Paula Deen Crunch Top Apple Pie

Paula Deen Crunch Top Apple Pie takes about 3 hours and homemade butter crust, cinnamon apples and applesauce to make a golden lattice dessert with crisp crumbs. Save this easy apple pie recipe for Thanksgiving, Sunday dinner or a church supper, because it's a make-ahead Southern classic.

Keep the butter cold and stop mixing the crust the moment the dough comes together, since that is what keeps it flaky. Work it too long and the butter softens and the dough turns tough instead of tender.

Paula stirs a jar of applesauce into the chopped apples, so the filling stays saucy and holds together when you slice it. The crunch topping goes over the lattice, which means the strips bake up golden and the crumbs get crisp at the same time.

Paula Deen Crunch Top Apple Pie

0.0 from 0 votes

Course: DessertCuisine: American, SouthernDifficulty: Medium

Servings

20

servings

Prep time

40

minutes

Cooking time

55

minutes

Calories

220

kcal

A flaky butter and shortening crust holds a soft, saucy cinnamon apple filling under a woven lattice. Crumbly sugar and flour crunch bakes into the top for a crisp, golden finish.

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup plus 4 tablespoons divided sugar
  

• 2 1/2 cups plus 4 tablespoons divided all purpose flour
  

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  

• 3 1/2 cups cooking peeled and chopped Apples
  

• 1 (16 oz) jar applesauce
  

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  

• 15 tablespoons 2 tablespoons chopped into small pieces, 1 tablespoon at room temperature and 12 cold and cubed Butter
  

• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
  

• 1/4 teaspoon plus a dash, divided salt
  

• 1/4 cup cold vegetable shortening
  

• 1/4 to 1/2 cup (u ice water
  

Directions

• Make the crust dough: Sift 2 1/2 cups flour, 1/4 teaspoon fine salt and 3 tablespoons sugar into a large bowl. Then add 1/4 cup cold shortening and break it up with your hands as you coat it in the flour.
• Cut in the butter: Work 12 tablespoons of cold cubed butter into the flour with your hands or a pastry cutter. Move quickly so the butter stays cold, and stop once the mixture looks like very coarse cornmeal.
• Add the ice water: Add the ice water a little at a time until the mixture comes together into a dough. Then press it into a ball and stop working it, since overworking makes the crust tough.
• Chill the dough: Divide the dough in half and flatten each piece into a disk. Wrap both in plastic and chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
• Roll out the crusts: Roll each disk out on a floured surface into a 10 to 11-inch circle for a 9-inch pie. Preheat the oven to 425°F while you work, and line a 9-inch pie pan with one half of the dough.
• Mix the apple filling: Combine 3/4 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon flour, 1 teaspoon cinnamon and a dash of salt in a bowl. Stir in 3 1/2 cups peeled chopped apples, the 16-ounce jar of applesauce and 1 tablespoon lemon juice.
• Fill and lattice: Spoon the apple mixture into the crust-lined pan and dot it with 2 tablespoons of butter cut into small pieces. Cut the remaining crust into strips, then arrange them in a lattice over the top.
• Make the crunch topping: Combine 3 tablespoons flour, 1 tablespoon sugar and a dash of salt in a bowl. Cut in 1 tablespoon room temperature butter with a fork until crumbly, then sprinkle it over the crust.
• Bake the pie: Bake at 425°F for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350°F. Continue baking for about 45 minutes, until the crust and topping are golden brown.

Tools for this recipe

• Pyrex 9.5-inch glass pie plate, J.K. Adams French rolling pin, Spring Chef dough blender (pastry cutter). As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

What apples work best for this pie?

The recipe calls for cooking apples, which hold their shape as they bake. Firm, tart varieties like Granny Smith work well, and the applesauce in the filling already adds sweetness.

Can I use store-bought pie crust instead?

Yes, a refrigerated crust will work if you are short on time. You will need two 9-inch crusts, one for the bottom and one cut into strips for the lattice.

Can I make the pie dough ahead of time?

The dough has to chill for at least 2 hours anyway, so making it a day ahead is easy. Keep the disks wrapped tightly in plastic in the fridge, then roll them out when you are ready to bake.

How do I keep the crust from getting tough?

Keep the butter and shortening cold and work the dough as little as possible. Once it comes together into a ball, stop handling it, because overworking is what makes a crust tough.

Why does the oven temperature change while baking?

The pie starts at 425°F for 10 minutes to set the crust. Then it drops to 350°F for about 45 minutes so the apples cook through without the lattice and crunch topping burning.