Maple Walnut Dutch Apple Pie
Thanksgiving desserts are a little bit like guests at the holiday table—each one brings its own personality. Sweet potato pie is the traditionalist, pecan pie is the sweet talker, and classic apple pie is the comforting friend who shows up every year without fail. But then there’s the pie that walks in and suddenly everyone’s attention shifts. That’s this Maple Walnut Dutch Apple Pie—a pie that somehow feels familiar and totally new all at once.
This pie takes everything people love about a traditional apple pie and gives it a Thanksgiving glow-up. The filling is tender, cozy, and warm, but with a twist: a splash of pure maple syrup. It’s subtle enough not to overpower the apples, yet just bold enough to deepen the sweetness and give the pie that unmistakable autumn richness. Maple syrup and apples together taste like fall leaves, crisp air, and the buzz of a busy Thanksgiving kitchen all rolled into one perfect bite.
And then there’s the streusel topping—buttery, golden, crunchy, and absolutely packed with chopped walnuts. The walnuts become toasty and fragrant in the oven, giving every slice a cozy nuttiness that plays so well with the warm spices underneath. This topping has that irresistible crumbly texture that cracks beautifully when your fork sinks into the filling. It’s the kind of crunchy-soft contrast that Dutch apple pies are famous for.
Between the tender apples, the warm spices, the gently sweet maple syrup, and that walnut-packed crumble, this pie feels like it was made specifically for Thanksgiving day. It’s comforting, nostalgic, a little rustic, and incredibly crowd-pleasing. The kind of pie people take one slice of… then come back for “just a sliver more.”
And if you want something that makes your home smell like the holiday? This pie delivers. As it bakes, your kitchen fills with the scent of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, maple, and toasted walnuts. It’s basically a Thanksgiving candle—but edible, warm, and way better.
Whether you’re bringing it to a big family gathering, setting it out after Friendsgiving, or enjoying a quiet slice the night before the holiday rush, this pie brings all the cozy Thanksgiving energy right to the table.
Ingredients
Pie Crust
- 1 homemade or store-bought 9-inch pie crust
Apple Filling
- 2 pounds Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
(about 6–7 regular apples or 4–5 large) - ½ cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Walnut Streusel Topping
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- ½ cup chopped walnuts
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
Place your pie crust into a 9-inch pie dish and crimp or decorate the edges as desired. Set aside. - Make the apple filling:
In a large bowl, combine the sliced Granny Smith apples, brown sugar, maple syrup, flour, lemon juice, vanilla bean paste, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt.
Toss everything together until the apples are evenly coated and glossy. Set aside while you make the topping—this helps the apples start to soften and release a little juice. - Prepare the walnut streusel:
In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, chopped walnuts, and salt.
Pour in the melted butter and vanilla bean paste, then stir with a fork until the mixture becomes crumbly and evenly moistened.
The texture should resemble chunky, buttery sand with walnut pieces throughout. - Assemble the pie:
Pour the apple filling into your prepared pie crust, making sure the apples mound slightly in the center. (They will cook down as they bake.)
Sprinkle the walnut streusel generously over the apples, covering the entire surface all the way to the edges. - Bake:
Place the pie on a baking sheet to catch any spills.
Bake for 55–70 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and crisp and the apple filling is bubbling through the crumble.
If the topping starts to brown too quickly, loosely cover the pie with foil during the last 15 minutes. - Cool:
Let the pie cool completely on a wire rack.
This helps the filling set so you can slice it cleanly—plus it lets the maple, spices, and apples deepen in flavor.
Serving
Once cooled, slice the pie and serve as-is for a perfectly cozy, crunchy-soft dessert.
For extra Thanksgiving flair, try topping it with:
- A scoop of vanilla ice cream
- Cinnamon whipped cream
- Maple whipped cream
- A drizzle of warm caramel
- A sprinkle of toasted walnuts
Warm slices are especially dreamy—about 10–15 seconds in the microwave gives you that just-baked vibe.
Bake Ahead & Storage
To Make Ahead:
This pie is wonderful for Thanksgiving because it holds up beautifully.
You can:
- Bake the entire pie 1 day ahead
- Prep the filling ahead and refrigerate it for 24 hours
- Make the streusel topping up to 2 days ahead
Storage:
- Room temperature: Keeps for 24 hours loosely covered.
- Refrigerator: Keeps for 4–5 days, tightly wrapped.
- Freezer:
Freeze baked or unbaked (without the streusel) for up to 2 months.
For baked pie: thaw overnight in the fridge and warm slices before serving.
For unbaked: freeze the filling separately from the crust and add the streusel just before baking.
The flavors deepen over time, so this is one of those pies that often tastes even better the next day.