Grandma’s Dutch Apple Pie
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Grandma’s Dutch Apple Pie
Nothing says the holidays like Grandma’s Dutch Apple Pie! With a flaky, buttery crust, tender spiced apples, and a sweet cinnamon crumble topping, this pie is guaranteed to be the star of your dessert table—and a surefire way to wow your guests. Make ahead, Vegan + Gluten-free Options.
Grandma’s Dutch Apple Pie is the ultimate classic dessert, and it never fails to hit the spot. With layers of crisp Granny Smith + Gala apples, warming spices, and a buttery crust topped with a sweet crumble, this pie is everything you love about apple season in one bite. The best thing about this apple pie is that it tastes amazing whether you choose to make a homemade pie crust or use a really high-quality store-bought one.
Speaking of apple season, I’ve been fully indulging in fall flavors lately—whether it’s this Salted Caramel Apple Crisp or my go-to Apple-Cinnamon Pop Tarts. And if you’re craving something unique for brunch, don’t miss out on my Apple Pie Hawaiian Roll French Toast. It's dangerously good!
Some of my all-time favorites, besides this one, include Peach Crumble Pie, Vegan Apple Cranberry Crumble Pie, Best Vegan Sweet Potato Pie, and Vegan Southern Bourbon Pecan Pie. And when it comes to pastries like pies, pop-tarts, and galettes? Count me in every time. Maybe it’s the balance of that crunchy, buttery crust that gets me—what is it for you?
Jump to:
- What is Dutch Apple Pie?
- Ingredients for Grandma’s Dutch Apple Pie
- Why You’ll Love This Grandma’s Dutch Apple Pie
- How to Best Serve Dutch Apple Pie
- Best Types of Apples for this Grandma’s Dutch Apple Pie
- Making Apple Pie Crust Using a Food Processor
- TIPS FOR A FLAKY, BUTTERY CRUST EVERY SINGLE TIME
- To Peel or To Not Peel Apples?
- How To Make-Ahead Dutch Apple Pie
- Grandma’s Dutch Apple Pie Q + A's
- More Amazing Pie Recipes to Try
- MADE OUR RECIPE(S)?
- Grandma’s Dutch Apple Pie
What is Dutch Apple Pie?
The difference between regular apple pie and Dutch apple pie is the crust. A traditional apple pie has two crusts. But a Dutch pie has one pie crust on the bottom and a crisp crumbling topping on top. Some Dutch apple pie recipes call for sour cream in the filling to add some tang. However, this recipe has a dairy-free filling that's heavy on the apples. 'Tis the season, after all!
Ingredients for Grandma’s Dutch Apple Pie
You'll make three components for this holiday apple dutch pie: the crust, the apple filling, and the crumble topping.
Pie Crust
Here's what you need for a flaky and buttery classic pie crust:
- All-purpose flour. I use organic flour from Bob's Red Mill
- Cane sure. Choose organic, if possible.
- Cinnamon
- Unsalted Butter. Make sure your butter is VERY cold and cut into cubes (or grated) so your pie gets really flaky. For the vegan option, sub with vegan butter.
- Almond milk. You can use regular milk or another dairy-free option.
- Apple cider vinegar. A little acidity really helps to create a beautiful crust. You can also sub with lemon juice.
- Sea salt.
Apple Filling
While the pie crust is chilling, you can make the simple spiced apple filling using these ingredients:
- Apples. I love using Granny Smith, Gala and/or Honeycrisp apples for best results. However, you can only use one type of apple, if preferred.
- Cane sugar. Make sure it’s organic, especially for the vegan option.
- Arrowroot starch. This is a gluten-free thickener. You can also use cornstarch or all-purpose flour.
- Unsalted butter. No need to have the butter at room temperature. You can take it right out the fridge if needed because you’ll be cutting it into small pieces to tuck in between your apples in the filling. For the vegan option, sub with vegan butter.
- Vanilla. Another important flavor boost to this pie.
- Spices. Cinnamon, allspice, cloves, + nutmeg. For a warming fall flavor.
