How to Make Apple Pie with Crumb Topping | Step-by-Step

I’m going to pause my search in the Yankee recipe archives again this week to show you a little more of the old-fashioned New England recipe I wrote about for “Recipe with a History” in the November/December 2015 issue. The subject? Apple pie! To learn more about the history of apple pie in America, check out the full story in the issue (“Prized Pies | Recipe with a History”), but if you’re wondering how to make a crumb-topped version of this holiday favorite, you’ve come to the right place!

We’ll link to the full recipe (originally published in Yankee Senior Food Editor Amy Traverso’s award-winning The Apple Lover’s Cookbook) at the bottom of the post.

Like all pastry-based pies, this one starts with butter, flour, ice water, and a little bit of sugar and salt to make the dough.

For the apples, I followed Amy’s advice and used a combination of firm-tart (such as Granny Smith) and firm-sweet (such as Pink Lady) apples to help the fruit keep its shape and give the pie the perfect balance of flavor.

Once the dough is chilled, roll it out and fit it into your pie plate, making sure there aren’t any gaps in the corners.

Next, add the sliced apples in an even mound, and then crimp the crust however you choose. I’m partial to the “finger pinch” flute, where you press down with one finger, and then pinch the dough around it with your other thumb and finger.

Next, add the streusel crumb topping, made with pecans, brown sugar, flour, butter, and salt. I used a measuring cup to evenly distribute it over the apples.

Into the oven, out of the oven.

Some areas of my crumb topping got a little “extra crispy,” so next time I’ll keep a closer eye and tent the top of the pie with foil if I think it’s starting to over-brown.

Amy advises you let the pie cool for at least 45 minutes before serving. The apples stay very hot for quite a while, and waiting to slice into it helps ensure your slices will be neat and tidy.

Warmed and topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, this sweet and crumbly apple pie is a winner.

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Apple Pie with Crumb Topping Recipe

Aimee Tucker

Aimee Tucker is Yankee’s senior digital editor. A lifelong New Englander and Yankee contributor since 2010, Aimee has written columns devoted to history, foliage, retro food, and architecture, and regularly shares her experiences in New England travel, home, and gardening. Her most memorable Yankee experiences to date include meeting Stephen King, singing along to a James Taylor Fourth of July concert at Tanglewood, and taking to the skies in the Hood blimp for an open-air tour of the Massachusetts coastline.

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