This salted caramel apple pie is a decadent combination of flavors and textures. From the flaky bottom crust to the saucy caramel apple filling and buttery crumb topping, this pie is impressive and indulgent.
"This pie is amazing. My boyfriend ate half the pie before it even cooled." - Heather
THIS is the pie I want to eat throughout the entire fall season, including Thanksgiving and right up through Christmas.
It's just about as packed with apples as you can get without having them spill out over the sides of the pie plate. Plus, it's topped with buttery, crunchy, brown sugar crumb topping.
AND - not only are the apples inside the filling coated with Salted Caramel Sauce, the entire pie is covered in even MORE salted caramel sauce.
There are 4 delicious parts to this pie:
- Flaky fool-proof pie crust
- Crisp, tart green apples coated in rich salted caramel sauce
- Buttery, brown sugar crumb topping piled high over all that caramel apple goodness
- Even more salted caramel sauce, poured over the entire pie after baking. Because, let's be real. You can NEVER have too much salted caramel sauce.
Apple pie covered in liquid gold. That's what we've got going on here.
Jump to:
- Ingredients Needed to Prepare This Recipe
- What Variety of Apples are Best in this Pie?
- How to Make a Pie Crust That Can Hold a LOT of Caramel Apple Filling
- How to Make Salted Caramel Sauce
- How to Make Caramel Apple Pie Filling
- How to Make the Buttery Crumb Topping
- More Popular Pie Recipes
- 📖 Recipe
- 💬 Comments
Ingredients Needed to Prepare This Recipe
- Enough pie crust dough to cover the inside of a pie plate. My favorite recipe is this Fool Proof Pie Crust. But, if you have a favorite recipe, use that. Or, use a refrigerated or frozen crust from your local supermarket.
- Tart, green apples. My favorite apples for this pie is Granny Smith or Macintosh. peeled, cored and cut into ¼ inch slices
- 1 lemon. A bit of lemon juice will help keep the apples from browning while you slice them and help the apples retain their shape while the pie bakes.
- Brown sugar. Preferably dark brown sugar. There's a very small amount of brown sugar in the filling for this pie to keep it from being overly sweet. I like to use dark brown sugar to get the most flavor from the little bit that's in there.
- Cornstarch. A couple tablespoons of cornstarch acts as a thickener so that the caramel apple pie filling is rich and saucy, not runny.
- Cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves are the perfect warm compliment to apples and caramel.
- Salt! Can't have salted caramel without it! There's also a bit of salt in the apple pie filling and in the crumb topping because salt balances sweet and intensifies all the other flavors in this pie.
- Salted caramel sauce. Use my favorite recipe to make a batch of homemade salted caramel sauce (so good!), or add as much salt as you like to a jar of prepared caramel sauce.
- Almond extract. Adding a bit of almond extract to both the salted caramel apple pie filling and the crumb topping is optional. I love the little bit of nutty flavor it gives this pie, but if you don't think you'll like it, just leave it out.
- All-purpose flour AND whole wheat flour. I've added a bit of whole wheat flour to the mix for this pie's crumb topping because of one reason and one reason only - flavor. White flour makes the crumb topping tender and whole wheat flour adds flavor.
- Granulated sugar. A combination of white and brown sugar in this pie's crumb topping creates the perfect slightly-crispy-but-still-tender texture.
- Butter. There's obviously got to be some butter in a buttery crumb topping. I used salted, but if you want more control over the amount of salt in your crumbs, use unsalted.
What Variety of Apples are Best in this Pie?
One of the secrets to creating a caramel apple pie that's rich and decadent without being overly sweet is to use a LOT of tart apples. Strong emphasis on TART.
I tested this pie with a few different varieties (alright, if I MUST bake another apple pie...for research, you know) and Granny Smith or Macintosh apples are the way to go.
This is the opposite of what you want for Apple Cinnamon Pancakes, Apple Cobbler, and Apple Cinnamon Muffins. Those recipes call for apples that are more sweet than tart.
But, when making an apple pie filling that includes copious amounts of salted caramel sauce, the acidity in tart apples is necessary for the pie's overall balance.
The other thing about using Granny Smith or Macintosh apples is that they hold their shape and stay slightly crisp even after baking.
How to Make a Pie Crust That Can Hold a LOT of Caramel Apple Filling
#1. Start with a tried-and-true pie crust recipe.
My go-to pie crust for my entire adult life has been this recipe for Fool Proof Pie Crust because it is, quite literally, fool proof.
