Crumble Top Apple Pie

A friend told me that I do not have enough pie recipes on this blog. So with Thanksgiving fast approaching, I thought I’d share another family favorite: my crumble top apple pie.

To make this pie you need a lot of apples. I use a mix of green and red apples. Green for their tart flavor and firm texture and red for the juice and sweetness. For the red apples I use McIntosh, Fuji, Gala or even Honeycrisp—though Honeycrisp are so juicy you may need to add an extra tablespoon or so of corn starch. Note: if you are using Costco apples you will need to reduce this by as much as two apples. Costco apples (like everything else from Costco) are ginormous, so adjust accordingly.

I always begin by preparing the pie crust. This recipe requires a single unbaked crust. I suppose you could buy a frozen pie crust, but you could just as easily make my ultimate pie crust. I prefer to put the crust in a deep pie dish (more room for all those apples) but some Thanksgivings I have been forced to use a basic glass pie dish (not every VRBO is properly stocked) and it has turned out fine. Since my recipe makes two single crusts, I usually pop one crust in the freezer so I’m ready for the next pie emergency.

After preparing the crust, I peel and cut apples and toss them with sugar, cornstarch and spices. So as not to sog up the bottom of your unbaked crust I leave the apple filling in the bowl while I mix up the crumble top.

Mixing the crumple top is as easy as making cookies. This recipe makes a ton of crumble top to accommodate spillage and people snitching it during all stages of pie making. (Still a problem in my kitchen.)

Below is the desired texture of the crumble top.

Once the crumble top is made, it’s time to assemble the pie.

Place the apples in the prepared crust. As you can see it is a precarious pile of apples. Dot the apples with a tablespoon of cold butter cut up into pea size bits.

Next you cover this with the crumble top. This step is always a bit challenging and messy because of how many apples are in the pie. But trust me you want all those apples. I try to cover the pie completely so there are no apple bits peeking out. Also, note the inevitable spilled crumble top on the counter.

Place in the over on a cookie sheet lined with foil. And bake at 350 degrees for an hour. After the first hour cover the top with foil and bake for almost another hour. I’d set your time for 45 minutes before checking to see if the pie is finished.

I have two ways to tell if the pie is done. 1. Smell: When a pie is finished the wonderful pie baking aroma that has been wafting through your house will become intense. I know this instruction is vague but pay attention and you’ll learn to recognize the perfect pie smell. I’ve saved many a baked item by recognizing the distinctive finished smell. 2. Juices bubbling out of the pie. There should be a puddle of golden brown sticky juice on your baking sheet. This is possibly the best tasting food in the world. After it has cooled off a bit (I’ve burnt my tongue several time tasting this deliciousness.) you can scoop it up in a spoon and enjoy. It’s not very pretty but I’m including a photo below to help uncertain bakers.

This pie does take a looong time to bake. I usually make it the night before Thanksgiving or early in the morning to keep the ovens free. But it is so worth it. This is hands down the favorite pie where ever I take it. One last suggestion for the perfect pie: I wouldn’t make it more than a day ahead. If it sits around too long the underside of the crumble top becomes soggy. Bleh.

My Best Crumble Apple Pie

10 apples (6 granny smith, 4 red—Fuji, Gala, or McIntosh) peeled, cored and thinly sliced (about 1/8 inch thick).

Juice of 1 lemon

2/3 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup white sugar

1/4 cup cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

in a large bowl combine the apples and lemon juice. In a separate smaller bowl whisk together the dry ingredients before combining with apples and lemon juice. Toss untll the apples are evenly coated. (To prevent a soggy bottom I leave the apples in a large bowl while I mix up the crumble top.)

Place apples in prepared pie crust. Dot with 1 tablespoon butter cut up into pea size bits. Cover with crumble top. Bake at 350 for one hour. After the first hour cover with foil. Bake for about another hour. It is finished when sticky sweet juices bubble out.

Crumble Top

14 tablespoons butter at room temperature

2 cups flour

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup white sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

pinch salt

Combine until mixture sticks together, like crumbly cookie dough.