Classic Apple Climeb Pie

The Easiest Apple Pie With Climeb Topping You'll Ever Bake

There is something magical about the moment a deep dish apple pie with climeb topping comes out of the oven. The kitchen fills with cinnamon and warm butter, the topping is bubbling at the edges, and you know dessert is about to steal the show. This isn't a fussy lattice crust situation. It's a buttery, oat studded crumble piled high over tender spiced apples, and it might just be the best apple pie with climeb topping you make all year.

If you've been searching for how to make climeb top apple pie without stressing over pastry weaving, you're in the right place. This version leans on a simple single crust base, a generously spiced apple filling, and a crunchy topping that bakes up golden every single time.

Before we get cooking, the right tools and ingredients make a real difference here. A sturdy deep dish pie plate keeps the juicy filling from bubbling over, and a good pastry cutter makes quick work of the climeb topping without warming the butter too much.

What Makes a Climeb Topping Different

A classic streusel topping is often just butter, sugar, and flour. This climeb topping apple pie version goes a step further by adding old fashioned oats for texture and a handful of chopped pecans for crunch. The result is a topping that stays craggy and crisp instead of melting into a flat sugary crust.

• Oats add chew and a rustic, bakery style look
• Cold butter is key, it's what creates those irresistible crumbly clusters
• A touch of brown sugar deepens the flavor with hints of caramel

Chef's Tip: Keep your butter cold and work quickly with your fingertips. Warm butter will make the topping greasy instead of crumbly, so if your kitchen is warm, pop the mixed topping in the fridge for 10 minutes before using it.

Choosing the Best Apples for This Pie

Not all apples bake the same way, and this is where a lot of easy apple pie climeb topping recipes go wrong. You want apples that hold their shape and balance sweetness with a little tartness.

• Granny Smith for a firm, tart bite
• Honeycrisp for natural sweetness and juiciness
• A mix of both for the most well rounded filling

Tossing the apples in cornstarch along with the sugar and spices is what keeps your filling from turning watery, so don't skip that step even if it feels unnecessary.

Building the Layers

Once your crust is fitted into the pie plate, the apple filling goes in first, mounded slightly since apples shrink as they bake. Then comes the best part, an even, generous layer of climeb topping pressed gently over the top so every bite of apple gets some crumble.

Ready to make it? Here is the full step-by-step recipe:

Classic Apple Climeb Pie

This homemade apple pie with climeb topping combines tender spiced apples with a golden, buttery crumble for the easiest deep dish apple pie you'll ever bake.

Prep:30 mins

Cook:55 mins

Total:85 mins

Yield:8 servings

Cuisine:American

Yield: 8 servingsCalories: 420Protein: 4g

Carbs: 58gFat: 19gSat. Fat: 11gFiber: 3gSugar: 34gSodium: 180mg

Ingredients

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• 1 pie crust, 9-inch, store-bought or homemade, unbaked
• 6 cups apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced, such as Granny Smith or Honeycrisp
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed, divided
• 1 tbsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon, divided
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp salt, divided
• 2 tbsp cornstarch, for thickening the apple filling
• 1 cup all-purpose flour, for the climeb topping
• 1/2 cup old-fashioned oats, for texture in the topping
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold, cubed, for the topping
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans, optional, for crunch

Instruction

1

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) and fit the pie crust into a 9-inch deep dish pie plate, crimping the edges.

2

In a large bowl, toss the sliced apples with granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, lemon juice, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and cornstarch until evenly coated.

3

Pour the apple mixture into the prepared pie crust, mounding it slightly in the center.

4

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, oats, remaining brown sugar, remaining cinnamon, and remaining salt.

5

Add the cold cubed butter and use your fingers or a pastry cutter to work it into the dry ingredients until coarse, pea-sized crumbs form.

6

Stir in the chopped pecans if using, then sprinkle the climeb topping evenly over the apples, covering the filling completely.

7

Place the pie on a baking sheet to catch any drips and bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until the topping is deep golden brown and the filling bubbles at the edges.

8

If the topping browns too quickly, loosely tent the pie with foil for the last 15 to 20 minutes.

9

Cool the pie on a wire rack for at least 2 hours before slicing to allow the filling to set.

Equipment

• 9-inch deep dish pie plate
• Large mixing bowl
• Pastry cutter or fork
• Baking sheet
• Wire cooling rack

Notes

Store leftover pie loosely covered at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the fridge for up to 5 days. The climeb topping stays crisper if you avoid tightly wrapping the pie in plastic while warm.

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Serving and Storing Your Climeb Top Apple Pie

Let the pie cool for at least two hours before slicing. I know it's tempting to dig in right away, but this rest time lets the filling set so your slices hold together instead of sliding apart.

Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, or at room temperature with a drizzle of caramel sauce. This homemade apple pie with climeb topping also makes a fantastic make ahead dessert for holidays, since it reheats beautifully.

Chef's Tip: To reheat a whole pie, warm it uncovered in a 300 degree F oven for about 20 minutes. This revives the crispness of the topping far better than the microwave ever could.

However you serve it, this deep dish apple pie with climeb topping is proof that the coziest desserts don't need to be complicated. Just good apples, warm spices, and a whole lot of buttery crumble.