Streusel and apples are the perfect pairings and this pie could not be easier. With a “press-in-the-pan” crust that requires NO ROLLING PIN, a food -processor filling, and an easy streusel topping recipe, you’ll be loving how quick, and delicious this recipe is!
Whether you are baking your first-ever holiday pie, or you just want a delicious made from scratch treat, this pie delivers all the flavor while keeping it simple and saving you time.
Click here to get my downloadable supplies list and printable recipe.
This Dutch Apple Pie is the easiest homemade pie you will ever make
With a no-roll crust and a quick food-processor filling, there is so much to love about this pie! What you’ll love the most, though is the 100 percent homemade taste! It’s true that homemade pie crust just tastes better than store-bought.
What is a Press-In-The -Pan Crust?
Don’t let the thought of a flour-covered countertop and a sticky rolling pin keep you from enjoying a made from scratch pie crust. You are going to love this press-in-the-pan technique!
A press in the pan pie crust is an easy way to make a crust from scratch without the hassle of a rolling pin and flour all over your countertops!
You simply combine your dry ingredients and butter in a mixing bowl or food processor, add your liquid ingredients, and press into a pie pan.
Food Processor Fast Filling
Sure you can cut the apples with a knife, but if you break out the food processor, you can save yourself some time.
Just peel and core the apples, and feed them through your food processor with the slicing disc in place. Then toss the apples, spices, sugar, and flour together and fill the pie.
For the best flavor and texture, use mostly Granny Smith apples. If you want to play with the flavor, feel free to add in one or two different varieties. For a chart of all the Fall apple varieties click here.
Apples prepared in a food processor cook faster and make a juicer filling, so the baking time and flour amounts have been adjusted to make the perfect pie.
Streusel Topping makes it Dutch
Instead of a top crust, Dutch Apple pie features a sweet and crunchy streusel piled high on top of the apples.
Streusel is a crumbly blend of fat, mixed with flour, sugar, and cinnamon. It originated in Germany but I use it in many of my bakery recipes because of how versatile it is.
Use streusel on top of coffee cakes, muffins, quick bread, and pies for that special “bakery-style” finish. Just mix up a batch and store it in your refrigerator for up to a week or freezer for a month.
The Maillard Reaction is your friend
If you’ve been reading my blog for a while, then you’ve probably heard me mention the Maillard reaction before. The Maillard Reaction is a chemical reaction that gives browned food its distinctive flavor.
Think about the taste of a slice of bread. Hmmm. Okay?
Then imagine what that slice of bread tastes like when you put it in the toaster. Better, right?
The Maillard Reaction is going to make the pie crust and the streusel topping taste buttery and toasty and delicious, but the Maillard reactions happen faster at higher temperatures.
So keep your oven hot (375F or so) to brown your pie that extra bit more. Another strategy is to start off at 400F, then turn down the temperature to 350F.
Ingredients and Supplies Needed
Supplies
The supplies needed to make this pie are easy and inexpensive. While this recipe is written for a food processor, you can totally make it with a pastry cutter tool.
Shopping List
Here are some of the specialty ingredients I used. The almond extract makes this pie have an unforgettable flavor!
Dutch Apple Pie with Press-In-The-Pan Crust
Super Easy Dutch Apple Pie with a Flaky Homemade Press-in-the-Pan Pie Crust. Makes enough filling to fill a standard 9 in. pie
Ingredients
- Crust
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 Tbsp ice water-remove ice cube
- 1/4 cup butter-cubed and chilled
- 1/4 cup shortening-chilled
- Filling
- 6 сuрѕ tаrt аррlеѕ рееlеd and cored (about
- 2 tѕр lеmоn juісе
- 1/3 сuр granulated sugar
- 2 tbѕр brоwn ѕugаr
- 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1/4 tѕр salt
- 1/3 cup аll-рurроѕе flour
- 1/4 tsp almond extract
- Streusel
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 cup butter-softened
Directions
- Step 1 Prepare the crust:
- Step 2 In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade attachment, pulse the flour, salt, cold shortening, and cold butter together briefly until it resembles wet sand. Add 1 Tbsp cold water and pulse just enough to combine.
- Step 3 Press the crust into the pan:
- Step 4 First dump the dough crumbles into a 9-inch pie plate.
- Step 5 Then, using your fingertips and the palm of your hand, press the dough evenly into the pan and up the sides.
- Step 6 Now crimp the edges
- Step 7 using the three fingered pinching method, or simply press the tines of a fork around the edges.
- Step 8 Let the pie crust chill in the refrigerator while you make the filling and the streusel topping.
- Step 9 Prepare the apple filling:
- Step 10 Using the slicing disc of your food processor, place peeled and cored apples through the feed tube. (alternatively, you can hand cut the apples if desired)
- Step 11 In a mixing bowl, toss apples, lemon juice, sugar, flour, salt, and spices together.
- Step 12 Let sit for 15 minutes to allow juices to develop.
- Step 13 Prepare the streusel:
- Step 14 In a food processor or medium-sized mixing bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Add the butter and mix until there is no longer any dry flour spots and mixture clumps when pressed together.
- Step 15 Assemble the pie:
- Step 16 Use a slotted spoon to scoop apples into the pie plate without the juices. (leaving the juice behind helps prevent a soggy bottom crust.)
- Step 17 Press apples into pie evenly to eliminate air pockets.
- Step 18 Top with streusel crumbles, spreading evenly all the way out to the edges.
- Step 19 Bake the pie:
- Step 20 Place the pie on a parchment or foil-lined sheet pan, then place in a preheated 400° oven. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 375° for 35 minutes. Allow the pie to cool completely before slicing. The filling will thicken as it cools, so slicing early will result in a runny filling. Store pie covered at room temperature for 48 hours or refrigerated for up to 4 days.
You will love this Dutch Apple Pie recipe with a “press-in-the-pan” crust that requires no rolling pin.
Now you can bake a homemade Apple pie, completely from scratch without a big mess in your kitchen. Give this press-in-the-pan style crust a try. You will look like a superstar when you set this pie on the table, and don’t forget to print out my easy recipe and checklist to have handy on baking day.
Are you looking for other Fall and holiday-inspired dessert ideas?
