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This traditional Dutch apple pie is filled with lots of apples, cinnamon and raisins, all tucked inside a buttery homemade crust. It’s one of those recipes I’ve made more times than I can count and, preferably, serve with a very generous spoonful of whipped cream. Because apple pie is good, but apple pie with whipped cream is even better.
Table of contents
Tip from Simone
For the best apple pie, use firm, slightly tart apples and don’t skip the layer of crumbled rusks or breadcrumbs on the bottom. They soak up some of the juices from the apples and help prevent a soggy bottom.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
A proper Dutch apple pie is quite different from many American-style apple pies. It’s tall, packed with chunky pieces of apple and usually finished with a lattice made from the same buttery dough as the crust.
I’ve been making apple pie since I was young. My mum wasn’t exactly a fan of cooking or baking, so whenever there was a birthday, apple pie duty usually landed on me. Luckily I loved baking, and after making it a gazillion times, I think it’s fair to say I’ve had plenty of practice.
And despite its impressive appearance, homemade Dutch apple pie really isn’t difficult to make.
Recipe ingredients
You only need a handful of basic ingredients for this apple pie.
- Apples – choose firm, slightly tart apples that hold their shape during baking. HoneyCrisp, Braeburn, Elstar or Pink Lady all work well. You can also use a mixture of different apples. In the Netherlands we have Goudreinet which is famous for it’s use in baking.
- Flour – regular all-purpose flour is perfect for the pastry. If you need a gluten-free option, try my gluten-free apple pie instead.
- Butter – unlike most of the other ingredients, you want your butter to be nice and cold. This helps create a delicious crumbly crust.
- Sugar – regular granulated sugar works well. You can replace some or all of it with brown sugar for a slightly more caramel-like flavour.
- Egg yolks – one goes into the dough and the other is used to brush the lattice before baking.
- Cinnamon – because apples without cinnamon would be a little sad. You can also add a pinch of cardamom or mixed spice.
- Raisins – a classic addition to Dutch apple pie. Not a raisin fan? Leave them out or replace them with dried cranberries. They do also help to soak up some of the apple juices.
- Rusks – crumbled over the pastry base to absorb excess apple juice. Regular breadcrumbs are a good substitute.
Which Apples are Best for Dutch Apple Pie?
The apple is obviously the star of the show here, so choosing the right variety makes a difference.
I prefer a slightly tart apple, such as Golden Reinette (Goudreinet in Dutch). You want an apple that keeps some texture during baking rather than disappearing into apple sauce. Elstar and Pink Lady are good alternatives, and using two different varieties is a great way to get a little more variation in flavor and texture.
Peel the apples, remove the cores and cut them into bite-sized chunks. Mix with the raisins, sugar and cinnamon.
You can add a little lemon juice or lemon zest if you like. Apart from adding freshness, lemon juice is also useful for keeping the apples from turning brown while you finish the pastry.
How to Make Dutch Apple Pie
Step 1: Make the dough
Place the flour, 150 grams of the sugar, salt and one egg yolk in a food processor. Cut the cold butter into cubes and add it to the bowl.
Pulse until the mixture starts to come together. Don’t keep the machine running for too long; you want the butter and dough to stay cold.
Pinch a little dough between your fingers. If it sticks together, it’s ready. Shape into a ball, wrap and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.
No food processor? You can also make the dough by hand. Just work fairly quickly so the butter doesn’t become too warm.
Step 2: Prepare the tin and apples
Preheat the oven to 170°C (340°F).
Line the bottom of a 22 cm springform tin with baking paper and grease the sides.
Peel and core the apples and cut them into chunks. Mix with the raisins, remaining sugar and cinnamon.
Step 3: Add the pastry
Take the chilled dough from the fridge and keep about a quarter aside for the lattice.
Roll out the rest on a lightly floured work surface and use it to cover the bottom and sides of the springform tin.
I have to admit that I often skip the perfectly neat rolling and simply press the dough into the tin with my hands. It might not win any pastry beauty contests, but it works perfectly well. And the flavor is pretty much the same.
Step 4: Fill the pie
Crumble the rusks over the pastry base and spread them out evenly. This simple step helps soak up the juices released by the apples during baking.
Add the apple mixture and spread it evenly over the tin. Press it down gently so you can fit in plenty of apples.
Step 5: Make the lattice
Roll out the remaining dough and cut it into strips. Arrange the strips over the apples in a lattice pattern.
You can make this as fancy as you like. I usually don’t have the patience for pastry artwork, so a simple criss-cross does the job nicely.
Brush the pastry with the remaining egg yolk.
