The Ultimate Apple Crumble Pie Recipe: Flaky Crust, Sweet Filling & Buttery Topping

This Apple Crumble Pie is made with a buttery, flaky pie crust, a sweet and juicy apple filling brimming with aromatic spices, and crowned with an irresistible buttery crumb topping. This recipe is an absolute dream for fall gatherings, yet its comforting flavors make it a delightful treat to savor any time of the year.

*This post is sponsored by Danish Creamery. As always, all opinions are mine.*

As the crisp autumn air settles in and leaves begin to change, my kitchen inevitably fills with the warming aromas of apple and pumpkin. While classic apple pie holds a special place in everyone’s heart, this apple crumble pie recipe takes that beloved tradition and elevates it with a delightful twist. Dare I say it? This version might just be even better than the original, offering a textural masterpiece that will have everyone asking for a second slice.

What makes this pie truly extraordinary is the harmonious combination of its three distinct layers. It starts with a super flaky, all-butter pie crust, offering a tender yet sturdy foundation. This crust cradles a luscious apple pie filling, perfectly sweetened and infused with a fragrant blend of autumnal spices. Finally, it’s all topped off with a generous, golden-brown crumb topping that adds a delightful crunch and extra buttery richness. While creating this pie involves a few extra steps, the unparalleled depth of flavor and satisfying textures make every moment spent in the kitchen utterly worthwhile.

If you’re searching for that one show-stopping dessert to bake this fall, or even just a comforting treat for a cozy evening, this apple crumble pie is the recipe you absolutely need to try from my site. It’s more than just a dessert; it’s an experience that captures the essence of homemade warmth and culinary perfection.

Essential Ingredients for Your Perfect Apple Crumble Pie

While the ingredient list for this cinnamon crumble apple pie might appear extensive at first glance, you’ll notice many ingredients are used across different components of the recipe. This thoughtful approach ensures a cohesive flavor profile while simplifying your shopping. Let’s delve into a few key ingredients and understand why they are crucial for achieving an absolutely perfect pie.

• Pie Crust: For this recipe, we’re adapting my tried-and-true homemade pie crust recipe with a significant enhancement. Instead of using a combination of butter and shortening, we’re exclusively utilizing Danish Creamery European Style Unsalted Butter. This single adjustment makes a world of difference, yielding a pie crust that is exceptionally buttery, incredibly tender, and remarkably flaky—a perfect complement to the sweet apple filling and the crunchy topping. I wholeheartedly recommend taking the time to prepare this homemade crust, as its quality profoundly impacts the final result. However, if time is a constraint, a good quality store-bought pie crust can be a suitable alternative.
• Spices: The heart of our apple filling lies in a harmonious blend of warm, ground spices: cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. These spices not only enhance the natural sweetness of the apples but also add a comforting depth that is quintessential to fall baking. Furthermore, a touch of ground cinnamon is incorporated into the crumb topping, ensuring that every bite delivers a delightful burst of flavor, tying all the components together beautifully. Feel free to adjust the spice levels to your preference, or even add a pinch of allspice or ginger for a slightly different nuance.
• Apples: The choice of apples is paramount for a successful apple pie. While you can use any variety of baking apples you prefer, I highly recommend using a combination of both sweet and tart apples. This blend creates a more complex and balanced flavor profile, preventing the pie from being either overly sweet or too sharp. My personal favorites are Honeycrisp and Granny Smith apples – Honeycrisp for its crisp texture and natural sweetness, and Granny Smith for its tartness and ability to hold its shape during baking. Other excellent options include Fuji, Pink Lady, Braeburn, or Golden Delicious, each offering unique characteristics that contribute to a truly memorable pie.
• Danish Creamery European Style Unsalted Butter: If you truly want to elevate the flavor and texture of your baked goods, selecting a high-quality butter with a higher fat content, such as Danish Creamery, is a game-changer. Danish Creamery has upheld its original, time-honored recipe since 1895, utilizing only the finest high-quality cream. This fresh cream comes directly from cows grazing on family farms, resulting in butter with an impressive 85% butterfat content. This is significantly higher than most other brands of European Style Butter, which typically hover around 82%. This higher fat content translates directly into superior flakiness in the pie crust, richer flavor in the filling, and a more tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture in the crumb topping. When I emphasize that this butter is amazing, I am absolutely not exaggerating; it genuinely transforms the baking experience.

