The recipe
A Tart Apple Pie with a Buttery Crumb Topping
Apple Crumb Pie is the kind of dessert that lands squarely between a classic fruit pie and a buttery crumble. Tart apples are tucked into a 9-inch pie shell, dusted with cinnamon sugar, then covered with a simple flour-sugar-butter crumb topping that bakes into a golden, nubby finish.
The method gives you contrast in every slice: tender apples underneath, crisp crumbs on top, and just enough pastry underneath to hold it all together. It is straightforward, deeply fall-friendly, and especially appealing if you like apple pie but would rather skip rolling out a top crust.
Why it matters
Why This One Is Worth Bringing Back
Apple Crumb Pie has an easy kind of appeal: tart fruit, warm cinnamon and a buttery crumb topping, all without the extra work of a second crust. The apples stay front and center, while the crumb gives the top a rustic finish that feels just right for fall baking.
This version is especially worth keeping because the topping is built from such a short list of pantry staples. It is the sort of pie that feels generous without being fussy — familiar enough for a family table, but distinctive enough to stand apart from a standard double-crust apple pie.
For more apple pies from the same cookbook, try Boiled Cider Apple Pie or Mock Apple Pie. You can also browse more recipes preserved from 75 Years of Caring and Sharing.
Modern kitchen notes
If You're Making It Today
These are modern editorial suggestions, not changes to the archived recipe. When a variation comes directly from the original source, we will say so.
Use tart apples
The source specifically calls for 4 large tart apples and gives Jonathan as an example. Keep that tart profile so the filling balances the sugar and crumb topping.
Do not miss the method-only ingredients
The printed ingredient list names only the apples and pie shell. The sugar, cinnamon, flour and butter amounts appear in the printed directions, so measure those before you begin.
Watch the two-stage bake
The pie starts at 450°F for about 10 minutes, then finishes at 350°F for about 30 minutes, or until the apples are done. Check the crumb topping as the pie finishes so it browns without getting too dark.
Recipe card
The Preserved Recipe
Apple Crumb Pie
Ingredients
- 4 large tart apples peeled and sliced, e.g. Jonathan
- 1 (9 inch) unbaked pie shell
Instructions
- Sprinkle mixture of ½ cup sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon over apples. Sift ½ to ¾ cup flour with ½ cup sugar. Crumble this with ⅓ cup butter or oleo. Bake at 450° for about 10 minutes, then 350° for about 30 minutes or until apples are done.
Notes
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This recipe traces back to a Jersey County community cookbook created in the spirit of sharing, service and local connection. If you’d like to carry that spirit forward, consider supporting the Jersey County Historical Society and its work preserving local history for future generations.
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From the archive
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