Every time I publish a pie recipe that calls for Fool Proof Pie Crust, I receive comments like this one:
"I made this pie, including your Fool Proof Pie Crust, yesterday. I had given up making homemade pie crust many years ago! Although my rolling pin skills are poor, this pie turned out fantastic. The blueberry filling is not overly sweet, so you can still taste the fruit, and the crust was delicious and flaky. 62 years old and I finally made a good pie crust- better late than never!" - Comment from Karen on Perfect Blueberry Pie
#2. Crimp the edge of the crust so that it extends at least a half inch above the top of the pie plate.
The filling for this pie includes a lot of apples because the apples will shrink down as they bake. It's important that the crust is tall enough to contain all those apples PLUS the crumb topping AND plenty of caramel sauce.
#3. For this pie, I tried something I've never done before with pie crust: I rolled it out with graham cracker crumbs instead of flour.
The graham cracker crumbs added a touch of flavor and sweetness to the baked crust that was subtle but delicious. The crumbs also absorb some of the juice from the apples, which helps keep the bottom crust from getting soggy.
I won't go as far as saying that rolling the crust out with graham cracker crumbs made a big difference in the taste of the crust. But, if you happen to have some graham crackers on hand, give it a try.
How to Make Salted Caramel Sauce
You have two option here:
- Add salt to a jar of prepared caramel sauce
- Make a batch of homemade salted caramel sauce
If you've never made homemade caramel sauce, I want to tell you that it's easier to make than you might think and delicious enough to be worth the extra effort.
Plus, the recipe makes more than you'll need for this pie and will keep in the refrigerator for up to 6 months. I don't think I need to tell you how fantastic it is to have salted caramel sauce in your refrigerator.
Having said that, an even easier option is to purchase a jar of caramel sauce and just add some salt to it:
- Heat the caramel sauce in a saucepan over medium-low heat just until it begins to bubble.
- Add a teaspoon of salt and cook, stirring for a minute or so to allow it to dissolve.
- Taste the sauce and add more salt if you like.
How to Make Caramel Apple Pie Filling
Squeeze some lemon juice into a saucepan. Prepare the apples by peeling them, cutting out their core, and cutting them into slices. As you slice, toss the apples with the lemon juice in the pan which will prevent them from turning brown.
Toss in some brown sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt and stir the apples around so that they are coated with the flour, sugar, and spices.
Pour a cup of salted caramel sauce into the apples and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture begins to boil and starts to thicken.
Dump the apple pie filling into the pie crust. There will be a LOT of apples and you might think you have too much apple pie filling for one pie. But, the apples will shrink as the pie bakes, so just pile them all on there.
Bake the pie for 15 minutes, which is just enough time to make the crumb topping!
Pro tip! Bake your caramel apple pie on a baking sheet that's been lined with a sheet of parchment paper or aluminum foil. This will catch any apple caramel drips that bubble up and make their way over the side of the pie plate, saving you from having to clean a caramel mess from the bottom of your oven.
How to Make the Buttery Crumb Topping
Add all-purpose and whole wheat flours, granulated and brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg to a bowl and give it a stir.
Pour in some melted butter and, if you like, a touch of almond extract.
Use your hands to smoosh everything around in the bowl until all the dry ingredients are moistened with the butter.
Remove the pie from the oven, pile on the crumb topping, and put it back in the oven to finish baking.
Let the pie cool for 2 hours, then pour the remaining salted caramel sauce over the top.
Pro tip! I like to add a touch of whole wheat flour and almond extract to the crumb topping because they add a subtle nuttiness.
And, using plenty of butter gives it a nice crunch while also keeping it melt-in-your-mouth tender.
📖 Recipe
Caramel Apple Pie
Tart apples are coated with a luxuriously rich salted caramel sauce then piled into a flaky fool-proof pie crust, topped with buttery, brown sugar streusel, and baked until bubbly, saucy, and golden before being smothered with even more salted caramel sauce.
This caramel apple pie is a delicious combination of flavors and textures, rich and buttery without being overly sweet.
Ingredients
- Enough pie crust dough to make 1 bottom pie crust; My favorite recipe is this Fool Proof Pie Crust (*See note below)
For the Caramel Apple Filling:
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (juice from 1 large lemon)
- 3 ½ - 4 pounds (8 cups) tart apples, such as granny smith or Macintosh, peeled, cored, and cut into ¼ inch slices
- ¼ cup (53 grams) dark brown sugar
- 2 ½ tablespoons (17.5 grams) cornstarch
- 1 ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¾ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups (473 ml) salted caramel sauce, divided
- 1 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
For the Crumb Topping:
- 1 cup (120 grams) all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup (28 grams) whole wheat flour
- ¼ cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (53 grams) dark brown sugar
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 8 tablespoons (½ cup/ 4 ounces/ 113 grams) butter, melted
- ½ teaspoon almond extract (optional)
Instructions
- Line a pie plate with pie crust dough, crimping the edges of the crust so that it extends about ½-inch above the pie plate (see video and pictures above). Cover loosely with plastic wrap, and refrigerate. (You'll find instructions for how to line a pie plate in this recipe for Fool Proof Pie Crust.)