Crafting Your Apple Crumble Pie: A Step-by-Step Guide

This exquisite pie is a symphony of three distinct components, each playing a vital role in its overall perfection: the flaky pie crust, the rich apple pie filling, and the irresistible crumb topping. Let’s walk through the preparation of each part in detail, ensuring a flawless result from start to finish.

Mastering the All-Butter Pie Crust

As highlighted earlier, our pie crust is a variation of my trusted homemade recipe, distinguished by its exclusive use of butter. Danish Creamery’s premium butter, with its superior fat content, is ideally suited for transforming this into an exceptionally rich and flaky all-butter crust. The key to success here is keeping all your ingredients, especially the butter and water, impeccably cold. Cold butter creates pockets of steam in the oven, which are essential for that coveted flaky texture.

1. Whisk Together the Dry Ingredients: Begin by combining the all-purpose flour, a touch of granulated sugar, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Whisk them thoroughly to ensure an even distribution, which is crucial for flavor and texture.
2. Cut in the Butter: The next critical step is to incorporate the cold butter. Cut the butter into small, uniform cubes, then use a pastry cutter (or your fingertips, working quickly) to cut it into the dry ingredients. Your goal is to achieve a mixture with small, pea-sized pieces of butter, though some slightly larger, lentil-sized chunks are perfectly acceptable and even desirable for ultimate flakiness. Avoid overworking the dough, as this can develop the gluten too much, leading to a tough crust.
3. Gradually Add Ice Water: Slowly add ice-cold water, typically about ¼ cup for this recipe, one tablespoon at a time. Mix gently after each addition. The dough is ready when it begins to come together and you can press a small portion between your fingers to form a cohesive ball. Be cautious not to add too much water, as this can also lead to a tough crust.
4. Form and Flatten the Dough: Turn the shaggy dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Gently gather and pack the dough into a cohesive ball, then flatten it into a disc. This disc shape will make the rolling process much easier and more uniform later on.
5. Chill the Dough Thoroughly: For your pie crust to achieve maximum flakiness and prevent shrinkage during baking, it must be thoroughly chilled. Wrap the disc tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate it for a minimum of one hour. If you’re pressed for time on baking day, feel free to prepare the dough the day before; it can safely chill in the refrigerator for up to two days.
6. Roll Out the Dough: Once adequately chilled, remove the dough from the refrigerator. On a lightly floured surface, roll it out into a circle approximately 12 inches in diameter. This size ensures it will fit comfortably into a standard 9-inch pie dish with enough overhang for decorative edges. Rotate the dough frequently and flour lightly as needed to prevent sticking.
7. Place, Trim, and Decorate: Carefully transfer the rolled dough into your 9-inch pie dish, gently pressing it against the bottom and sides without stretching. Trim any excess dough around the edges, leaving about a 1-inch overhang. You can then crimp or flute the edges using your fingers or a fork. I often keep my edges simple to showcase the incredible flakiness post-bake!
8. Refrigerate Again: Before adding the filling, return the prepared pie crust in its dish to the refrigerator. Keeping it cold while you prepare the filling and topping ensures that the butter remains firm, which is essential for a truly flaky baked crust.

Crafting the Aromatic Apple Filling

The heart of our pie is its luscious apple filling. Proper preparation here ensures a tender, flavorful, and perfectly spiced center that complements the crust and topping beautifully.

To begin, select your apples (remembering our recommendation for a mix of sweet and tart varieties like Honeycrisp and Granny Smith). Peel them carefully, then core them. Once prepared, slice the apples into uniform ¼-inch thick slices. Consistency in thickness is key to ensuring they cook evenly and achieve a tender, not mushy, texture. Immediately after slicing, toss the apples with fresh lemon juice. This step is crucial, as the acidity of the lemon juice prevents the apples from browning due while also adding a bright, fresh note to the filling.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, all-purpose flour (which will help thicken the juices), and our warm spice blend of ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and ground cloves. Pour this dry mixture over the lemon-coated apple slices. Toss the apples gently but thoroughly until every slice is completely coated. Once coated, set the bowl aside and let the mixture rest for approximately 15 to 20 minutes. This resting period is important; it allows the sugar to draw out some of the natural juices from the apples through osmosis, creating a more flavorful and cohesive filling while preventing a watery pie.

Preparing the Irresistible Crumb Topping

The final, glorious component of this pie is its buttery, crumbly topping – a textural counterpoint that adds a wonderful crunch and rich flavor. This streusel-like layer is surprisingly simple to prepare but adds immense depth to the overall dessert.

