Our Salted Caramel Apple Pie recipe is apple pie extraordinaire. We’ve created the ultimate apple pie with a few specific techniques to get the best flavor and texture! We’re talking extra caramel, intense apple flavor, and no soggy bottom crust.
You’ll get the best pie with sweet, tender apples and a flaky pastry, all-butter pie crust.
Oh, and let’s talk about that caramel! This pie is layered with our homemade salted caramel sauce inside, plus a drizzle (more like a very hefty pour) of caramel on top. It’s holiday dessert perfection in every way.
- Caramel Apple Meets Buttery Crust
- Why You Will Love Our Salted Caramel Apple Pie
- Ingredients Needed
- How To Make This Homemade Apple Pie
- Serving Suggestions
- Other Apple Recipes You Might Love
- Substitutions and Variations
- Storage Options
- Helpful Tools
- Tips For Success
- Some Other Recipes We Are Sure You Will Love
- Frequently Asked Questions
Caramel Apple Meets Buttery Crust
Ah, the timeless charm of a well-made pie! Imagine the rich filling of caramel apple meeting a crust that’s flawlessly buttery and flaky. It’s the kind of pairing that makes you believe in dessert destiny. This recipe combines the best of both worlds, ensuring every bite is a harmonious blend of that gooey caramely goodness and a crust that complements it in every way.
This recipe is unlike any apple pie recipe we’ve shared. Yes, we still love our Apple Pie with Einkorn Crust and our Dutch Apple Pie with Oatmeal Streusel. But if you love caramel and apples, this sweet and indulgent spin on apple pie is hard to beat!
Why You Will Love Our Salted Caramel Apple Pie
To get the very best texture, in both the pastry crust and filling, we have a few tricks up our sleeves that we’re happy to divulge! They’ll give you amazing results.
This pie is:
- Packed with flavor from the sweet apples and salted caramel sauce
- Buttery and flaky, made with our all-butter pie crust that turns a beautiful, golden color
- An impressive dessert pie for your holiday table that everyone will love!
Top this apple and caramel pie with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream, more salted caramel sauce, and the holidays just got a whole lot merrier.
For more delicious fall baking, try our caramel apple cake, apple ginger muffins, or my favorite pear cake.
Ingredients Needed
Even if you’re a novice at making a homemade apple pies, don’t worry. While there are a few steps involved, it’s overall an easy pie recipe that makes a fun baking project.
You will need the following items:
- Caramel sauce, either store-bought or homemade*
- Double crust pie crust
- Apples
- Lemon juice
- Brown sugar
- Ground cinnamon
- Ground allspice
- Salt
- Cornstarch or instant Clearjel
- Granulated sugar
- Egg or cream, and turbinado sugar (optional finishing touches for the pie)
*If making caramel sounds too complicated, you can make our butterscotch sauce. It is basically caramel topping made with brown sugar, but the acidity in the brown sugar makes it so much easier to make than regular caramel.
How To Make This Homemade Apple Pie
When it comes to the caramel, there are a couple of ways to go about this, and both work out great! You can choose to use our homemade salted caramel topping or go with a store-bought caramel to simplify the process.
If making homemade caramel, prepare the sauce ahead of time or you can make it right before you start working on the pie.
Here is a quick overview of this pie recipe so you can get an idea of the process. Scroll down to our printable recipe card for all the details.
- Prepare the apples. Let them sit in the sugar mixture for 30-40 minutes so their juices pool at the bottom of the bowl.
- Concentrate the juices. Drain the juices into a saucepan and simmer until it has reduced by half and slightly thickened. Pour it back in with the apples. Meanwhile, combine the cornstarch (or clearjel) and sugar in a small dish, then add it to the apples and toss to evenly coat them in the thickener.
- Assemble the pie. Roll out the bottom pie crust dough and place it in the pie dish. Pour the apple mixture in and drizzle 1/2 cup of the caramel sauce over the apples. Place the top crust over the filling. Trim and crimp the edges of the pie crust. Brush the top with egg or cream and sprinkle on sugar.
