This homemade Dutch Apple Pie is a showstopping holiday-worthy dessert. It is everything you love about a classic apple pie, but the bubbly pie filling is topped with an irresistible buttery crumb topping in place of the top crust. It’s simple to make and assemble, but really wows on the dessert table!

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We love apple recipes from Classic Apple Pie, Apple Turnovers, and Baked Apples to Apple Coffee Cake (which is my idea of a perfect morning!). There is nothing like the sweet smell of homemade apple desserts, especially in the Fall when apples are ripe and in season.
Dutch Apple Pie Video Tutorial:
Watch Natasha make this Dutch Apple Pie recipe, and be sure to listen for our quick apple-slicing tip in the video. It really does make prepping apples super fast and fun.
What is a Dutch Apple Pie?
Dutch Apple Pie is a crumb-topped apple pie or a mash-up between apple pie and apple crisp. We use a traditional homemade butter crust to line the pie plate, and then we fill it with our fan-favorite apple pie filling as you would for classic Apple Pie.
Then, instead of topping it with another woven crust, we switch it up, using a heavenly mixture of Fall spices, sugar, butter, and chopped pecans, like the streusel of an Apple Crisp, and sprinkle it over the apples. The result is so tasty and makes my house smell amazing.

Ingredients for Dutch Apple Pie
Check your pantry and fridge for everything you need to make this Dutch Apple Pie recipe. It’s the simple ingredients that make it so unforgettable!
- Pie Crust – our homemade pie crust is easy to make and worth the extra few minutes. Use one from the recipe and freeze the other. You can also use a pre-made pie crust.
- Apples – 2.25 lbs of Granny Smith apples equals about 6 apples. See our list below for apple substitutes.
- Filling – cinnamon, butter, flour, water, sugar

The Best Apples for Dutch Apple Pie
We highly recommend using Granny Smith Apples for most apple desserts because the tangy apples contrast the sweetness of the filling. While Granny Smith works best, here are some tips for substitutions:
- Crisp/tart apples that are not overly ripe work best, like Jonagold, Braeburn, Pink Lady or Honey Crisp.
- Adjust the sugar – For sweeter apples, squeeze some fresh lemon juice over your apple slices to balance the sweetness and reduce the sugar in the filling.
- Mix and mingle – For more flavor, you can mix apple varieties such as sweet Honeycrisp with tart Granny Smith.
Ingredients for the Crumb Topping
- Flour – we use all-purpose flour to give the crumb structure
- Sugar – we combine brown sugar and granulated sugar,
- Spice – cinnamon adds warmth and compliments the filling and salt balances the sweetness
- Unsalted Butter – helps the crumbs stick together and crisp up
- Chopped pecans – add nutty flavor and crunch

Pro Tip:
You can leave out the pecans if you don’t prefer nuts or have an allergy. You can also replace them with chopped walnuts, sliced or slivered almonds, shredded coconut, pumpkin seeds or even some rolled oats.
How to Slice Apples for Dutch Apple Pie
You can peel, core, and slice the apples by hand with a knife, but the fastest and easiest way is to use an Apple Slicer. It does all of the prep in one step. Watch the video tutorial above to see this in action. We recommend cutting the slices 1/4″ thick for this Deep Dish Dutch Apple Pie.

How to Make Dutch Apple Crumb Pie
A Dutch apple pie sounds fancy but the process is simple and you will impress everyone with your stunning finished dessert. This recipe has a generous amount of filling so we recommend a deep-dish pie pan.
- Prep the Oven – Preheat to 375°F and place one oven rack on the bottom and one in the center.
- Make the Crust – roll a chilled pie disk and then transfer it to a pie pan. Crimp the edges.

Pro Tip:
The easiest way to transfer a pie crust is to wrap it around your rolling pin and then unroll it into your pie pan, like in the photos above.
- Prep Apples – Peel, core and slice the apples to 1/4″ thick. Toss with cinnamon.
- Make the Apple Filling – in a saucepan, melt butter, then whisk in flour. Add sugar and water. Stir sauce into sliced apples then pour apples over the bottom crust.

- Make Crumb Topping – using your hands or a pastry blender, form pea-sized crumbles from flour, brown and granulated sugar, cinnamon, salt, and butter, then add pecans. Sprinkle the crumb mixture over the apples.

- Bake Uncovered at 375˚F for 55 minutes and allow to cool for 1 hour before serving. This helps the filling set and it will be easier to slice.

