Dutch Apple Pie with Crumb Topping

Dutch apple pie is a single-crust apple pie finished with a thick, buttery brown-sugar crumb instead of a top crust, and it’s the most forgiving pie on the Thanksgiving table. It’s also an easy make-ahead: USDA guidance says baked fruit pies can sit at room temperature for up to two days (USDA FoodKeeper via FoodSafety.gov, 2026), so you can bake it Wednesday and leave it on the counter.

Key Takeaways

Mix tart and sweet firm apples, such as Granny Smith with Honeycrisp or Braeburn.

Precooking the apples for about 10 minutes stops them shrinking away from the crumb.

USDA guidance allows baked fruit pies at room temperature for up to 2 days.

Cool the pie at least 3 hours before slicing, or the filling runs.

What Makes Dutch Apple Pie Different?

A Dutch apple pie has one crust on the bottom and a crumb topping, sometimes called streusel, on top. The name is usually traced to Pennsylvania Dutch baking and its German streusel tradition. The crumb bakes into a crisp, cookie-like lid that soaks up a little of the apple juice underneath.

It’s the pie we recommend to anyone baking their first Thanksgiving pie. You roll out only one crust, and the crumb hides any uneven edges. Our Thanksgiving pie guide covers crust basics in more detail.

Which Apples Are Best for Dutch Apple Pie?

Use firm apples that hold their shape in the oven, and mix at least two kinds. Granny Smith brings tartness and structure. Honeycrisp, Braeburn, Jonagold or Golden Delicious add sweetness and a softer bite. Skip McIntosh on its own: it collapses into applesauce.

Even the right apples shrink as they bake, and in a crumb pie the topping sinks with them into a dense, damp layer. That’s why we precook the filling. Ten minutes on the stove does the shrinking first, so the crumb stays high and crisp.

Ingredients

For the Crust

1½ cups (190 g) all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
¾ teaspoon fine salt
10 tablespoons (1¼ sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes
4 to 6 tablespoons ice water

For the Filling

3 pounds firm baking apples (about 7 medium), such as 4 Granny Smith and 3 Honeycrisp
⅓ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon fine salt
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Crumb Topping

1¼ cups (160 g) all-purpose flour
½ cup packed light brown sugar
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon fine salt
10 tablespoons (1¼ sticks) unsalted butter, melted

How to Make Dutch Apple Pie

Make the crust. Whisk the flour, sugar and salt. Work in the cold butter with a pastry blender or your fingertips until the largest pieces are the size of peas. Sprinkle in 4 tablespoons ice water and toss with a fork, adding more a teaspoon at a time until the dough holds when squeezed. Press into a disk, wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Prepare the apples. Peel, core and slice the apples ¼ inch thick. Whisk the granulated sugar, brown sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in a small bowl. Toss with the apples and lemon juice in a large bowl.
Precook the filling. Melt the 2 tablespoons butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the apple mixture, cover and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring every couple of minutes, until the slices bend but are still firm in the center. Uncover and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes, until the juices turn thick and glossy. Stir in the vanilla, spread the filling on a rimmed baking sheet and cool for 30 minutes.
Make the crumb. Whisk the flour, both sugars, cinnamon and salt. Pour in the melted butter and stir with a fork until clumps form. Squeeze some together with your fingers for bigger clusters, then refrigerate.
Roll and chill the shell. Roll the dough on a floured surface into a 13-inch round. Fit it into a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate, trim to a ½-inch overhang, fold the edge under and crimp. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Heat the oven. Set a rack in the lowest position, put a rimmed baking sheet on it and heat the oven to 400°F.
Assemble. Spoon the cooled filling and its juices into the chilled shell, mounding it slightly in the center. Scatter the crumb evenly over the top, all the way to the edges.
Bake. Set the pie on the hot baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes. Reduce the oven to 375°F and bake for 25 to 35 minutes more, until the crumb is deep golden and thick juices bubble at the edges. Tent loosely with foil if the crumb darkens too quickly.
Cool. Let the pie cool on a wire rack for at least 3 hours so the filling sets before slicing.

How Far Ahead Can You Make Dutch Apple Pie?

You can bake Dutch apple pie up to two days before Thanksgiving. USDA guidance says baked fruit pies can stay at room temperature for up to two days (USDA FoodKeeper, 2026), so a pie baked Tuesday evening is fine on the counter, loosely covered, through Thursday dinner. Or make the parts ahead:

Dough: Refrigerate up to 2 days, or freeze up to 3 months and thaw overnight in the fridge.
Crumb: Refrigerate in a covered container up to 3 days. Use it cold.
Filling: Precook it a day ahead, cool it and refrigerate it covered.
Unbaked pie: Assemble it in a metal or foil pan (glass can crack going from freezer to hot oven), wrap well and freeze for up to a month. Bake from frozen on the hot sheet, adding about 20 minutes.

Our Thanksgiving make-ahead guide shows where pie fits in the 3-day countdown.

Does Dutch Apple Pie Need to Be Refrigerated?

Not for the first two days. After that, cover it and move it to the fridge. That’s the advantage over egg-set pies: USDA guidance says pies made with eggs and dairy must always be refrigerated, which is why a classic pumpkin pie and a bourbon pecan pie both need fridge space and this one doesn’t.

The crumb softens in the fridge. Warm slices in a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes to recrisp it.

Tips for a Crisp Crumb and a Sliceable Filling

Slice the apples evenly. Uniform ¼-inch slices cook at the same rate.
Bake low and hot. The bottom rack and a preheated sheet pan push heat into the bottom crust so it doesn’t go soggy.
Wait the full 3 hours. Cornstarch keeps setting as the pie cools. Cut it warm and the filling runs across the plate.

Frequently Asked Questions About Dutch Apple Pie

What’s the difference between Dutch apple pie and regular apple pie?

A regular American apple pie usually has two crusts, one underneath and one on top. Dutch apple pie keeps the bottom crust but swaps the top for a sweet, buttery crumb. The crumb adds crunch and a caramel flavor, and there’s no top crust to roll, seal or vent.

Do you have to precook the apples?

You don’t have to, but it makes a better crumb pie. Raw apples release their juice and shrink in the oven, so the topping sinks and the bottom crust can turn soggy. If you skip the stovetop step, add about 15 minutes to the bake and expect a flatter, denser top.

Can I use a store-bought pie crust?

Yes. One refrigerated crust works, though it’s thinner than this homemade dough and may not reach the rim of a deep-dish plate. Use a standard 9-inch pie plate instead, crimp the edge and chill it before filling. You may have a little filling left over.

Why did my crumb topping melt instead of staying crunchy?

Usually the butter was too hot when you mixed it, or the crumb went onto warm filling. Let the melted butter cool for a few minutes before stirring it in, chill the finished crumb, and make sure the apples have cooled before you top the pie.

Bake It Wednesday, Serve It Thursday

Dutch apple pie is forgiving, needs no fridge space and tastes just as good on day two. Make the dough this weekend and freeze it, mix the crumb and precook the filling Tuesday, and bake Wednesday.

Planning more than one dessert? Pair it with pumpkin or pecan, or skip pastry entirely with our pumpkin Basque cheesecake. Save the last slice of apple for Friday breakfast.