Dutch Apple Pie (With A Sugar Cookie Crust) Recipe

We've all heard the phrase "as American as apple pie" a few million times in our lives by now, but here's an apple pie that's really not all that American, but is Dutch instead. The pie is made with a special spice mix from the Netherlands that goes by the name of "speculaaskruiden," although here we're referring to it as four-spice powder. Recipe developer Eric Ngo is aware that this ingredient may not be found on the shelves of every U.S. supermarket, though, so he says, "If you can't find the four-spice mix, you can make your own." To do so, you'll combine 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon with ¼ teaspoon each of powdered cloves, nutmeg, and ginger.

Another thing that sets this Dutch apple pie apart from the typical All-American kind is the dough, described by Ngo as "a lot softer than traditional pie crust" with a texture "almost like a soft sugar cookie" due to the brown sugar it contains. This is a deep-dish pie as well, baked in a pie mold or a springform pan in order to accommodate its high-sided crust and ample amount of filling. Ngo calls it "a very gourmet pie," and indeed, it might be more impressive than any American-style apple pie you've ever experienced.

To make the pie crust, you will need brown sugar, eggs, flour, and salt. The filling is made from cornstarch, 4-spice powder, and more brown sugar in addition to peeled, chopped apples. To make this pie, Ngo says "I used golden [delicious] apples," but adds "You can also use a mix of red apples [like] gala and pink ladies."

Cream the butter with 1 ⅓ cups of brown sugar, beating for about a minute or until the mixture is smooth. Add the eggs and beat for a minute longer, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl so all the ingredients are mixed in. Stir in the flour and salt and beat for yet another minute to make sure everything is well-combined.

Press the dough down to flatten it onto a baking sheet — it is soft and thick enough that you won't need to use a rolling pin. Put it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to chill.

Preheat the oven to 350 F, then grease and line a 9-inch springform pan or pie mold. Ngo does say that "It isn't mandatory to use parchment paper," explaining that he opted to do so "to ensure that the sides would look as good as possible."

Using ¾ of the dough, press it over the bottom and up the sides of the pan to make a crust. Mix the apples with the cornstarch, 4-spice powder, and remaining sugar, then use this mixture to fill the crust. Spread the rest of the dough over the top to cover the pie.

If the oven has reached the proper temperature, you can begin baking the pie. It will need to cook for an hour and 10 minutes and must then be cooled for at least 3 hours before you slice into it. Ngo tells us "I recommend eating this pie with some whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream," but pie purists will no doubt enjoy it all by itself.