Irresistibly Easy Apple Pie with Buttery Graham Cracker Crust and Streusel Topping
Discover the ultimate comfort dessert with this incredibly easy-to-follow recipe for Apple Pie with Graham Cracker Crust. This delightful dessert perfectly marries the crisp sweetness of Honeycrisp apples with aromatic cinnamon and a perfectly buttery graham cracker crust. Crowned with a crunchy, golden streusel topping, it’s the ideal solution for when you crave homemade apple pie but want to skip the traditional pie dough. Simple, satisfying, and utterly delicious!
While traditional apple pies often feature a flaky pastry crust, this version of Apple Pie with Graham Cracker Crust offers a wonderfully delicious and much simpler alternative. Baked to perfection in a springform pan, much like our popular apple pie cheesecake, this recipe boasts a rich, golden graham cracker crust, a luscious, perfectly spiced apple filling, and a delightful streusel topping that adds an irresistible crunch and depth of flavor.
The graham cracker crust brings a buttery, subtly sweet, and wonderfully spiced profile that exquisitely complements the natural sweetness of the juicy apple pie filling. It introduces a familiar, comforting crunch and a warm flavor that elevates the entire dessert experience. The absolute best part? Its incredible ease of preparation! Forget the hassle of rolling out homemade dough; you’ll simply mix graham cracker crumbs with melted butter and a touch of sugar before effortlessly pressing this mixture into your pan for a quick bake. This simplified approach ensures a flawless crust every time, making apple pie accessible to even the most novice bakers.
As a professional baker,I understand that the thought of making your own pie dough can be quite daunting or even frustrating for many home bakers. That’s precisely why I developed this recipe – to offer a stress-free yet equally delicious alternative using a graham cracker crust. It’s a completely viable and truly rewarding way to enjoy a homemade apple pie without the complexities of traditional pastry, proving that incredible results are totally possible with a simpler method!
Crafting an apple pie with a graham cracker crust is an excellent choice when you’re short on time, lack pie dough, or simply prefer a less traditional crust. It’s a fantastic hack for anyone wanting to enjoy a classic dessert with minimal fuss. If you’re a fan of no-fuss baking, you might also love our apple pie cheesecake – it’s incredibly simple and always a crowd-pleaser!
Looking for more innovative apple pie alternatives? Explore our delightful puff pastry apple pie for a lighter, flaky texture, or try our highly acclaimed apple pie bars, which boast a remarkable 5-star rating! For a truly unique twist, our cinnamon roll apple pie offers a deliciously sweet and spiced variation that’s sure to impress.
Why You’ll Love This Graham Cracker Apple Pie Recipe
This recipe isn’t just another apple pie; it’s a game-changer for anyone who loves the taste of homemade apple pie but shies away from complicated baking techniques. Here’s why this Graham Cracker Apple Pie should be next on your baking list:
- Effortless Crust: Say goodbye to tricky pie dough! The graham cracker crust is incredibly simple to prepare, requiring no rolling, chilling, or special pastry skills. It’s perfect for beginner bakers or those short on time.
- Remarkably Easy to Make: From start to finish, this recipe is designed for simplicity. With clear instructions and readily available ingredients, you’ll be able to whip up a stunning apple pie with minimal stress.
- Showcases Seasonal Apples: If you enjoy the delightful ritual of picking fresh apples in the fall, this recipe is a fantastic way to utilize your harvest. It truly allows the natural flavors of high-quality, seasonal apples to shine.
- No Special Baking Skills Required: You don’t need to be a seasoned pastry chef to create a beautiful and delicious apple pie with this recipe. It’s straightforward, forgiving, and yields impressive results every time.
- Comforting & Delicious: The combination of warm, spiced apples, a crisp, buttery crust, and a sweet streusel topping creates a dessert that’s the epitome of comfort food, perfect for any occasion.
- Versatile Serving Options: Whether served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, a dollop of whipped cream, or a drizzle of caramel sauce, this pie adapts beautifully to your preferred indulgence.
Essential Ingredients for Your Apple Pie
Crafting this delectable apple pie requires a few key components, divided into three main sections: the crust, the streusel topping, and the juicy apple filling. Each ingredient plays a crucial role in building layers of flavor and texture that make this pie so irresistible.
For The Graham Cracker Crust:
The foundation of our pie, this crust offers a buttery, sweet, and slightly spiced base that perfectly complements the apple filling.
