Apple Crumble Pie is a delicious and easy pie that everyone requests time and again.
A tender flaky crust filled with sweet juicy cinnamon kissed apples all topped of with a delicious crumb topping. This is the perfect apple pie to serve after any meal!
Why This Is the Best Apple Crumb Pie Ever!
“The Best” is a pretty big statement and not one I take lightly… and “The Best” fits this Apple Crumb Pie perfectly! I first served this apple pie Thanksgiving many years ago and it was a HUGE hit, it has been requested over and over again!
- Great to make ahead, bakes up perfectly every time.
- Simple to make with homemade pie crust or store bought to make it fast.
- Can be served warm, room temperature, or chilled.
- Simple ingredients you probably have on hand.
The Best Apples for Pie
The base of a perfect apple pie (or apple crumble) starts with choosing the right apples. You’ll want an apple that is crisp and slightly tart but will hold its shape while baking.
When baking apple pie, I recommend using a Granny Smith apple as I’ve used in this apple crumb pie recipe.
While you certainly can use any apple, some apples have a softer texture or are less crisp meaning your pie could become mushy or the apples won’t hold their shape. Find more info on apples for baking here.
How Many Apples are Needed for a Pie
This will vary based on the recipe you’re using and the topping, this particular recipe uses a delicious crumb topping so the apples are really piled sky-high.
For this apple crumb pie, you’ll need 8 medium Granny Smith apples which will be approximately 6-7 cups of apples. Always be sure to peel your apples for pie as the skin can become tough and chewy once baked.
How Many Cups is a Sliced Apple?
You can expect 3 medium apples (approximately 1 pound) to yield about 2 1/2 cups of sliced apples.
Cut the apples fairly thin (about 1/8″) and, in this apple crumble pie recipe, you’ll want to stack them nice and high because they will shrink down a bit as they bake!
An apple peeler/corer/slicer can make this job extra quick if you use a lot of sliced apples, it’s a great investment that will save you hours!
Crumb Topping for Apple Pie
What sets this pie apart from a classic apple pie recipe is the topping! The crumble is easy to make and this pie has a generous portion!
It’s a simple mixture of:
- butter
- brown/white sugar
- flour
- cinnamon
Tips for a Perfect Pie
- Use an apple that holds up well like Granny smith.
- Pile the apples high, they’ll shrink a bit as they bake.
- If your crumb topping is powdery, it hasn’t been mixed enough. Use your hands to really mix it together until bigger crumbs form.
- If you notice the topping starts to brown too early, place a small square of foil over the middle.
- I use a nice deep dish pie plate and always set the pie plate on a parchment lined baking pan to bake. This makes it easier to get in and out of the oven and will catch any drips or spills should your pie bubble over!
Storage/Leftovers & Reheating Apple Crumb Pie
Once the pie has cooled it can be stored at room temperature uncovered for up to 24 hours.
If you bake this apple crumb pie ahead of time, you can warm it in the oven again before serving. Reheat at 325°F for about 20 minutes (heated from room temperature).
We serve this with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped topping and caramel sauce!
You can freeze this pie either before or after baking. If frozen before baking, the pie can be baked from frozen. To bake from frozen, preheat the oven to 425°F and cover the pie loosely with foil. Place the pie in the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350°F and continue baking for an additional 45-55 minutes.
More Apple Favorites
I love apple everything from Apple Pie Tacos, Apple Crumble, and Baked Apple Pie Roll Ups to Apple Pie Egg Rolls.
Did you love this Apple Crumble Pie? Be sure to leave a comment and a rating below!
Ingredients
- 1 single pie crust prepared or homemade
Topping
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup brown sugar packed
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ cup unsalted butter chilled and cubed
Filling
- 8 granny smith apples
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ½ tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon lemon zest (optional)
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Instructions
Directions
- Preheat oven to 450°F.
Topping:
- Combine all topping ingredients using a fork until completely mixed and crumbly.
Filling:
- Peel, core, and slice apples into thin slices (approximately ⅛ inch). Toss apple slices with sugar, flour, lemon juice, lemon zest (if using), cinnamon, & nutmeg.
- Layer apple slices in pie shell (it will be really full) and pour any leftover juice over the apples. Top apple slices with topping and pat it down over the apples. Place pie pan on a cookie sheet (they tend to drip over if really full, this will save your oven).
- Bake at 450°F for 15 minutes, reduce heat to 350°F and bake an additional 45-55 minutes. (Poke the center of the pie to make sure the apples are soft all of the way through).
- Serve warm or room temperature.
Video
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Dessert, Pie
Cuisine American© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
My fav pie to make! It’s got AMAZING flavor. A family favorite every year for the holidays!
Since I would like to make the pie crust from scratch, should I need to get it baked before adding the filling or can I assemble everything together and bake only one time?
Thanks
Hi Rossella, you can bake the crust after adding the apple filling and bake all at once.
Thank you for a great recipe
This recipe is so good! I have made it several times now to rave reviews!!! Thanks so much!!! I just love all your recipes!!! A+++
Thank you so much, Sharon! We are so happy to hear you are loving them!
Not everyone loves apple pie. I’m not particularly fond of it and never make it. However, if I did make it I’d do the crumble topping. I prefer cream pies.
