Appeltaart: Dutch Apple Pie

Appeltaart, or Dutch Apple Pie, is built around a generous apple filling enclosed in a sturdy, cookie-like crust. Thinly sliced apples are tossed with lemon juice, sugar, cinnamon, and optional raisins, then packed into the pastry before the pie receives its distinctive lattice top. As it bakes, the apples reduce and the crust turns a deep golden brown.

Unlike a flaky pâte brisée pie dough, the crust here is more like shortcrust. Cold butter is worked into the flour mixture until it forms crumbs, and an egg brings the dough together. Chilling gives the dough time to rest and makes it easier to roll and handle.

This appeltaart is baked in an 8-inch springform pan, which supports the tall sides and makes the finished pie easier to release. Breadcrumbs beneath the apples help absorb their juices, while the lattice leaves the filling visible as it cooks.

Plan for about two hours from start to finish, including the dough’s chilling time and the bake. The pie makes eight servings and is best eaten the same day it is baked, while the crust still has its intended texture.

Ingredients

• 140 g | 10 Tbsp light brown sugar

• 300 g | 2 1/2 cup plain flour

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 2 tsp baking powder

• 200 g | 14 Tbsp unsalted butter, cold

• 1 egg

• 1 kg | 2 lb apples, about 6 medium

• 1 Tbsp lemon juice

• 70 g | 1/3 cup sugar

• 2 tsp cinnamon

• 75 g | 1/2 cup raisins, optional, optional

• 15 g | 3 Tbsp breadcrumbs

• 1 egg

• sugar, for sprinkling

Use breadcrumbs beneath the filling to absorb the juices released by the apples. The remaining egg is beaten for brushing over the lattice, and granulated sugar is sprinkled on top before baking.

How to Make Appeltaart: Dutch Apple Pie

Begin with the dough. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, salt, and baking powder. Cut in the cold butter with a pastry blender, or work it in with your fingertips, until the mixture resembles crumbs and the butter is cut into pea-sized pieces. Add one egg and gently knead until the dough comes together into a ball.

Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate it for at least one hour before rolling. The dough can also rest overnight. Chilling allows the gluten to relax and makes the dough easier to handle. If it remains difficult to roll after chilling, press it into the bottom and sides of the pan instead.

If using raisins, put them in a heatproof bowl, cover them with boiling water, and soak for 10–15 minutes. Drain them. Peel and core the apples, slice them thinly, and toss them with the lemon juice so they are coated. Stir in the sugar and cinnamon, then add the raisins.

Preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F). Grease an 8-inch (20cm) springform cake pan with butter and dust it with flour. Use the dough to form the pie shell. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs over its bottom, then add the apple filling. Press the apples in snugly; the filling may look excessive at this stage, but it will reduce as it bakes.

Roll the remaining dough until it is just larger than the pan. Cut thin strips about 2 cm (3/4 inch) wide with a pastry wheel, pizza cutter, or long sharp knife. For the lattice, place the longest strip vertically through the center, then lay another strip across it at a 90-degree angle. Add two more vertical strips on either side of the center strip, then continue alternating vertical and horizontal strips until the dough is used.

Seal the edge with your fingertips and trim away excess dough. Brush the lattice with a beaten egg and sprinkle it generously with granulated sugar. Bake for 60–70 minutes, until the crust is rich golden brown and the apples are tender.

Let the pie cool to room temperature before serving. To unmold it, carefully run a knife or offset spatula around the edge to make sure the crust is not sticking, then release the springform pan.

About Appeltaart: Dutch Apple Pie

Appeltaart is associated with a crust that is closer to shortcrust or a cookie crust than to flaky pâte brisée. Its traditional apple is Goudreinet, also known as Belle de Boskoop, although a baking apple or a mixture of baking apples can be used. The tall, lattice-topped pie is baked in a springform pan, and breadcrumbs form a practical layer beneath the apples to absorb their juices and thicken the filling as it cooks. For another recipe idea, explore Best Apple Pie. You can also browse Coconut Cream Pie for another option.

Serving Suggestions

This recipe makes one 8-inch (20cm) pie, enough for 8 servings. Allow the pie to cool to room temperature before serving so it can be released from the springform pan cleanly and the finished structure can settle. You can also browse Caramel Apple Pie for another option.

The pie is best eaten the same day it is baked. Over time, the crust’s texture deteriorates, so serving it on the day of baking preserves the intended quality of the appeltaart. You can also browse Chocolate Cream Pie Recipe for another option.

