Crumb-topped apple pie can be baked right away or frozen and baked when you need it. Plus it’s awesome.
Oh guys, I have been wanting to update the photos on this classic AOC recipe for a long time! This amazing pie deserved to have a new photo shoot–not only because it’s lick-the-plate good, but because you can bake it from frozen. This is what you want for your holiday tradition!
This easy, Crumb-Topped Apple Pie is one of the best apple pies I have ever eaten. The fact that it can be made ahead, frozen unbaked for up to three months, and then baked from frozen (no need to remember to take it out ahead of time to thaw!) is just a bonus. Although what a bonus, right?
Some call a crumb-topped pie a French pie, others call it a Dutch pie, but I just call it my favorite. I like the buttery, yummy crumb topping so much better than a crust. And it has nothing to do with the fact that I only have to roll out one dough. Nothing at all.
How to make Crumb-Topped Apple Pie
So you might think that being able to freeze this pie is the only reason to like it (or pin and share it…) – but you’d be wrong. It’s really the best – and only apple pie I make. The crumb topping is my favorite “big crumb” topping similar to our fruit crisp – it’s amazing!
See that thick and substantial crumb topping? No wimpy toppings here – this will not get lost in the fruit. Ever.
Once you make and assemble the dough, apple filling, and crumb topping (when it’s convenient for you – days or weeks from when you want to serve it!), wrap it in heavy-duty (or double thick) foil, pie plate and all, and seal it well. Label and date the outside (tip: I also write the instructions on the foil, so I don’t even have to bother finding the recipe when it’s time to bake).
When you’d like a warm-from-the-oven apple pie, carefully unwrap the frozen pie and place it on a cookie sheet. Take the foil that surrounded the pie in the freezer and cover the pie and cookie sheet loosely with the foil. Bake for 40 minutes, remove the foil and bake for about 40 minutes more- until the apples are tender.
Yep, that’s it – it’s as easy as…well you can guess, right?
And this is perfect for the holidays! I love to have one of these in the freezer to have ready. Of course, you can make and cook it right away. In fact, my favorite thing to do is to double the recipe so we can have one right away, and the other waiting in the freezer. Who needs to wait for the holidays, right?
**Find the link to the full printable recipe below!**
Click the arrow for the full Crumb-Topped Apple Pie recipe (with print options)!
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Hi Jami! We have loved this pie recipe for several years. I have adapted it to make it gluten-free and dairy-free for our family and it is “our” apple pie recipe. This recipe helped me wean my husband off of the frozen Mrs Smiths crumble topped apple pies. So, thank you! We also love the caramel sauce. My question is, can I freeze leftover caramel sauce? Have you ever done that? Does it reheat well? Thanks, Jami!
This is awesome, Juila – how wonderful! If you’d care to share your adaptation, I’d love that since a few of our family members are gluten free (you can email it to me at [email protected]). As for the caramel sauce, I haven’t ever tried that specifically, but I have frozen cookies that had caramel and they’re fine which makes me think this would be also. I’d just completely defrost it first before reheating.
Has anyone baked this then frozen the pie? I’m sending thins on a 15 hr trip and was hoping to send everything baked just frozen for my family my familt to regeat.
I’m sure it would work like that, too, Elia. I just wouldn’t reheat it until it was fully thawed.
I started using this recipe in place of the one I used for years because it’s both easy & delicious! Just made it again now and the problem I have every single time is the crumbs. I dont have a food processor but I see you say it can be done with a pastry cutter. It never comes “solid” as you mention. It’s more sprinkly with clumps of butter. How can I fix this??? Blend more? is it better to use cokd or room temp butter??? Still tastes great but I know it would be even better with a more crumbly topping.
I’m so glad to know this – I sure think so, too. 😉
If I didn’t have a food processor, Lisa, I would do as much as possible with the cutter and then would use my hands. The key to the big crumb is more solid sections and I always sort of press it together with my hands anyway. I’d just plan to get dirty and use my fingers to break up the butter clumps and then squeeze sections in your hand before pressing onto the pie top. Does that make sense?
5 thank you for the recipe I know it’s going to be awesome I’m about to put my pie in the oven right now
Hope you enjoyed it, Melissa!
