Rustic Dutch Apple Pie

Here’s a most delicious Dutch Apple Pie. Rustic looking for a no fuss recipe. Everyone will love this when you serve them a piece. 

When I lived in Atlanta many years ago, I was invited to a dinner party with a few new friends the first week I arrived there.

The hostess was the aunt of one of my friends. Her name was Emily and she was so warm and friendly. She was born and raised in Georgia.

Being a New Yorker, this was such a nice experience spending time with her family and new acquaintances for the evening.

Emily’s house was decorated beautifully; and her recipes she served that evening were just wonderful, every one of them.

I must have gained 5 pounds that night, from this pie alone! It was so delicious, I had to have a second piece.

When we were getting ready to leave, I asked her if she would share her recipe for the apple pie. “More than happy to.” That’s what Emily said to me.

While living in Atlanta many years after that first dinner party, this pie was my go to dessert when I had company. 

I remember one friend called this a showstopper of a pie. That put one big smile on my face. 

A few years after I started making this pie for company, I became a caterer. Then, I had to make 3 or 4 pies at a time. You can imagine how my apartment smelled. I even had one of my neighbors come over to tell me they were going crazy from the wonderful scent that was coming into their apartment. After that, I had to make that one neighbor a pie and boy was she happy when I rang her doorbell that day. 

Now, this delicious pie is a staple at all holiday dinners. 

I also make this every year when it’s apple picking season. My son Josh and I love to go apple picking and this is the pie we make that night after we picked the best apples we could find. 

From my time in Atlanta and now back in New York, this pie will is still one of my favorite desserts and my family’s as well. 

Rustic Dutch Apple Pie 

Yields: 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients:

• 5½ – 6 cups apples, sliced thin, I used a combination of Gala, Green Granny Smith and Golden Delicious apples
•  1 tbsp lemon juice
•  ½ cup granulated sugar
•  ¼ cup lightly packed light brown sugar
•  3 tbsp all-purpose flour
•  ½ tsp sea or kosher salt
•  1 tsp ground cinnamon
•  ½ tsp apple pie spice 
•  ½ tsp vanilla extract
•  1 prepared graham cracker crust, regular or large
•  1 egg, mixed with 1 tsp cold water

Crumb Topping:

• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp fine sea or kosher salt
• 1 stick or 1/2 cup unsalted butter

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2. Lightly brush the egg wash inside the graham cracker crust. Bake for 4 to 5 minutes. Take out and let cool.
3.  In a large mixing bowl, add all your filling ingredients. Gently toss to coat all the apples.
4. Put all filling into prepared crust.
5. In a medium mixing bowl, add all crumb topping ingredients. Using a pastry cutter or your fingers, cut up the butter into the flour mixture. You want it nice and crumbly. Top pie and gently press into apples.
6. Bake for about 45 to 50 minutes. If the crumble crust is getting too brown, cover lightly with tin foil and continue to bake. Check to see that the pie is done by poking with a knife or fork to feel that the apples are fork tender. Let cool for about 30 minutes to set up.

Enjoy the apple deliciousness!

 *Show someone you care about how much they mean to you. Bake them up one of these pies. Makes a wonderful and oh so delicious gift*

Love a dollop of vanilla ice cream on my pie, yum!