French Apple Pie

Written by
Linda Larsen
Linda Larsen is a journalist, quick-cooking and slow-cooking expert, and accomplished cookbook author with over 30 years of experience in testing and developing recipes.
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Linda Larsen
Updated 04/22/21
French Apple Pie

The Spruce / Kristina Vanni
Prep: 25 mins
Cook: 40 mins
Total: 65 mins
Servings: 8 servings
Nutritional Guidelines (per serving)
492 Calories
20g Fat
76g Carbs
4g Protein
See Full Nutritional Guidelines Hide Full Nutritional Guidelines
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8
Amount per serving
Calories 492
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 20g 26%
Saturated Fat 9g 46%
Cholesterol 19mg 6%
Sodium 270mg 12%
Total Carbohydrate 76g 28%
Dietary Fiber 5g 16%
Total Sugars 37g
Protein 4g
Vitamin C 6mg 30%
Calcium 31mg 2%
Iron 2mg 10%
Potassium 205mg 4%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

This recipe for French apple pie with streusel topping is a classic; it can also go by the name Dutch apple pie, apple crumble pie, and apple streusel pie. The streusel topping not only adds a sweet, buttery finish, but it is much easier to handle than a top crust, making this pie perfect for beginners, especially if you use a refrigerated or frozen pie crust for the bottom of the pie.

For the pie crust, you can make your own, purchase a crust mix in a box, prepare it, and fit it into the pie pan, or buy a frozen pie shell. Just be sure not to use a graham cracker crust; it won't stand up to the apple filling.

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Ingredients

For the Pie:

  • 8 cups peeled and thinly sliced apples

  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice

  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar

  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

  • 1 (9-inch) unbaked flour pie crust

For the Streusel Topping:

  • 2/3 cup all-purpose flour

  • 1/2 cup brown sugar

  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

  • 5 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small cubes

Steps to Make It

Note: While there are multiple steps to this recipe, the pie is broken down into workable categories to help you plan for preparation and baking.

Prepare the Pie

  1. Gather the ingredients. Preheat the oven to 425 F.

    French Apple Pie ingredients

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  2. Place the apple slices in a large bowl and sprinkle with the lemon juice.

    apple slices in a bowl, sprinkled with lemon juice

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  3. In a small bowl, mix together the granulated sugar, flour, and cinnamon until combined.

    granulated sugar, flour, and cinnamon in a bowl

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  4. Sprinkle the sugar mixture over the apples and toss to coat.

    apples covered with the sugar mixture

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  5. Spoon this mixture into the unbaked pie crust, mounding the apples in the center of the pie shell.

    sugar covered apples in the pie crust

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

Make the Streusel

  1. In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and pieces of butter until crumbly. You can use your fingers or a pastry cutter.

    Streusel ingredients in a bowl

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  2. Sprinkle the streusel over the apples in the crust.

    Sprinkle the streusel over the apples in the crust

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

Bake the Pie

  1. Place the pie in the oven and bake for 12 minutes.

    French Apple Pie unbaked

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  2. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 F. Bake the pie 30 to 40 minutes longer, or until the apples are tender when pierced with a fork and the juices are bubbling in the center of the pie.

    bake the French Apple Pie

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  3. Cool the pie on a wire rack.

    French Apple Pie on a cooling rack

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  4. Serve and enjoy.

How to Pick Apples For Baking

When you're making a pie, choose a variety that is best for baking, such as Baldwin, Cortland, Granny Smith, Jonagold, Northern Spy, and Winesap. You want an apple that will stand up to baking and keep its shape even after it's cooked. Some apples turn to mush when they are heated. That's great for applesauce, but not for a pie.