Dutch Apple Pie Crumble Topping
Finally, make the crumbly topping for your apple pie. You'll need:
- Flour. I use all-purpose flour for the creation of the topping. For the gluten-free option, use a high-quality GF flour from Bob's Red Mill or King Arthur.
- Brown sugar. Make sure it’s organic for vegan.
- Thick cut rolled oats. Choose gluten-free if necessary.
- Unsalted butter. No need to have the butter at room temperature. You can take it right out the fridge if needed because you’ll be partially melting it. For the vegan option, sub with vegan butter.
- Cinnamon.
SHOP MY FAVORITE BAKEWARE ITEMS AND ACCESSORIES!
Here, I’ve curated a list of bakeware essentials that I use to achieve my favorite baking treats, especially with this apple pie recipe. Everything from my fave baking sheets, parchment paper, mixing bowls, and more. SEE THEM HERE!
Why You’ll Love This Grandma’s Dutch Apple Pie
- It's very easy to whip together and uses minimal staple ingredients.
- Ready in about an hour (minus chill time + cooling) and WORTH THE WAIT.
- Warm + comforting sweetness
- Comes with a vegan + gluten-free option
- Makes for the perfect sweet treat for the entire family, especially during the holidays!
How to Best Serve Dutch Apple Pie
Serve generous slices of your homemade Dutch Apple Pie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream on top for a simple fix. Some people even like their pie with a slice of cheddar cheese for a sweet and savory combination. However, here are other awesome ways to serve or switch things up for your apple pie:
- Add caramel sauce or butterscotch
- Sharp cheddar cheese (You can bake this in with the apples) ----Check out my Apple Cheddar Thyme Pie!
- Add bourbon or brandy
- Herbs (like rosemary, thyme, etc.)
- Your fave nuts (pecans, walnuts, hazelnuts, etc.)
- Plain Greek yogurt (Or dairy-free for that option)
- Nut butter (like peanut butter or almond butter)
- Other fruit (like cranberries, berries, etc.)
Best Types of Apples for this Grandma’s Dutch Apple Pie
Even though this Grandma’s Dutch Apple Pie is based on using Gala + Granny Smith apples, you can also switch things up and add a slightly new flare in their flavor profile by adding any of the following apples for a bit more sweetness or tart:
- Honeycrisp
- Fuji
- Pink Lady
- Golden Delicious
- Braeburn
- and more!
Making Apple Pie Crust Using a Food Processor
You can make this easy crust super quickly by using a food processor if preferred. Just remember not to overwork the dough or add all of the liquid (milk or water) at once. Pulse the dough just a few times, until it comes together and you can pinch pieces together. If your pie crust is too dry, add ice-cold water or very cold milk, a tablespoon at a time, until it comes together.
TIPS FOR A FLAKY, BUTTERY CRUST EVERY SINGLE TIME
TIP #1: The butter is SUPER important. When it comes to the vegan buttery sticks, ensuring that they are COLD and of course from a great brand is key! For Vegan pastry crusts, I generally go for Earth’s Best Buttery Sticks which will have you believing that you’ve used actual unsalted butter.
TIP #2: Adding Shortening works too! Although, I tend to use buttery sticks alone, adding shortening or lard adds great wonders as well. All you need is half shortening and half butter.
TIP #3: Fridge time is Important time! Chilling your dough for an hour at minimum is so imperative to a flaky crust. Even slightly longer makes for a great advantage.
TIP #4: Your Flours matter big time! While different brands of flour actually hydrate different (causing for a slightly different result), ensuring that you mix in all-purpose flour with pastry flour is also just as important. Believe it or not, pastry flour actually makes a difference and serves a greater purpose!
TIP #5: SLOWLY pour in water, don’t dump it! Ensuring that you lightly pour water-acv mixture while creating dough is so imperative. I generally slightly pour ¼ at a time and work the dough with my hands to eyeball how wet or dry everything is.
TIP #6: Dough can be made in advance, too. If making your crust ahead, you can always store it in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. No longer!