The crumble topping is so delicious, Shirley! So I completely understand. While apple pie is definitely one of my favorites I do also love banana cream pies!
Hi! I’m panning on making this pie today. Should I let it sit out or do I need to put it in the fridge until ready to eat? Thanks!
Hi Megan, if enjoying it that day I would leave it out but lightly covered. Once fully cooled, you can store it in the refrigerator lightly covered. You will want to bring it out ahead of time and let it get to room temperature before serving.
I don’t have the apples but I do have a can of apple pie filling. Could I make the pie using this? How long would I bake it and at what temperature please?
Hi Beatrice, we have never made this recipe with canned apple pie filling but it should like it should work well. I would still bake according to the recipe directions or until heated through.
We love this pie recipe! However, I need help with the crumbs. I can never get real crumbs. Consistency is just not there. I’m definitely doing something wrong. Please help. Thanks!
Hi Caity, for the best crumb results we use cold butter and be sure to cut it in with a fork instead of mixing it in. If it starts to brown too early while cooking you can always cover it with tin foil to prevent it from burning or overcooking on top. Hope that helps!
I know you asked a while ago but I have some advice that I hope will be helpful. Try adding ICE cold water 1 Tbsp at a time and really mixing in with your hands (but not for too long as you don’t want to warm the mixture much, about 30 sec – 1 min).
My daughter found this recipe and we made it today. It was wonderful! Made exactly as written except we added loose aluminum foil in the oven because it browned a lot on top during the first 15 minutes. So good!
Just made this pie and it’s so yummy! Thanks for the recipe.
You’re welcome Kelly!
this crumb was probably the worst dessert ive ever eaten. The filling became mushy, and it tasted like sweet applesauce.
Sorry to hear that this didn’t work for you Brooke.
I have made this recipe several times and everyone LOVES it. However, one of the times it was declared the “most delicious pie ever”. The difference is in the apples that are chosen to use for the filling. I buy apples from a local orchard. I can’t get the same apples throughout the season. Oh, if I only remembered which apples I used that time! So, if this recipe was a bust, and tasted like applesauce I think it was the type of apple you chose and not the recipe itself. Do be brave and give it another try. Try to buy apples that are recommended for baking and are not too sweet or too soft that they will not hold up while baking. JMHO
Thanks so much for the suggestions, Nancy! You are so right, the apples can definitely change the flavor!
I always cut sugar in all my recipes. I used 1/3 cup instead of 1/2 cup of sugar. It was delicious. Also, my apples were not mushy. I used Granny Smith apples. Yes, the topping was not as crumbly as the bakery bought one my son gave me, but that one was too sweet for my taste.
Pie was excellent! The whole family loved it. Crispy topping and not too sweet. The only adjustment I will make is to use 1/2 cup flour in topping mixture because I had quite a bit left over even after I piled it high.
Is the butter supposed to be melted before mixing with the topping?
No you’ll want to mix it in with a fork
I too followed this recipe perfectly and wound up with mushy topping. I cut the mixture as much as I could with a knife and wound up adding about 1/2 cup more flour. Sweetness was still there. Baked st 350 for 65 minutes covering loosely the last 15 minutes. Now on my counter cooling for the family to enjoy for dessert tomorrow!
Made this and loved it!!
I am an experienced baker and I followed the recipe carefully. But this was such a disappointment. The crumb topping wouldn’t hold its crumb in the oven, it just melted into an unattractive, hard crust. Too much butter in the recipe maybe? I took the pie out 15 minutes earlier than the recipe stated and the apples were still overcooked and mushy. The flavors were good but the topping texture, ingredient quantities, and baking time – all a mess. I don’t know how this recipe has so many good reviews. It’s a no for me, sadly.
Made this for Thanksgiving…my first pie ever and it was FANTASTIC!!!
So glad you loved it Lori! Happy Thanksgiving!
This pie tastes amazing but unfortunately my crumble turned more into a flat almost paste like substance, probably my error but very weird even though I followed the recipe to a T. And yes I used room temperature butter:( I just don’t like when my dishes don’t come out pretty
Happy that you enjoyed the taste of this delicious pie Alexis! Did you fluff and spoon the flour when measuring? That comes to mind as a possible reason why the crumble may not have been as crumbly.
Make the filling first. For the topping: The butter should be cold and added last to the dry ingredients. A good tip is 1/2 flour to oats. And make sure you have enough apples. Remember the apples are going to reduce but the topping won’t.
Oh my Goodness!! So I made Holly’s “The Best Apple Crumb Pie Ever!” for my son, now I am NOT a fan of apples much less apple pie. I swear after making this pie to the T, I followed the instructions faithfully and found that I really enjoyed eating THIS pie. I went back for seconds and it was ALL gone not 30 mins out of the oven. Yes, we didn’t wait for it to cool. lol Needless to say I’ll be making this pie for Thanksgiving.
I’m so glad your family loved this as much as mine does! Happy Thanksgiving!!
I am guessing you can making the filling with gluten free flour?
I haven’t used GF flour so I can’t say for sure. Let us know how it goes!
Delicious! Definitely the go to Apple pie recipe from now on! I cut the apples on my mandolin using a 2.5 blade. Perfect!