pecan streusel apple pie;
This pecan streusel apple pie is to die for. A flaky traditional crust with soft, gooey, cinnamon-y filling, mixed with toasted pecans and then topped with a buttery crunchy pecan studded streusel topping. If that sentence didn’t make your mouth water, you better read it again! Pecan streusel apple pie has a beautiful assortment of textures and flavors. I love the nutty roasted pecans throughout both the filling and the streusel, really adding another dimension to a traditional apple pie.
Let’s talk about each of the layers. For the pie crust, use your favorite pie crust recipe. For me, being gluten-free, it’s easiest to use the King Arthur gluten-free pie crust mix. I make half of it since one box makes two crusts. I have yet to try my traditional pie crust recipe with gluten-free flour, so in the meantime, I trust King Arthur Flour and find it a yummy option.
You can use whatever crust you’d like, though. You’ll want to pre-bake the crust in the oven before adding the filling. I have and use pie weights to keep the crust flat and even, but even that’s optional. I’ve baked many a pie before I had pie weights and they turn out just fine. You just might get some air bubbles and a little uneven-ness.
Use whatever crust you’d like. You’ll want to pre-bake the crust before adding the filling. Optionally, use pie weights to keep the crust flat and even.
secret to success
Pre-baking the crust helps make sure you get the right crispy crust that holds up to the filling. The apple pie filling is already cooked. I prefer to control the texture of the apples on the stovetop and then minimize the additional time in the oven so I keep the perfect soft but not mushy texture of the apples.
When it comes to apple filling, you can always use store-bought and save yourself a few steps. But I love making my own homemade filling. It means I can dial up the cinnamon, and get the perfect amount of sweetness. I used Fuji apples here because my sister sent me a bunch of fresh Fuji apples from a local Ohio place, and it was delicious.
I added a dash of lemon juice and salt from Spend with Pennies classic pie filling to balance the filling even more. Fuji apples are definitely sweet, so if you want to cut the sweetness, next time I might throw in a couple Granny Smith or honeycrisp to balance with a little extra tartness.
When it comes to apple filling, you can always use store-bought and save yourself a few steps. But making my own filling means I can dial up the cinnamon and get the perfect amount of sweetness.
secret to success
As I mentioned with pre-baking the crust, your apple pie filling will get some extra time in the oven. So I try to stop cooking the apples on the stovetop a few minutes before they soften to the exact texture I want to eat. This way the apples will finish in the oven to that beautiful melt-in-your-mouth sweet sugary texture. And of course I added some toasted pecans for extra crunch and nuttiness.
Every time I roast pecans I forget how good they are. Roasting really brings out the oils and earthy tones of the nuts. I can eat them plain, straight out of the oven (and often do, like when I’m making this recipe). If you’re prone to snitching a few to eat (like me), maybe throw an extra couple of pecans onto your sheet pan when you roast them.
I like to throw the pecans on the same sheet as my crust while it’s baking. The pecans only need a few minutes to toast, so keep and eye on them and remove them before they burn.
secret to success
I like to throw the pecans on the same sheet as my crust while it’s baking. Be careful though, the pecans only need a couple of minutes to toast, but the pie crust will need much longer. So make sure you keep an eye on your nuts and remove them before they burn.
Half of the pecans go into the filling and the other half get a rough chop to add to the streusel topping. There’s something satisfying about the roasted pecans in the streusel. Mixed with oats, flour, and a dash of sugar and salt, this streusel topping adds both texture and flavor to complement the pecan apple streusel pie.
A scoop of ice cream is the perfect pairing with this pecan apple streusel pie. Vanilla is the tried and true classic, but this brown sugar cinnamon ice cream is literally a *chef’s kiss complement to this pie. I also love serving this with a drizzle of caramel like Baked by an Introvert suggests. I have a great recipe for salted caramel sauce if you feel ambitious enough to make your own. It stores wonderfully in the fridge for a long time, so I highly recommend. But I chose this time to drizzle my pie with a pre-made chocolate caramel sauce.
secrets to success;
Want all the best tips and tricks to make this recipe a success? Check out the blog post above to find out more!
more recipes;
Looking for other apple-inspired recipes? Check out these yummy options:
- These punchy apple cider doughnuts have a secret ingredient…bringing a new twist to your favorite fall doughnut!