TIP #7: Not too Thick or Thin. Ensuring that you roll out a good enough crust is of course a must. Most go by the rule of thumb being ⅛ of an inch thickness or even slightly thicker. This helps your crust to the perfect thickness to carry the weight of your filling without compromising flakiness.
To Peel or To Not Peel Apples?
It is entirely up to you! I've made this recipe both ways and enjoy them both. I usually make this apple cheddar pie recipe for my family, and my kids sometimes won't eat it with the skins on, so I peel them most of the time. I'm sure it goes without saying, but if you choose to leave the skins on, make sure to wash the apples thoroughly!
How To Make-Ahead Dutch Apple Pie
You can certainly make this Grandma’s Dutch Apple Pie ahead of time. It’s even better if you make the pie the day before. Simply wrap the pie in plastic wrap and keep it in the fridge. A few hours before you plan to serve the pie, place it on the counter and serve at room temperature. Of course, you can always make the crust (and storing it in the fridge) about 2 days prior to making the actual pie.
Grandma’s Dutch Apple Pie Q + A's
Keep leftover pie tightly wrapped with heavy duty plastic wrap or foil and refrigerated for 3-4 days. Re-heat each slice when serving.
To make this pie vegan, simply substitute the butter with vegan butter and ensure that you use a dairy-free milk. See my Sweet Potato Pie recipe for the vegan crust ingredients.
To make the crust entirely gluten-free, simply substitute the flour with a great Gluten-Free flour option like Bob's Red Mill's GF 1-to-1 baking flour or All-purpose flour. If using any other flour, ensure that it has Xanthan Gum included or add 1 teaspoon in with any flour that doesn't. For the remaining ingredients, just make sure that you use arrowroot starch which is very GF-friendly.
For longer storage, keep the pie in the freezer for up to three months. Defrost the pie overnight in the fridge, then serve at room temperature or reheat in the microwave in 30-second intervals to serve warm. You can also reheat the entire pie in a 350°F oven for 10 to 15 minutes, until warmed through.
More Amazing Pie Recipes to Try
Now that you're on a baking kick with this Apple Pie recipe, give these recipes that your entire family will love a try next:
- Vegan Pumpkin Pie
- Vegan Apple Cranberry Crumble Pie
- Vegan Maple Pumpkin Pie
- Best Vegan Sweet Potato Pie
MADE OUR RECIPE(S)?
If you tried this Grandma’s Dutch Apple Pie recipe or any other recipe on my website, please please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how you go in the 📝 comments below. And don't forget to tag @orchidsnsweettea_ on Instagramand hashtag it #orchidsandsweettea! I love hearing from you!
Grandma’s Dutch Apple Pie
Ingredients
CRUST:
- 1 ½ cups organic all-purpose flour (See Notes!)
- 2 Tbsps organic cane sugar
- Pinch of ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, VERY COLD + cubed or grated (See Notes!)
- ⅓ cup VERY COLD Almond milk, unsweetened (You can use dairy milk, if preferred)
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
FILLING:
- 8-10 organic apples, peeled + sliced (I like to mix Granny Smith + Gala apples together; That's about 10 cups; See Notes!)
- 1 cup organic cane sugar
- ¼ cup Arrowroot starch (See Notes!)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ⅛ teaspoon ground allspice
- Pinch of sea salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 Tbsps unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
CRUMBLE TOPPING:
- 1 cup organic all-purpose flour
- ½ cup organic brown sugar
- ¼ cup organic rolled oats (Optional; if not using, sub with flour)
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 6 Tbsps unsalted butter, partially melted
Instructions
TO MAKE THE CRUST:
- In a measuring cup, add the milk and apple cider vinegar, stir and set aside.
- In a large bowl, add the all-purpose flour, sea salt, cinnamon, and cane sugar, whisking them all together.
- Add the cubed or grated butter and using a pastry blender, blend butter into dry ingredients until the mixture becomes “peas-like” and crumbly.
- Pour the cold apple cider vinegar-milk mixture (slowly) and stir (working it together with one hand) until the dry ingredients are moistened. NOTE: If the ingredients feels a little too dry, add 1 tablespoon of milk at a time, until it’s moistened BUT not too wet!
