Easy Apple Crumble Pie (Oatmeal Crumble Topping)

This easy apple crumble pie with oats has a flaky butter crust, a juicy cinnamon apple filling, and a crunchy oatmeal crumble topping instead of a top crust. It's the pie I make all through fall and the holidays.

If you love apple desserts, my Salted Caramel Apple Pie is another holiday favorite, and my Apple Crumb Coffee Cake is perfect for brunch.

This article contains affiliate links which support us at no extra cost to you.

I'll admit I'm usually bad at baking for holidays, unless it's Christmas and we're making Italian Christmas cookies. This pie is the exception. I cook the apples for a few minutes in brown sugar, butter, and a spoonful of jam before they go in the crust, so the filling is extra flavorful, and the oat crumble bakes up crunchy and golden on top.

Don't worry if you've never made a pie crust. A store-bought one is completely fine, and nobody will judge you. But homemade isn't hard, and it doesn't need to roll out perfectly. Once it's baked with the cinnamon apples and that oat crumble, you'll find yourself sneaking bites. In my house, I have to push my husband out of the way to get one.

Ingredients

Pie Crust

• All-purpose flour
• Salt
• Unsalted butter: Keep it cold. Cold butter is what makes the crust flaky. For a step-by-step guide, see my Easy Buttery Pie Crust.
• Margarine or vegetable shortening: Chilled. A little shortening makes the crust more tender.
• Ice water: Add as little as possible to bring the dough together.

Apple Filling

• Apples: I use Golden Delicious. For a sweeter pie try Fuji or Honeycrisp, and for a more tart pie use Granny Smith.
• Lemon juice: Keeps the sliced apples from browning and brightens the flavor.
• Cornstarch: Thickens the juices. Flour or tapioca also work, though they change the texture slightly.
• Light brown sugar
• Butter
• Jam: I use strawberry or apricot. It adds a fruity depth you can't quite place.
• Ground cinnamon

Oat Crumble Topping

• Unbleached all-purpose flour
• Golden brown sugar and granulated sugar
• Ground cinnamon and salt
• Unsalted butter: Chilled and cubed, so the topping forms crumbs instead of a paste.
• Old-fashioned oats: Rolled oats give the best chunky texture. Quick oats work but make a finer crumble. Use certified gluten-free oats for a gluten-free pie.

Why you'll love this apple crumble with oats

1. Flavorful: The combination of sweet apples, warm cinnamon, and tangy lemon juice creates a delightful taste that is hard to resist.
2. Crunchy streusel: The oat streusel topping adds a wonderful crunchy texture that contrasts beautifully with the soft baked apples.
3. Homemade crust: The all-butter pie crust is flaky and delicious, and you can take pride in making it from scratch.
4. Versatile: This pie is perfect for any occasion, be it a holiday gathering, a family dinner, or whenever you need a comforting dessert.
5. Fruit-filled: With 5 to 6 apples in each pie, this is a dessert that helps you incorporate more fruit into your diet.
6. Easy to make: With clear, step-by-step instructions, even an inexperienced baker can successfully make this pie.

Oat Crumble Topping for Apple Pie

The oat crumble is what sets this pie apart from a classic double-crust apple pie. It's flour, brown and white sugar, cinnamon, salt, cold butter, and old-fashioned oats, pulsed just until it looks like wet sand with plenty of whole oats left. Those whole oats toast in the oven and give the crunch. Add chopped walnuts or pecans for even more texture. The topping also works on apple crisp or muffins if you have extra.

Now don't be too finicky and fret that you don't know how to make a pie crust. It's completely ok to buy a ready-made one. There will not be anyone judging your decision. But I will say, the homemade pie crust is not that difficult to make.

It's ok if it doesn't roll out perfectly. It ends up getting baked with all the incredible apples and cinnamon and oh, my gosh! That oat streusel topping. It's out of this world!

You will find yourself walking by and sneaking bites. You will have to push your husband out of the way to get to a bite because he will be there just getting a little taste. It's really that good! So, so good!!  

How to make apple crumble

Step 1: Prepare the Pie Crust

Hand Method:

1. Sift the flour and salt together in a large bowl.
2. Cut the chilled butter and margarine into 1-tablespoon bits and add to the flour mixture.
3. Use a pastry cutter to combine the ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
4. Gradually add the ice water, pressing the pastry together into a ball.
5. Wrap the dough and chill for at least 1 hour. Remember, the key to a light, flaky pastry is minimal handling, keeping the mixture cool, and adding as little water as possible.

