With a slightly tart apple cinnamon filling and little pops of crunchy sweetness from the crisp topping, this whole wheat apple pie is always a hit! It is especially good served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
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This is like apple crisp but in pie form, some might call it Dutch apple pie or apple crisp pie. Whatever you call it, it makes a fabulous dessert for fall or anytime of year really and is a good pie to add to your Thanksgiving lineup.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Soft white wheat flour: We like to use fresh ground soft white wheat flour for the crust and the crisp topping. You can also use spelt or hard white wheat flour.
- Brown sugar: Used in the crisp topping and a tad in the crust.
- Rolled oats: You’ll need regular rolled oats (old fashioned rolled oats). Don’t use extra thick ones.
- Cornstarch: Used to thicken the apple pie filling.
- Spices: Cinnamon and Nutmeg, used in the apple pie filling and the crisp topping
- Salt: We use fine sea salt.
- Maple syrup: We use pure maple syrup to sweeten the apple pie filling, you can substitute brown sugar.
- Lemon juice: Just a tad in the apples to balance the sweetness.
- Butter: We use unsalted butter for the crust and the crisp topping, you can use salted butter, just omit the salt in the recipe.
- Water: You’ll need ice cold water for the pie crust.
See recipe card for quantities.
Variations
- If you want a traditional apple pie then skip the crisp topping and double the crust recipe so you will have a top and a bottom crust. You can make a lattice top, like on this cherry pie, or you can do a solid crust with cutouts. Brush the top crust with beaten egg before baking for a dark golden crust.
Instruction Photos
Overview of instructions with photos. See recipe card for quantities and full instructions.
Step 1: Make the crust: Stir the flour, sugar and salt together. Cut in the butter until it resembles coarse crumbs.
Step 2: Add water, and toss to combine, it has enough water when you can squeeze a handful lightly and it easily sticks together. Dump it out onto the counter and knead a couple times, just until it comes together.
Step 3: Shape the dough into a disc and wrap in plastic wrap or parchment paper. Refrigerate while you make the filling.
Step 4: Peel core and cut apples into ¾ inch thick slices.
Step 5: Slice each piece, width wise into thin slices.
Step 6: Toss with the cornstarch, spices, maple syrup and lemon juice.
Step 7: Roll out the crust on a floured surface to a 12 inch circle.
Step 8: Transfer the crust to a 9 inch pie pan and flute the edges.
Step 9: Pour the apples into the crust and spread them out evenly.
Step 10: Stir the crisp topping ingredients together in a small bowl.
Step 11: Sprinkle the topping over the apples. If you want large chunks of crisp (so good) then you can lightly squeeze handfuls and then break it into pieces before sprinkling it over.
Step 12: Bake at 350°F for about 60 minutes or until the topping is golden brown and the filling is bubbly.
Serving Suggestions
Our favorite way to serve this apple pie is with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a large dollop of sweetened whipped cream.
- If you want to serve the pie warm but still have nice pie slices, let it cool for a few hours after baking and then put it back in the oven at 350 for about 10 minutes or just until it is warm.
- This pie is good served, warm, room temperature and even cold.
- Some people serve cheese with apple pie, I’ve never tried it, but I hear it’s a thing :).
- For a gourmet serving, you can top the pie with ice cream, drizzle it with caramel sauce and sprinkle it with flaky salt.
Storage
Store the pie covered at room temperature for 1-2 days or in the refrigerator for up to a week.
How to Freeze
Wrap the cooled pie tightly in plastic wrap and place into a freezer safe bag, freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or in the refrigerator.
Tips From Our Kitchen
When you are putting the crisp topping on, leave any large clumps intact, they make the best crunchy goodness. If you want more of the bigger clumps, you can squeeze the topping lightly in your hand before putting in on the pie.
Use a sweet, crisp apple like Honeycrisp, Pink lady, Fuji and Gala. Avoid apples like red and golden delicious. We don’t recommend using Grannysmith apples either because the filling is only lightly sweetened and Grannysmith apples are quite tart. If you don't mind a tart apple pie then go for it.
Related Recipes
📖 Recipe
Whole Wheat Apple Pie with Crumb Topping
Ingredients
Whole Wheat Crust
- 1 cup (120 g) soft white wheat flour
- 1 tablespoon packed (13 g) brown sugar or granulated cane sugar
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 6 tablespoons (85 g) unsalted butter cold
- 3 tablespoons (45 g) ice cold water
Apple pie filling
- 5-6 medium (2 lbs) apples use a sweet, crisp apples like Honeycrisp, Fuji, Gala or Pink Lady
- 2 tablespoons (18 g) cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ cup (84 g) pure maple syrup or brown sugar (52 g)
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
Crisp Topping
- ¾ cup (90 g) soft white wheat flour
- ¾ cup (90 g) rolled oats don’t use thick rolled oats
- ⅓ cup packed (70 g) brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter melted
Instructions
Make the crust
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine 1 cup (120 g) soft white wheat flour, 1 tablespoon packed (13 g) brown sugar and ¼ teaspoon sea salt. Cut 6 tablespoons (85 g) unsalted butter into slices and add to the flour. Using a pastry cutter, cut the butter into the flour until it resembles coarse crumbs.
- Pour in 3 tablespoons (45 g) ice cold water a little at a time and toss together to combine. Add more water if needed. You should be able to squeeze a handful of the dough lightly and it stays together. Dump the dough onto the counter and knead a couple times to bring it together (don’t overwork it). Shape into a disc and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate while you make the pie filling.
Make the apple pie filling
- Peel and core 5-6 medium (2 lbs) apples. Cut into ¾ inch slices then slice each piece width wise into thin slices (so you have pieces of apple that are about ¾ inch by ¼ inch).
- Place the apple pieces into a large mixing bowl. Add 2 tablespoons (18 g) cornstarch, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg, and ¼ teaspoon sea salt. Toss together until all the apples are evenly coated. Add ¼ cup (84 g) pure maple syrup and 2 teaspoons lemon juice, toss until well combined.
- Roll out the crust on a floured surface, lift and re-flour as needed so it doesn’t stick to the cupboard. Roll into a 12 inch circle, carefully fold the crust in half and then in half again so it is a triangle shape. Place it into a 9 inch pie pan with the point in the center of the pan. Then unfold the crust and position it evenly in the pan. Roll the edges up and flute them.
- Pour the apples into the crust and spread them out evenly.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F
Make the crisp topping
- Melt ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter.
- In a medium bowl, stir together ¾ cup (90 g) soft white wheat flour, ¾ cup (90 g) rolled oats, ⅓ cup packed (70 g) brown sugar, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg, and ¼ teaspoon sea salt. Add the butter and stir until well combined.
- Sprinkle over the top of the apples, try not to break up any big clumps.
- Bake at 350° for 55-60 minutes or until the crisp and crust are golden brown and the filling is bubbly. Let cool for a couple hours before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
We calculate these nutritional facts using an estimate and they can vary drastically between ingredients used and measuring technique. So, they are not intended for medical use.
Did you make this recipe? We would love to hear from you!