Dutch Apple Pie vs. American Apple Pie
Although both incredibly delicious and filled with a sweet apple center, there are distinct differences between Dutch apple pie recipes and American-style apple pie. For instance, American apple pies can be identified by their flaky, buttery crust that is layered on the top and bottom of the dessert. Meanwhile, Dutch apple pies only have a bottom layer of crust. Then, they are finished with a crisp topping similar to what you would find on a fruit crumble.
Key Ingredients for Dutch Apple Pie
Just a handful of pantry staples combine to create the most mouthwatering dutch apple pie recipe. Here they are:
- Flour and salt are mixed together and combined with cold butter and a bit of water to form a base layer of crust.
- More flour is combined with brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt to create a crisp, sweet topping. Don’t forget to add an extra dollop of butter and a heap of pecans, too! They add extra fat and a crunchy texture that make this recipe to die for.
- Apples and cranberries pair together to form the most delectable fruit filling. Then, brown sugar, flour, salt, and cinnamon help sweeten the deal and thicken the center for a dessert that truly stands on its own.
- A sprinkle of lemon juice helps prevent the apples from browning and cuts through the heavy fats for a light and fruity taste.
Tips to Make the Best Dutch Apple Pie Recipe from Scratch
Just when you thought this recipe couldn’t get any easier, we’re giving you our best tips to make sure it’s failproof every single time.
- Use Cold Butter. When mixed into the flour mixture with a pastry cutter, chilled butter will bake in layers and spread throughout the dough. This results in a decadently flaky crust.
- Don’t Overwork the Dough. You want the ingredients to be just combined and the chunks of butter to still be visible. Otherwise, your crust will turn out hard and tough instead of soft and tender.
- Peel the Apples. Technically, you could use apples with their skin intact. However, peeling them will allow for a super soft center that bakes to sweet, gooey perfection.
- Cover Your Pie with Foil. If the crumble topping begins to brown too early, take your pie out of the oven. Then, loosely cover it with foil, and continue to bake.
- Let It Cool! It’s nearly impossible not to dig in right away, but it’s crucial to wait in order for the filling to set. Otherwise, it will be runny when you slice into your pie.
Common Questions About Dutch Apple Pie
Of course, homemade dough will always taste best. However, if you’re in a pinch for time, a store bought pie dough can be used for bottom crust.
There are tons of different apples to choose from, but we like Honeycrisp best. Other popular options include Granny Smith, Fuji, Braeburn, or Gala. The important thing is to pick a type of baking apple as they hold their structure best.
Yes, once cooled, your pie can be covered in plastic wrap and kept in the fridge for up to 2 days. Pie is best reheated in oven or toaster oven to regain a crisp topping.
More to Bake and Eat
Dutch Apple Pie
A perfect balance of sweet and tangy flavors topped with an irresistible crumble topping, this Dutch apple pie recipe is simply scrumptious. Serve it on its own or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Servings: 8
For the dough (single crust):
- 1 ¼ cups all purpose flour
- ¼ tsp table salt
- ½ cup butter, chilled and diced
- ¼ cup very cold ice water
For crumble topping:
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup packed light brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ½ stick unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- ½ cup pecans, coarsely chopped
For the Filling:
- 2 ½ lbs honeycrisp apples*, about 7, peeled/thinly sliced
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 ½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 4 tablespoons salted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- Equipment: a 9 1/2-inch deep-dish pie plate, 6-cup capacity
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In a bowl, combine flour and salt. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs, just until there remains small pea-sized butter chunks in the dough. Gently stir in 1 TB of ice cold water at a time, until mixture starts to hold together. It should be pliable enough to stick together when pinched, but not sticky. Work the dough sparingly, using either pastry cutter or cold fingers. The key is not to overwork the dough (avoid using food processor.) The little chunks of butter should still be visible. Gently form dough ball and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate at least 1 hour (up to overnight.)
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Stir together flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl. Blend in butter with your fingertips until large clumps form, then stir in pecans. Chill until ready to use.
-
Stir together apples, cranberries, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, salt, and lemon juice in a large bowl.
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Preheat oven to 425°F with rack in lowest position. Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin into a 13-inch round, then fit into pie plate. Trim edge, leaving a 1/2-inch overhang, then fold overhang under and crimp decoratively. Transfer fruit filling to pie shell and dot with butter. Loosely cover with foil and bake until apples droop slightly, about 30 minutes.
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Reduce oven temperature to 375°F. Sprinkle crumble topping over filling and bake, uncovered, until crumble is browned, filling is bubbling, and apples are tender, 45 minutes to 1 hour more. If crumble starts to brown too quickly, loosely cover with foil. Allow pie to cool completely before slicing.
*If desired, substitute 2/3 cup apples for fresh cranberries during holiday season.
* See this article for how to accurately measure flour using the scoop/level method. Accurate flour measurement is important for dough.
*For Gluten-Free: Use 1:1 gluten free baking flour in place of regular flour
If you enjoyed this recipe, please come back and give it a rating ♡
Serving: 1g | Calories: 256kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 31mg | Sodium: 93mg | Potassium: 31mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 359IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 35mg | Iron: 1mg
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