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A cozy fall dessert featuring a buttery flaky crust filled with crisp tangy apples mixed with luscious homemade caramel sauce, topped with a golden crunchy crumble.

Ingredients

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  • 1 9-inch unbaked pie crust (store-bought or homemade)
  • 6 cups peeled, cored, and thinly sliced Granny Smith or Pippin apples (about 6 to 7 apples)
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour (for filling)
  • 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon (for filling)
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 dash salt (for filling)
  • 30 soft caramel candies (about 1 cup)
  • 4 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
  • 2 tablespoons salted butter (for filling)
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour (for crumble topping)
  • 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (for crumble topping)
  • 1/2 cup salted butter, cut into small pieces (for crumble topping)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 425°F.
  2. Place unbaked 9-inch pie crust in the freezer while preparing the filling to keep it flaky.
  3. Peel, core, and thinly slice about 6 to 7 apples; toss slices in a large bowl and drizzle with 1 tablespoon lemon juice to prevent browning.
  4. Add 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, and a pinch of salt to the apples; stir to coat evenly.
  5. Unwrap 30 soft caramel candies into a microwave-safe bowl, add 4 tablespoons heavy cream, microwave 30 seconds, stir, microwave another 30 seconds, then stir until smooth (heat additional 15-second bursts if needed).
  6. Fold about one third of the warm caramel sauce into the apple mixture and reserve the remaining caramel for later drizzling.
  7. Pile the apple filling into the chilled pie crust and dot the top with 2 tablespoons salted butter cut into small pieces.
  8. For the crumble topping, mix 1 cup flour, 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon in a bowl. Add 1/2 cup salted butter pieces and work butter into dry ingredients using two forks or pastry cutter until crumbly lumps form.
  9. Scatter the crumble topping evenly over the apple filling.
  10. Place the pie dish on a rimmed baking sheet and bake at 425°F for 40 to 45 minutes, checking after 15 to 20 minutes for browning.
  11. When crust and topping are golden, loosely cover the pie with foil to prevent over-browning and continue baking until the filling is bubbling and the top is deeply golden (about 20 to 25 minutes more).
  12. Let the pie cool completely at room temperature so the filling can set for neat slicing.
  13. Warm reserved caramel sauce if thickened and drizzle generously over the cooled pie before serving. Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream if desired.

Notes

If using a store-bought crust in a foil pan, placing that pan inside a regular 9-inch pie plate adds sturdiness and easier handling., When mixing warm caramel into cold apples, some clumping may occur but it will melt during baking., Place the pie dish on a baking sheet to catch any drips and prevent oven messes., Ensure bubbling filling and tender apples for optimal texture; underbaking results in runny filling., Cooling completely or for a few hours improves slicing., Make-ahead tip: prepare filling and crumble topping in advance and keep refrigerated separately; keep crust chilled in freezer during assembly for flaky results., Store leftovers covered at room temperature up to 2 days, refrigerated up to 4-5 days, or frozen up to 2 months., Reheat pie slices in oven to maintain crust texture; microwave may soften crust and topping., Leftover caramel sauce can be stored in fridge for 1-2 weeks; warm gently before use, adding cream if thickened.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://margorecipes.com/caramel-apple-pie/