Apple Crumb Pie
Mom’s Apple Crumb Pie is the BEST! No kidding. I’ve been eating this pie for decades and I still haven’t found anything better. My Mom used to make this recipe all the time when we were growing up. I loved the taste of the cinnamon-flavored apples, but the crumb topping always set it off for me. I loved the sugary-sweet crumbs on top of the pie. I could never get enough.
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My son and his wife asked me to make pies for Thanksgiving dinner. He said they just didn’t make them that well. He was referring to the crust. I told him I would come over any time and show them how to make it. The crust is a texture thing. You don’t want to overwork the dough or the crust is tough. You have to actually feel the dough with your fingers to know when you have the right texture. Anyway, I brought over a Raspberry Pie and this fantastic Apple Crumb Pie. I gave the leftovers to our neighbors who also enjoyed their slices. Yes, the pies were awesome. Thanks, Mom.
My mom baked a lot of pies when I was growing up–and even until my middle adult years when she died. We usually had pie for dinner two or three times per week. The other nights were cakes, cobblers, shortcake or cookies. Yes, we had dessert for EVERY dinner meal and most lunch meals.
Mom made this pie with tart apples. But since I never buy tart apples, I use Gala apples instead. She also used those 9-inch tins that were much smaller than today’s deep dish pie plates. So Mom only used four large apples for her recipes. I use about 6 medium to large apples.
While I can make pie crusts fairly quickly, Mom could whip out two pies, including crusts and filling in about 15 minutes! Truly. She said she had to make so many of them when she was growing up that she got really good at it. If she wanted to go out and play, the pies had to be made first.
She never used a pastry blender on the crust. She worked the lard or shortening into the flour mixture with her fingers. Her hands must have been incredibly nimble. When I was younger I used to work the shortening into the flour with my fingers as well. Nowadays I prefer a pastry blender instead. I think I’m lazier and don’t like to get my hands dirty. 🙁 Her pie crusts were oh, so flaky and wonderful made that way.
Whether you make this pie the old-fashioned way or not, it is utterly mouthwatering and certainly irresistible. My dad used to eat any kind of fruit pie with milk or cream on top. Out of six kids, none of us grew up eating pie that way. But a dab of ice cream? Absolutely heavenly. 🙂 You better give it a try.
Mom’s Apple Crumb Pie was always a favorite growing up.
My younger brothers and I would gorge ourselves on this fantastic pie whenever Mom made it.
It’s great served with ice cream.
Here’s what I did.
I used these ingredients.
Peel and core apples. Slice thinly and put in a mixing bowl.
Add sugar and cinnamon.
Stir ingredients to combine well. Make sure the cinnamon is spread evenly throughout the mixture. Set aside.
In a separate bowl, combine sugar and flour. (I always use unbleached flour.)
Cut in butter with a pastry blender.
Keep working the pastry blender until coarse crumbs form throughout the mixture.
Prepare pie crust and flute edges. Dot the pie with small slabs of butter.
Add apples.
Sprinkle crumb topping over top of the apples.
Bake at 450 degrees for ten minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees. Bake 40-60 minutes longer until apples are cooked and the syrup bubbles up thickly to the top of the crust.
Cool before serving.
This is still one of my favorite pie recipes.
Apple Crumb Pie is really heavenly.
Here’s the recipe.
APPLE CRUMB PIE
(Recipe adapted from my Mom, Helen Mattis, Titusville, FL)
Apple Crumb Pie
Equipment
- 1 9-inch pie plate
- 1 large mixing bowl
- 1 pastry blender
- 1 wooden spoon
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- 1 small to medium mixing bowl
Ingredients
- 4 large tart apples peeled and sliced (I used 6 Gala medium to large apples)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup UNBLEACHED all-purpose flour (bleached flour toughens baked goods)
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- 1 unbaked pie shell
Instructions
- Peel and slice apples; place in a large mixing bowl.
- Sprinkle apples with ½ cup granulated sugar and cinnamon.
- Place in pie shell that has already been dotted with butter.
- Mix remaining half cup of granulated sugar with flour in a small mixing bowl; cut in 1/3 cup butter with a pastry blender until crumbly.
- Sprinkle mixture over apples in pie plate.
- Bake in hot oven at 450° for 10 minutes.
- Then reduce heat to 350° and bake 40 to 60 minutes longer or until apples are done.
- Cool completely.
Notes
© Can’t Stay Out of the Kitchen
Nutrition
Apple Crumb Pie makes a delightful dessert for holidays like Christmas or Thanksgiving. But Mom made it for us almost year round.
We’ve always enjoyed apple desserts. Apple Crumb Pie is an old-fashioned down-home style pie that’s absolutely scrumptious.
You can use any kind of apples to make this pie, but I’ve always preferred using Gala or Fuji apples.
You may also enjoy these delicious recipes!
Apple Crumb Pie
Equipment
- 1 9-inch pie plate
- 1 large mixing bowl
- 1 pastry blender
- 1 wooden spoon
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- 1 small to medium mixing bowl
Ingredients
- 4 large tart apples peeled and sliced (I used 6 Gala medium to large apples)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup UNBLEACHED all-purpose flour (bleached flour toughens baked goods)
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- 1 unbaked pie shell
Instructions
- Peel and slice apples; place in a large mixing bowl.
- Sprinkle apples with ½ cup granulated sugar and cinnamon.
- Place in pie shell that has already been dotted with butter.
- Mix remaining half cup of granulated sugar with flour in a small mixing bowl; cut in 1/3 cup butter with a pastry blender until crumbly.
- Sprinkle mixture over apples in pie plate.
- Bake in hot oven at 450° for 10 minutes.
- Then reduce heat to 350° and bake 40 to 60 minutes longer or until apples are done.
- Cool completely.
2 Comments
Angelina
January 5, 2021 at 2:47 pm
I know this as Dutch Apple Pie. It’s easy & delicious. I also add some nutmeg, and sometimes add a shot of brandy & a few (reconstituted) golden raisins. We like it even better than a 2 crust Apple pie. Delectable.
Teresa
January 7, 2021 at 8:14 am
Hi, Angelina. All your additions make my mouth water! Yes, this is one delicious pie.