Apple Crumble Pie

Fall is officially here! I hope you are as excited as I am about that. But, even if you aren’t, I think this apple crumble pie will help to get you in the mood.

Lately I can’t get enough pie… I’m not talking about just eating pie (though, I have enjoyed a slice or two).  I love the whole process of baking pies.  I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. There’s just something about pie. I enjoy rolling out the crust, preparing the filling, and I love the way a pie fills the kitchen with such a fabulous aroma as it bakes.

So, as soon as we started receiving apples in our CSA shares, I knew that I had to bake some apple pies. Instead of a traditional double crusted apple pies, I decided to do something a bit different and bake an apple pie with a crumble topping reminiscent of an apple crisp, one of my other favorite fall desserts.

I loved the way the pies turned out (I made two pies – one for us, and one for friends)… They may not be the prettiest apple pies you will ever see, but I think they are some of the tastiest. The pie filling has all of the flavors that you would expect from a traditional apple pie.  And then there’s that bonus sweet crunch from the crumble layer on top…  I happen to think that the crumble topping was the right way to go. I may never make a traditional apple pie again.  Well, I probably will… But, I can guarantee I’ll be making my share of apple crumble pies, as well.

Whether you are looking for a warm and cozy dessert for a chilly fall night at home or you need a dessert to take to a harvest dinner or another get together, I’d recommend giving this pie recipe a shot.  I think your friends and family will thank you.

Apple Crumble Pie
Makes one 9-inch pie

• 5 cups peeled and chopped apples
  (I like to slice the apples and then cut the slices in half for bite-sized pieces)
• Juice from 1/2 lemon
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons quick cooking tapioca
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup lightly packed dark brown sugar
• 1/3 cup rolled oats
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cold
• Dough for a single all butter pie crust

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

To prepare the filling, place the apples in a mixing bowl and squeeze the juice from the lemon half over all of the apples.  Toss to evenly coat. Add the granulated sugar, tapioca, 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon, and ginger to the mixing bowl, and stir to combine.

To prepare the topping, combine the flour, dark brown sugar, rolled oats, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon in a separate mixing bowl. Cut the butter into small chunks and use a pastry cutter or your fingers to rub or cut the butter into the mixture until it resembles the consistency of wet sand.

To assemble the pie, roll out the pie crust on a lightly floured surface so that it is about 1/4-inch in thickness.  Transfer the dough to a 9-inch pie dish.  Pour the filling into the pie crust and sprinkle the crumble topping over the filling.  Trim any excess dough from the pie crust and then crimp the edges as desired.

Bake the pie for approximately 45 minutes, until the crust and topping are golden and the filling is bubbly. Cool on a wire rack before slicing.