Apple Crumble Pie

5 from 1 vote

This easy and delicious apple crumble pie is made with flaky pie crust, a spiced salted caramel apple filling and a buttery crumb topping. Top with extra caramel sauce or a scoop of ice cream and you have the perfect dessert for fall and the holidays!

Prep Time1

Cook Time55

Chill Time2

Total Time3 55

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Diet: Vegetarian

Servings: slices

Calories: 649kcal

Author: Natalie

Equipment

Ingredients

Pie Crust

1¼ cups all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoons granulated sugar
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup unsalted butter cold and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
¼ cup ice cold water
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar optional

Salted Caramel Sauce

1 cup granulated sugar
6 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature
½ cup heavy cream room temperature
¾ teaspoon salt or up to 1 teaspoon

Apple Filling

8 cups apples about 850 grams once sliced, about 6 medium apples, peeled and thinly sliced ¼" thick, then cut in half crosswise. I recommend a combination of 2 to 3 different types such as Golden Delicious, Granny Smith and Honeycrisp or Cosmic Crisp
¼ cup lemon juice from about 2 medium lemons
1½ teaspoons lemon zest optional, zest before juicing
½ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup light brown sugar packed
2¼ teaspoons cinnamon
½ teaspoon nutmeg
¼ teaspoon allspice
2 teaspoons fresh ginger or 1 teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon salt
⅓ cup all purpose flour
⅓ cup salted caramel sauce recipe linked below (or use store bought)

Crumb Topping

1 cup all purpose flour
½ cup rolled oats
½ cup brown sugar light or dark, packed
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon allspice
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup unsalted butter room temperature, cut into ½-inch cubes

For Finishing

1 egg for brushing

For Serving

caramel sauce

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Pie Dough

If using homemade pie dough, start by making my recipe for homemade pie dough through step 10 (up to chilling the dough) first. This will give it time to chill and rest in the fridge for at least 1 hour.

Salted Caramel Sauce

Next, while the pie dough rests, make my recipe for homemade salted caramel sauce or use store bought. We're using ⅓ cup of caramel sauce in the apple filling. Reserve the rest for serving.

Roll Out Pie Dough and Line Pan

Next, roll out the pie dough. Follow steps 11-15 in my homemade pie dough recipe.
Cover the crust with plastic wrap and freeze for 15 minutes then place in the fridge to chill til you're ready to fill it. (Do not brush it with egg wash yet).

Apple Filling

Zest about 1 teaspoon lemon zest from one of the lemons. Set zest aside to a medium mixing bowl. Juice the lemons. Add the lemon juice to a large mixing bowl.
Peel, core and thinly slice the apples into ¼ inch slices then cut them in half crosswise. Make sure not to slice apples larger than 1/4 inch.
Add the apple slices to the lemon juice. Stir or toss to coat the apples with lemon juice. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of sugar over the apples. Toss one more time. Allow apples to sit in the lemon juice for 20–30 minutes to allow apples to release juices and soften slightly. Make the crumble topping while the mixture sits.

Crumble Topping

In a medium bowl, mix the flour, oats, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, salt, and allspice. Cut the room temperature butter into ½ inch cubes. Add the butter, then rub in with fingertips until mixture is chunky and butter is incorporated.
Place mixture in the refrigerator to chill at least 15 minutes while assembling pie.
Position one rack on the bottom and one rack in the middle. Place one baking sheet on the bottom rack. Preheat oven to 400℉.

Assembly

Drain the apple slices. Pour them into a fine mesh strainer or colander. Let them drain for about 5 minutes. Toss gently a couple times so the excess liquid runs off.
Wipe out the bowl the apples were in with a paper towel. We'll use this bowl to combine the apple filling. To the bowl, add the granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice, salt, flour, and lemon zest. Mix ingredients til combined then add the apples. Gently toss to coat with the ingredients. Stir in the caramel sauce til just combined.
Take the chilled crust out of the fridge. Sprinkle about ½ tsp flour and ½ tsp sugar evenly over the bottom of the chilled crust. Brush the edges of the crust with the beaten egg. Spoon the apple filling into crust, mounding slightly in center. Sprinkle crumble topping evenly over apples, covering apples completely. Do not pack the crumb topping down.
Place pie on the baking sheet in the oven. Bake 20 minutes at 400°F until crust begins to set and brown. Reduce heat to 375°F and move to middle rack. Bake about 35 more minutes (55 minutes total), checking at 25–30 minutes. If browning too quickly, cover loosely with aluminum foil.
The pie is finished baking when the crust and topping are golden brown, the filling is bubbling at the edges, and the apples are tender. Stick a knife or fork through the crumble topping. If it slides through an apple easily, it's done. If not, give it a few more minutes until the apples are fully cooked through. If needed, bake a few more minutes until tender but still holding shape.
Set pie plate on a wire rack. Allow to cool for 2-3 hours before slicing. Serve with extra caramel sauce and/or a scoop of ice cream!

Video

Notes

Apples: Using a mix of different apples gives you the best flavor and texture. I recommend using a combination of 2 to 3 types of baking apples such as Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Golden Delicious, or Braeburn. Avoid McIntosh because they get too soft and mushy when baked.

Spices: A combination cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and ginger makes this pie extra delicious. I prefer using fresh ginger and fresh nutmeg, grating them myself for the best, most vibrant flavor. If using ground or dried, use 1 teaspoon ground ginger and ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg to match the flavor of the fresh versions. If you’re missing one spice, just use a little extra cinnamon. You can also adjust spices to taste.

Caramel sauce: If you prefer to skip the caramel sauce in the filling, substitute 2 tablespoons of brown sugar. Taste the apple mixture after mixing in the sugars and spices and adjust with a little more sugar if you like it sweeter.

Store bought ingredients: To save time, you can swap in store bought pie dough and store bought caramel sauce.

Storage: Store leftover pie covered at room temperature for up to 2 days. After that, store in the fridge for up to 3 more days. To freeze, wrap the pie tightly in aluminum foil and place it in a heavy freezer-safe bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost in the fridge and reheat at 350°F for about 20 minutes or until warm.

Nutrition