- Graham Crackers: These are the star of our crust, providing a delightful, slightly sweet, and nutty flavor base. When crushed, they form the ideal texture that becomes crisp and golden upon baking. For best results, use pre-crushed graham cracker crumbs or process whole crackers finely in a food processor.
- Unsalted Butter: Essential for binding the graham cracker crumbs together, melted butter creates a cohesive and buttery crust. Using unsalted butter allows you to control the overall saltiness of the pie.
- Granulated Sugar: A small amount of granulated sugar enhances the inherent sweetness of the graham crackers, balancing the flavors in the crust without overpowering the apple filling.
For the Crunchy Streusel Topping:
This sweet, crumbly topping adds another layer of texture and flavor, making each bite even more exciting.
- All-Purpose Flour: Forms the essential base of the streusel topping, contributing to its signature crumbly and tender texture once baked.
- Sugar (White & Brown): The combination of granulated sugar and brown sugar brings both sweetness and a subtle, rich caramel-like note to the streusel. Brown sugar also adds moisture and chewiness.
- Cinnamon: Ground cinnamon is crucial for infusing the streusel with those beloved warm, aromatic, and comforting notes that are synonymous with apple pie.
- Kosher Salt: A pinch of salt is vital for balancing the sweetness in the streusel and intensifying all the other flavors, making them pop.
- Cold Diced Butter: Incorporating very cold, diced butter into the dry streusel mixture is key. As it bakes, the cold butter slowly melts, creating steam that results in distinct, buttery clumps that turn beautifully golden and crispy.
For the Irresistible Apple Pie Filling:
The heart of our pie, this filling is perfectly balanced in sweetness, spice, and texture, ensuring a juicy and tender bite every time.
- Honeycrisp Apples: Chosen for their exceptional balance of sweetness and tartness, Honeycrisp apples maintain their shape beautifully during baking, becoming tender and juicy without turning mushy. Granny Smith apples are another excellent choice for their tartness and firm texture.
- Brown Sugar: This adds a deep, molasses-rich sweetness to the apples, contributing to a wonderfully rich and caramel-like flavor that enhances their natural fruitiness.
- All-Purpose Flour: Incorporating flour into the apple filling is crucial for thickening the delicious juices that the apples release during baking. This ensures a smooth, luscious, and cohesive filling that holds its shape when the pie is sliced.
- Ground Cinnamon: An essential spice for apple pie, ground cinnamon complements the apples’ flavor profile, infusing the filling with a warm, comforting, and aromatic spice that defines this classic dessert.
- Kosher Salt: Just a touch of kosher salt is added to balance the sweetness of the sugars and apples, intensifying and heightening the overall complex flavors of the filling.
- Cornstarch: Acting as a powerful natural thickener, cornstarch works in conjunction with the flour to bind the apple juices, creating a perfectly gooey, glossy filling that sets beautifully and maintains its structure when the pie is cut.
Step-by-Step Guide: How to Make This Easy Apple Pie
Follow these simple instructions to bake a show-stopping apple pie with a perfectly crisp graham cracker crust and a delightful streusel topping.
1. Prepare for Baking: Begin by preheating your oven to a precise 350°F (175°C). Lightly spray a 9-inch springform pan with a good quality baking spray, ensuring full coverage to prevent sticking. Set the prepared pan aside.
2. Form the Graham Cracker Crust: In a medium-sized microwave-safe bowl, combine your graham cracker crumbs, granulated sugar, and melted unsalted butter. Microwave the butter briefly until it’s fully melted, then stir vigorously until the mixture is thoroughly combined and resembles damp sand. This texture is crucial for a firm crust.
3. Bake and Cool the Crust: Transfer the moist graham cracker mixture into your prepared springform pan. Using the bottom of a measuring cup or your fingers, press the mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom and slightly up the sides of the pan. Bake for just 6 minutes until the crust is lightly golden and fragrant. Remove from the oven and allow it to cool completely while you prepare the other components. A fully cooled crust prevents a soggy bottom.
4. Assemble the Streusel Topping: In a small bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, both granulated and brown sugars, ground cinnamon, and kosher salt. Add the cold, diced butter to the dry ingredients. Use a pastry cutter or your fingertips to cut or rub the butter into the flour mixture until it forms small, pea-sized crumbs. It’s important not to overmix, as this will prevent a crumbly texture. Place the bowl in the freezer for at least 20 minutes to chill and firm up the butter; this helps create a crispier streusel.
