Appeltaart (Dutch Apple Pie)
A tall springform pie with a cookie-like brown sugar crust pressed in by hand, packed with precooked Golden Delicious apples, golden raisins and speculaas-style spices, topped with a crisscross of dough strips and baked at 375°F for about 75 minutes. Served "met slagroom", with whipped cream.
Appeltaart is the Netherlands' apple pie, and it has a printed pedigree. Dutch Wikipedia says the first printed Dutch cookbook, "Een notabel boecxken van cokeryen" of 1514, already has an extensive apple pie recipe. English Wikipedia adds that the book was printed in Brussels, that its apple pie calls for cardamom, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove and mace, and that Thomas van der Noot "may also have been the author". Dutch Wikipedia describes two everyday kinds today: the classic with a lattice and the appelkruimeltaart with a crumb top, made with currants and raisins, and says coffee with a warm slice, with or without whipped cream, is served in nearly every Dutch restaurant.
America's Test Kitchen's Andrea Geary built this recipe after a slice at Winkel 43, the Amsterdam cafe famous for it. She describes it as both an everyday dessert and the centerpiece of Dutch celebrations, especially birthdays: tall, straight-sided, packed with lightly sweetened, heavily spiced apples and usually eaten at room temperature with a mountain of whipped cream. Hold it next to the American "Dutch apple pie" and you can see they share only a name.
Why it works the kitchen science
Apples cooked twice
Softening the apples before they go in the pan lets them shrink and give up juice first, so the tall pie doesn't sink or leak, and the wedges stay tender but whole.
A melted-butter crust
Dough made with hot melted butter is soft like modeling clay, so two thirds of it can be pressed into the pan by hand, and it bakes up crisp and cookie-like.
Step by step
- Step 1
Cook the apples: combine the apples and the 1/4 cup brown sugar in a Dutch oven and cook, covered, over medium heat, stirring now and then, 8 to 14 minutes, until all the apples are slightly softened and about half are turning translucent. Spread the apples and juice on a rimmed baking sheet set on a wire rack and cool about 30 minutes.
- Step 2
Make the crust: rub the flour, brown sugar, baking powder and salt together with your fingers to break up the sugar. Set aside 1 tbsp of the beaten egg for glazing, then stir the rest of the egg, the hot melted butter and the water into the flour. Knead briefly on the counter until smooth, shape into a 9-inch log and cut it into three equal pieces.
- Step 3
Press one piece into an 8-by-4-inch rectangle on parchment, cover with a second sheet and roll it to about 12 by 10 inches; slide it onto a baking sheet and refrigerate. Crumble the second piece over the bottom of a 9-inch springform and press it flat, then press 1-inch chunks of the third piece up the sides. Refrigerate.
- Step 4
Heat the oven to 375°F with a rack in the lower-middle position. Lift the apples into a bowl, leaving the juices behind, and stir in the raisins, cornstarch, lemon juice, spices and salt. Pack them into the crust, pressing gently, and smooth the top.
- Step 5
Cut the rolled dough lengthwise into eight 1 1/4-inch strips. Lay four across the pie, evenly spaced, then the other four at a 45-degree angle to them, pressing them gently onto the apples and trimming the ends flush with the pan. Set the pie on the baking sheet and brush the top with the saved egg.
- Step 6
Bake 45 minutes, then cover loosely with foil and bake about 30 minutes more, until the crust is deep golden and a skewer slides easily into the apples.
- Step 7
Cool on a rack, run a paring knife around the top edge and remove the ring. Cool completely, at least 4 hours, then cut with a gentle sawing motion and serve with whipped cream.
