It’s apple season here in my state of Washington and the perfect time of year to start baking again. The temperatures are cooler, the rain is starting to fall and my house is calling for the warmth of my oven and the smell of cinnamon in the air. I’d say it’s time to bake my Classic Apple Pie.
I learned how to make this pie by watching my mom (one of the best bakers I know) over the years. I not only use her quick and simple Oil Pie Crust recipe, but her method for topping the pie with a streusel topping rather than an upper pie crust. It makes for a perfectly sweet pie that isn’t soggy or too bready. And, because I have to put my touch on things, my streusel topping comes with a twist. Read on to find out my secret ingredient!
This Classic Apple Pie is piled high with apples and seasoned with plenty of sugar and cinnamon for a sweet, but still tart, apple filling. The streusel topping adds a buttery, sweet and crunchy layer – a nice contrast to the soft and creamy apples. My secret weapon for that crunchy, sweet topping is the addition of a few graham crackers. They hold their crunch well and compliment the apples perfectly. Yum!
Start by preheating the oven to 350 deg F. Make the pie crust using this recipe, but add one tablespoon of sugar to the dough. Place the unbaked pie crust in your pie pan and set aside.
Next, peel, core and thinly slice 8 heaping cups of apples. I like to use a combination of apples such as Galas, Granny Smiths, Jonagolds or Elstars. When sliced, add the apples to a large mixing bowl along with 1½ tablespoons of fresh lemon juice. Stir to coat. In a separate bowl, mix together ¼ cup of all-purpose flour, ¼ teaspoon of kosher salt, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, ¼ cup of brown sugar and ¼ cup of granulated sugar. Pour the sugar mixture over the apples and stir to combine. Dump the apples into the pie pan and make the streusel topping.
In a small bowl, add ¼ cup of all-purpose flour, ½ cup + 2 tablespoons of crushed graham crackers, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon and ½ cup of brown sugar. Stir to combine then add ¼ cup of very soft butter. Use your hands to incorporate the butter into the flour/cracker mixture. Sprinkle the streusel over the top of the pie making sure to cover the entire top.
Bake the pie at 350 deg F for 40-45 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the apples are soft when pierced with a fork. Let the pie cool before slicing. Enjoy!
Classic Apple Pie
Ingredients
- 1 Oil Pie Crust (see link to recipe below)
- 8 heaping cups of peeled, cored and sliced apples
- 1½ tbsp lemon juice
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
Streusel Topping
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup + 2 tablespoons of crushed graham cracker
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup butter, softened
Instructions
- Make the pie crust using this recipe. Place in pie tin and set aside.
- Peel, core and slice 8 heaping cups of apples. Place in a large mixing bowl along with 1½ tablespoons of lemon juice. Toss to coat. Set aside.
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, add the flour, salt, cinnamon and sugars. Mix to combine, then pour over the apples. Stir. Dump the apples into the pie tin and make the streusel topping.
- In a small bowl, mix together the flour, graham cracker, cinnamon and brown sugar. Mix in the butter by hand then scatter the topping over top of the apples, covering the entire top of the pie.
- Bake the apple pie at 350°F for 40-45 minutes. Let the pie cool completely before serving. Enjoy!
ke