5. Prepare the Apple Pie Filling: Carefully peel, core, and thinly slice your Honeycrisp or Granny Smith apples, aiming for uniform 1/4-inch slices. A mandoline slicer can make this step quick and easy, ensuring even cooking. In a large bowl, combine the sliced apples with brown sugar, all-purpose flour, ground cinnamon, and kosher salt. Use your hands to gently toss and ensure every apple slice is thoroughly coated with the spice mixture. Allow the apples to sit for a few minutes; they will release some moisture. Drain any excess liquid, then add the cornstarch and toss again to coat the apples. This step helps create a thick, luscious filling.
6. Assemble and Bake the Pie: Pour the prepared apple pie filling evenly into the cooled graham cracker crust. Retrieve the chilled streusel topping from the freezer and sprinkle it generously over the apple filling, ensuring good coverage. Bake the pie for 35-40 minutes, or until the streusel is golden brown, the apples are tender when pierced with a knife, and the filling is bubbling. Once baked, remove the pie from the oven and allow it to cool completely at room temperature. This cooling period is vital for the filling to set and thicken properly. Serve warm by itself, or elevate the experience with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream. Enjoy every comforting bite!
Expert Tips for Apple Pie Success
Achieving a perfect apple pie, especially with a graham cracker crust, is simple with these helpful tips:
- Achieve a Sturdy Crust: For a perfectly golden and crunchy graham cracker crust, it’s crucial to press the mixture very firmly into the pan. Use the flat bottom of a measuring cup to create an incredibly even and tightly packed layer along the bottom and slightly up the sides. This prevents crumbling and ensures a stable base for your filling.
- Perfect Streusel Texture: To guarantee a light, crumbly, and distinct streusel topping, always start with very cold diced butter. Work the butter into the dry ingredients gently and quickly, using a pastry cutter or your fingertips, until you achieve distinct pea-sized clumps. Overworking the butter will melt it and lead to a less desirable, pasty streusel.
- Flavor Boost for Streusel: For an additional layer of flavor and texture, consider adding about 1/4 to 1/2 cup of finely chopped nuts, such as walnuts, pecans, or almonds, to your streusel mixture. This imparts a wonderful nuttiness that beautifully complements the apples and spices.
- Uniform Apple Slices: Consistency is key for evenly cooked apples. Before combining your apple slices with the filling ingredients, use a mandoline or a very sharp chef’s knife to ensure all slices are uniform in thickness. This guarantees that every piece of apple cooks through at the same rate, preventing some from being mushy while others are still firm.
- Prevent Oven Messes: Apple pies can sometimes bubble over, especially if the filling is particularly juicy. To save yourself from a messy oven cleanup, always place a baking sheet or a piece of foil directly underneath your pie pan in the oven. This will catch any potential drips.
- The Art of Cooling: As tempting as it is to dig in immediately, allowing the baked apple pie to cool sufficiently is perhaps the most important tip for a perfect slice. This crucial cooling period allows the fruit juices to reabsorb and the filling to thicken and set completely. Attempting to slice a hot pie will often result in a runny, messy affair. Aim for at least 2-3 hours of cooling, or even longer for best results.
- Pan Versatility: While this recipe is designed for a springform pan, it can also be successfully baked in a standard 9-inch pie pan. Just be sure to press the graham cracker crust well up the sides of the pie pan.
Storage and Freezing Instructions
To ensure your delicious apple pie remains fresh and enjoyable for as long as possible, follow these storage and freezing guidelines:
Storing Leftovers: After baking, allow your apple pie to cool completely to room temperature. This is essential for preventing condensation and maintaining the crust’s texture. Once cooled, cover the pie tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil to protect it from air exposure and drying out. At room temperature, the pie will stay fresh and delicious for up to 2 days. For extended freshness, especially in warmer climates or if it contains dairy-based toppings (like whipped cream, though not included in this base recipe), it’s best to refrigerate the pie for up to 4-5 days. Always bring it back to room temperature or gently reheat before serving for optimal flavor and texture.
Freezing for Later Enjoyment: Apple pie freezes remarkably well, making it a fantastic make-ahead dessert. To freeze, ensure the pie is completely cooled. For best results and to prevent freezer burn, wrap the entire pie (or individual slices, if preferred) tightly with multiple layers of plastic wrap, followed by a layer of heavy-duty aluminum foil. This double-layer protection is key to preserving its texture and flavor. Properly wrapped, apple pie can be stored in the freezer for up to 2-3 months. When you’re ready to enjoy, thaw the pie overnight in the refrigerator. For the best taste and texture, reheat the thawed pie in a preheated oven at a low temperature (around 300°F or 150°C) until warmed through, usually about 15-20 minutes for slices, or longer for a whole pie.
