Mom's Dutch Apple Pie with Graham Cracker Crust
Thinly sliced baking apples tossed with lemon juice, brown sugar, and warm spices fill a pre-baked graham cracker crust. A buttery crumb topping bakes alongside the filling until golden. This straightforward apple pie balances tartness with sweetness and delivers a crisp-tender texture in every bite.
Ingredients
- 5 ½ cup baking apples, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 3 tablespoon all-purpose flourgluten-free flour blend1:1dietarygluten-free
for gluten-free version
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¾ cup all-purpose flourgluten-free flour blend1:1dietarygluten-free
for gluten-free version
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup butter or margarine
- 1 graham cracker pie crust, store-bought
- 1 egg, for coating
Instructions
- 1
Beat egg and brush onto bottom and sides of graham cracker pie crust.
- 2
Bake crust at 375 degrees for 5 minutes.
- 3
Combine sliced apples, lemon juice, granulated sugar, brown sugar, flour, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
- 4
Spoon filling into baked crust.
- 5
Mix flour, granulated sugar, and butter with a pastry cutter until crumbly.
- 6
Top pie with crumb mixture.
- 7
Bake at 375 degrees for 50 minutes.
Tips
Use a 9-ounce graham cracker crust for extra capacity when topped.
Brush egg wash onto crust before pre-baking to seal and strengthen.
A pastry cutter creates the ideal crumbly texture for the topping.
Good to Know
Cover and refrigerate up to 3 days.
Assemble unbaked pie up to 4 hours ahead; bake when ready.
Serve warm or at room temperature, optionally with vanilla ice cream.
Common Mistakes
Do not skip the egg wash step to avoid a soggy crust.
Do not over-blend the topping mixture to avoid a dense, cake-like layer instead of crumbly texture.
Do not use soft eating apples to avoid mushy filling.
Substitutions
Dairy-Free Swaps
Gluten-Free Swaps
for gluten-free version
General Alternatives
for gluten-free version
source mentions as alternative