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (204 degrees C).
- Squeeze the lemon juice into a large, heavy bottom sauce pan and toss the apple slices with the lemon juice as you slice them to prevent the slices from browning.
- Add the brown sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt to a small bowl and stir to combine. Sprinkle the mixture over the apples and toss with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula to coat the apples.
- Stir 1 cup (236ml) salted caramel sauce into the apples and set the pan over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture begins to boil. Continue to cook and stir for 1 minute longer. Remove from the heat and stir in the almond extract, if using.
- Pour the apple pie filling into the pie crust, creating a slight dome of apples in the center of the pie. There will be a LOT of apples. Pile them on; the apples will shrink as the pie bakes. Place the pie plate on a aluminum foil lined cookie sheet (to catch any drips). Bake, uncovered, for 20 minutes.
While the pie begins to bake, make the crumb topping, then keep baking:
- In a medium size bowl, add all the topping ingredients except the butter and almond extract, and stir to combine. Pour in the melted butter and almond extract (if using), and mix with your hands just until all the dry ingredients are moistened. It should be the consistency of wet sand. If you squeeze it together in your hand, it should clump together. If it's too dry, add a bit more butter, 1 teaspoon at a time.
- Reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Remove the pie from the oven and cover the apple pie filling with the crumb topping, squeezing the topping with your hands to create some large clumps.
- Return the pie to the oven and bake for an additional 35 minutes.
- Cover the pie loosely with aluminum foil (this will prevent the streusel from burning) and bake for another 20 minutes, until the filling is bubbling and the bottom crust is baked through.
- Remove the apple pie from the oven and let cool on a wire rack for at least 2 hours. Pour the remaining 1 cup salted caramel sauce over the top of the pie and serve. (This pie is best served slightly warm or at room temperautre)
Notes
What to do with leftover pie crust
The recipe for Fool Proof Pie Crust makes enough for two double crust pies. Leftover pie crust dough will freeze well: Simply divide the dough into 4 portions, pat each portion into a thick disk, wrap well, place into a freezer bag or other container and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight before using.
If you don't want quite as much leftover pie crust dough, you can also cut the recipe in half. See the notes section of the recipe for Fool Proof Pie Crust for instructions on how to make a half portion.
Ingredient Substitution: Butterscotch Sauce
I once heard butterscotch described as caramel's low-key cousin. I love this description because the flavor of butterscotch and caramel are similar, but butterscotch is waaaaay easier and less finicky to make.
The flavor of butterscotch sauce isn't quite as complex as caramel sauce, but it's still absolutely delicious in this pie. This is my favorite butterscotch sauce recipe.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1 sliceAmount Per Serving: Calories: 435Total Fat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 680mgCarbohydrates: 105gFiber: 5gSugar: 80gProtein: 4g
Ellen says
Hi Rebecca, I'm going to make this pie for a friend for Thanksgiving and she is going to get it on Wednesday afternoon or Thursday morning. Should I just send the cup of caramel sauce with it and tell her to pour it over th etop before serving or pour it on before delivering? I'm afraid she won't
a) remember to use it or
b) decide to skip it because the meal was rich and this is gilding the lily...yada, yada...
Please advise!
Rebecca Blackwell says
Hi Ellen! I'd go ahead and pour the caramel over before giving it to her. The pie will keep perfectly well with the caramel-covered streusel. Just cover it loosely and tell her to keep it in the refrigerator until a few hours before she wants to serve it. I hope that helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions!
Heather says
so.. I tried to make this last night and thought "I've made caramel before. This should be easier!" So what threw me off is that you didn't use a candy thermometer at all in the recipe for the sauce and just went with the coloring of the mixture. (So if you have the temps we need to keep it at for how long? I'd LOVE that information). HOWEVER! I chose this to be my first fruit pie I've ever made and it looks absolutely delicious. The caramel sauce that's baked on the side of the pie tastes incredible!! I can't wait to make your pie crusts and work with those as well. I'm sure these will be a hit with the family. Thanks for posting this!