Delightful Ways to Enjoy Your Apple Pie
This Graham Cracker Apple Pie is a magnificent dessert on its own, but here are some delightful ways to enhance your enjoyment:
- Caramel Indulgence: Elevate a warm slice with a generous drizzle of homemade Bourbon Caramel Sauce. The rich, boozy, and buttery caramel adds a sophisticated twist to the classic apple pie flavors, creating a truly decadent experience.
- Classic à la Mode: The ultimate pairing! Serve your warm apple pie with a dollop of freshly whipped cream or, for an iconic treat, a generous scoop of creamy vanilla bean ice cream. The contrast between the warm, spiced apples and the cold, sweet dairy is simply irresistible.
- Coffee Companion: For a cozy morning indulgence or an afternoon pick-me-up, savor a slice of apple pie alongside a refreshing homemade Vanilla Iced Coffee. The sweet, creamy coffee perfectly complements the pie’s comforting flavors.
- A Touch of Sharpness: For those who enjoy a more complex flavor profile, serve a thin slice of sharp cheddar cheese alongside your warm apple pie. This classic pairing offers a delightful balance of sweet and savory.
- Spiced Whipped Cream: Instead of plain whipped cream, whip up some fresh cream with a pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg for an extra layer of warmth and spice that beautifully complements the pie.
- Nutty Crunch: If you love texture, a sprinkle of toasted pecans or walnuts over your slice before serving adds an additional layer of crunch and nutty flavor, especially if you didn’t add them to the streusel.
Easy Apple Pie With Graham Cracker Crust and Streusel
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Ingredients
For The Buttery Graham Cracker Crust:
- 6 Graham Crackers, crushed or 1 cup finely ground crumbs
- 1/4 cup Unsalted Butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon Granulated Sugar
For the Crunchy Streusel Topping:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon, or adjust to your preference for more spice
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 5 tbsp Unsalted Butter, very cold and diced small
For the Luscious Apple Pie Filling:
- 5 Honeycrisp apples, peeled, cored, and sliced 1/4 inch thick
- 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
- 3 tbsp flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
Instructions
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Preheat your oven to 350° F (175°C) and generously spray a 9″ springform pan with baking spray. Set aside.
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In a medium-sized microwave-safe bowl, combine the 1 cup graham cracker crumbs, 1/4 cup melted unsalted butter, and 1 tablespoon granulated sugar. Microwave the butter for about 30 seconds at a time until fully melted, then stir the mixture thoroughly until everything is well combined and resembles wet sand. -
Press the graham cracker mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom and slightly up the sides of the prepared springform pan. You can use the bottom of a 1/3 cup measuring cup to help compact it tightly and create a smooth, even surface.
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Bake the crust for 6 minutes, until it’s lightly golden brown and fragrant. Remove it from the oven and set it aside to cool completely while you prepare the filling and topping.
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Meanwhile, prepare the streusel topping. In a small bowl, combine the 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup packed brown sugar, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (or more, to taste), and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt. Whisk to combine.
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Add the 5 tablespoons of very cold, diced butter to the dry streusel ingredients. Use a pastry cutter or your fingertips to cut the butter into the mixture until small, pea-sized clumps are formed. Be careful not to overmix.
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Place the bowl with the streusel mixture into the freezer for at least 20 minutes to chill and firm up the butter. This will help create a crispier topping.
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While the streusel chills, prepare the apple pie filling. Use a mandoline or a sharp knife to easily and thinly slice the 5 peeled, cored apples (aim for 1/4-inch slices). In a large bowl, combine the sliced apples with 1/2 cup brown sugar, 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt. Mix well with your hands to ensure the apples are fully coated with the spice mixture.
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Once the graham cracker crust has cooled, strain the apple mixture, discarding as much excess juice as possible. This step is crucial to prevent a watery pie. Pour the 1 tablespoon cornstarch over the drained apples and mix again to ensure they are well coated.
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Pour the prepared apple mixture evenly onto the cooled graham cracker crust. Remove the streusel topping from the freezer and sprinkle it generously over the apples, ensuring even distribution.
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Bake the pie for 35-40 minutes, or until the streusel is golden brown, and the apple filling is bubbling and tender.
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Allow the pie to cool completely to room temperature for at least 2-3 hours. This crucial cooling time allows the apple filling to fully thicken and set, ensuring clean, perfect slices. Serve warm, either on its own or with a scoop of delicious vanilla ice cream. Enjoy your homemade masterpiece!
