If you're looking for the absolute best Dutch Apple Pie with streusel topping, this fail-proof recipe is your answer! By pairing a blind-baked pie crust with a warm, pre-cooked apple filling, you get perfectly tender apples and zero soggy bottom crust. Once assembled, it needs just 20 minutes in the oven to bake that buttery brown sugar crumble to golden perfection, making it the ultimate warm, cozy dessert for Thanksgiving or fall weekend baking!
This is hands-down my most requested pie, and my husband's absolute favorite pie recipe! While I also love a classic apple pie, or an easy Apple Strudel with Puff Pastry, there is just something so comforting about that buttery streusel topping paired with warm, spiced apples. It has become a staple on our Thanksgiving dessert table!
Table of contents
What makes this recipe a total winner is the simple technique. Taking a few extra minutes to blind bake the pie crust and pre-cook the apple pie filling on the stovetop eliminates all the guesswork! And if you've never done it before, don't worry, I've got you covered with my complete guide on how to blind bake a pie crust.
What Are The Best Apples For Dutch Apple Pie?
For a pie filling that holds its shape and hits the ultimate sweet-tart balance, using a mix of firm baking apples is key! My favorite combo for the best apple pie filling is a blend of Granny Smith and Pink Lady apples, using slightly more Pink Lady than Granny Smith.
When cooked down with warm brown sugar and spices, this combination creates a perfectly balanced filling with incredible texture:
- Pink Lady (My Favorite!): Crisp, firm, and naturally sweet with a touch of tartness. Using a higher ratio of Pink Lady apples brings incredible natural sweetness and an amazing tender bite that holds up during pre-cooking.
- Granny Smith: The ultimate baking classic! Their sharp, puckery tartness cuts through the rich sugar and spices, while their firm structure keeps the filling from turning into mush.
- Honeycrisp or Braeburn: Excellent alternatives if you can't find Pink Lady! Both are wonderfully crisp, firm, and pack a great sweet-tart flavor that bakes up beautifully.
- Baker's Tip: Steer clear of soft apples like Red Delicious, McIntosh, or Gala. They break down too quickly when heated, which can cause your pre-cooked apple filling to become mushy or watery!
Key Ingredients & Substitutions
- Apples: Use a mix of firm baking apples like Pink Lady and Granny Smith (leaning heavier on Pink Lady for natural sweetness!). If you can't find Pink Lady, Honeycrisp, Braeburn, or Gala make great substitutes. Just steer clear of soft eating apples like Red Delicious or McIntosh, which turn mushy when heated.
- Pie Crust: You'll need one single 9-inch pie crust. You can use your favorite store-bought refrigerated pie dough, or a batch of my homemade Flaky Pie Dough. Just be sure to fully blind bake whichever crust you choose so it stays crisp!
- Spices: We're making a warm blend using cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. If you're short on time or want to simplify your spice cabinet, you can substitute the individual spices with 2 teaspoons of your favorite store-bought apple pie spice.
- Butter: Unsalted butter gives us total control over the salt level in both the filling glaze and the streusel. If you only have salted butter on hand, simply omit the added salt in both the filling and the streusel topping.
See the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and exact measurements.
How To Make Dutch Apple Pie
For the longest time, I struggled with underbaked, doughy pie crusts, it was so frustrating! This method completely fixes that. By fully blind baking the pie crust and cooking the apple filling separately on the stovetop, you have total control over both elements. No more raw dough, no more guesswork, just pie perfection every single time! Here is how it comes together:
- Blind bake your pie crust until lightly golden and set aside to cool slightly.
- Melt the butter with sugars and spices, then stir in the diced apples to soften.
- Ladle out a bit of warm apple juice and whisk in the cornstarch until smooth.
- Pour the slurry back into the skillet and stir until the juices thicken into a rich, glossy glaze.
- Stir together the melted butter, flour, sugars, cinnamon, and vanilla until coarse clumps form.
- Protect your baked crust edges with a foil collar, then spoon in the warm apple filling.
- Pile the streusel crumble topping generously over the apples right before it goes into the oven.
- Bake at 425°F for 20 minutes until the crumble is golden brown, then cool completely before slicing.
See the recipe card below for the full recipe.
Sky's Tips for The Best Dutch Apple Pie
- Choose the Right Apples: Picking the right apple is half the battle! Stick to firm baking apples like Pink Lady and Granny Smith. Softer eating apples (like Red Delicious or McIntosh) break down too fast and turn your filling into applesauce.
- Cut into Chunks: Slice your apples into ½ -inch chunks rather than thin slices. Because we are pre-cooking the filling on the stovetop, larger chunks hold their shape, giving you that incredible bakery-style bite without overcooking.
- Don't Overcook on the Stovetop: Simmer the apples just until they are tender. They should still have a firm bite to them and shouldn't be falling apart in the skillet. Remember, they will continue to soften slightly during their final trip to the oven!
- Adjust for Juicy Apples: If your filling still looks thin after adding the slurry, mix an extra teaspoon of cornstarch with a tablespoon of water in a small bowl and stir it in. Cook for 1 minute until glossy, just never add dry cornstarch directly to the hot pan or it will clump!
