Apple Crisp Pie
This Apple Crisp Pie combines a flaky one crust pie with a buttery, cinnamon-spiced crisp topping for the easiest, most delicious pie you'll ever bake.
The Best of Both Worlds: Pie Meets Crisp
If you have ever stood in the kitchen unable to decide between a classic apple pie and a cozy apple crisp, this recipe solves that problem for good. Apple Crisp Pie takes a flaky one crust pie shell and fills it with tender, spiced apples, then tops the whole thing with a buttery, oat studded crisp topping instead of a second crust. The result is an easy delicious pie that gives you the best textures of both desserts in a single slice.
This is the kind of apple pie crisp recipe that regulars at diners like Perkins have been chasing for years. It is warmly spiced, generously filled, and topped with a crumble that turns golden and crackly in the oven. Whether you are calling it a Dutch Apple Crisp or simply your new favorite fall dessert, this one crust apple pie is built for maximum flavor with minimum fuss.
Before we get cooking, the right tools and ingredients make a real difference here. A sturdy pie plate helps the crust bake evenly, and a good pastry cutter makes quick work of the crisp topping without warming the butter too much. These are the products that genuinely help this recipe shine:
Why This Apple Pie Crisp Works
The magic of this recipe is in the contrast. A single buttery crust holds a deeply spiced apple filling, while the crisp topping bakes up crunchy and caramelized on top. You get all the comforting apple pie flavor you love, but with a texture that is somehow even more snackable than a traditional double crust pie.
Using apples like Granny Smith gives you a nice tartness that balances the sweet brown sugar topping, but a mix of varieties works beautifully too. If you only have apple pie with frozen apples on hand, do not worry. Just thaw and drain them well so your filling does not turn soupy in the oven.
Chef's Tip: Toss your sliced apples with the flour and sugar right before filling the crust, not too far ahead of time. This keeps the apples from releasing too much liquid and helps the filling set up nicely once baked.
Building the Crisp Topping
The topping is what separates this from a standard one crust apple pie. Cold butter is key here, since it creates those irresistible little clumps that turn golden and crisp in the oven rather than melting into a flat, sandy layer. Old fashioned oats add texture and a slightly nutty flavor that pairs perfectly with the warm cinnamon in the filling.
If you love a thicker crumble, feel free to double the topping mixture. Some bakers even like to press a portion of the topping down gently before baking so it holds together in bigger, cookie like clusters once it bakes.
Ready to make it? Here is the full step-by-step recipe:
Apple Crisp Pie
This Apple Crisp Pie combines a flaky one crust pie with a buttery, cinnamon-spiced crisp topping for the easiest, most delicious pie you'll ever bake.
Ingredients
- 1 pie crust, store-bought or homemade, unbaked, fitted into a 9-inch pie plate
- 6 cups apples, peeled and thinly sliced, Granny Smith or a mix; frozen apples work too if thawed and drained
- 3/8 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon, divided
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 tbsp all-purpose flour, for the apple filling, to thicken
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, for the crisp topping
- 1/2 cup old-fashioned oats, rolled oats, not instant
- 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold, cut into small cubes
- 1/4 tsp salt
Instruction
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Fit the pie crust into a 9-inch pie plate, crimping the edges, and set aside in the fridge while you prep the filling.
In a large bowl, toss the sliced apples with granulated sugar, lemon juice, half the cinnamon, nutmeg, and the tablespoon of flour until evenly coated.
Pour the apple mixture into the prepared crust, mounding it slightly in the center since it will settle as it bakes.
In a separate bowl, mix the remaining flour, oats, brown sugar, remaining cinnamon, and salt. Add the cold cubed butter and work it in with your fingers or a pastry cutter until the mixture looks like coarse, clumpy crumbs.
Sprinkle the crisp topping evenly over the apples, covering the filling completely.
Place the pie on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any drips, then bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until the topping is deep golden brown and the filling is bubbling at the edges.
If the topping browns too quickly, loosely tent the pie with foil for the last 15 to 20 minutes of baking.
Cool the pie on a wire rack for at least 2 hours before slicing, to let the filling set.
Equipment
- 9-inch pie plate
- Rimmed baking sheet
- Pastry cutter or fork
- Mixing bowls
- Wire cooling rack
Notes
Serving and Storing Your Pie
Let the pie cool for a couple of hours before slicing. I know it is tempting to dig in right away, but this resting time lets the filling firm up so your slices hold their shape instead of sliding apart.
Serve this Apple Crisp Pie warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, or at room temperature with a drizzle of caramel. It also makes an excellent make ahead dessert for holidays, since it reheats beautifully.
- Store covered at room temperature for up to 2 days
- Refrigerate for longer storage, up to 5 days
- Reheat slices in the oven to keep that crisp topping crunchy
Chef's Tip: Avoid microwaving leftovers if you can. The oven revives the crumble topping, while the microwave tends to leave it soft and a little soggy.
However you slice it, this apple pie crisp recipe is proof that you do not have to choose between pie and crisp ever again. One buttery crust, one spiced apple filling, and one glorious crumble topping come together for what might just become your new go to easy delicious pie.
