Homemade Apple Crumble Pie

Apple Pie is my favorite dessert for Thanksgiving and if it has a crumble topping then that is my idea of perfection.  With that in mind I set out to find the perfect recipe and I have to say this Homemade Apple Crumble Pie   This recipe is a combination of a few recipes; I took the best part of each recipe and combined them to create this Homemade Apple Crumble Pie that got two thumbs up.

I started with Carla Hall’s Perfect Pie Crust (click here) because I watched everyone on The Chew make it in one episode and it seemed easy.  I might have messed it up just a little bit, but it turned out pretty good I think.  It made enough for two pies because I wasn’t going to do a crust topping.

This pie crust recipe is easy, you just need everything to be really cold.  Then I blind baked the pie crust after I poked holes in it with a fork to help prevent shrinkage.  You could also cover the crust with parchment paper or foil and cover the base of the crust with pie weights, uncooked beans or uncooked rice.  This means I cooked the pie for 20 minutes at 400 degrees.  Then let the crust cool completely!

Next up, I pulled out the family cookbook, apparently my mom used to make homemade apple pie, and she suggested I use her recipe.  I opted to do the “Caramel Apple” variation.

Homemade Apple Crumble Pie Filling

6 large tart apples (granny smith)
1/2 C Sugar
1/4 C Brown sugar (if you don’t do the caramel variation use 1/2 cup)
1/4 t Nutmeg
1/8 t Salt
2 T Flour
1 T Lemon Juice
3/4 t Cinnamon
1/8 t Ginger
3 T Butter

I started by peeling and chopping up 7 tart granny apples (the recipe calls for 6 large apples but mine were more medium).   Once the apples are chopped you want t soften them in a pan with 1/4 C cold water until they are tender, this took approximately 5 minutes.  Then you want to let them cool.

Then it was time to for the “Caramel Variation” step.  Melt 1/4 C Butter mix with 1/2 C Brown Sugar and spread an even layer on the bottom of the pie crust.  Then you pour the apples into the crust.

Now it was time to make the filling.  Take the rest of the ingredients above except for butter and mix it together then pour it over the apples.  Next you want to “dot” with butter.

This was before I added the butter.  To be honest I’m not 100% sure what the heck that means so I just cut up the butter into small chunks and sprinkled it on top of the filling.

I didn’t do this with this pie, but plan to do this with the Thanksgiving pie, cover with foil and cook for 10 minutes at 450.  While it’s cooking make your crumble topping.

Homemade Apple Pie Crumble Topping

(I got this recipe from Epicurious but plan to add in some graham crackers on the next take)

1 Cup all purpose flour
1/2 Cup sugar
1/4 Cup (packed) Brown Sugar
1 1/2 t Cinnamon
1/2 t Salt
6 T chilled Unsalted Butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

Mix the first 5 ingredients in a food processor then add the butter until the mixture looks like wet sand.  This shouldn’t take long at all.  Pour on top of the pie.

Reduce the temperature of the oven to 350 degrees and put the pie back in on a baking sheet (pie filling can bubble and spill over) and cook for 45 minutes.

Make this pie and I promise your family will be thanking me this Thanksgiving!

I hope you have a Happy Thanksgiving and enjoy some quality time with friends and family.  If you’re looking for a delicious turkey recipe, this is how I will be cooking my turkey (click here for recipe).