Sour Cream Apple Pie with Streusel Topping and Cinnamon-Cider Crust

Recipe from Bon Appétit 

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

This special occasion pie is just fantastic.  It takes a bit of time to prepare, BUT you can make and freeze the pie dough and the streusel in advance! No need for ice cream or whipped cream because this dessert is perfect as is.

Pie Dough

1 ¾ cups all purpose flour

¼ cup sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup plus 2 Tablespoons (1¼ sticks) chilled unsalted butter

¼ cup ice water or cold apple cider

Filling

8 McIntosh apples, peeled, cored, and sliced (I used Gala.)

1 2/3 cups sour cream

1 cup sugar

1/3 cup all purpose flour

1 large egg

2 teaspoons vanilla

½ teaspoon salt

Streusel Topping

1 cup chopped walnuts

½ cup all purpose flour

1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 Tablespoon cinnamon

Pinch of salt

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

Make Dough: (This can be made in the food processor.)

Combine flour, sugar, cinnamon, and salt in medium bowl. Cut in butter using pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add water and toss mixture gently with fork until evenly moistened. Gather gently into ball. Transfer to lightly floured board and roll into circle slightly larger than a deep 10-inch pie plate. Ease pastry into pan and flute a high edge. Set aside. (The dough can be frozen at this point.  Thaw in the fridge.)

Make Filling:

Preheat oven to 450°F. Combine apples, sour cream, sugar, flour, egg, vanilla, and salt in large bowl and mix well. Spoon into the crust. Bake 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F and continue baking until filling is slightly puffed and golden brown, about 40 minutes. (If edges of crust begin to brown too quickly, cover with strips of aluminum foil.)

Make Streusel Topping:

Meanwhile, combine walnuts, flour, sugars, cinnamon, and salt in medium bowl and mix well. Blend in butter until mixture is crumbly. Spoon over pie and bake 15 minutes longer. (The dough can be frozen at this point.  Thaw in the fridge.)