)

What is aDutch Apple pie vs atraditional apple pie?

The difference between a Dutch apple pie and a regular apple pie is the streusel topping.

Dutch apple pie has an amazing crumble topping made up of butter, flour and brown sugar that gives it a sweet and crunchy topping.

How to make Dutch apple pie (The secret!):

The secret to this being the best homemade apple pie recipe is the delicious brown sugar oatmeal crust. It literally tastes like a cookie!

To make the crust, mix together flour, brown sugar, butter and oats with a pastry blender. We used a hand held blender like this.

The Best Dutch Apple Pie Recipe (4)

It will create a crumb mixture, so set aside 1 cup of it to sprinkle on top before baking.

Press the remaining crumb mixture on the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie pan.

To make the apple pie filling, bring sugar, cornstarch and water to a boil over medium-high heat.

Once it’s boiling, let it boil for 2 minutes while stirring constantly.

The Best Dutch Apple Pie Recipe (5)

Remove from heat and add apples, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and allspice, then pour into the prepared crust.

Top apples with the remaining crumb mixture.

Bake for about 45 minutes, let it cool and enjoy!

Items needed for this recipe:

Glass Mixing Bowl: I use this bowl for everything. This glass bowl is dishwasher, microwave and oven safe.
9-inch Pie Pan: These pie pans are great for pies, lasagnas, casseroles, cakes, breads, and cobblers. The glass is non-porous, so it won’t absorb food odors or stains.
Saucepan: This nonstick saucepan is a staple in our household. I love that the handle stays cool even when the pan is over high heat.

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The Best Dutch Apple Pie Recipe (6)

This cookbook includes copycat recipes from Wingers, Texas Roadhouse, Starbucks, Panera, Cheesecake Factory, Kneaders, and so much more.

We are so excited to share these recipes with you. Order your copy today!

Love cooking as much as we do? Join our FREE private Facebook Group: Six Sisters’ Dinner Club!

If you are planning Thanksgiving dinner, be sure to check out all of our favorite Thanksgiving recipes:

  • 30 Minute Dinner Rolls
  • Grandma’s Thanksgiving Stuffing
  • Green Bean Casserole
  • Slow Cooker Creamy Mashed Potatoes
  • How To Make Turkey Gravy From Scratch
  • Slow Cooker Macaroni and Cheese
  • Strawberry Jello Fluff Salad
  • Easy Sweet Cornbread
  • Simple Pumpkin Pie
  • Pumpkin Dump Cake
  • Fluffy Cranberry Salad
  • Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes
  • The BEST Candied Yams without Corn Syrup
  • Slow Cooker Creamed Corn
The Best Dutch Apple Pie Recipe (7)

More delicious homemade pie recipes:

  • Frozen Raspberry Lemonade Pie
  • Fresh Strawberry Pie
  • Hula Pie
  • Slab Apple Pie
  • Snickers Pie
  • Apple Hand Pies
  • Baked Peach Hand Pies
  • Disney’s Apple Caramel Pie

The Best Dutch Apple Pie Recipe (8)

Serves: 8

The Best Dutch Apple Pie (Crumble Topping) Recipe

4.50 from 6 votes

Brown sugar cookie crust filled with a homemade apple pie filling and covered in a crumble topping make the Best Apple Pie Recipe you will ever taste.

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

PrintPin

Ingredients

Crust:

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • ¾ cup butter cold
  • ½ cup quick oats

Filling:

  • cup sugar
  • 3 Tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1 ¼ cups water
  • 5-6 Granny Smith apples peeled, cored, and sliced or diced
  • 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ¼ teaspoon allspice

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

  • In a large bowl, mix together flour, brown sugar, butter and oats with a pastry blender. Set aside one cup of mixture for crumb topping.

  • Press the remaining crumb mixture into an ungreased 9-inch pie pan; set aside.

  • In a sauce pan, combine sugar, cornstarch and water over medium-high heat.

  • Bring to a boil and let boil for 2 minutes, whisking constantly (it will thicken up quickly so it's important to keep stirring the whole time!).

  • Remove from heat and fold in apples, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and allspice.

  • Pour apple mixture into prepared crust and sprinkle seet-aside crumb topping on top.

  • Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until topping is golden brown and apples are tender.

  • Let cool before serving.

Notes

  • One of the most popular baking apples is Granny Smith. It’s tart, tangy and perfectly firm to use in apple pie.
  • If you are looking for a sweeter apple, try Honeycrisp, Braeburn or Jonathan apples.
  • You could make this pie a day in advance and it would still taste amazing.

