Hi friends! You know I’m obsessed with apple pie season, and after testing dozens of versions side-by-side, I can confidently say this Dutch Apple Pie with oat streusel topping is the one I reach for most. It’s tall, juicy, perfectly spiced, and that buttery streusel bakes up golden and caramelized every single time. Bonus: it’s actually easier than a double-crust pie (no lattice stress!).

I still adore my Classic Double-Crust Apple Pie (you need both in your life), but this streusel version has been stealing the show for many years. Let me break down the differences so you can pick your fighter!

Dutch Apple Pie vs. Classic Double-Crust Apple Pie

Feature	This Dutch Apple Pie	My Classic Double-Crust Pie
Crust	Single all-butter crust + thick oat streusel	Double all-butter crust (lattice or solid)
Sweetness	Milder filling + sweet streusel	Perfect classic sweetness
Thickener	Small-pearl tapioca (glossy, never cloudy)	Flour or cornstarch
Ease	Beginner-friendly – no top crust to roll!	Slightly more work (venting/lattice)
Texture highlight	Crunchy, caramelized streusel heaven	Flaky, sugary top crust
Best with	A big scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream	Slice of sharp cheddar or ice cream

Both pies use my favorite all-butter pie crust and the exact same weight of apples .

The Best Apples for Apple Pie Filling (Updated for 2025 – I Tested Them All!)

After baking this pie literally dozens of times (and tasting the varieties our stores carry), here are my current ride-or-die recommendations:

Top-Tier (you can’t go wrong)

#1 – 100% Cosmic Crisp – Hands-down my favorite right now. They stay insanely crisp-tender after baking, give you tall, defined slices that don’t collapse, and have the perfect natural sweet-tart balance with zero mealiness. Bonus: the peeled slices have that gorgeous rosy glow.
#2 – 100% Honeycrisp – A super-close second. Juicy, sweet with a bright floral note, and the texture is still excellent — slices hold their shape beautifully with virtually no mush.

Still incredible (and my backup combos)

50% Granny Smith + 50% Honeycrisp – the only mix I’m listing with Granny Smith right now. I’ve noticed the same thing many of you have: some crops of Granny Smith have been leaning mealier the last couple of seasons, so I only use them when they feel hard and they’re super tart. When they’re good, this classic mix is still flawless.
50% Pink Lady or Envy + 50% Honeycrisp or Cosmic Crisp – bright, firm, gorgeous color, zero mealiness risk.

Skip or use sparingly

Gala, Fuji, SugarBee, Golden Delicious, Lucy Glo – all too soft or too sweet on their own for my taste.

Bottom line for 2025:

If your store has beautiful, firm Honeycrisp or Cosmic Crisp → just go 100%. You’ll get the most delicious, slice-perfect apple pie filling of your life with zero fuss. Save the Granny Smith for when they’re at peak firmness, or skip them entirely this year. Your pie will still be legendary.

Sad but true: Braeburn has pretty much vanished from most stores (I miss it too!), but Cosmic Crisp and Envy are the closest modern replacements—firmer, more complex, and even better in pie.

Any of the top-tier combos above will give you sky-high, juicy-but-never-runny apple pie filling that tastes

Final Thoughts

This Dutch apple pie, with its sky-high apple mound, glossy tapioca filling, and that irresistible crunchy oat streusel, has officially claimed the top spot in our house. It’s the pie I bake when I want maximum wow with minimum fuss, the one that disappears in record time, and the one everyone begs for the second the weather turns crisp. Pair it with melting vanilla ice cream or whipped cream and it’s pure fall magic.I hope you make it this season (Thanksgiving, Friendsgiving, or just a random Tuesday) and that it becomes the new “remember that pie?!” legend in your family.

Happy baking!

Prep Time:30

Cook Time:1 5

Cooling Time:2 30

Total Time:4 5

Servings: slices

EQUIPMENT (affiliate links)

Ingredients

Crust

1 single all-butter pie crust homemade or store-bought

Apple Filling

10 c. (950 g) tart baking apples about 6 large apples – peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
⅓ c. (67 g) granulated sugar
3 tbsp (40 g) light brown sugar packed
3 tbsp small-pearl tapioca
1½ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
¼ tsp ground allspice
¼ tsp salt
2 tbsp lemon juice fresh is best
2 tbsp (28 g) salted butter cut into small pieces

Oat Streusel Topping

¾ c. (94 g) unbleached all-purpose flour
½ c. (110 g) packed light brown sugar packed
¾ c. (65 g) old-fashioned or quick oats
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
⅛ tsp salt
7 tbsp (100 g) salted butter melted and slightly cooled

Instructions

Fit your all-butter pie dough into a 9-inch pie plate, crimp the edges high, and freeze the empty shell for at least 20 minutes.
1 single all-butter pie crust
Preheat oven to 425°F (218°C) and place a rimmed baking sheet on the lower rack.
In a large bowl, toss sliced apples with both sugars, tapioca, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, salt, and lemon juice. Let stand 10 minutes.
10 c. (950 g) tart baking apples
⅓ c. (67 g) granulated sugar
3 tbsp (40 g) light brown sugar
3 tbsp small-pearl tapioca
1½ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
¼ tsp ground allspice
¼ tsp salt
2 tbsp lemon juice
Pile the apple filling very high into the frozen crust and dot with the 2 Tbsp butter pieces.
2 tbsp (28 g) salted butter
Cover the entire pie loosely with 2 layers of foil (cut small wedges in the foil and fold them back over the crimped edge to shield the crust). Place on the hot baking sheet and bake 425°F for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the streusel: stir flour, brown sugar, oats, cinnamon, and salt together. Add melted butter and mix until large clumps form.
¾ c. (94 g) unbleached all-purpose flour
½ c. (110 g) packed light brown sugar
¾ c. (65 g) old-fashioned or quick oats
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
⅛ tsp salt
7 tbsp (100 g) salted butter
Remove pie from oven; reduce temperature to 375°F (190°C). Carefully remove foil, scatter streusel evenly over the apples.
Bake 40–50 minutes more, until the streusel is deep golden and thick caramelized juices are bubbling at the edges.
Cool on a wire rack at least 4 hours (preferably 6–8) before slicing.

Notes

Best apples: 50% Granny Smith + 50% Honeycrisp OR Cosmic Crisp for the perfect sweet-tart balance and texture.
Foil shield: Keep it on the entire bake time for perfectly golden edges.
Freezing (Grandma’s method): Cool completely → double-wrap in plastic wrap + heavy-duty foil → freeze up to 3 months. Thaw at room temp 4–5 hours and reheat slices 15–20 seconds in microwave or whole pie at 350°F for 15–20 minutes.
Thickener: Small-pearl tapioca gives the clearest, glossiest filling – no soaking required with this long bake time.

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. Thank you for your support!

The BEST Dutch Apple Pie (with Oat Streusel Topping)

Dutch Apple Pie vs. Classic Double-Crust Apple Pie