This French Apple Pie has a flaky crust, is packed with cinnamon-flavored apples, and topped with piles of sugary crumbs. Perfect for fall and the holidays.
6cupssliced apples,a mix of about 4 tart Granny Smith and 2 red Fuji apples
1Tablespoonlemon juice
1teaspooncinnamon
⅔-3/4cupsugar(I tend towards the low end)
2Tablespoonsflour
French Crumb Topping
¾-1cupflour
⅔cupbrown sugar,packed
⅔cupchilled butter,cut into small slices
Instructions
Crust
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Sift flour and salt together into large bowl.
Using a pastry cutter, or two knives, cut in shortening until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Add the water a tablespoon at a time, stirring lightly with fork, and continue until the dough holds together when pinched between your fingers.
Sprinkle your surface with flour, as well as the top of the dough, and roll the dough into a circle that is slightly larger than the pie plate.
Fold over rolling pin and lift over pie plate. Let settle into pie plate, gently patting into place. Trim overhanging sides of dough to within 1-½-inches and fold over to form a standing rim, pinching dough together. Using your index or pinkie finger, press from outside-in to form a depression, skip ½" and make another depression with finger. Continue all the way around. Set aside.
Apple Filling
Slice apples. Pour lemon juice over them to keep them from turning brown.
Mix cinnamon with sugar and toss with apples.
Add in flour and mix to incorporate. Pour into prepared unbaked pie crust.
French Crumb Topping
Using a pastry cutter, mix butter, sugar and flour together until it resembles small crumbs.
Top pie with crumbs.
Bake for 45-50 minutes. Let cool on wire rack then store in refrigerator.
Optional: You can garnish with powdered sugar after the pie has cooled.
Video
Notes
Gluten-free options
Use a nut crust in lieu of the pastry crust for the base.
Change the flour in the apple filling and crumb topping to a gluten-free flour.