Nutrition

Calories: 528 kcal · Carbohydrates: 90 g · Protein: 4 g · Fat: 18 g · Saturated Fat: 11 g · Cholesterol: 46 mg · Sodium: 164 mg · Potassium: 215 mg · Fiber: 4 g · Sugar: 55 g · Vitamin A: 593 IU · Vitamin C: 5 mg · Calcium: 44 mg · Iron: 2 mg

Equipment

  • pie pan

  • Large Mixing Bowl

Recipe Details

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

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  1. Librarian Lavender says:

    I love apple pies! My dad makes such a good one with a crust that tastes like cookies. Great recipe!

  2. Happy Valley Chow says:

    That looks sooooo good! I love pie way to much, I wanted to have it for my wedding instead of cake, but my wife wouldn't have it haha. Happy Blogging!Happy Valley Chow

  3. dc says:

    I'm totally a pie person. Not thrilled about the crust...but I'll eat it to get to the filling!!!

  4. Diane says:

    Unfortunately we thought this was absolutely awful and had to throw it away. Sickening sweet. Love the concept, though. The cornstarch/water mixture resulted in a horrid glue like (and visually disturbing) filling. Hated having to waste all those ingredients.

  5. JanC says:

    This was great! I don't understand the previous reviews. My pie was beautiful and it was not too sweet. The only thing I changed was I added cinnamon to the crust and filling. It is an apple pie, after all! (Maybe that was a forgotten ingredient??)

  6. saske says:

    No DUTCH pie!! No oats in Dutch apple pie!!!

  7. J Bells says:

    I made this pie today with my daughter. Of course as soon as it came out of the oven my husband and father in law were hanging over my shoulder to eat it. Their review was, "it tastes like hot apple oatmeal." I have to admit when I was mixing the cornstarch mixture with the apples I immediately regretted choosing this recipe. Its just weird. I'm a texture person so that doesn't help. A thick sticky filling just didn't seem right. I'll admit it, it tasted good, Maybe some cinnamon would help...

  8. DJ says:

    I think trying this out will make the Wife very happy :) thanks for the ideas. Diane you must have baked it wrong or mix'd it wrong because I see no way how it could be like a glue like nasty filling...

  9. JBeck says:

    I am not sure why people said it didn't work for them- I made this and it was amazing!! I don't really like pie crust either, so this was the perfect alternative. I will be keeping this recipe on file for the future! Thanks!

  10. Shannon says:

    Made this tonight. Didn't use the topping as my crust, just used a regular frozen one. Cut the topping ingredients in half to just do the top of the pie. Added 1 tbsp of cinnamon...because, well, this is an apple pie! The filling mixture just reminded me of the filling in a store bought pie. The apple filling didn't turn out solid after baking, but instead, fell apart. Nonetheless, it was delicious and will have no trouble disappearing in my house!

  11. Michelle says:

    A friend of mine said after having a slice, "It's not terrible, but it's not good either."

  12. Hilary says:

    I am getting ready to make this recipe today and got it from your new christmas cookbook. I noticed in the description it said there were oats, but none were in the ingredients list. I'm glad it was listed on your site because I've been searching for a good dutch apple pie recipe. Can't wait to try it :)

  13. LuAnn says:

    Made this and loved it!! The topping is what made this pie to me- and the filling was perfect!

  14. Belinda says:

    Loved this recipe! My hubby loves Dutch Apple pie and I decided to try this for Thanksgiving. I did add some cinnamon and a little nutmeg to the filling but otherwise I kept the recipe the same. We love regular pie crust but this "cookie" crust was a delicious surprise. Will definitely make it again and again!

  15. Marcel says:

    I bake a lot. And I am very good at it. But I had never made a Dutch Apple Pie before, only old fashion apple pies. I followed the recipe explicitly, and in the end, this was the worst thing I had ever baked. It lacked any real flavor. The oatmeal in the crust I thought was an ingenious idea, but instead made the crust SO hard and taste like a mouthful of dry oats. The filling itself was just as awful, being nothing more than a gelatin mold with chunks of apple. I didn't notice until I was putting it in the oven, that this recipe doesn't call for any spices. Cinnamon and nutmeg are staple ingredients in most apple baked goods. Not even a pinch of Apple Pie Spice could have saved this pie though. Thankfully I was doing a trial run before I made it for Thanksgiving. I saved myself from what surly would have been an embarrassing moment at our family gathering. No one finished there slice of pie, and the kids just ate the middle. I threw the rest out before it even cooled down. Save yourself the time and stress, and the waste of apples. Your house won't even smell good after baking this disastrous pie.

  16. Starr says:

    I made this tonight and this was actulaly my first time making apple pie. This pie was absolutely AMAZING. OMG, I love love love. Thank you so much for this recipe. I feel almost like the best baker in town with this recipe. lol lol the right amount of sweetness, tang from the granny smith's, the crunch from the crust. Oh yea, this was everything.