Appeltaart (Dutch Apple Pie)
Serves 10 · one 9-inch springform pie · 2 hr 15 min total
Apples
- 4 lb (1,814 g) Golden Delicious apples, peeled, cored and cut into 1/4-inch-thick wedges
- 1/4 cup packed (50 g) dark brown sugar
- 1/2 cup (71 g) golden raisins (optional)
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp ground cardamom
- 1/4 tsp ground coriander
- 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
- A pinch of table salt
Crust
- 2 1/2 cups (354 g) all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup packed (149 g) dark brown sugar
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp table salt
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 14 tbsp (200 g) unsalted butter, melted and hot
- 1 tbsp water
To serve
- Whipped cream or vanilla ice cream
Method
- Cook the apples: combine the apples and the 1/4 cup brown sugar in a Dutch oven and cook, covered, over medium heat, stirring now and then, 8 to 14 minutes, until all the apples are slightly softened and about half are turning translucent. Spread the apples and juice on a rimmed baking sheet set on a wire rack and cool about 30 minutes.
- Make the crust: rub the flour, brown sugar, baking powder and salt together with your fingers to break up the sugar. Set aside 1 tbsp of the beaten egg for glazing, then stir the rest of the egg, the hot melted butter and the water into the flour. Knead briefly on the counter until smooth, shape into a 9-inch log and cut it into three equal pieces.
- Press one piece into an 8-by-4-inch rectangle on parchment, cover with a second sheet and roll it to about 12 by 10 inches; slide it onto a baking sheet and refrigerate. Crumble the second piece over the bottom of a 9-inch springform and press it flat, then press 1-inch chunks of the third piece up the sides. Refrigerate.
- Heat the oven to 375°F with a rack in the lower-middle position. Lift the apples into a bowl, leaving the juices behind, and stir in the raisins, cornstarch, lemon juice, spices and salt. Pack them into the crust, pressing gently, and smooth the top.
- Cut the rolled dough lengthwise into eight 1 1/4-inch strips. Lay four across the pie, evenly spaced, then the other four at a 45-degree angle to them, pressing them gently onto the apples and trimming the ends flush with the pan. Set the pie on the baking sheet and brush the top with the saved egg.
- Bake 45 minutes, then cover loosely with foil and bake about 30 minutes more, until the crust is deep golden and a skewer slides easily into the apples.
- Cool on a rack, run a paring knife around the top edge and remove the ring. Cool completely, at least 4 hours, then cut with a gentle sawing motion and serve with whipped cream.
Adapted from America's Test Kitchen, "Appeltaart (Dutch Apple Pie)" by Andrea Geary (published August 6, 2024), serves 8 to 10. We follow it as written: 4 lb Golden Delicious apples in 1/4-inch wedges cooked covered with 1/4 cup dark brown sugar in a Dutch oven 8 to 14 minutes and cooled about 30 minutes; 1/2 cup golden raisins (optional), 1 tbsp cornstarch, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp each ginger, cardamom and coriander, 1/8 tsp nutmeg and a pinch of salt; a melted-butter crust of 2 1/2 cups (354 g) flour, 3/4 cup dark brown sugar, 1 tbsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 beaten egg (1 tbsp kept for glazing), 14 tbsp hot melted butter and 1 tbsp water, divided in thirds; a 9-inch springform; eight 1 1/4-inch strips in a crisscross; 45 minutes at 375°F, then about 30 minutes more under foil until a skewer slides easily into the apples; at least 4 hours cooling. ATK's article on the recipe, "How to Make Appeltaart (Dutch Apple Pie)" (Cook's Illustrated, August 6, 2024). History from Dutch Wikipedia, "Appeltaart": and Wikipedia, "Apple pie". America's Test Kitchen. Ingredient list follows the source; the method is in our own words.
Tips
- ATK's spice mix stands in for speculaaskruiden, the Dutch spice blend; if you have speculaas spice, use about 2 tsp of it instead (our suggestion).
- The assembled pie can be wrapped and refrigerated up to 24 hours before baking (ATK).
- The crisscross of strips is easier than a woven lattice and still lets steam out.
- Raisins are optional in ATK's recipe; Dutch Wikipedia says currants and raisins are common.
The rules people argue about
What the sources agree on, what they don't, and what is just a good story.
- The oldest Dutch apple pie recipe is from 1514. Documented as Dutch and English Wikipedia's account: "Een notabel boecxken van cokeryen", printed in Brussels.
