Apple Crumble Pie

Makes 2 pies

Ingredients:

• 2 frozen pre-made deep dish 9” pie crusts

Crumble Topping:

• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 cup nuts of your choice (pecans, walnuts, cashews, and/or almonds), finely chopped
• 3/4 cup rolled oats
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup cold vegan margarine (or coconut oil)

Filling:

• 8-10 large peeled and cored baking apples, cut into 1/4 inch-thick strips
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 4 Tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Instructions:

1. Make the crumble topping in a large bowl – combine the brown sugar, cinnamon, oats, flour, and chopped nuts of your choice. Using a pastry cutter, add in the cold margarine until it’s the chunky consistency you want. Place it in the refrigerator while prepping the rest of the recipe – it will bake better if chilled.
2. Prepare the apples, and toss them in the lemon juice in a large bowl to prevent browning while peeling/coring/slicing. Only prepare enough apples to fill both pie crusts, leaving room for the topping without overflowing. Add the sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and vanilla extract, stirring gently with a wooden spoon until the apples are all coated.
3. Preheat the oven to 400° F.
4. Spoon the apple filling into the frozen pie crust, making sure there are no large gaps between the slices. Sprinkle the cold crumb topping evenly over the top of the apples. Place a baking sheet under the pies pan to catch any juices that may bubble over.
5. Bake pies for 20 minutes at 400° F.
6. Reduce the oven temperature to 375° F. Bake for an additional 30 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and pies are bubbling around the edges.
7. Serve with vanilla ice cream, and enjoy! Cover leftover pie and store in the refrigerator up to 5 days. 

Note: To make gluten free pies, buy gluten free pie crusts, and use gluten free oats and flour.