- Fully Blind Bake the Crust: Do not skip or rush blind baking your pie crust! Since the pie only bakes for 20 minutes to set the streusel topping, the dough will not have enough time to cook in the oven if it goes in raw.
- Put the Foil Collar on early: Put your foil collar or pie shield over the edges of your baked pie crust before you pour in the filling. It is so much easier to secure while the shell is empty, and it protects your pre-baked crust from over-browning while the streusel bakes!
Make Ahead & Storage Tips
This Dutch apple pie is an absolute dream for holiday prep because it holds up so well!
- Make-Ahead (Thanksgiving Prep): You can bake the entire pie 1 to 2 days ahead of time. Once completely cooled, cover it loosely and store it in the refrigerator.
- Serving: On the day you want to serve it, pull the pie out of the fridge and let it come to room temperature on the counter before slicing.
- Reheating the Whole Pie: If you prefer serving it warm, pop the room-temperature pie into a 300°F (150°C) oven for 10-15 minutes just to warm it through and crisp up the streusel.
- Reheating Individual Slices: For quick leftover pie, we just pop individual slices into the microwave for a few seconds! The crust stays tender and the warm streusel topping is still absolutely fantastic.
- Refrigerator Storage: Store any leftover pie tightly wrapped in the fridge for up to 4-5 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! You can fully bake the pie 1 to 2 days in advance. Once it has cooled completely, cover it loosely and store it in the refrigerator. On the day you serve it, let it come to room temperature on the counter, or warm it in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 10-15 minutes to re-crisp the streusel.
Pre-cooking the apples on the stovetop gives you total control over the filling's texture and moisture. It cooks off excess liquid so your pie never turns watery, ensures the apples are perfectly tender, and allows you to create a rich, thickened glaze with the cornstarch before it ever hits the oven.
Yes! You can freeze the fully baked pie for up to 3 months. Let it cool completely, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap followed by aluminum foil, and freeze. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then warm in a 300°F (150°C) oven until heated through and crisp on top.
A classic apple pie features a traditional double-dough crust (a bottom crust and a pastry top crust or lattice). Dutch apple pie replaces the top dough crust with a rich, buttery brown sugar and cinnamon streusel crumble.
Whether you are baking this Dutch Apple Pie for Thanksgiving or just making it for a fall dessert, I hope you love this pie as much as we do!
-Sky🩷
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📖 Recipe
Best Dutch Apple Pie
Equipment
- 9-inch pie dish (preferably glass)
Ingredients
Pie Crust
- 1 single (9-inch) pie crust fully blind-baked (see my Flaky Pie Dough Recipe and How to Blind Bake Pie Crust Guide)
Apple Pie Filling
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4-4 ½ pounds apples peeled, cored, and cut into ½-inch chunks
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup light brown sugar packed
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Struesel
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup light brown sugar packed
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 7 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Place a foil collar or pie shield around the edges of your fully blind-baked 9-inch pie crust. Set aside. Preheat oven to 425°F.
- For the apple pie filling: In a large skillet over medium heat, add the 3 tablespoons of butter, ½ cup brown sugar, ½ cup granulated sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt. Cook until the butter is melted and everything is combined.
- Stir in the apples and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract until well coated. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the apples are tender.
- Carefully ladle out ¼ cup of hot liquid from the skillet into a small bowl. Whisk in the 3 tablespoons of cornstarch until smooth to create a slurry. Pour the slurry back into the skillet with the apples and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring continuously, until the filling thickens (if not thick enough, stir in an additional mini slurry of 1 teaspoon cornstarch + 1 tablespoon liquid). Remove from heat.
- Carefully pour the warm apple filling into your prepared pie crust.
- For the streusel: In a medium bowl, combine the flour, ⅓ cup brown sugar, ⅓ cup granulated sugar, melted butter, cinnamon, and vanilla extract. Stir together until a crumbly.
- Sprinkle the streusel topping evenly over the apple filling, taking it all the way to the edges. Bake at 425°F for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the streusel topping is set, fully cooked, and golden brown.
- Transfer to a wire rack and cool before slicing and serving. Enjoy!
Notes
- Apple Varieties: Use a mix of firm baking apples like Pink Lady and Granny Smith, leaning heavier on the Pink Lady apples for a sweeter flavor profile. Avoid soft eating apples (like McIntosh or Red Delicious), which turn mushy when cooked.
- Pie Crust & Blind Baking: This recipe requires a fully blind-baked pie shell because the total oven time is only 15-20 minutes. See my Flaky Pie Dough Recipe and How to Blind Bake Pie Crust Guide for step-by-step instructions.
- Make-Ahead Instructions: You can bake this pie 1 to 2 days in advance. Once fully cooled, cover loosely and refrigerate. Serve at room temperature, or warm the whole pie in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 10-15 minutes to re-crisp the streusel.
- Storage: Store leftover pie covered tightly in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days. Reheat individual slices in the microwave for a few seconds.
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