Snickerdoodle-Crusted Apple Pie

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C); position rack in the bottom third of oven.

2. Whisk 2 1/2 cups flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and cream of tartar in a large bowl. Drizzle in butter. Stir crust mixture until just combined and crumbly.

3. Transfer 1 1/4 cups of crust mixture into a separate bowl; add the remaining 1/4 cup sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Knead with your fingertips until well combined but still crumbly. Cover with plastic wrap; freeze crumb topping until ready to use.

4. Pour vinegar and water into the remaining crust mixture. Mix to form a dough; transfer to a lightly floured work surface and knead until smooth. Press dough onto the bottom and sides of a pie plate using a flat-bottomed measuring cup to make the bottom crust. Crimp edges with a lightly floured fork. Freeze until ready to use.

5. Toss apples, 1/2 cup sugar, 3 tablespoons flour, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and sea salt together in a large bowl. Pile over the bottom crust and cover with the crumb topping.

6. Bake on the bottom rack of the preheated oven until lightly browned, about 20 minutes.

7. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F (174 degrees C). Turn pie and continue baking, covering crust aluminum foil or a pie shield halfway through, until crust is golden brown, about 50 minutes. Cool on a wire rack before slicing, about 1 hour.

   

Cook's Note:

Pie dough and crumb topping can be made and frozen covered for up to 3 months; thaw in refrigerator before using.