How to Know When Dutch Apple Pie is Done
The pie is done when you see bubbling juices at the edges coming through the topping. You can also check with an instant-read thermometer. Pectin breaks down and softens the apples at 175˚, so you want your pie filling to reach 175˚F.

How to Serve Dutch Apple Pie
Dutch apple pie will get all the attention on a Dessert Table. It’s truly delicious and smells heavenly! After baking, you’ll want to cool it for about an hour so it sets up a bit for easier slicing. I like to serve it warm, but you can also serve it at room temperature or chilled right out of the fridge.
If you want to make the pie even more decadent, serve it with:
- Vanilla Ice Cream scooped over each slice
- Caramel Sauce drizzled over the pie
- Whipped Cream lightly sweetened like in our Strawberry Shortcake Recipe
Make-Ahead
We love to make and serve the pie the same day it is made but you can pre-make portions of the pie or even bake the entire apple pie with crumb topping ahead.
- Pie Crust – The homemade pie dough can be made 2 days ahead and refrigerated until ready to use. You can even mold it in the pie pan ahead, cover it, and refrigerate it a day ahead.
- Crumble Topping – you can make the topping a day ahead, cover it, and refrigerate until ready to use.
- Storing the Finished Pie – the pie can be baked, cooled, and refrigerated a day ahead. Bring the pie to room temperature or slightly warm it in the oven before serving.

Everything about this Dutch Apple Pie is good, from the flaky pastry dough to the warm gooey apple filling and crisp buttery pecan topping. It’s a must-try for your next Holiday Menu!
More Holiday Desserts
If you love this Dutch Apple Pie recipe, then you won’t want to miss these holiday desserts. These are the fan favorites that are most popular for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s.
- Pumpkin Cake
- Tiramisu
- Red Velvet Cake
- Toffee
- Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
- Baklava
- Banana Bread
- Tres Leches Cake
- Pumpkin Cheesecake
Dutch Apple Pie Recipe (Apple Crumb Pie)

Ingredients
For the Dutch Apple Pie:
- 1 pie crust , (1/2 of our pie dough recipe)
- 2 1/4 lbs granny smith apples, 6 medium apples
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 8 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 cup granulated sugar
For the Crumb Topping:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 8 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375˚F with a rack on the bottom and a rack in the center of the oven.
- Roll out your chilled pie dough on a lightly floured surface to a 12” diameter circle. Transfer to a 9” pie pan. Tuck excess pie dough into the dish and crimp the edges.
- Peel, core, and thinly slice apples to about 1/4” thickness. You should have 7 cups of sliced apples. Place them in a mixing bowl and stir in 1 tsp cinnamon.
- Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in 3 Tbsp flour then simmer for 1 minute, whisking constantly. Whisk in 1/4 cup water, 1 cup sugar and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and continue simmering for 3 minutes, whisking frequently then remove from heat. Pour the sauce over the apples and stir to coat the apple slices. Pour apples over bottom crust.
- To Make the Crumb Topping, stir together dry ingredients: flour, sugars, cinnamon, and salt. Add butter and work it into the mixture with our hands until pea-size crumbs form throughout the mixture. Stir in pecans. Spread the crumb topping evenly over your apples
- Bake uncovered at 375˚F for 50-60 minutes (we found 55 minutes to be perfect), or until the center of the pie registers 175˚F. Place a sheet of foil on the bottom rack to catch any drips from the pie. If topping is browning too much, cover with a sheet of foil. Remove from oven and cool 1 hour to allow the filling to set so it’s easier to slice.



