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Cinnamon Apple Pie with Crumb Topping

Apple Pie with Crumb Topping
Classic apple pie is made with two buttery, flaky pie crusts sandwiching a sweet and spicy apple filling. It is delicious, but it’s not the only classic apple pie out there. I have met many people who would choose an apple pie with a crumb topping over the double-crust classic any day. Personally, I wouldn’t turn down either pie and consider them both to be worthy of the “classic” title.

This Cinnamon Apple Pie with Crumb Topping has a topping that is not unlike something you’d find on a coffee cake. It is a mixture of flour, brown sugar, butter and cinnamon that makes for a crisp and crumbly topping that tastes even better than it looks. I used a very fragrant Saigon cinnamon that gives the topping a very warm and spicy flavor. Any cinnamon will still be great in the topping, but the more pungent your spice, the more dramatic your crumble topping will be.

The apples are spiced with brown sugar, more cinnamon, as well as some allspice and a bit of nutmeg. These spices all compliment the apple well, and the cinnamon really ties the filling in with the crumb topping. You can use any pie apples for this pie, but this is one that I prefer to choose a slightly sweeter apple that works better with the crumb topping, rather than a tart apple the contrasts with it sharply. No matter how you customize the pie by altering the spices or choosing your favorite type of apples, you’ll have a delicious apple pie with a crisp, buttery and sweet topping that is just waiting to be topped off with a scoop of smooth vanilla ice cream.


Cinnamon Apple Pie with Crumb Topping
All Butter Single Pie Crust:
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
6 tbsp butter, chilled and cut into pieces
4-6 tbsp ice water

Whisk together flour, salt and sugar in a large bowl. Rub in butter with your fingertips, pressing it into the flour mixture and breaking it up, until mixture resemble very coarse sand and no pieces larger than a large pea remain. Using a fork, stir in ice water until dough almost comes together into a ball. Press dough into a ball with your hands and wrap in plastic. Chill for at least 30-60 minutes before using.

Filling:
4-5 med/lg Jonagold or other pie apples
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp all purpose flour
1 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1 tsp vanilla extract

Mix apples, sugar, flour, spices, salt and vanilla together in large mixing bowl. Let stand for at least 10 minutes.
Set aside while dough is rolled out.

Crumb Topping:
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled

In a large bowl, whisk together remaining flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Pour melted butter over flour mixture, and stir with a rubber spatula until large, moist crumbs form.

Preheat oven to 425F.
Roll out chilled pie dough to fit a 9-inch pie plate. Press crust into plate gently. Pour apple mixture into the pie crust and gently spread into an even layer. Sprinkle crumb topping over apple slices, using your fingertips to break up and distribute the crumbs evenly.
Bake for 20 minutes at 425F. Lower oven temperature to 375F and bake for additional 35-40 minutes, until apples are tender and crust is browned. If crumb topping becomes too dark, gently tent a sheet of aluminum foil.
Allow pie to cool completely before slicing.

Serves 8.

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21 Comments
  • Lauren at Keep It Sweet
    April 6, 2011

    Apple pie with crumb topping is one of my favorite types of pie! A warm slice + vanilla ice cream = heaven!

  • Rachel @ Baked by Rachel
    April 6, 2011

    I LOVE apple pie. I need this now.

  • Ryan
    April 6, 2011

    Oh my lord, this looks absolutely wonderful!

  • Jasmine
    April 6, 2011

    it look sooo lovely and yummy! (:

  • Holden
    April 6, 2011

    That looks so delicious!! 🙂

  • Katherine
    April 7, 2011

    Delish! I can’t wait to share this recipe.My grandchildren love apple and cinnamon. Hugs!

  • Kristin
    April 7, 2011

    This is exactly what I wanted to make last week! Instead, I ended up combining the apple brown betty pie recipe from your cookbook with the crumbs from an apple crisp, which somehow didn’t work out as well as it should have.

  • d.liff @ yelleBELLYboo
    April 7, 2011

    My grandmother used to make the BEST pies so it’s very intimidating for anyone in our family to make a fruit pie of any sort. This looks delicious – I might have to try it!

  • the cute Pie Guy
    April 7, 2011

    I’m with you. I’ll eat any pie with apples. I also like to use pears.

    I’m not sure but the filling does not look like it’s done. The apples are not that translucent look when tender. May be it’s the type of apple.

    But one trick I learn is that if your crust is cooking before the filling is done, try reducing the pie size like an 6″ or 7″ pie. The filling will cook quicker, shorting the time for it.

    Keep baking. I admire your work.

  • Sue
    April 8, 2011

    Is there any chance that you know the approximate weight of apples that you used. I think everyone has a different perception of what is med/large, and this leaves a wide range of what might be the appropriate amount.

  • Anne
    April 11, 2011

    Can I make the dough 1 day advance?

  • Anne
    April 12, 2011

    I forgot to put a dough on the sides of the pie plate, will it affect the recipe or the texture of the dough under the apples?

  • devon
    September 16, 2011

    Yummy….I’m ready to eat it right now 🙂

  • Tami
    November 24, 2011

    This pie was SO delicious!!! Made it for Thanksgiving tonight (with a gluten free crust), it was gooey, almost like caramel and the crumb topping was the best! Thank you!

  • Laura
    September 12, 2012

    This recipe is what I am going to make Saturday!!! I love the combos and doing the crumble without oatmeal will be different. And for one of the above comment about the apples not looking fully cooked, personally, I would partially cook (in a pot on the stove) the apples so then that way the apples will be done when the crust is.

  • Amy
    April 11, 2016

    I was craving pie, had a pre made crust, decided to do a crumble top, found this recipe. Thought it was so yummy and my family loved it too.

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