Start by whisking together the dry ingredients for the topping: more all-purpose flour, rich brown sugar (light or dark, depending on your preference for molasses notes), and a hint of ground cinnamon to tie in with the filling’s spice profile. Once these are well combined, add cold, cubed Danish Creamery butter to the mixture. Just like with the pie crust, keeping the butter cold is vital for achieving that desirable crumbly texture. Use a pastry cutter or a fork to work the butter into the dry ingredients. Continue cutting until the mixture begins to resemble coarse crumbs, with some larger pieces of butter still visible. The goal is a loose, crumbly texture, not a smooth dough.

If needed, you can use your clean hands to gently rub the butter into the flour mixture, but work quickly to prevent the butter from warming too much. The topping should have a distinct, crumbly appearance, much like the image above, ready to be sprinkled generously over your apple filling.

Assembling and Baking Your Masterpiece

With all three delicious components now ready, it’s time to bring them together and bake your incredible apple crumble pie to golden perfection.

• Retrieve the Chilled Pie Crust: Take the pie dish with the prepared, chilled pie crust out of the refrigerator. Keeping it cold is key to a flaky base.
• Add the Apple Filling: Using a slotted spoon, carefully scoop the apple filling into the chilled pie crust. This technique is important because it allows you to leave any excess apple juices that may have accumulated in the bowl behind. Too much liquid in the pie can lead to a soggy bottom crust, making it difficult to slice and compromising its texture.
• Spread Evenly: Once the apples are in the pie crust, gently spread them out into one even layer. This ensures consistent cooking and a beautiful presentation.
• Top with Crumb Mixture: Evenly sprinkle the prepared crumb topping over the apple filling. Ensure good coverage so every slice gets a delightful crunchy topping.
• Bake the Pie to Perfection: Place the pie in the lower third of your preheated oven. Baking it here helps ensure that the bottom crust crisps up beautifully, preventing it from becoming soggy. The initial higher temperature (400°F / 204°C) helps set the crust and begin the caramelization of the topping. After 20 minutes, reduce the oven temperature to 375°F (190°C) for the remainder of the baking time. This lower temperature allows the apple filling to cook through thoroughly without the topping or edges browning too quickly. Keep an eye on the pie; if the edges of your pie crust start to brown too much, you can place a pie crust shield or carefully fashion a ring of aluminum foil over them. If the crumb topping begins to get too dark, a loose tent of aluminum foil can be placed over the entire top of the pie. The pie is done when the topping is golden brown and the filling is visibly bubbly around the edges.
• Cool Completely for Best Results: Once baked, remove the pie from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool completely. This is a crucial step! Allowing the pie to cool allows the filling to set properly, preventing it from being runny, and ensures that the crust and topping maintain their perfect texture. Rushing this step will result in a messy, unstructured slice. Patience is a virtue when it comes to pie!

Storage and Freezing Instructions

To ensure your delicious apple crumble pie remains fresh and enjoyable, proper storage is key. Following these guidelines will allow you to savor your homemade treat for days to come, or even longer.

Storage Instructions

Once your apple crumble pie has completely cooled down to room temperature (this can take several hours), you may cover it tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Store the covered pie at room temperature for up to two days. If you prefer to extend its freshness, or if your kitchen is particularly warm, you can refrigerate the pie. When stored in the fridge, it will remain fresh for up to four days. While refrigeration isn’t strictly necessary for this type of pie, it certainly helps prolong its quality.

If you choose to store the pie in the refrigerator, I recommend placing it on the counter about an hour before serving to allow it to come back to room temperature, which often enhances its flavors and textures. Alternatively, for individual slices, you can gently reheat them in the microwave for 20 to 30 second increments until warmed through, or in a preheated oven at 300°F (150°C) for about 10-15 minutes for a crispier crust.

Freezing Instructions

For longer-term storage, this apple crumble pie freezes exceptionally well for up to 3 months, making it perfect for meal prepping or enjoying a taste of fall anytime. Once the pie has cooled completely after baking, wrap it very tightly first with plastic wrap, ensuring no air gaps, then wrap it again with aluminum foil. Finally, place the securely wrapped pie in a larger freezer-safe bag or an airtight container to protect it from freezer burn.

When you’re ready to enjoy the frozen pie, simply remove it from the freezer and place it on the counter to thaw overnight, allowing it to slowly come to room temperature. For a warm slice, you can then reheat the thawed pie in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) for 20-30 minutes, or until warmed through and the topping is crisp again.

