Apple Crumble Pie

Happy 4th of July!!

You know the drill. Another Independence Day. Another apple pie.

And this year, I’m celebrating the most spirited holiday with STREUSEL CRUMBLES. While apple pie is my favorite dessert, crumble toppings are my favorite.

Of everything. Ever.

Apple pie knows no seasons and that is exactly why I don’t wait around for Fall every year to enjoy it. I wanted to share something a little different that still embodies everything I love about traditional apple pie. Today’s apple crumble pie:

√ Has a buttery, flaky crust.

√ Has a rich apple filling that’s juicy, compact, sweet, and cinnamon-spiced.

√ Is topped with a brown-sugary, buttery, toasty walnut crumble.

√ Is the perfect spot for vanilla ice cream.

√ Is the purpose of life.

Preparing it? Well, that’s a piece of cake pie. Hahahaha?!?!

Start with my go-to pie crust, which you now know how to master. ← Pie crust recipe, step-by-step photos, and tips! The apple filling is nothing out of the ordinary. Very, very simple. Fresh lemon juice, apples, flour, spices, and sugar. For a more complex, interesting flavor– I suggest using a variety of apples. I always use a sweeter apple like Fuji, Pink Lady, or Honeycrisp and a tart variety like Granny Smith.

My #1 tip? Make sure your apple slices are around the same thickness. You don’t want some super thick apples (that won’t really cook) and some super thin apples (that will become mushy). Aim for around 1/4-inch thickness.

The crumble topping is a bunch of ordinary ingredients like brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and butter that, when combined, make something extraordinary. The whole truly is greater than the sum of its parts.

Baking = chemistry.

And now apparently, philosophy too.

The crumble topping compliments the apple filling perfectly. What really makes it stand out are all of the toasty walnuts. I’ve been using Diamond of California walnuts since I was little. It’s all my mom kept in the pantry to throw into her oatmeal raisin walnut cookies. Though I much preferred chocolate chips in my oatmeal cookies when I was 10, I’m all about nuts in desserts now. And you’ll LOVE what the toasted walnuts* add to this pie.

*They toast as the pie bakes!

I do not skimp on the crumble topping. This is serious.

The more buttery, crisp, sweet topping = the more you have to enjoy with melty vanilla ice cream. And THIS ↓ ↓ is why it’s my favorite dessert.

Apple Crumble Pie

Yield: 1 pie

Prep Time: 3 hours (includes dough chilling)

Total Time: 6 hours, 50 minutes (includes cooling)

Print Recipe

Ingredients:

• Homemade Pie Crust (my recipe makes 2 crusts; you can halve the crust recipe or freeze the 2nd half)


• 5 large apples, cored, peeled, and sliced into 1/4-inch slices¹ (approx 8-10 cups total - use a variety for better flavor, such as Pink Lady or Fuji and Granny Smith)


• 2 Tablespoons (30ml) lemon juice


• 1/4 cup (31g) all-purpose flour


• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves


• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg


• 1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon


• 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar


• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Crumble Topping

• 1/2 cup (100g) packed light or dark brown sugar


• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon


• 3/4 cup (94g) all-purpose flour


• 3/4 cup (95g) chopped walnuts, such as Diamond of California


• 1/3 (75g) cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled

Equipment

• pastry blender, rolling pin, pie dish, pastry brush, pie crust shield

Directions:

1. The crust: Prepare my pie crust recipe through step 5.


2. Make the filling: In a large bowl using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, stir the apples, lemon juice, flour, cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, sugar, and vanilla extract together until thoroughly combined. Set filling aside as the oven preheats; this time allows the apples to begin letting off their juice.


3. Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C).


4. Roll out the chilled pie dough: On a floured work surface, roll out one of the discs of chilled dough (if you made the entire pie dough recipe-- you can freeze the other half of the dough at this time). Turn the dough about a quarter turn after every few rolls until you have a circle 12 inches in diameter. Carefully place the dough into a 9x2 inch pie dish. Tuck it in with your fingers, making sure it is smooth. Spoon the apple filling into the crust, leaving some of the liquid in the bowl-- don't want all that in the pie. Use a small paring knife to trim excess dough off the edges. Flute the edges.


5. Make the crumble topping: In a medium bowl, combine the brown sugar, cinnamon, flour, and walnuts. Using a rubber spatula, stir in the butter. The crumble topping will be thick and crumbly. Sprinkle over apples.


6. Place the pie onto a large baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Keeping the pie in the oven, turn the temperature down to 375°F (190°C) and bake for an additional 30-35 minutes. After the first 20 minutes of bake time, I place a pie crust shield on top of the pie to prevent the edges from browning too quickly.


7. Allow the pie to cool for 3 full hours at room temperature before serving. This time allows the filling to thicken up. Serve with vanilla ice cream if desired. Cover pie leftovers tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Make ahead tip/Freezing: This a great pie to make 1 day in advance-- after it cools, cover tightly and keep at room temperature. The pie crust dough can also be prepared ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Baked and cooled pie freezes well for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature before serving. Prepared filling can be frozen up to 3 months, thaw overnight in the refrigerator before using.

Recipe Notes:

1. Slice your apples a uniform thickness. You don't want some solid apples and some thin, mushy apples.

Adapted from Salted Caramel Apple Pie

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Nerdy things:

Something you’ll notice about most pie recipes. Not all, but most. Most pies begin at a higher oven temperature. Putting a pie into a very, very hot oven helps the crust brown. After 20 minutes or so, reduce the temperature. This helps allow the pie’s filling to cook thoroughly before the crust burns. Cool, huh?

Happy 4th of July everyone! Have a safe and celebratory holiday filled with fireworks, food, friends, family, and a second serving of pie.

I’m working with Diamond of California to bring you this recipe!

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