Food Processor Method:

1. Place the flour and salt in the bowl of a food processor.
2. Cut the butter and margarine into the flour.
3. Process for a few seconds until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
4. Gradually add the water, processing very briefly.
5. Divide the dough into two equal portions.
6. Shape each portion into a disc and wrap with plastic wrap.
7. Chill the pastry for at least 1 hour.

Step 2: Prepare the Apple Filling

1. Juice the lemons into a large mixing bowl.
2. Core, peel, and thinly slice the apples, adding them to the lemon juice as you go. This prevents the apples from browning and adds flavor.
3. Toss the apples in corn starch.
4. Melt the brown sugar and butter in a medium-sized skillet over medium heat.
5. Stir in the berry jam and toss in the prepared apples.
6. Cook for around 5 minutes, then set aside to cool.

Step 3: Prepare the Oat Crumble Topping

1. Blend the first 5 ingredients in a food processor.
2. Add butter and blend using on/off turns until the dough starts to moisten and resemble wet sand.
3. Add oats, mixing briefly and ensuring that half the oats remain whole.

Step 4: Assemble the Pie

1. If the pastry has been chilled for a long time, let it sit at room temperature for at least 15 minutes before rolling.
2. Preheat the oven to 375 F.
3. Lightly flour a pastry board, marble counter, or kitchen counter.
4. Pat one pastry disc into a flat round and lightly flour the rolling pin.
5. Roll the pastry in one direction only, turning continually to prevent sticking.
6. Measure the rolled pastry-it should be slightly larger than the pie plate and ⅛-inch thick.
7. Fold the rolled pastry circle in half so you can lift it more easily.
8. Unfold the pastry and fit it gently into the pie plate, trimming any excess.
9. Fill the pie with the apple filling and evenly sprinkle the streusel topping.

Step 5: Bake the Pie

1. Place the pie on a baking sheet.
2. Bake until the crust is golden brown and the juices bubble, approximately 50 minutes to 1 hour.
3. Transfer the pie to a wire rack to cool.

This pie crust recipes makes two portions. I bet you will be using the other portion of the dough not too soon after this one quickly disappears!

Recipe Tips

• Keep everything cold: Cold butter, ice water, and as little handling as possible make the flakiest crust.
• Let chilled dough rest: If the dough has been in the fridge a long time, leave it out 15 minutes before rolling so it doesn't crack.
• Roll in one direction: Roll from the center out and turn the dough often so it doesn't stick.
• Watch the topping: Start checking at 45 minutes. If the crumble browns before the juices bubble, tent the pie loosely with foil.
• Always use a baking sheet: The juices bubble over, and the sheet keeps your oven clean.
• Save the second crust: The dough makes two crusts. Freeze the extra disc for your next pie.

Storage and Freezing

• Storage: Keep the pie covered at room temperature up to 2 days or in the refrigerator up to 5 days. Reheat slices at 350°F for about 10 minutes to re-crisp the topping.
• Freezing: Bake and cool the pie completely, wrap tightly, and freeze. Reheat at 375°F until warmed through and the crust is crisp again.

Serving Suggestions

I serve this warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a spoonful of whipped cream. For Thanksgiving, it sits right next to my Amaretti Almond Pumpkin Pie on the dessert table.

slightly updated from September 2023

Other recipes like this:

• Apple Orange Marmalade Crostata
• Salted Caramel Apple Pie
• Apple Limoncello Pie
• Grape and Apple Pie
• Apple Pie Coffee Cake
• Teresa's Vegan Apple Cake
• Vegan Maple Apple Crisp
• Usha's Apple Cake
• Caramel Apple Bundt Cake with Nutella Ganache
• Apple Tarte Tatin
• Cranberry Streusel Quick Bread
• Apple Crumb Coffee Cake

Did you make this and love it? Please RATE THE RECIPE below:)

I would LOVE IT if you can leave me a star rating and a review down below and let me know your thoughts! It means the world to me to hear how you liked it.

Please Subscribe and give a follow on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and TikTok xx

Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate this Recipe

5 from 10 votes

Easy Apple Crumble with Oats

Apple crumble with oats topping is a pie made with the most tender flaky crust, filled with sweet juicy cinnamon kissed apples, and topped with the most delicious oat streusel.  This is the one pie you will make all throughout the fall and holidays!

