Old Fashioned Dutch Apple Pie

This Old Fashioned Dutch Apple Pie is a classic that is good any time of year. I use Fuji apples along with a homemade buttery, flaky crust and this pie is topped with the classic streusel topping. This was a seasonal bakery favorite from my bake shop menu, now I'm sharing it with you!

If you're looking for more apple pie recipes, check out some of my other favorites like Vanilla Bean Apple Pie, Honey Lemon Apple Pie, Brown Sugar Honey Apple Pie, Lattice Spiced Apple Pie, or Brown Butter Apple Pie Without Eggs.

A Quick Look At The Recipe

• Recipe Name: Old Fashioned Dutch Apple Pie
• Ready In: 5 hours 40 minutes
• Makes: 9-inch pie
• Main Ingredients: salted butter, all purpose flour, apples, brown sugar
• Flavor Profile: layers of buttery, flaky homemade pie crust with Fuji apples
• Dietary Info: eggless, no seed oils
• Difficulty: Medium
• Why You’ll Love It: organic timeless pie—golden, cozy, and perfect served warm

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• Traditional: This Old Fashioned Dutch Apple Pie offers a comforting taste of nostalgia with its classic flavors. The combination of buttery, flaky pie crust with sweet apples and warm spices like cinnamon create a flavor profile that just screams home-baked goodness!
• Streusel Topping: Unlike traditional apple pie, Dutch apple pie features a crumbly streusel topping instead of a double crust. This crumble topping, made from a mixture of butter, flour, sugar, and spices, adds a delightful crunch and a buttery richness that complements the soft, juicy apple filling. The streusel bakes to a golden brown, creating a contrasting texture that I love!
• Simple: Baking this Old Fashioned Dutch Apple Pie with a crumb topping is a simple bake that doesn't require advanced skills. Plus, the pie's rustic appearance means it doesn’t need to be perfect to be delicious!
• Organic Pie: While you can buy apple pie in the grocery store bakery section these days, when you make your own Dutch Apple Pie at home, you can indulge with mindful organic ingredients that you feel good about eating!

Ingredients

• Light Brown Sugar: I use my homemade light brown sugar, but store bought also works.
• Cinnamon: I use organic Korintje cinnamon, which is my favorite variety. If you were a fan at my bakery, be sure to use this kind of cinnamon if you want it to taste just like it did at the shop. Different varieties of cinnamon can give you very different flavors. Check out my post the Best Cinnamon to Bake With.
• Ginger: I use organic ground ginger for a little more depth of flavor. But, nutmeg also works if you prefer.
• Cornstarch: This is necessary to thicken the filling of this apple pie. Organic cornstarch ensures that the fruit juices solidify in the oven and do not create a soggy crust or run out when the pie is sliced. If you are avoiding corn, you can use tapioca, arrowroot or potato starch instead. But, don't skip this step.
• Apples: I use organic Fuji apples, but any sweet variety like Gala or Pink Lady would also work great. But, really the best apples are going to be your favorite variety of apples! So feel free to use your what you like, even if that's granny smith apples!

*For a full list of ingredients and measurements, visit the recipe card below.

Baker's Tips for Old Fashioned Dutch Apple Pie

• Always use a digital food scale for the best results.
• I always use salted butter, but if you want to use unsalted butter, you can.
• If you are new to pie baking, then I highly recommend reading my How to Make Pie Crust in a Mixer post as it gives you lots of tips and tricks for making the best butter pie crust. It goes into much more detail when making pie dough than I usually give in each specific recipe post, so it's a great read to learn about making pie dough from scratch and some tips for beginners!
• You can use any kind of apples for this Dutch Apple Pie recipe, however I prefer the sweeter varieties.
• I always leave the skin on my apples when I make apple pie. But, if you prefer them peeled, you can peel them as well.
• Always let the pie cool completely before slicing it. This will ensure you get nice clean cuts and the crumb topping has time to cool too, which makes it easier to cut into.
• You can bake this pie a day in advance of Thanksgiving. If you do that, just be sure to leave it out on the counter at room temperature and do not cover it. Covering pie will usually result in a soggy and soft crust, which is not good!
• You can reheat this apple crumble pie in the oven if you need to warm it up. Heat at 350°F for 10 to 15 minutes or until warm.
• High Altitude — Bake at 350°F for 1 hour or until golden brown.

How to Make Old Fashioned Dutch Apple Pie

1. To make the crust: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the flour, and cane sugar. Turn on low for two to three rotations to combine the dry ingredients. Remove the butter from the fridge and chop into small cubes. The smaller the cubes, the flakier the crust. Cut the stick of butter into four and then chop into small cubes from there.

2. Add the cold, cubed butter to the flour mixture. Measure out the cold water and have it ready.

3. Turn the mixer on low and slowly start to incorporate the ingredients. Gradually turn the mixer to medium speed. Once the butter mixture looks like wet sand, immediately add in all the cold water. As soon as the dough comes together, stop the mixer.

4. Have a piece of plastic wrap ready, and form it into a disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Allow to cool in the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight.

5. Preheat the oven to 350°F. To make the filling: Slice the apples, leaving the skins on, add to a large mixing bowl. Add the dark brown sugar, cane sugar, flour, cinnamon and cornstarch to the apple slices. Mix together to combine completely.

6. To make the topping: In a medium bowl, add the flour, sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, and ginger and swirl together. Add the melted butter and stir with a spatula until combined. Set aside.

7. Grease a 9-inch pie pan with butter. Remove the pie dough from the fridge. Remove the plastic wrap and place on a floured surface. Roll out the into a disk that is ¼-inch thick, it should be about 11-inches in diameter.

8. Place the pie dough into the pie pan, and press lightly to form against the pan. It should be large enough that the dough folds right over the top of the pan.

9. Roll the excess dough into the pie pan so it’s even with the edges of the pie pan. Flute the edges by using your thumb and index finger of your right hand to pinch the rolled edge of dough and push your index finger of your left hand into it to create the “flute”. Continue around the entire pie to flute the edges.

10. Add the filling into the pie pan and spread evenly.

11. Crumble the topping on top of the pie.

12. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until golden brown. (If you're baking at high altitude, be sure to check the Notes at the bottom of the recipe for high altitude baking instructions).

Recipe FAQ's

Thanksgiving Menu Inspiration

This Dutch Apple Pie was a popular seasonal item on my bakery menu for Thanksgiving. So, I know it makes a perfect ending to a comforting meal. If you are looking for some more Thanksgiving inspiration, check out this organically curated menu for our holiday dinner this year!

• Appetizer: I always serve Organic Dill Dip With Sour Cream as it's always the most requested! Add it to a charcuterie board for a crowd pleasing simple appetizer.
• Cocktail: Try Holiday Punch With Vodka and Cranberry Mocktail With Coconut Water for a nonalcoholic option.
• Turkey: If you're hosting a more intimate gathering, try Slow Cooker Turkey. Or, check out Roasted Herb Butter Turkey for your full bird.
• Sides: Try Pumpkin Spice Sweet Potato Fries for a fun and different sweet potato side dish. And you can't go wrong with my Easy Stuffing Recipe.
• Dessert: This Old Fashioned Dutch Apple Pie makes a perfect dessert. Make sure to make Homemade True Caramel Sauce to drizzle on top (we did this at my bakery!). And, if you want to serve with some ice cream, try Salted Caramel No Churn Ice Cream.

More Fall Apple Recipes

Persimmon Apple Cider Jam

Apple Pie Cinnamon Rolls

Eggless Apple Cinnamon Waffles

Sourdough Apple Pie