- Bake the pie. Bake at a high temperature for the first 20 minutes to set the bottom of the pie crust then reduce the temperature. Let the pie cool completely before slicing (about 4 hours or overnight). Serve each pie slice with a drizzle of caramel.
Serving Suggestions
Each slice of this decadent apple pie is dreamy, and this makes the perfect dessert for any holiday gathering! Don’t forget the ice cream if you like apple pie a la mode. In our opinion, ice cream on pie is a must! Especially when there’s extra caramel involved.
Apple pies are a classic dessert perfect for any occasion. This caramel apple version is made with a flaky pastry crust, sweet and tart apples, and a rich, homemade caramel. Serve this showstopper pie on its own, or with a variety of toppings and garnishes.
Here are some ideas for serving apple caramel pie:
- Ice cream: Vanilla ice cream is a match made in heave for this apple pie recipe. You can also try other flavors of ice cream, such as caramel, cinnamon, or butter pecan.
- Whipped cream: Whipped cream is a light and airy topping that perfectly complements the rich and decadent apple pie. You can also flavor the whipped cream with caramel extract or cinnamon.
- Caramel topping: Drizzle extra caramel over the top of your pie for an extra decadent treat.
- Chopped nuts: Chopped nuts, such as pecans, walnuts, or almonds, add a crunchy texture and nutty flavor to pie.
- Spices: Spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice can enhance the flavor. You can sprinkle the spices on top of the pie before serving, or add them to the filling of pie recipes.
Other Apple Recipes You Might Love
- Crock Pot Apple Pie Filling (Slow Cooker)
- Cider Braised Pork Shoulder
- Applesauce Coffee Cake with Streusel Topping
- Roasted Apples and Aged Goat Cheese
- Barley Kale Salad
- Apple Empanadas
Substitutions and Variations
Here are a few substitutions and variations when making this recipe:
- Apples: You can use any type of apple you like in your apple pie, but some popular choices include Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Braeburn, and Golden Delicious. If you are using a sweeter type of apple, you may want to reduce the amount of sugar in the filling.
- Caramel: You can use store-bought caramel or make your own. To make your own caramel, simply melt butter and sugar in a saucepan until smooth and caramel-colored. Then, add heavy cream and vanilla extract and cook until thickened.
- Crust: You can use a pre-made pie crust or make your own. If you are making your own pie crust, be sure to use cold ingredients and chill the dough before rolling it out.
Storage Options
Here are some helpful tips for storing and freezing this apple pie:
- If you are storing the pie at room temperature, be sure to place it in a cool, dry place.
- Be sure to cover the pie tightly to prevent it from drying out if storing in the refrigerator.
- If you are freezing the pie, be sure to wrap it tightly to prevent freezer burn.
- When reheating a frozen pie, be sure to let it come to room temperature for about 30 minutes before baking. This will help to ensure that the pie heats evenly.
Helpful Tools
Some of the following are affiliate links. We may receive a small commission if you click on these links and purchase something. You don’t pay any extra, but it will help us keep the lights on.
Some pieces of equipment you may find helpful when making this pie recipe:
Tips For Success
- Using cornstarch or ClearJel as the thickener doesn’t muddle the flavor of the fruit like flour can.
- Place the pie dish on a baking sheet to catch the juices if they bubble up and spill out of the pie dish.
- To prevent a watery pie, make sure the pie cooks until the juices bubble up for at least 10 minutes. Let the pie cool completely before slicing it as the juices will thicken more as it cools. Apples naturally have a lot of pectin that will thicken the pie, but the pectin needs to get hot enough to activate and cool completely to thicken.
Some Other Recipes We Are Sure You Will Love
We use puff pastry for these apple ginger hand pies which simplifies the process! They are sweet, delicious, and tender and best served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
This rich Butterscotch Cinnamon Pie is incredible in every way! Thick, soft, and gooey, the creamy butterscotch filling makes an indulgent treat. And our turtle pie is just as decadent.
Skip the store-bought stuff and make your own Homemade Whipped Cream! Our fool-proof recipe results in a fluffy, creamy and rich whipped cream that holds its shape.