- Thomas van der Noot wrote that cookbook. Disputed: English Wikipedia says only that he "may" have been the author; the author is not certain.
- A real appeltaart has raisins. Folklore: Dutch Wikipedia says they are often in it; ATK makes them optional.
- Appeltaart is served "met slagroom". Documented as Dutch Wikipedia's and ATK's account: with or without whipped cream, usually with.
- America's Dutch apple pie is the same pie. Documented as false: in the US, "Dutch apple pie" means a crumb-topped pie named for the Pennsylvania Dutch (Wikipedia; King Arthur).
Every other apple pie
English Apple Pie (Cooking Apples Under a Pastry Lid)
Chunks of tart cooking apples with honey, cinnamon and mixed spice piled into a deep pie dish under a single lid of butter shortcrust, glazed with egg and baked hot at 400°F until golden and bubbling.
Wiener Apfelstrudel (Viennese Apple Strudel)
A soft egg and oil dough stretched over a floured tablecloth until it's paper thin, brushed with butter, layered with hazelnut breadcrumbs fried in butter, sliced apples, rum-soaked raisins, cinnamon and cloves, rolled up and baked at 350°F until golden.
Tarte Tatin (French Upside-Down Apple Tart)
Apple quarters packed in a skillet and softened in butter, covered with a light amber caramel cooked to 355°F, topped with a chilled disk of butter pastry, baked at 350°F until the edges bubble thick and syrupy, then flipped onto a platter.
Versunkener Apfelkuchen (German Sunken Apple Cake)
A buttery vanilla and lemon batter spread in a springform, topped with a ring of peeled apple quarters scored on top so they fan open and sink as the cake rises around them, baked at 350°F for about 45 minutes and brushed hot with apricot jam.
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Sharlotka (Russian Apple Sponge Cake)
Four eggs and a cup of sugar beaten until thick and airy, a cup of flour folded in with diced apples, baked in one pan at 350°F for 35 to 40 minutes, then topped while hot with sour cream stirred with orange marmalade.
Classic American Apple Pie (Double Crust)
Eight cups of thin-sliced apples tossed with sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice, thickened with flour and cornstarch and dotted with butter, sealed between two flaky butter and shortening crusts, baked at 425°F and then 375°F until the filling bubbles hard through the vents.
Pennsylvania Dutch Apple Pie (Crumb Top)
One flaky shortening crust filled with 2 pounds of apples tossed with sugar, flour, cinnamon and nutmeg, covered with a lumpy brown sugar and butter streusel instead of a top crust, baked at 425°F and then 350°F.
Apple Pandowdy (Old New England Pan Dowdy)
Apples with sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg, molasses and butter baked between two crusts in a square pan at 425°F, then the top crust is slashed and pushed down into the juices in rough chunks, "dowdied", so it turns half crisp, half pudding.
Vermont Apple Pie with Cheddar Crust
A butter crust with grated sharp Vermont cheddar folded in, filled with sliced apples, sugar, maple syrup and apple pie spice, layered with thin slices of more cheddar under the top crust and baked at 375°F until browned. Vermont's 1999 state pie law names cheddar as one way to serve it.
Southern Fried Apple Pies (Dried-Apple Hand Pies)
Dried apples simmered soft and mashed with sugar and cinnamon, spooned onto 5-inch rounds of lard pastry, folded into half-moons, crimped with a fork and fried in lard at 350°F until blistered and lightly browned.
Skillet Apple Crisp (One-Pan, About an Hour)
Apple wedges sautéed in butter in one ovensafe skillet and coated with reduced cider, covered with a pecan, oat and brown sugar crumble made with melted butter, and baked hot at 450°F for 15 to 20 minutes until the fruit is tender and the top deep golden.
Fried Apple Hand Pies (Inspired by McDonald's, Not Official)
A copycat of the original fried fast food apple pie, inspired by McDonald's, not official: diced apples sautéed in browned butter with brown sugar and cinnamon, sealed in rectangles of pie dough and deep-fried at 375°F until golden and shatteringly crisp.
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