- Once you’re able to form it into a ball and wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour (minimum), up to 1 and a half hours or of course overnight.
- In the meantime, make the Pie Filling.
TO MAKE THE FILLING:
- In a bowl, add the sliced apples, cane sugar, arrowroot, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cloves, vanilla, and salt, stirring everything together until combined and the apples are completely coated.
TO MAKE THE CRUMBLE:
- In a bowl, add the flour, oats, brown sugar, and cinnamon, stirring until combined. Add the partially melted butter and using a spatula, mix until combined and 'crumbly-like'.
ASSEMBLY:
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and lightly grease a standard (9") pie dish with butter.
- Remove dough ball from the refrigerator and place it onto a lightly floured surface. Roll out dough ball using a rolling pin (not making it too thin), about ½-inch thick and gently placing it in your pie dish; working it around evenly. Be sure to do any folding or tucking of any excess pie crust.
- Once complete, poke tiny holes around the bottom of the crust using a fork, add parchment paper to the center of the crust and add "pie weights" atop it and pre-bake the crust for 10-15 minutes. Remove from oven.
- Spoon the coated apples into the center of the crust and re-arrange slices to fit until completely filled to the top of the crust. Tuck the pieces of cut butter in between the apples. Finally, top with crumble topping mixture until completely covered. Bake for about 40-45 minutes or until apple filling begins to bubble "out", and the crust + topping are golden brown.
- Once done, remove from the the oven and let cool completely, about 1-2 hours. When cooled, place the pie in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours before serving and slicing. NOTE: Overnight is best.
- To serve, add whipped cream or your favorite ice cream and enjoy!
- Bon Appetit!
Tips & Tricks
- STORAGE: Keep leftover pie tightly wrapped with heavy duty plastic wrap or foil and refrigerated for 3-4 days. Re-heat each slice when serving.
- FLOUR: If you don’t have Pastry Flour available, simply substitute for All-Purpose Flour.
- TIPS FOR THE PERFECT PIE CRUST: Be sure to check out my article on How to Make the Perfect Pie Crust!
- FOOD PROCESSOR FOR CRUST:If using a food processor to incorporate water to flour/butter mixture, ONLY ADD ¼ cup of water (or milk) AT A TIME to your dough, keeping it on “pulse” to avoid the dough from breaking down too much and it becoming “watery”. With this method, you may not need the entire ½ cup of water (or milk).
- VEGAN OPTION: To make this pie vegan, simply substitute the butter with vegan butter and ensure that you use a dairy-free milk. See my Sweet Potato Pie recipe for the vegan crust ingredients.
- GLUTEN-FREE OPTION: To make the crust entirely gluten-free, simply substitute the flour with a great Gluten-Free flour option like Bob's Red Mill's GF 1-to-1 baking flour or All-purpose flour. If using any other flour, ensure that it has Xanthan Gum included or add 1 teaspoon in with any flour that doesn't. For the remaining ingredients, just make sure that you use arrowroot starch which is very GF-friendly.
- ARROWROOT: If you don’t have arrowroot starch, feel free to substitute with regular starch, tapioca flour, or all-purpose flour, which all act as a thickening agent.
- EQUIPMENT: Here, I’ve curated a list of cooking + baking essentials that I use to achieve my favorite baked goods or cooked meals, especially with this Grandma’s Dutch Apple Pie. Everything from my fave baking sheet, liners, pie weights, hand-mixers, mixing bowls, and more. SEE THEM HERE!
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Grandma’s Dutch Apple Pie
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Any kind of apple dessert is good with me and this pie looks incredible.
I baked up this apple pie this morning using your vegan substitutions and it turned out perfectly!! I can't wait to bring it to Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow!
Just delicious and I loved the crumb topping - we call that a crumble in UK. The apples and spices went so well together.
Your recipe is quite detailed, made it very easy for me to understand and prepare it. Great recipe!!
I'm getting so hungry just looking at this pie! Dutch apple pie has always been a favorite of mine, and I'm on a continual search for the best recipe. I can't wait to try this one.