Cream Cheese Apple Pie With Oatmeal Pecan Stresuel Topping

A few weeks ago, Chris and I stopped at a farmers market to pick up a few things (so far I've made butternut squash risotto and have plans for the pumpkin and acorn squash):

  In addition to getting these fall treats, I also bought a bag of locally grown Jonathan apples for snacking and for pie making.

 

I made this pie for a dinner with family this weekend and oh my goodness, it was really yummy.  It's a cross between cheese cake and apple pie, delicious!

From the kitchen of Kim Landhuis of DeWitt, Michigan  1st Place in 2010 Michigan’s Best Apple Pie Contest.  Find her recipe here.

Ingredients

Pie crust (I used store-bought that you roll into the pie pan)

Filling:
4 large apples, peeled and sliced (I used Jonathan)
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar (reserve 6 tablespoons)
4 tablespoons butter, melted
3 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened (I used reduced fat)
1 large egg
½ teaspoon vanilla

Topping:
½ cup unbleached flour
1 cup brown sugar
½ cup oatmeal
¾ cup chopped pecans
½ cup (1 stick) hard butter

Preparation

Heat oven to 400 degrees.  Place crust onto a 9-inch pie pan.  Flute the edge.  Use a fork to prick crust before baking for 12 minutes.  Remove and place on rack.  Reduce oven to 375 degrees.

Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, over medium heat, stir and cook apple, sugar, melted butter, flour and cinnamon for 15 minutes (IMPORTANT, continue to stir the mixture.  I didn't and we had some burnt apples that I had to separate out).  Spoon mixture over pie crust.

Beat cream cheese, the remaining sugar, egg and vanilla until smooth and pour on top of apples.  Fold the cream cheese into apple mixture.  Bake for 25 minutes or until filling is set.  Cover the edge with aluminum foil.

Meanwhile, mix flour, brown sugar, oatmeal and pecans together.  Cut butter in dry mixture into pea-size morsels.  Sprinkle this mixture on cream cheese and bake for 15-20 minutes more or until golden brown.  Remove the foil the last 5 minutes of baking.  Cool completely on wire rack and then refrigerate until ready to serve.