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time55 minutes mins

Total Time1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: apple pie, oat streusel

Servings: 1 9-inch pie

Calories: 2509kcal

Author: Lora

Equipment

• Pie plate
• Food Processor
• whisk
• bowl

Ingredients

Pie Crust

• ▢ 2 cups all-purpose flour
• ▢ ½ teaspoon salt
• ▢ ¾ cup 1 ½ sticks unsalted butter
• ▢ 3 tablespoons margarine or chilled vegetable shortening
• ▢ ¼ cup ice water

Apple Filling

• ▢ juice of 1 lemon
• ▢ 5 to 6 medium to large apples I used Golden apples
• ▢ 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
• ▢ ⅓ cup light brown sugar
• ▢ 4 tablespoons butter
• ▢ 3 tablespoons jam I use strawberry or apricot
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Oat Streusel

• ▢ ¾ cup unbleached all purpose flour
• ▢ ½ cup packed golden brown sugar
• ▢ ¼ cup sugar
• ▢ ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ▢ ½ teaspoon salt
• ▢ 7 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter cut into ½-inch cubes
• ▢ ½ cup old-fashioned oats

Instructions

Pie Crust

• Hand Method- In a large bowl, sift the flour and salt. Cut the chilled butter and margarine into 1-tablespoon bits and add to the flour. With a pastry cutter, work flour and shortening together until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the ice water little by little pressing the pastry together into a ball. Wrap and chill for at least 1 hour.
• It is very important to work the pastry as little as possible. Don't over handle. A secret to light, flaky pastry is to keep the mixture cool, add as little water as possible, and mix only as much as necessary.
• Food Processor Method- Put flour and salt in bowl of machine. Cut butter and margarine into flour. Process a few seconds until mixture resembles coarse meal. Drop by drop add the water, processing very briefly. The whole process would take 20 to 30 seconds. Divide the dough into two equal portions. Shape into a disc and wrap with plastic wrap. Chill the pastry for at least 1 hour.
• While pastry is chilling, make apple filling and streusel topping.

Apple filling

• Juice the lemons into a large mixing bowl. Core, peel, and thinly slice the whole apples.
• Dredge all the apple slices in the freshly squeezed lemon juice to prevent browning and to add flavor. Toss the apples in the corn starch. Set the prepared apples aside.
• In a medium-sized skillet on medium heat, toss in the brown sugar and butter. When the butter has melted, add in the berry jam. Toss the apples into the brown sugar mixture. Cook them in the mixture for about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool and prepare the topping.

Oat Streusel

• Blend first 5 ingredients in processor. Add butter; using on/off turns, blend until moist dough forms (mixture will resemble wet sand). Add oats; using on/off turns, mix briefly, leaving half of oats whole. Set aside.
• If pastry has been chilled for a long time, let it sit at room temperature for at least 15 minutes before rolling.
• Preheat oven to 375 F.
• Lightly flour a pastry board, marble counter, or kitchen counter. Pat one pastry disc (save other portion for another pie)into a flat round. Lightly flour the rolling pin. Roll pastry in one direction only, turning pastry continually to prevent it from sticking to the surface.
• Using pie plate as a guide, measure rolled-out pastry - it should be slightly larger than the pie plate and ⅛-inch thick. Fold rolled pastry circle in half so you can lift it more easily. Unfold, gently fitting the pastry into the pie plate. There will be some of the pastry hanging over. You could trim a little around with scissors and leave enough to crimp.
• Fill with your apple filling.
• Sprinkle streusel topping evenly over filling.
• Place pie on baking sheet.
• Bake pie until crust is golden brown and juices bubble, 50 minutes-1 hour. *My pie was ready at 45 minutes. Every oven is different. I didn't want my topping to get too brown.
• Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Nutrition Disclaimer

Please keep in mind that the nutritional information presented below is an approximation and may vary depending on the exact ingredients used.

Notes

• Store-bought crust: A refrigerated pie crust works perfectly well.
• Dairy-free: Use plant-based butter in the crust, filling, and topping.
• Gluten-free: Use a gluten-free flour blend and certified gluten-free oats.
• Storage: Room temperature up to 2 days or refrigerated up to 5 days. Reheat at 350°F for about 10 minutes.

 

All images and text  ©Savoring Italy.  Please do not use my images without prior permission. If using my posts in collections and features, please link back to this post for the recipe.

 

                               DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?

                  Tag @savoringitaly on Instagram and hashtag it #savoringitaly

Nutrition

Calories: 2509kcal | Carbohydrates: 469g | Protein: 42g | Fat: 52g | Saturated Fat: 30g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 120mg | Sodium: 2740mg | Potassium: 680mg | Fiber: 15g | Sugar: 152g | Vitamin A: 1406IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 178mg | Iron: 19mg

Tried this recipe?Mention @savoringitaly or tag #savoringitaly!

FAQ'S