Sweet and tart sliced apples are tucked into a simple custard then topped with a crumbly brown sugar streusel in this Sour Cream Apple Pie. It is practically guaranteed to quickly climb to the top of your list of favorite pies.

We certainly love apple season around our house. Some of our other favorite apple recipes are Apple Pie Ice Cream, Old-Fashioned Apple Dumplings, and German Apple Cake (which also has a streusel topping!).

A slice of sour cream apple pie on a plate.


I love baking with sour cream. It adds such richness and a wonderful tanginess to baked goods, and it pairs especially well with warm spices and fruit like this sour cream apple pie. Add to that a buttery crust and crumbly brown sugar topping and I'm sold.

This pie belongs on your Thanksgiving dessert table, but really you should make it all year long! It's just as good on the 4th of July or for a Sunday treat.

What makes this recipe awesome

  • It's basically a Fall-inspired version of one of our other favorite and most popular pie recipes: our Easy Blueberry Custard Pie, which one the "Pie Most Likely to Bring About World Peace" award at our annual Pi Day pie party one year, so you know it's going to be good.
  • There's no top crust, so no worries here about some fancy lattice crust. Unless you want to do a top crust in place of the streusel, in which case we say go right ahead!
A baked sour cream apple pie in a glass pie plate.

Recipe Ingredients

  • Sour cream: I highly recommend using full-fat sour cream in this recipe for best results. The only substitution that works well would be to use plain Greek yogurt.
  • Pie crust: I always recommend using a homemade pie crust. You can make them in advance and store in the freezer so you always have one on hand.
  • Apples: I like using a variety of apples in any apple pie. My go-to picks are typically a mix of Granny Smith, Golden Delicious, Honeycrisp, Envy, Pink Lady, Opal, Fuji, or Jazz.
Sour cream apple pie filling ingredients on a white surface.

How to Make Sour Cream Apple Pie

  1. Mix the filling ingredients. Combine the sour cream, flour, sugar, egg, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla in a large bowl. Whisk it all together until smooth.
  1. Peel, core, and slice the apples. Try for even thickness in the apples so they can be layered and packed together tightly in the pie crust later.
  1. Pour the filling ingredients over and the apples and toss to coat. Let the apples macerate for 30 minutes to draw out the juices.
  1. Arrange the sliced apples in an unbaked pie crust. Try to layer them flat and tightly packed for the most possible apple in the pie, then slowly pour any leftover filling juices over the apples to fill the nooks and crannies of the pie.
  2. Bake for 15 minutes at 400 degrees F. Then decrease the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Continue to bake for another 30 minutes.
Sliced apples in a pie crust before baking.
  1. Make the streusel topping. Combine the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, and walnuts in a medium bowl.
  1. Add melted butter. Stir in the melted butter until the topping ingredients are evenly moistened and clumping together.
  2. Add the topping. Once the pie has baked for 45 minutes, sprinkle the topping evenly over the pie, then continue to bake for another 20 minutes until lightly browned on top.
  1. Cool for at least 3 hours. As hard as it is to wait, this pie needs time to cool down and set up before slicing. Store any leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days.
An apple pie topped with a brown sugar walnut streusel topping on a striped napkin.

Recipe FAQ's

Does this pie need to be stored in the fridge?

Yes, this pie should be stored in the fridge because of the sour cream in it.

Can you freeze sour cream apple pie?

Yes, you can make and freeze this pie either before or after baking.

Recipe Tips

  • Use a sharp knife or mandoline to slice the apples uniformly. Not only will this let you get even more apple into your pie, but the same thickness of apple slices ensures that they will bake evenly.
  • If you don't like nuts, feel free to leave them out of the pie. Or replace them with old-fashioned oats for more of a crisp topping.
  • Serve this pie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and maybe even a drizzle of caramel sauce on top for an incredible dessert fit for any celebration!
A sour cream apple pie topped with streusel next to Granny Smith apples.

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Sour Cream Apple Pie

5 from 12 votes
Amy Nash
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Resting Time 3 hours
Total Time 4 hours 35 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 8 servings
Sweet and tart sliced apples are tucked into a simple custard then topped with a crumbly brown sugar streusel in this Sour Cream Apple Pie. It is practically guaranteed to quickly climb to the top of your list of favorite pies.

Ingredients
  

Filling

  • 1 ¼ cups sour cream
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 egg
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 4-5 cups apples, peeled and sliced ¼-inch thick (about 6 large apples)
  • 1 unbaked pie crust

Topping

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¾ cup walnuts, chopped
  • 6 Tablespoons salted butter, melted

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
  • Whisk the sour cream, sugar, egg, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and vanilla together in a large bowl.
  • Add the apples to the filling ingredients and stir them together. Set aside for 30 minutes to draw out some of the apple juices.
  • Make and roll out the pie crust. Transfer to a 9-inch pie pan. Tuck the edges under and crimp in a decorative fashion.
  • Fill the pie crust with the apple filling, layering the sliced apples so they don't mound too high in the center. Slowly pour any leftover filling juices over the apples to fill in the gaps.
  • Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 350 degrees F. Bake for another 30 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, make the topping by combining the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, and walnuts in a bowl. Add the melted butter and stir with a fork until a crumbly streusel forms. Set in the fridge until ready to use.
  • Once the pie has baked for 45 minutes total, sprinkle the streusel topping on top and bake for another 20 minutes until lightly browned. Cool for at least 3 hours before slicing and serving. Refrigerate any leftovers.

Notes

  • Opal, envy, fuji, granny smith, pink lady, honeycrisp

Nutrition

Calories: 554kcal | Carbohydrates: 69g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 62mg | Sodium: 349mg | Potassium: 240mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 40g | Vitamin A: 553IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 82mg | Iron: 2mg
Tried this recipe? Show me on Instagram!Mention @HouseOfNashEats or tag #houseofnasheats!

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About the author

Hi, I'm Amy

I enjoy exploring the world through food, culture, and travel and sharing the adventure with mostly from-scratch, family friendly recipes that I think of as modern comfort cooking.

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Reader questions and reviews

  1. 5 stars
    This pie is absolutely perfect! The filling is creamy with a hint of nutmeg and the crunchy topping is to die for! Thanks for an amazing recipe!

  2. 5 stars
    Mmm this pie was sweet and tangy and the fresh apple slices were delicious! The walnuts in the topping added the perfect crunch! A perfect fall pie! 

  3. I love this variation on apple pie! And I really need to start making and freezing my own crusts--great idea!

  4. Sour cream apple pie is a favorite of mine and yours looks really spectacular! The crust and the topping look so good.

  5. 5 stars
    My ex-husband thru out my recipes. I've been on a quest for 30 years to find another custard apple pie recipe that lived up to my beloved family one. THANK YOU for sharing one that is even better. Have made this multiple times. My son asks for it every time he comes to town. I look forward to trying other recipes from you.

    1. I'm so happy that I was able to help you in your search and that you loved this recipe so much! If there are others you are looking for, feel free to reach out! 🙂