Apple Crumb Pie Recipe tastes like a cozy fall afternoon with buttery crumbs, soft spiced apples, and a crisp, golden top in every bite. It works perfectly for holiday dinners, Sunday baking, or any night when you want dessert in about 1 hour 15 minutes from start to finish. I first baked a version of this pie in a tiny apartment kitchen with one wobbly oven rack, so you can absolutely pull it off in a regular home kitchen.

Why You Should Try This Apple Crumb Pie Recipe

This Apple Crumb Pie Recipe gives you all the flavor of classic apple pie without the stress of a lattice crust. The crumb topping bakes into crunchy, buttery clusters that contrast with the tender apples and flaky bottom crust.

You can prep the filling and crumb in advance, then assemble and bake when guests arrive. The recipe uses simple pantry ingredients, so you probably own most of what you need already.

“This Apple Crumb Pie Recipe tastes like a bakery special but comes together in a home kitchen with zero fuss. ★★★★★”

Ingredients You’ll Need

Pie crust

You can use a homemade crust or a good quality store bought one.

1 single 9-inch pie crust, chilled in the pan
- Store bought works great; choose one with real butter if possible.
- If you use frozen, thaw it in the fridge so it stays firm but not rock hard.

Apple filling

6 to 7 medium apples (about 2 to 2 ½ pounds), peeled, cored, and sliced
- Use a mix of tart and sweet apples: Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Braeburn, Pink Lady.
- Avoid very soft apples like Red Delicious because they turn mushy.
½ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup light brown sugar, packed
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground allspice (optional but tasty)
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Crumb topping

1 cup all purpose flour
½ cup light brown sugar, packed
¼ cup granulated sugar
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
½ cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
- If you only have salted butter, use it and skip the extra salt in the topping.
- I like European style butter for richer flavor, but any real butter works.

Optional finishing touch

1 tablespoon heavy cream or milk, for brushing crust edges
1 tablespoon coarse sugar, for sprinkling on the crust rim

Equipment list

9-inch pie plate (glass or metal)
Large mixing bowl
Medium mixing bowl
Measuring cups and spoons
Sharp knife and cutting board or apple slicer
Small spatula or wooden spoon
Pastry cutter or clean hands for crumb topping
Foil or pie shield to protect crust edges
Baking sheet to catch drips

Tips & Tricks

Use at least two types of apples so the filling tastes more complex and interesting.
Slice apples about ¼ inch thick so they soften fully but still hold their shape.
Chill the assembled pie for 10 to 15 minutes before baking if your kitchen feels warm; this helps the crumb hold its shape.
Place the pie plate on a preheated baking sheet so the bottom crust browns nicely.
Tent the pie loosely with foil if the crumb or crust browns too fast.
Taste a slice of apple with the sugar and spice mix before baking and adjust sweetness if your apples taste very tart.
Keep the butter for the crumb topping cold so you get big, crunchy clusters instead of a greasy paste.
Let the pie cool at least 2 hours so the filling sets and slices stay neat.
Reheat slices in the oven or toaster oven instead of the microwave if you want the crumb to stay crisp.
Add a tiny pinch of salt to your whipped cream or vanilla ice cream to balance the sweetness.

How to Make Apple Crumb Pie Recipe

Prep the crust and oven

Place your pie crust into a 9-inch pie plate if it does not come pre-shaped. Crimp the edges as you like, then place the crust in the fridge to stay cold.
Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Place a baking sheet on the middle rack so it heats up while the oven preheats.

Mix the apple filling

Peel, core, and slice the apples into ¼ inch thick slices. Place them in a large mixing bowl.
Add granulated sugar, brown sugar, flour, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and salt. Toss until every slice looks coated.
Add lemon juice and vanilla extract, then toss again. Let the apples sit for about 10 minutes so they release some juices and absorb the flavors.

Make the crumb topping

In a medium bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Stir until no big clumps of sugar remain.
Add the cold butter cubes. Use a pastry cutter or your fingers to work the butter into the dry ingredients until you see pea sized crumbs and some larger clumps.
Place the crumb bowl in the fridge while you finish the filling so the butter stays cold.

Assemble the pie

Take the chilled crust out of the fridge. Give the apples one last toss, then pour the filling into the crust, scraping in any juices.
Spread the apples into an even layer, slightly higher in the center.
Sprinkle the crumb topping evenly over the apples, breaking up any very large chunks but keeping some nice clusters.
If you like, brush the crust edge lightly with cream or milk and sprinkle with coarse sugar.

Bake the pie

Place the pie on the preheated baking sheet in the oven. Bake at 400°F for 20 minutes.
Lower the oven temperature to 350°F (175°C) and continue baking for 30 to 35 minutes. The crumb should look golden brown and the filling should bubble around the edges.
If the crust or crumb browns too quickly, tent the pie loosely with foil and keep baking until the apples feel tender when you poke the center with a knife.

Cool and serve

Remove the pie from the oven and place it on a cooling rack. Let it cool at least 2 hours so the juices thicken.
Slice and serve slightly warm or at room temperature. Add vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, or a drizzle of caramel sauce if you feel extra fancy.

What to Serve with Apple Crumb Pie Recipe

Apple Crumb Pie Recipe pairs beautifully with a scoop of vanilla ice cream that melts into the warm crumbs and apples. You can also serve it with lightly sweetened whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon on top. A mug of hot coffee, chai, or cocoa works perfectly alongside a slice. If you serve it after dinner, add a simple green salad and roasted chicken earlier in the meal so dessert can shine as the cozy finish.

Storage Options

Store leftover pie covered at room temperature for up to 1 day if your kitchen feels cool.
Keep slices in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
Reheat individual slices in a 325°F oven or toaster oven for 8 to 10 minutes until warm and crisp on top.
Freeze cooled slices tightly wrapped in plastic and then foil for up to 2 months, then thaw in the fridge overnight and warm in the oven.