Apple Crumble Pie
This apple crumble pie is incredibly delicious and a little easier to make than a traditional pie. It's topped with a salted macadamia crumble topping for that extra crunchy, sweet and salty contrast. This recipe makes one 9-inch pie.
Servings: 8 people
Ingredients
Pie crust
- Homemade pie crust you only the bottom crust
Homemade apple pie filling:
- 4 pounds large apples about 9 large apples, I use honeycrisp and granny smith, see notes
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch dissolved with 3 tablespoons of water
Crumble topping:
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup dark brown sugar packed
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon allspice
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup macadamia nuts chopped
- 6 tablespoons salted butter melted and cooled
Egg wash:
- 1 egg
- 1/2 tablespoon heavy cream
Instructions
- Make the pie crust: Prepare the pie crust according to the recipe instructions. Keep refrigerated until ready to use.
- Make the apple pie filling: Peel, core, and slice the apples to about ⅓-inch thin. In a large deep skillet or pan, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add the apples, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, salt, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the apples begin to soften and release their juices, about 12-15 minutes.
- Thicken the apple pie filling: In a bowl, dissolve the cornstarch with 3 tablespoons of water to make a slurry. Add it to the apples and stir in. Bring to a low simmer and add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, simmer for an additional 2 minutes until thickened. The juices should look glossy and coat the apples.
- Cool the filling: Allow the filling to cool down in a shallow bowl or pan. Before proceeding, it should be cooled down almost completely (a little bit warm is fine though).
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Make the crumble topping: In a bowl, combine the flour, dark brown sugar, cinnamon, allspice, salt, and chopped macadamia nuts. Drizzle in the melted cooled butter and stir gently to form coarse clumps. Set aside. Note: It will look crumbly and a little floury.
- Roll out dough and arrange in a 9-inch pie dish. I roll it out to about 12-inches round to account for the sides of the pan. Crimp the edges or press down with a fork around the borders.
- Assemble: Spread the prepared apple filling into the crust evenly. Sprinkle the crumble topping generously over the top.
- Brush with egg wash: Whisk 1 egg with 1/2 tablespoon of heavy cream. Brush the edges with it. Tip: Just a layer of egg wash needed, there shouldn’t be pools of egg wash.
- Bake apple pie: Place the pie on a baking sheet (to catch any spills) on the lower-middle rack. Bake at 400°F for 20 minutes. Then, reduce to 375°F, remove the pan and cover the edges with a pie crust shield. Bake for another 30 minutes, or until the crumble topping is golden brown and the filling is bubbling. Note: If the topping starts to brown to fast, carefully cover with foil. I usually do this during the last 10-15 minutes.
- Cool before serving. This is important! Let the pie cool for at least 3 hours before slicing so the filling has time to set. It will still be warm, which is perfect for serving with a scoop of ice cream. Enjoy!
Notes
- Important! After the pie is out of the oven, it needs at least 3 hours to cool down so the center sets properly for slicing.
- Pie crust shield: This is essential for making pies. It protects the edges from burning. If you don’t have one, you can cover with foil, but I’d HIGHLY recommend getting one.
- Plan ahead: The crust dough can be made ahead, as it needs to be cold. Same with the filling, as it needs time to cool down.
- Pre-cook the filling: Always pre-cook the apples for this recipe. This way, the filling will be perfectly thickened and warm, as the crumble topping bakes well without burning.
- Let the filling cool down before assembling to prevent a soggy bottom. A little warm is fine though.
- There is no need to par-bake the crust since the filling is already thickened, but can if you’d like.
- Optional: Preheating the sheet pan first encourages a crispier bottom crust.
- Make Ahead: Prepare the pie crust and the apple filling up to 1-3 days in advance and store in the fridge before assembling.
- Storage: Keep the baked pie loosely covered at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerate for up to 5 days. Reheat at 300°F for a few minutes (avoid the microwave to keep the crumble crisp).
- Freezing: Freeze cooked filling alone for up to 3 months, or wrap and freeze the fully baked, cooled pie for up to 2 months.
- Apples: Use any firm baking apple, such as Honeycrisp, Granny Smith, Braeburn, or a combination of either one.
- Pie Crust: Swap homemade for a store-bought crust (like Wholly Wholesome brand from the frozen aisle). Store-bought crusts tend to be smaller, so you may be able to make 2 pies.
- Macadamias: Chopped pecans or walnuts, or omit for a nut-free option.
Disclaimer: Nutritional values (per serving) are approximates only.