Troubleshooting

The dough is difficult to roll after chilling. Press it into the bottom and sides of the pan instead of rolling it out. The dough’s refrigerated rest is still useful because it allows the gluten to relax and makes the dough easier to handle, but pressing is an alternative when rolling remains difficult.

The filling seems too large for the pie shell. Pack the sliced apples in as snugly as possible rather than removing part of the filling. The apples reduce as they bake, so the uncooked filling will look more generous than the finished pie.

The pie is difficult to release from the pan. Before opening the springform, carefully run a knife or offset spatula around the edge to check that the crust is not sticking. Then release the pan.

Why You’ll Love It

Appeltaart brings together a substantial shortcrust-style pastry, a generous apple filling, and a lattice that gives the pie its recognizable appearance. The apples are sliced thinly and seasoned with lemon juice, sugar, and cinnamon, with optional raisins adding another element to the filling. Breadcrumbs help manage the juices beneath the apples, while the springform pan supports the pie’s sides during baking. Another recipe you may want to try is Dutch Apple Pie. Another recipe you may want to try is Sweet Potato Pie Recipe.

The recipe also gives you practical control over the dough. It can be rolled after chilling, or pressed into the pan if rolling proves difficult. The lattice is assembled from narrow strips rather than fitted as one solid pastry lid, and the beaten-egg finish with a sprinkling of sugar gives the top its baked appearance. One 8-inch pie serves eight, making the finished appeltaart suited to sharing while still keeping the process focused and manageable.

Pro Tips for Success

Keep the butter cold when cutting it into the flour mixture. Stop when the mixture resembles crumbs and the butter pieces are about the size of peas; the egg is added only after that stage. Knead gently, just until the dough comes together into a ball. For more inspiration, see The Best Apple Crumb Pie. Another recipe you may want to try is The BEST Pecan Pie Recipe – Handle the Heat.

Give the dough at least an hour in the refrigerator before rolling. An overnight rest is also an option. The chilled rest allows the gluten to relax, which makes the dough easier to handle. If rolling is still difficult, pressing the dough into the pan is the supported alternative.

Do not be concerned when the apple filling appears to overwhelm the shell. Pack it down snugly, since the apples reduce during baking. Keep the lattice inside the cake pan rather than building the pie excessively high; making the appeltaart very tall can compromise its structural integrity.

For the cleanest finish, seal the pastry edge with your fingertips and trim away excess dough before brushing the lattice with beaten egg and sprinkling it with sugar. Bake until the crust is rich golden brown and the apples are tender, then cool the pie to room temperature before unmolding.

Flavor and Texture

The finished pie has a rich, golden shortcrust-style exterior with a texture closer to a cookie crust than flaky pâte brisée. Inside, the apples become tender as they bake, while lemon juice, sugar, and cinnamon give the filling its defined apple-and-spice character. Raisins are optional, so the filling can include them or remain focused on the apples. Breadcrumbs help absorb the fruit juices and thicken the filling rather than leaving those juices entirely at the base of the pie. For another recipe idea, explore Thanksgiving Tri Pie – The Pancake Princess. Another recipe you may want to try is Chicken Pot PIe Casserole.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best way to prepare Appeltaart: Dutch Apple Pie? Prepare the shortcrust-style dough, chill it for at least an hour, and make the apple filling with thinly sliced apples, lemon juice, sugar, cinnamon, and optional soaked raisins. Fit the dough into the springform pan, add breadcrumbs and the snugly packed filling, then finish with a lattice.

How do I know when Appeltaart is ready? Bake at 175°C (350°F) for 60–70 minutes. It is ready when the crust is rich golden brown and the apples are tender.

What temperature should I use? Bake the pie at 175°C (350°F).

How long does Appeltaart take to make? The total time is about 2 hours, including 1 hour of preparation and 1 hour of cooking. The dough also needs at least 1 hour of refrigeration before rolling; an overnight rest is possible.

What equipment do I need? Use an 8-inch (20cm) springform cake pan, bowl, pastry blender, rolling pin, knife or offset spatula, pastry wheel or pizza cutter, brush for the egg wash, oven, and a sifter or whisk.

What should I know about the light brown sugar and plain flour? The light brown sugar and plain flour are whisked together with the salt and baking powder at the beginning of the dough. The cold butter is then cut into that mixture until it resembles crumbs before the egg is kneaded in.