Want a dutch apple pie recipe that isn’t fussy? Press a melted-butter cookie crust into a springform pan, precook the apples, and bake until tender. It’s easier than it looks.
This bake belongs to the wider world of dutch food, where pies, cookies and cafe sweets share one table.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Apples | 4 pounds (1814 grams) Golden Delicious |
| Pan | 9-inch springform |
| Oven temperature | 375 degrees |
| Bake time | 45 minutes, then about 30 minutes longer under foil |
| Cooling before slicing | At least 4 hours |
| Serves | 8 to 10 |
These figures come from America’s Test Kitchen’s appeltaart recipe, published August 6, 2024. Recipes get updated and ovens vary, so check the source before you rely on them.
What makes a Dutch apple pie different from American apple pie?
A Dutch appeltaart is a tall pie baked in a straight-sided pan, filled with densely packed, lightly sweetened apples and often raisins, and wrapped in a substantial, cookie-like crust, according to America’s Test Kitchen. It is both an everyday dessert and a centerpiece of Dutch celebrations, especially birthdays.
The name causes confusion abroad. Baking Sense explains that in America, Dutch apple pie usually means an apple pie with a crumb topping, while the Dutch version has a cookie-type crust and bakes in a springform pan rather than a pie pan.
Here is how the two styles differ in practice:
- Crust: closer to sugar cookie dough than flaky pastry, with the fat evenly distributed through the mix.
- Top: crisscrossed strips of dough with a shiny egg finish, instead of crumbs, as Smitten Kitchen describes it.
- Pan: a springform pan, so the tall sides release cleanly.
- Serving: usually at room temperature with whipped cream.
One more mix-up is worth clearing up. The Sunday Baker notes that appelvlaai, a specialty of the south, is a different bake, whereas appeltaart is a staple across the Netherlands.
Ingredients for a Dutch apple pie
The quantities below follow the America’s Test Kitchen recipe, which serves 8 to 10. Gather everything before you start, because the apples need time to cool while you make the crust.
For the apples
- 4 pounds (1814 grams) Golden Delicious apples, peeled, cored and cut into wedges
- 50 grams packed dark brown sugar
- 71 grams golden raisins (optional)
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch and 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, plus ginger, cardamom, coriander, nutmeg and a pinch of salt
For the crust
- 354 grams all-purpose flour
- 149 grams packed dark brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder and ½ teaspoon table salt
- 1 large egg, beaten, plus 1 tablespoon water
- 200 grams unsalted butter, melted and hot
- Whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, to serve
The recipe says Pink Lady apples can replace Golden Delicious but may need a little more cooking, per the full recipe. It also advises using freshly opened brown sugar to avoid lumps in the crust.
How to make it, step by step
The method below follows the published recipe. Because the dough is made with melted butter, there is no cutting in cold butter and no need to roll out the base.
- Precook the apples. Cook the apples and sugar, covered, in a Dutch oven over medium heat for 8 to 14 minutes, until all are slightly softened and about half are just turning translucent. Spread them on a baking sheet to cool for about 30 minutes.
- Mix the crust. Rub the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt together, set aside 1 tablespoon of the egg for the egg wash, then stir in the rest of the egg, the hot melted butter and the water. Knead until smooth.
- Divide the dough. Shape it into a 9-inch cylinder and cut it into 3 equal portions. Roll one portion between sheets of parchment and chill it for the top.
- Line the pan. Crumble one portion into a 9-inch springform pan and press it over the bottom. Press 1-inch chunks of the last portion into the sides, then chill the pan.
- Fill. Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Stir the cooled apples with the raisins, cornstarch, lemon juice and spices, then pack them into the pan and press gently.
- Top. Cut the rolled dough into eight strips. Lay 4 across the pie, then lay the other 4 at a 45-degree angle, and brush with the reserved egg.
- Bake and cool. Bake for 45 minutes, cover loosely with foil, and continue until a skewer slides easily into the apples. Cool completely before releasing the ring.
The foil stage takes about 30 minutes longer, and the pie then needs at least 4 hours to cool, according to the recipe. Go by the skewer test rather than the clock, since ovens differ.
Apples, spices and crust: why the method works
Cook the apples twice
Apples can turn to mush in the oven, even firm varieties. America’s Test Kitchen says the fix is to parcook them at a low temperature, around 140 degrees and no higher than 160 degrees, so the pectin turns heat-stable and the slices hold their shape.
Choosing the apples
The traditional apple is Goudreinet, also called Belle de Boskoop, but The Sunday Baker says any baking apple or a mix will work. Baking Sense suggests a firm apple that doesn’t fall apart when baked, and names Granny Smith as a widely available option.
Spice and juices
Many Dutch bakers use only cinnamon. Others use speculaaskruiden, a blend that typically includes cinnamon, cloves, mace and/or nutmeg, and ginger, as America’s Test Kitchen explains.
The idea is old. The Sunday Baker says an appeltaart recipe appears in the first Dutch cookbook, and that its 1514 version suggests a spice mix of cardamom, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove and mace.
To keep the crust from going soggy, the recipe above uses cornstarch to thicken the juices. Other cooks sprinkle breadcrumbs over the bottom crust instead, as Smitten Kitchen notes.
A crust you press, not roll
Dough made with melted butter is malleable and clay-like, so you can press most of it into the pan, according to America’s Test Kitchen. If a cold-butter dough gives you trouble, The Sunday Baker also suggests pressing it into the pan instead of rolling it.
Serving and storing your pie
Appeltaart is usually served at room temperature with a mountain of whipped cream, America’s Test Kitchen says. The authors at Weekend Bakery find a warm slice lovely but quite rich, and like it best fully cooled.
The crust texture is best on the day you bake it. The recipe says leftovers keep at room temperature for up to 2 days, and the assembled pie can be wrapped and refrigerated for up to 24 hours before baking.
Planning a wider Dutch spread? Try the poffertjes recipe for another Dutch sweet. You can also read the stroopwafel history to see how a classic Dutch treat got its story.
Frequently asked questions
Is Dutch apple pie the same as appeltaart?
Show answer
Not always. According to Baking Sense, Americans use “Dutch apple pie” for a pie with a crumb topping, while the Dutch bake appeltaart with a cookie-type crust in a springform pan.
Do I have to roll out the crust?
Show answer
Only the top. The America’s Test Kitchen article says you can press the dough into the bottom and sides of the pan, and roll just the last portion for the strips.
Why precook the apples?
Show answer
It helps them keep their shape. Warming them at around 140 degrees makes their pectin heat-stable, so they stay tender but intact, as America’s Test Kitchen explains.
How long does appeltaart keep?
Show answer
It is best the day it is baked. The recipe says to store leftovers at room temperature for up to 2 days.
Should I serve it warm or cold?
Show answer
The recipe asks you to let it cool completely, at least 4 hours, before slicing with a gentle sawing motion. Serve it with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, per the recipe.