  17. Lori Griffin says:

    This is not a true 'dutch apple' pie. The original recipe for that very old-fashioned pie that originated in Pennsyvlania Dutch country has a lovely brown sugar/sour cream or heavy cream mixture that is spooned over the top of the apples before baking. It's delicious. It's very flavourful and it's beyond yummy.

  18. Lori Griffin says:

    You're right. It's not.

  19. Elsie says:

    This recipe REALLY needs some spices like cinnamon, nutmeg or apple pie spice. I wish I had thought of that as I was mixing the ingredients. Oh well, it was my first time baking pie so I guess I will keep that in mind next time I look for a different recipe.

  20. Jess says:

    I absolutely love this recipe! So much so I added it to my ultimate apple recipe roundup...I hope you will come by and take a look! Have a great week xo http://dreamingofleaving.com/2015/09/21/worlds-best-apple-recipe-roundup/

  21. Shana says:

    I am in love with this pie! It is amazing! I would choose this pie over chocolate.

  22. Caroline says:

    I am Dutch :) and everyone I make it for, always asks if I can bake it again. I put some salt in crumble bottom, and add cinnamon and raisins to the Apple filling. I sprinkle apples with lemon juice Best Apple pie ever.

  23. Vickie Sanders says:

    Our family liked the recipe. One piece of advice. Don't press the bottom layer of crust down. We also used allspice instead of cardamom. It tasted great!

  24. Lisa Liel says:

    It's not Dutch Apple Pie. But I don't care. It's scrumptious! And it's about the simplest and quickest pie recipe I've come across. Everyone raved about it. Thank you so much for the recipe!

  25. Melanie Cash says:

    This pie was delicious. I did add cinnamon to it. Easy to make also

  26. chicook13 says:

    I didn't make this filling but the crust/topping is heavenly! I made two pies on consecutive nights because it was so delicious. I did also add Vietnamese cinnamon to my topping/crust. Thanks for a fantastic recipe!

  27. Lori says:

    This has become a fall favorite in our house. I tend to go heavy with the cinnamon and add some pie spice as well.

  28. Amanda says:

    You changed the recipe in the last couple weeks 🤔

  29. Momma Cyd says:

    We updated the pictures on the post. We added a few spices. You can easily leave them out if you want. Other than that, it's all the same!

  30. JaneDoe says:

    I loved this recipe so much!

  31. Tracy Cramer says:

    I read some of the reviews and some of them are strange.. the “glue” is just like any other pie filling. Over all we loved this dish! Made with apples I grew on our farm. I’ve already made it twice in the last 24h. Sooo yummy.

    The Best Dutch Apple Pie Recipe (9)

  32. Brittany millard says:

    Best pie I have ever had and first pie I have ever baked. Family raved and now want one for thanksgiving!!!

    The Best Dutch Apple Pie Recipe (10)

  33. Momma Cyd says:

    Brittany, this is wonderful! Have a Happy Thanksgiving with your family!

  34. Charlene Vogel says:

    I love this recipe!!! It was simple to make and was amazing! This is now my apple pie go to. Thank you for sharing.

    The Best Dutch Apple Pie Recipe (11)

  35. Angel says:

    I love apple pie! I have never made a pie before. Today is my 43rd birthday so I thought why not make a pie. It was so easy and so good!!

    The Best Dutch Apple Pie Recipe (12)

  36. Janice Weaver says:

    The pie is in the oven now. So I'm not sure how it will turn out. Questions: Is the butter supposed to be cut into the flour/sugar mixture? Melted? What? Would like a gauge on cups of apples. I didn't use granny smith. I assumed around 4 cups. But I'm prepared for it to boil over the sides.

  37. Momma Cyd says:

    You'll want the butter to be cold and we used a pastry blender to mix the dough together. And you'll be fine with 4 small apples the size of Granny Smith apples. About 4 cups.

  38. Natalie says:

    Made this and LOVED it! I have a lot of apples to use up from our tree...have you ever made the pie and then frozen it before cooking it? Just wondering if I could freeze it and pull out to cook for thanksgiving. Thank you for sharing your wonderful recipes!

  39. Momma Cyd says:

    Yes, you could freeze this before baking.

  40. Kaitlin says:

    We really like the crumble topping! However, we didn’t really like how the filling turned out. I’m not quite sure how to explain it. The filling has the taste/goop of canned apple pie filling. Which isn’t a bad thing, but I prefer to make apple pie filling by mixing the apples, sugar, cinnamon so it’s not super goopy/saucy.

    The Best Dutch Apple Pie Recipe (13)

  41. Angie says:

    I think the issues described below (no spices, too sweet, too thick) have been corrected. I was worried the cookie crust was too dry but it came out perfectly. I grate cold butter rather than cut in so maybe that's why it was dry. The pie is definitely not too sweet, just right.