Rebecca Blackwell says
Hi Heather! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment for me! And thank you for the great feedback about the temperature of the caramel sauce. Temperature with caramel sauce is tricky, but for future reference, the sugar in step #2 should register around 325°F before adding the remaining cup of sugar in step #3. The longer and darker you cook caramel, the deeper the flavor. BUT, caramel can go from golden to burnt really quickly and the method of adding that last cup of sugar after the mixture begins to caramelize is meant to help prevent that from happening while still allowing the sugar time to develop a deep complex flavor. Once that last cup of sugar has been added and the caramel is a rich golden brown the temperature should register between 350°F and 365°F, but paying attention to color is really what matters the most. Then, once the cream is added it's the consistency that matters the most. Adding the cream slowly and allowing it to cook in the sauce for a bit allows some of the excess water in the cream evaporate so the sauce can get thick. At that point, the temperature really doesn't matter. The longer you cook the sauce the thicker it gets because more water evaporates.
Having said all of this, I am thinking about how I might incorporate temperature into the recipe, maybe in the notes section, for people like you who would appreciate it. So, thank you again for the suggestion! And I'm so happy you chose this pie as your first fruit pie! I hope you and whoever you are sharing this pie with love every bite. Please let me know if you ever have questions or feedback on anything in the future! xo
Heather says
I REALLY appreciate the update and I'm going to try it out next time 🙂 by the way, the pie is amazing!! and I love how you've taken the time out to help with how things should work and what it does (honestly, the best directions I've ever used)
My boyfriend ate half the pie before it even cooled. Thank you SOO much again!!
Rebecca Blackwell says
Thank you so much for taking the time to write back to tell me that you liked the pie! I'm so happy to know that your first fruit pie was a success! And so pleased that you chose this recipe. ♥️ Thank you again for your suggestion about temperature and feedback about the quality of directions. I often worry that my instructions are too wordy as I attempt to tell the baker everything they could possibly need to know about a recipe. 😂 Your comment helps put my mind at ease. Please let me know if you ever have any other questions about any of the recipes here!
Punky says
This is the best, hands down, caramel apple pie I’ve ever tasted. It is a labor intensive recipe but is well worth it. I made my own salted caramel, strudel and pie crust rather than using store bought. My husband loves apple pie and he declares this recipe as the best he’s ever eaten. I’m making it for Thanksgiving and can’t wait til my family tastes it. Thanks for sharing your recipe!
Rebecca Blackwell says
I'm so happy to hear that you and your husband liked this recipe so much! I hope it turned out just as well for your Thanksgiving dinner and that your day was lovely. Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a comment for me. I truly appreciate it! xo
Sabrina says
Hi. Can I freeze this filling for a later date? Thanks!
Rebecca Blackwell says
Good question, Sabrina. In general, things thickened with cornstarch don't freeze well. The consistency can get all goopy and spongy when thawed. However, you could freeze the sliced, peeled apples and lemon juice. Then just proceed with the recipe as instructed when you're ready to make the pie. Peeling, coring and slicing the apples is most of the work. After that, the filling comes together pretty quickly. I hope that helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions! And, I'd love to know what you think about this pie after you make it. xo
Allison says
Covered in liquid gold is right - this is absolute PERFECTION!
Jacque Hastert says
This is perfect for the holidays! The combination of apple and caramel has me drooling and I would love to have a slice of this soon.
Dawn Conklin says
I always love recipes that have homemade ingredients like your caramel sauce and pie crust 🙂 Don't get me wrong, I cheat from time to time with pie crust but unprocessed is so much better!
Love how you said alternatively you can make the whole crust and freeze the rest - my solution is to just make 2 pies at a time because they are delicious and will get eaten fast!
Jen says
I made two of these pies this past weekend for Thanksgiving and they were amazing. Everyone raved and requested them again for Christmas. I still have apples (I used a combo of Mac, Granny Smith, and Courtlands) leftover from our orchard trip and was wanting to know if you have a freezing suggestion. If there was a way I could make now and freeze until Christmas I'd jump all over it.
P.S. I've also made you Italian meringue buttercream and vanilla cake (I believe it was you June or July contest) and they too were awesome! I filled the cakes with lemon curd and blueberries, and now that cake is everyone's birthday request. I can't wait to try more!!!
Rebecca Blackwell says
Hi Jen! I am so happy to hear that you - and everyone you shared them with - enjoyed this pie! I have two suggestions for you for freezing apples - make some apple butter or make some apple pie filling. Apple butter can be preserved in cans or in the freezer - both work great. You can also make a batch of caramel apple pie filling and freeze that for up to 3 months. Make sure to leave a bit of room in the freezer container for expansion - the filling will expand a bit as it freezes. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight before using to fill your pie.
I am also so happy to hear that you liked the Italian Meringue Buttercream and Vanilla Cake recipes! They are my go-to for birthday cakes as well. I'm SUCH a sucker for all things lemon, so your mention of filling them with lemon curd is making me hungry. 🙂 Thank you SO MUCH for participating in the Bake Club!!! xo