Excellent! Made it for Thanksgiving. We love it! I will definitely make again.
I’m so glad it was enjoyed!
Can you assemble pie before baking and freeze? Looking to make it ahead of time. Thanks!
Hi Jen! Yes- it can be frozen and then baked from a frozen state. Watch it in the oven because it will take just a while longer to bake since it’s frozen.
Natasha, thank you for this beautiful and delicious Five Star recipe. My teen and I made it for Thanksgiving.
That’s wonderful. You’re very welcome, Lindy!
Your recipes never disappoint but this was truly fabulous! Made it for Thanksgiving dessert and everyone absolutely loved it! Thank you Natasha and happy holidays to you and your family!
You are so welcome, Fawn! I’m so glad you loved it!
Aloha and Happy Thanksgiving everyone. I made this today, from crust to crumble. *chef’s kiss* this pie is perfection! Thank you for your precision and guidance through the entire process, it is why this is a success!
Thank you so much for your good comments and feedback, we appreciate it!
This is the BEST Dutch Apple Pie I’ve ever made. I almost always make some type of changes to recipes. I tossed the apples with about 1 TBS of Lemon Juice before adding the Cinnamon. I also added 1/4 Cup of Sour Cream to the Apples which then needed a little more Flour in the butter mixture. I used about 3/4 + Cup Sugar (a little less than recipe) mixture of Sugar and Brown Sugar (mostly granulated sugar). I eliminated the Pecans (trying a little on one piece but prefer it with none).
EXCELLENT. Thank you so much. I know this would have still been 5* without any changes.
You’re very welcome! I’m glad you love it!
I’ve made this pie 4 times and it’s super delicious! Thank you for sharing all of your amazing recipes!
You’re very welcome! I’m so glad you love it!
I plan to make your apple pie recipe for Thanksgiving and was comparing your lattice weave top crust recipe (Apple Pie Recipe with the Best Filling) to your Dutch Crumb top. Why do you bake the lattice crust at 425 for 15 mintues then reduce to 350 whereas the Dutch Crumb Top recipe bakes the pie at 350 the entire time?
Hi Lisa, thanks for your question. It also has a lot to do with the filling to ensure that is fully cooked through, there will be variations for different recipes. I recommend baking it as written and then making adjustments as you see fit with future attempts, to your liking.
We made this as per your recipe and it was GREAT!! We made another per your recipe and added some caramel bits to the apple mix before baking and the melted inside caramel was the kids favorite. Now we have to make them both on occasions
Thanks for another great recipe!
These are perfect for occasions, David! Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
We have made this pie for 3 years now. It has become the family favorite!!! We use real lemon juice on the apples to keep them from browning while we are prepping the sauce/glaze.
Now even our friends/family ask us to make it all year long.
Thank you for a wonderful recipe.
I’m so glad you found a new family favorite, Coral! Thank you so much for sharing that with me!
This pie was delicious. I used less sugar (1/2 to 2/3 C.) I have a couple of questions, though. When I was whisking the sauce, the butter would separate from the flour. It still turned out wonderful, though. And the recipe calls for 8T butter, but the video looks like you are using just 4T or perhaps that’s the way the butter is packaged. At any rate – this pie is wonderful and I will make it again!
Thank you for sharing, Helen! I’m so glad you loved the recipe.
Can Lakanto sugar be substituted for regular white sugar? And if so, what does the measurement have to be?
I honestly haven’t tested that substitition yet to advise.
I’m going to make this again (it was sooo good the last time!) but this time I’m going to use your pie crust recipe. Should I prebake the pie crust or I don’t have to?
Hi Cassandra. For our fruit pies, we do not pre-bake the crust.
GREAT GREAT RECIPE! I had to cut down on the butter: one stick for the crust and one for the filling. I also put the apples on the stove top to soften with the sugar vanilla and cinnamon.
It still came out UH-MAZING!!! Thanks so much 🙂
That’s great, Tee!
Could this be made into individual tarts rather than a full pie? This looks amazing
Thank you.
Hi Aileen, I haven’t tested that but I imagine that will work too.
Hi Natasha,
Your Blueberry Pie recipe was a big hit with my hubby and friends!
I’d like to make your Dutch Apple Pie recipe but my husband is allergic to all tree nuts. Is it possible to substitute something comparable? Imo, it needs something to add that texture and complex flavor. TIA
Hi Lauren! You can leave them out completely. I hope you love the apple pie too!
The BEST apple pie EVER!
Thank you so much for this recipe!
One question….I’ve been tasked with making 2….have you ever baked 2 at the same time? If so, how much time did you add to the bake?
Hi Jen! Yes, if they are the same size you should be able to bake them together without making any changes to the time and temperature. You may need to rotate them half way through to ensure even baking for both pies. If they need a few extra minutes go ahead and leave them in a little while longer.
Hi Natasha,
I love this recipe, my family used whip cream on top and there were no leftovers-so I made another one:) Like you say “It is a party in your mouth” I’m going to make this for a birthday in November!!!!
You’re The Best
p.s. I added walnuts those are my favorite add ins!!!!
Hi Melinda! That’s so much for the wonderful review. I’m glad your family loved this recipe.
Can you use this topping on apple crisp I don’t like oatmeal
Yes, that would work.
Everyone loves this pie! I have made it three times in the last 8 weeks and there is never a crumb left once it is cut into. I was recently invited to a dinner party and was asked to bring “The Pie”. Of course, they meant your Dutch Apple Pie! It’s taken on a life of its own!! Thank you for sharing this recipe.
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Robin! I’m so glad you all enjoyed it!