Classic Dutch Apple Pie

Name: Simple Dutch Apple Pie Recipe
Prep time: 3 h
Total time: 3 h
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 Crust; 5 Medium Braeburn Apples, finely cored and sliced; ⅔ cups sugar; ¼ cup flour; 1 teaspoon cinnamon; 1 teaspoon nutmeg; ¾ cup all-purpose flour; ½ cup brown sugar; 1 cup and 2 tablespoons softened butter; 1 teaspoon cinnamon; 1 teaspoon nutmeg

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The tasty streusel topping makes this recipe special. The topping combines with a delicious crust and Apple filling to make a Simple Dutch Apple Pie Recipe. If you want to change up a traditional apple pie with a crumbly, tasty topping, give this Dutch Apple Pie Recipe a try today.

Overhead view of Dutch Apple Pie on a white cloth with two apples and a knife. — The dutch apple pie is a delicious variation of the traditional apple pie.

🥧 What makes this recipe special?

A Dutch Apple Pie is an apple pie, but the top crust is replaced with a tasty streusel layer. The filling and bottom crust are basically the same thing as the traditional apple pie recipe. It is the topping where this recipe gets special.

Really, I think a Dutch Apple Pie can be just as good as the traditional one and is a great way to change things from the normal. I love a nice, flaky top crust like a traditional American Apple Pie, there is something to be said about having a nice sugar-based topping that most flakey crusts don’t have.

Also, a Dutch Apple Pie is easier to make. A nice, flakey crust can sometimes be challenging to get down. I made many different crusts before I finally decided on my final pie crust recipe.

Then, I made many more pie crusts before I felt comfortable with the process. The bottom crust can be forgiving, as it holds up a pound of apple/sugar mix. Streusel is just mixing some stuff together and sprinkling it evenly!

Of course, if you are looking for a different pie, check out our Blueberry Pie or Homemade Rhubarb Pie. No matter what, make sure to treat yourself!

🥧 What makes this recipe special?
🍎 Ingredients
🍲 Instructions
🤷 Substitutions and variations
📦 Storage
🎓 Apple Pie history tidbit
❓ FAQ
📝 Tips and tricks
🛠 Products used in this recipe
😋 Did you make this recipe?
Simple Dutch Apple Pie Recipe Recipe

🍎 Ingredients

Many of the same ingredients as a traditional apple pie, but with some extra deliciousness with the streusel top.

A pie crust – I use this Best Butter Pie Crust recipe
Braeburn Apples – I choose Braeburn, but other apple types can work well for a pie. Braeburn is perfect, imp.
Sugar
All-purpose flour
Cinnamon
Nutmeg
Brown sugar
Butter
Cinnamon

See the recipe card for quantities.

🍲 Instructions

For the apple filling, mix finely sliced apples with sugar, flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Set that aside for 15 minutes while you work on the other parts.

Mix the streusel topping ingredients in a separate dish. This consists of ¾ cup flour, 1½ cup brown sugar, softened butter, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1 teaspoon nutmeg.

Place the apple mixture into a pie tin that has been lined with pie crust. Place the filling on top.

Process for making Dutch Apple Pie. — Make the pie much like a traditional pie and put into a bottom crust. Mix the topping separately and then top the apples in a pie tin with it.

Bake at 425° for 35 minutes with tinfoil just around the edges of the pie crust. This helps ensure that the crust does not burn.

At 35 minutes, remove the tinfoil and check every five minutes. Remove when the top looks done and the crust is golden brown. Allow to cool for a bit and then EAT,

🤷 Substitutions and variations

There are a few ways you can change this Dutch Apple Pie up a bit.

Crust – I use a homemade butter pie crust (linked to in recipe card), but any pie crust should do.
Apple – I have found Braeburn apples to work great for baked desserts, but if you have other apples, they are probably going to be good as a substitute.

📦 Storage

This pie can be kept at room temperature for up to two days. It will keep it the fridge for up to a week. This pie will also freeze well.

🎓 Apple Pie history tidbit

The only apple native to North America is the crab apple. The settlers brought nearly all of the apples grown in America. Many were new strains of apples were created in America after they were brought here.

While Apple Pie is considered an American icon, Apple pies have been made around the world for a very long time, even before America was found by the west. This is a print of a 14th-century apple pie recipe. We all know that in 1492, Christopher Columbus sailed the ocean blue, right?

❓ FAQ

What is the difference between Apple Pie and Dutch Apple Pie?

Dutch Apple pie has a streusel topping, unlike a traditional apple pie with a pie crust top.

What is the difference between a Dutch Apple Pie and a French Apple Pie?

Well, the mystery continues on this one, for me. I found several sources that say a French Apple Pie and a Dutch Apple Pie are the same thing. In fact, my trusty Betty Crocker cookbook explains the French Apple Pie as a Dutch. Then, I found other sources that give the French Apple Pie a custard layer.

Even further, I found some that say the French Apple Pie is what we traditionally call American Pie. I did try to find the answer to this, as I was really interested, but this one is going to have to be stored away in the annals of pie mysteries. Unless, of course, you have the answer. I am always interested in your thoughts on what the difference between a French and Dutch Apple pie are.

A single slice of a dutch apple pie with the rest showing in the background. There is a single Braeburn apple in the back and it is all on a white cloth. — Layers are complemented with the streusel topping.

📝 Tips and tricks

Store-bought crust works fine, but I use my homemade Best Butter Crust recipe.
Slice the apples thin for the best results and make sure to leave the core out.
I have purchased a ‘legit’ pie crust guard before, but I think pieces of tinfoil works better.

🛠 Products used in this recipe

😋 Did you make this recipe?

That is awesome, and thank you so much for giving this Dutch Apple Pie recipe a try. If you could leave a rating in the comment area below, it would be greatly appreciated. This lets me know how I am doing and also helps others decide if they want to make this recipe. Most of all, thanks for visiting Ramshackle Pantry.