This all-purpose, everyday Chocolate cake recipe will become your go-to! It’s tender, moist, and indulgent, with a light chocolate buttercream that tops it all off perfectly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you cook apples before putting them in a pie?
No, there is no need to cook them before baking the pie. The bake time will cook the fruit thoroughly!
To prevent the soggy pie bottom, bake the pie in the lower third of the oven. This helps the bottom crust get crisp. We also increase the oven temperature for the first 20 minutes.
Any variety of apple will work in our pie. Some of our favorites include Honeycrisp, Granny Smith, Gala, and Pink Lady.
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Salted Caramel and Apple Pie Recipe
Ingredients
- 1-½ cups caramel sauce homemade or storebought
- 1 double crust pie crust recipe
- 7 to 8 large apples
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1-½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground allspice
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 5 teaspoons cornstarch or instant Clearjel
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
Finishing touches:
- 1 egg whisked or 2 tablespoons cream
- 2 tablespoons Turbinado sugar
Instructions
- If you are using homemade caramel, make the sauce before you begin with the pie recipe. Set the caramel aside while you prepare the pie. We used our salted caramel recipe but store bought sauce also works great.
Prep the apples:
- Peel core, and slice the apples. You should have about 8 to 9 cups of sliced apples.
- Add the apples to a large bowl and toss them with the lemon juice.
- Combine the brown sugar, cinnamon, allspice, and salt. Add the sugar mixture to the apples and toss to coat them in the sugar. Let the apples sit for 30 to 40 minutes until there is a pool of juices on the bottom of the bowl.
Preheat the oven:
- Spray a pie dish with nonstick spray. Place the oven rack in the bottom third of the oven and preheat the oven to 450°F.
Concentrate the juices:
- Drain the juice from the apples into a saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat until reduced by half. It should look slightly thickened but still have a runny consistency and be able to drizzle off a spoon easily.
- Add the reduced juice back to the apples and stir to combine.
Add the thickener:
- Combine cornstarch (or clearjel), and granulated sugar in a small dish, then toss into the apples. Stir until the apples are completely coated in the thickener.
Assemble the pie:
- Roll out the dough for the bottom pie crust and place it in the pie dish.
- Pour the apple mixture into the pie crust, mounding them slightly in the middle.
- Drizzle ½ cup of the caramel sauce over the apples. Save the rest of the caramel sauce to serve with the baked pie.
- Roll out the dough for the top crust and place it on top of the apple filling (or cut strips and create a lattice top). Trim and crimp the edges of the pie crust.
- Brush the top of the pie with a beaten egg or cream and sprinkle sugar on top. Cut several vent holes into the top crust if you do not have a lattice top.
Bake the pie:
- Place the pie on a baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes at 450°F. After 20 minutes, reduce the temperature to 350°F and bake for 50 to 75 minutes or until you see the juices bubble for about 10 minutes. If the crust starts to get too brown before the pie is finished baking, cover the top with a sheet of aluminum foil.
- Let the pie cool completely before slicing (about 4 hours or overnight).
- Serve with additional caramel drizzled on top.
Notes
- Bake the pie in the bottom third of the oven to help the bottom crust get crisp.
- To prevent a watery pie, make sure the pie cooks until the juices bubble up for at least 10 minutes then let the pie cool completely before you slice it. Apples have a lot of pectin that will thicken the pie, however, the pectin needs to get hot enough to activate, then cool completely in order to thicken.
- Don’t place the pie in the fridge to cool down. Cooling the pie in the fridge will create moisture and soften the crust.
- If you reduce the juices too much it will seize up when you add it back to the apples. If that happens, don’t worry, the clumps of caramelized juices will dissolve into the apples.
- Combining the cornstarch (or Clearjel) with a little sugar will help it distribute into the apples evenly without clumps.
angiesrecipes
Monday 18th of October 2021
This is for sure one of the best Fall desserts!
Dahn Boquist
Monday 18th of October 2021
I agree, thanks Angie.