Step 6: Bake
Bake the apple pie for approximately 1 hour, or until the pastry is beautifully golden and cooked through.
Leave it to cool in the tin before carefully loosening the sides and removing the springform ring.
And yes, waiting until it has cooled before cutting it is probably the hardest part of the entire recipe.
Serving Dutch Apple Pie
This apple pie is delicious just as it is, but a generous spoonful of freshly whipped cream is my favorite way to serve it.
Vanilla ice cream is also pretty spectacular, especially if the pie is still slightly warm.
Variations
Once you’ve mastered the basic recipe, it’s easy to change things around.
Add lemon zest to the apple filling for a fresher flavour, replace the raisins with dried cranberries or use a combination of dried fruits. You can also replace the regular sugar with brown sugar or add a little cardamom to the cinnamon.
Don’t fancy making a lattice? A simple crumble topping is a delicious – and easier – alternative. Or have a look at this delicious recipe for an easy apple crumble
And while apple pie isn’t exactly the recipe that’s going to get your daily vegetable count up, apples do bring plenty of fruit to the party. For the rest of the day, I’ll leave the broccoli to you.
How to Store Dutch Apple Pie
Room temperature: Once completely cooled, the apple pie can be kept covered for about 1 day at room temperature.
Fridge: Store the pie covered or in an airtight container in the refrigerator. For the best texture, let a slice come back towards room temperature before serving, or warm it briefly.
Freezer: Dutch apple pie can also be frozen. Freeze individual slices in airtight containers or wrap them well before freezing. Defrost in the refrigerator and warm briefly in the oven if you prefer the pastry crisp.
FAQ Dutch Apple Pie Recipe
I prefer to peel them, especially when using the traditional Golden Reinette apples, as their skin can be fairly noticeable in the finished pie. With a thinner-skinned variety you can leave the peel on if you prefer.
Start with firm apples that don’t release too much liquid and add the layer of crumbled rusks or breadcrumbs underneath the filling. This absorbs some of the apple juices while the pie bakes. Adding dried fruit like raisins also helps.
Absolutely. Simply leave them out or replace them with dried cranberries or another dried fruit you like.
You can, although the homemade pastry is an important part of a traditional Dutch apple pie and gives this version its characteristic buttery crust. If you have the time, I’d definitely make the dough yourself.
No. I don’t blind bake the pastry for this recipe. The layer of crumbled rusks helps protect the base from excess moisture.
It may simply be too warm. Letting the pie cool gives the filling time to settle and makes it much easier to cut neat slices. Tempting as that warm apple smell may be.
More Dutch Baking Recipes
Recipe: Dutch Apple Pie
Dutch apple pie recipe
Ingredients
- 175 gr butter icecold
- 2 egg yolks
- 300 gr flour
- 200 gr sugar
- pinch of salt
- 2 rusk don't use whole grain
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 100 gr raisins
- 6 apples i prefer a slightly tart flavor
- 1 tbsp cold water
Instructions
- Add the flour, 150 gr of the sugar, pinch of salt and 1 egg yolk in the bowl of a food processor. Cut the butter into small cubes and add to the bowl. Turn this into a firm dough. Don't over process, you do not want the dough to turn warm. Check if it sticks by pinching it between your fingers.
- Turn out onto a piece of plastic wrap. Make a round ball of it by using your hands and roll it into the plastic. Place into the fridge for half an hour to cool.
- Take a round baking tin of 22 cm diameter and cover this with baking paper. Brush the sides with butter.
- Preheat the oven to 170˚C (340˚F)
- Cut the apple into cubes and mix this with the raisins, the left over sugar and the cinnamon.
- Place the cooled dough on a flat surface sprinkled with flour and roll out into a thin sheet. Place this into the baking tin and cover the bottom and the sides well. I usually just press it into the tin without rolling it out. I find that the easiest way but it is less smooth. Just do whatever works for you.
- Make sure you keep 1/4 of the dough separate to form the strips on the top.
- Once the bottom and sides are covered with the dough, take the rusks and crumble them over the bottom. You can use breadcrumbs for this as well. Shake it a bit so it is divided equally across the bottom.
- Add the apple mixture and divide well over the tin. Rol out the rest of the dough and cut into strips. Place that over the top of the pie in a diamond shaped pattern. Brush the strokes and sides with the other egg yolk and place in the preaheated oven.
- Bake the apple pie for about 1 hour or until golden and cooked through. Leave to cool in the tin and make sure the sides are loose before opening the tin.
Nutrition Information per portion:
Disclaimer:
The nutritional values above are calculated per portion. The details are based on standard nutritional tables and do not constitute a professional nutritional advice.