Can I place a glass pie plate with frozen pie in preheated oven, or am I asking for trouble?
I’ve always used a pyrex pie plate, Liz, and not had an issue – you can see the glass one in the photos. I have heard you can, though, but that’s what I have. 🙂
There are just not enough days ot pke and eat all the delicious apple pie recipes out there. But this one is a twist on a favorite we like as an afterschool snack. Thanks for sharing it.
Are you putting the frozen glass pie plate into a preheated oven or are you turning on the oven after the frozen pie is in it? Have you had issues with the pie plate shattering?
I’ve always used a glass pie plate and not had an issue, Deborah – the oven is preheated. I wonder if it’s because it’s put on a cookie sheet and then completely covered with heavy duty foil?
Jill, next time, make your crust as per usual. Fit it into your pie plate, flute it, and using a fork pierce the crust all over bottom and sides. Bake it for about 10 minutes at 350, observe it carefully). This sets the dough and the piercings prevent air from below to create bubbles and lumps. Remove it and let it cool before filling it. Goog luck.
There is a recipe contest sponsored by Lucky Leaf on FB right now and you might want to know that a contestant has borrowed your photograph (cropped it some) and represented it as her own. You will see it on page 12 of the gallery with a title of Apple Crumble Pie with Cream Cheese
Thank you so much for alerting me to this, Lisa! Sheesh, it’s not even that great of a photo. 😉 I’ve contacted the company and asked for it to be removed.
“Sheesh”–couldn’t agree with you more!
What a great idea to freeze an apple pie. I’m not good at making pie crust. What about using the refrigerated pie crust then freezing?
I haven’t done it, but I think it would work fine, Shelley!
Can I use an already-frozen pie crust that I buy at the store? I was thinking of filling the frozen pie crust and then put it back in the freezer, re-wrapped.
I haven’t tried that, Amy, but I don’t see why not. I guess maybe make sure the crust doesn’t thaw completely? Let us know how that works for you!
Just wanted to follow-up. I made 8 apple crumb pies using Pillsbury frozen crusts. I made the filling and then took the pie crusts out of the freezer one package at a time (two crusts per package). I quickly filled the pie crusts with apples and crumb topping, wrapped them in tin foil, put them in a Ziploc freezer bag, and then immediately put them in the freezer. I baked my first one today and it turned out perfectly! So anyone who wants to use frozen pie crusts, go for it! Just be sure the crust doesn’t have time to thaw out. That’s why I peeled all the apples and made the crumb topping BEFORE taking the crusts out of the freezer.
Would this work with a basket weave crust instead of the crumble?
Not sure, Janet – I’ve not done it. But I know they sell frozen pies with regular crusts, so I think it should! Let us know if you try it. 🙂
Thank you soo much for this crumble recipe! It tastes delicious. This weekend I searched for an apple crumble recipe and I am so glad I stumble upon yours. Only problem is that I had to search a few of my books to get a recipe for the pie crust dough. Nevertheless, the result was excellent. This is now saved under my facourites.
Glad you discovered it, too, Lorette – it’s one of our favorites. I’ve never really discovered the ‘perfect’ pie crust, that’s why I haven’t posted one – though the one I’m using now is close. Maybe I’ll post it and link to it here – thanks for the suggestion!
I had a problem with my pie crust not cooking – everything else was done but the bottom was doughy. Any suggestions?
Hi, Jill – sorry you had that happen! I use a glass pie dish so I can tell if the crust is done and simply cook it longer (covering the top with foil if needed) until the bottom crust is nice and brown, too. That’s the only way I know to be sure it gets all the way done. Hope that works for you next time. 🙂
Please pin this apple pie recipe to your board! 🙂
Done!
Thank you for doing that!! I pinned it! BTW…none of your pins can receive comments.
Thank you & I’ve pinned it! BTW…none of your pins can receive comments. Not from me anyway. I’m able to comment on others, although. I got a message saying to try later.
So tasty good yummy delicious 😉 🙂 I’m saving this in my recipe file 😉 🙂 I think writing the instructions on the tin foil is a really good tip 🙂 Love and hugs from the ocean shores of California, Heather 😉
This looks incredible and sounds so simple. Thanks!