More Irresistible Apple Desserts to Try!

If you’ve fallen in love with the comforting flavors of apple in this pie, here are a few other delightful apple-based desserts from my collection that you simply must try:

• Baked Apples
• Cinnamon Apple Crisp
• Apple Cake
• Mini Apple Pies

Apple Crumble Pie

5 from 1 rating

Prep Time: 1 hour hr

Cook Time: 55 minutes mins

Cooling Time: 3 hours hrs

Total Time: 4 hours hrs 55 minutes mins

This Apple Crumble Pie is made with a buttery, flaky pie crust, sweet and juicy apple filling, and topped with a buttery crumb topping. This recipe is perfect for fall, but can be enjoyed year-round too!

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Ingredients

Servings: 8 slices

For the pie crust:

• ▢ 1¼ cups all-purpose flour spooned & leveled (160 grams)
• ▢ 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• ▢ ½ teaspoon salt
• ▢ ½ cup cold Danish Creamery European Style unsalted butter cubed (115 grams)
• ▢ ¼ cup ice water (60 ml)

For the apple pie filling:

• ▢ 7 cups sliced apples peeled, cored, and sliced into 1/4-inch slices (840 grams)
• ▢ 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (15 ml)
• ▢ ½ cup granulated sugar (100 grams)
• ▢ ¼ cup all-purpose flour spooned & leveled (32 grams)
• ▢ 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon ground cloves

For the crumb topping:

• ▢ 1 cup all-purpose flour spooned & leveled (125 grams)
• ▢ ¾ cup packed light or dark brown sugar (150 grams)
• ▢ ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ▢ ½ cup cold Danish Creamery European Style unsalted butter cubed (115 grams)

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Instructions

 

• To make the pie crust: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt until well combined. Add the cold cubed butter. Using a pastry cutter or fork, cut them into the dry ingredients until you have small pea-sized crumbs (some larger pieces are okay).
• Add one tablespoon of ice water at a time (you may not need the full ¼ cup) and gently mix it in until the dough starts to come together. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and pack it into a ball. Flatten into a disc and wrap tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour.
• Remove the pie crust from the refrigerator and unwrap it. Roll the dough out to 12 inches in diameter, transfer the dough to a 9-inch pie plate, gently fit it in, trim any excess dough, and decorate the edges. Transfer to the refrigerator while you prepare the filling and the topping.
• To make the apple pie filling: Adjust your oven rack to the lower third position. Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C).
• Add the sliced apples and lemon juice to a large mixing bowl and toss until well combined. Set aside.
• In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves until well combined. Pour over the sliced apples and mix until the apples are fully coated with the dry ingredients. Set aside for 15 to 20 minutes while you prepare the topping.
• To make the topping: Add the flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon to a large mixing bowl and whisk until well combined. Add the cubed butter and cut it into the mixture with a pastry cutter or a fork until the mixture starts to come together and is crumbly.
• To assemble and bake the pie: Remove the pie plate with the pie crust from the refrigerator. Using a slotted spoon, scoop the filling into the pie crust (making sure to leave some of the juice in the bowl) and spread it around into one even layer.
• Sprinkle the crumb topping over the apples and spread it around evenly on top.
• Bake in the lower third of the oven at 400°F (204°C) for 20 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 375°F (190°C) and bake for an additional 30 to 35 minutes or until the top of the pie is golden brown and the filling is bubbly. Cover the edges of the pie with a pie crust shield if needed to prevent excess browning. You may also cover the top of the pie with aluminum foil to prevent it from browning too much before it’s finished baking.
• Once the pie is done baking, remove it from the oven, and place it on a wire rack to cool completely. Once cooled, slice and enjoy!

Notes

Storage Instructions: Once the pie has cooled completely, cover it tightly and store it at room temperature for up to two days or in the refrigerator for up to four days. Reheat individual slices in the microwave in 20 to 30 seconds increments, if desired.

Freezing Instructions: This pie will freeze well for up to 3 months. Once the pie has cooled completely, wrap it tightly with plastic wrap, and store it in a larger freezer bag. When you are ready to enjoy the pie, place it on the counter to come to room temperature.

Apples: I recommend using a mix of sweet and tart apples. I used Honeycrisp and Granny Smith apples, but some other good options would be Fuji or Pink Lady.

Cuisine: American

Course: Dessert

Author: Danielle Rye

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