- If you can’t get enough of the roasty toasty spiced apple flavor, why not make your own slow cooker apple butter?
- If you;re looking for a classic lattice apple pie, look no further. This sweet apple pie has just a hint of tart acidity to brighten up the flavors and keep the taste buds craving more!
- Or take your apple pie in bite-sized apple pie cookie form, sure to be a hit on any dessert table. For another fun twist, try a build-it-yourself apple pie taco bar!
- Apple pie crescents are a quick and easy dessert–only 5 ingredients, if you can count mixing your own cinnamon sugar as one ingredient.
pecan streusel apple pie;
Ingredients
pie crust;
- 1 pie crust (according to directions; I use King Arthur gluten-free mix)
apple pecan filling;
- 5-6 medium apples (I used fuji
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- 3 Tbsp water (for apples)
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 1 Tbsp cinnamon
- 1 Tbsp cornstarch
- 3 Tbsp water (for slurry)
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ cup pecans
pecan streusel topping;
- ½ cup pecans roughly chopped
- ½ cup old-fashioned oats
- ⅓ cup flour (I used gluten-free measure for measure)
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar firmly packed
- ¼ tsp salt (If you like a salty-sweet combo, add an additional ⅛ tsp, bringing the total to ⅝ tsp)
- 3½ tablespoons unsalted butter melted
Instructions
pie crust;
- Make and bake crust according to instructions. I use the gluten-free King Arthur Flour mix, and press into a 16" pie plate.
- (Optional) Crimp the edges as desired. Take a piece of parchment paper and lightly press over the crust (so as not to damage your edges. Pour in pie weights to weigh down the bottom of the crust.
- Place pie dish on a baking sheet.
- On the same or a separate baking sheet, roast the pecans. They'll need less time in the oven than the pie crust, so plan accordingly. Add 1 cup of pecans (total of the ½ cup needed for the applie pie filling, and ½ cup needed for the streusel) onto your baking sheet.
- Roast the pecans at 350°F for 4-6 minutes or until they smell toasty. (Note: they will get baked again once pie is assembled.) Remove from the oven and set aside.
- Bake pie crust at 350°F for 10-15 minutes (or according to instructions). Look for the crust to just begin to color and for the bottom is not wet to the touch. Remove from the oven and set aside.
apple pecan filling;
- Peel and core 5-6 medium apples. Slice each apple into 6-8 slices and then cut each slice into thirds. The exact size doesn't matter as much as keeping your chunks even in size.
- Add the apple chunks to a large pot. Add in ⅓ cup brown sugar, 3 Tbsp water, 2 Tbsp butter, and 1 Tbsp cinnamon. Stir with a spatula to coat the apples evenly.
- Cover with a lid, and cook over medium high heat for 5 minutes or until apples are just barely starting to become tender.
- In a small bowl, add 1 Tbsp cornstarch and 3 Tbsp water, and mix together to form a slurry.
- Turn the heat down to medium-low. Add the slurry, 1 Tbsp lemon juice, and ¼ tsp salt to the apple mixture and mix thoroughly.
- Cover with the lid and let cook another 13-18 minutes stirring occasionally until apples are fork tender and gooey. If the mixture ever gets too dry, add another 1-3 Tbsp of water.
- Once apples are to desired firmness, remove from heat. Add ½ cup of the pecans roasted above, stir, and set aside.
pecan streusel topping;
- Take the remaining ½ cup roasted pecans and roughly chop them. Add to a medium bowl.
- Add to the pecans, ½ cup old fashioned oats, ⅓ cup flour, 2 Tbsp brown sugar, and ¼ tsp salt. Mix together until even.
- Melt 3½ Tbsp butter, and pour into the dry ingredients. Stir roughly until entire mixture is clumpy and butter has been absorbed. Set aside.
pecan streusel apple pie;
- Add the apple pie filling to the prepared pie crust, spreading it evenly.
- Crumble the streusel topping evenly over top until the pie is covered. Decorate with extra pecans if desired.
- Bake at 350°F for 20-30 minutes or until pie crust is golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool before serving. Try serving with ice cream, or a drizzle of caramel!