    The Best Dutch Apple Pie Recipe (14)

The Best Dutch Apple Pie Recipe (15)

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The Best Dutch Apple Pie Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What are the crumbs made of on a Dutch apple pie? ›

Let me fill you in: dutch apple pie is traditionally made with a streusel topping made up of butter, flour, brown sugar and sometimes, nuts or oats. It's just slightly sweeter than traditional apple pies made with a lattice crust or regular crust on top and perfect with ice cream on top.

What is the difference between a classic apple pie and a Dutch apple pie? ›

Dutch apple pies have a crumbly topping while traditional apple pies have a top layer made from pie crust. Unlike other apple pie varieties like French apple pies, Dutch apple pies have a streusel topping that can require extra prep time and tools like a pastry blender.

Should I bake a pie crust before filling? ›

You do not need to pre-bake a pie crust for an apple pie or any baked fruit pie really, but we do freeze the dough to help it stay put. Pre-baking the pie crust is only required when making a custard pie OR when making a fresh fruit pie. you should probably get: Pie weights are super helpful to have for pre-baking.

Why is my Dutch apple pie runny? ›

Allow your pie to bake for the entire recommended period.

Your pie may start to brown early, making it look ready. People often pull their pie too soon out of fear that it will burn. This leads to runny pie because it prevents the filling from thickening.

What type of pie pan is best for apple pie? ›

Like glass dishes, ceramic pie dishes conduct heat slowly and evenly, which helps yield uniformly golden crusts and thoroughly cooked fillings, even when making fruit pies, like apple, that require lengthy cooks to soften down.

Which is better Dutch apple pie or apple pie? ›

Someone who prefers the taste and texture of streusel, over pie crust would think the Dutch apple pie is better. Someone who isn't a very experienced baker might prefer to make a Dutch apple pie. It's pretty easy to sprinkle the topping on the pie and still end up with a nice looking pie.

What are the two best apples for apple pie? ›

For instance, these apple pie bars use both Granny Smith (which are tart) and Honey Crisp (which are sweet). Also consider balancing the texture. A mix of crisp and soft apples will give you a more nuanced texture, making each bite more interesting.

What kind of apples does mcdonalds use for their pies? ›

So you can put away your Granny Smiths and Red Delicious if you think you can just whip up McDonald's signature dessert at home. Instead, Mickey D's makes their pies with six different types of apples — Jonagold, Fuji, Golden Delicious, Gala, Rome, and Ida Red, all of which are homegrown in the U.S.

Are Honeycrisp apples good for you? ›

The health benefits from eating apples are numerous. One medium Honeycrisp apple has 5 grams of fiber and only 80 calories. Because of the amount and type of fiber, an apple will help a person feel full longer, helping him or her to consume fewer calories daily. The pectin in apples may also help lower cholesterol.

What is the number one apple for pie? ›

Granny Smith apples are considered by many to be the "pie apples." They are known for their snappy tartness and ability to maintain their shape and texture when cooked. These are, no doubt, a terrific choice for apple pie — especially when combined with a sweeter, softer apple like Braeberns or Crispins.

How is Dutch apple pie different? ›

What Makes it “Dutch”? The unique crumb topping of butter, sugar, and flour is what sets this dessert apart. While traditional apple pie boasts a regular double crust (a crust on the bottom and a crust on top), a Dutch apple pie has a regular bottom crust, but a crumble topping.

How do you keep a Dutch apple pie fresh? ›

If you happen to have leftovers, there's no need to fret—homemade Dutch Apple Pie will keep well when stored at room temperature for up to two days. If you're in a warm climate, we'd recommend storing your pie in the fridge instead.

Should I pre bake frozen pie crust for apple pie? ›

Pre-baking is a must if you're looking for a flaky pie crust. It's especially helpful for recipes with a wet center. Recipes for most tarts, pies, and quiches call for pre-baking to ensure that the final product doesn't end up soggy.

What is apple crumble topping made of? ›

An apple crumble is a baked dessert consisting of tender pieces of cooked apple tucked under a buttery, crumbly topping made from flour, sugar, butter, and other ingredients, such as rolled oats, spices, and nuts. The apple crumble is a play on traditional apple pie that requires less time, effort, and baking prowess.

What is crumble topping made of? ›

As its name suggests, crumb topping is a dessert topping. It's a simple mixture of butter, sugar, and flour, and is typically used to top pies or muffins prior to baking for a crunchy, sweet contrast.

What is apple crumb made of? ›

Apple Crumble Recipe Ingredients

All-purpose flour and almond flour – The almond flour adds extra richness to the topping, while the all-purpose flour keeps it light and crisp. Whole rolled oats – Because to me, nothing says fall like oats, nuts, and apples. Walnuts – For crunch!

What is crumble crust made of? ›

Directions. Stir together crushed cookies or crackers, sugar, and (if used) salt in a medium bowl until well combined. Stir in 3 Tbsp. melted butter, adding additional butter, 1 Tbsp.

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