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Bake this homemade salted caramel apple pie with crisp Granny Smith and Honeycrisp apples, rich caramel, and an all-butter double crust.
Layers of Granny Smith and Honeycrisp apples with caramel throughout the filling give this Salted Caramel Apple Pie the perfect balance of sweet and tart in every bite. The homemade butter crust and crunchy sugar topping add a flaky, golden finish that makes each slice worth the extra effort.
Fall baking is my favorite excuse to slow down, turn on the oven, and make something sweet to share with family. Recipes like my Olive Oil Pumpkin Cake with Browned Butter Frosting, Apple Cinnamon Rolls, and this Caramel Apple Pie are the perfect way to kick off the cozy season.
Recipe Tips
Making homemade pie can feel intimidating. These tips will help you bake with confidence.
- Use cold butter. You want the butter cold during baking.
- Chill the dough. This step helps firm up the dough before baking to create a perfectly flaky crust.
- Handle the dough gently. Overmixing the dough can make the crust tough. You want to stop once the dough comes together.
Ingredients and Substitutions
This pie has three parts: a homemade crust, a caramel apple filling, and a golden sugar topping. Each uses familiar baking ingredients, with room for a few easy swaps.
Crust:
- All-Purpose Baking Flour: Measure 2½ cups of unbleached plain flour for the pie dough.
- Salt: Use 1 teaspoon of fine table salt to season the crust.
- Granulated Sugar: Add 1 tablespoon of white granulated sugar to promote browning.
- Unsalted Butter: Cut 1 cup of cold unsalted butter into small cubes. Keep the butter cubes chilled in the refrigerator until ready to cut into the flour. Salted butter works if you reduce the added salt in the dough to ½ teaspoon.
- Ice Water: Use ice-cold water so it won’t soften the butter.
Apple Filling:
- Fresh Baking Apples: Use 6 to 7 medium apples, peeled and sliced, in a combination of Granny Smith and Honeycrisp. Honeycrisp holds firm structure during baking, and Granny Smith balances the caramel sweetness. Pink Lady or Braeburn make suitable replacements.
- Sugars: Combine ½ cup of brown sugar and ¼ cup of granulated sugar for sweetness. Dark brown sugar works as an equal swap.
- Thickener: Measure 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour to thicken the fruit juices. Cornstarch or tapioca starch can replace the flour in equal measurements.
- Warm Spices: Measure 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon and ¼ teaspoon of ground nutmeg.
- Lemon Juice & Vanilla: Measure 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice to prevent fruit browning. Blend in 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract to deepen the spice flavor.
- Salted Caramel Sauce: Use ½ cup of thick caramel sauce, divided into two additions during assembly.
Egg Wash & Topping:
- Egg & Milk: Whisk 1 large egg with 1 tablespoon of milk to produce a golden gloss on the baked pie. Heavy cream substitutes cleanly for milk.
- Turbinado Sugar: Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of coarse turbinado sugar across the top crust before baking. Demerara sugar works as an equal substitute.
How To Make Salted Caramel Apple Pie
Start by making and chilling the homemade butter crust. Toss the sliced apples with sugar and spices, layer them with salted caramel in the pie crust, and bake until the crust turns golden and the filling is bubbling.
- Combine Dry Ingredients & Cut in Butter: Whisk the 2½ cups of flour, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 1 tablespoon of sugar together in a large mixing bowl. Add the cold, cubed butter. Cut the butter into the flour blend using a pastry cutter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with pea-sized butter bits scattered throughout.
- Form and Chill the Dough: Drizzle 6 tablespoons of ice water into the bowl. Stir gently with a fork until the dough clumps together, adding up to 2 additional tablespoons of ice water if needed. Divide the dough into two equal portions, flatten each into a disk, and wrap both in plastic wrap. Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes.
- Roll out the Pie Dough: Roll each chilled dough disk out on a lightly floured counter into a 12-inch circle. Fit the bottom crust into a 9-inch pie dish, leaving excess dough overhanging the rim.
- Coat the Apples: Place the sliced apples into a large bowl. Add the brown sugar, granulated sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, vanilla extract, and lemon juice. Toss until the slices are coated.
- Layer the Pie: Place half the spiced apples over the bottom crust. Drizzle with ¼ cup salted caramel sauce. Add the remaining apples. Drizzle with the remaining ¼ cup caramel sauce.
- Seal and Vent: Place the top crust over the apples. Trim excess dough and crimp the edges together to seal the rim. Cut four small slits in the top crust.
- Apply Topping: Whisk the egg and milk in a small bowl. Brush the egg wash over the top crust, then sprinkle with the turbinado sugar.
- Bake: Bake in a preheated 425°F oven for 20 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 375°F without opening the oven door, and bake for another 35 minutes until the crust turns deep golden brown and the filling bubbles gently.
- Cool: Transfer the pie to a wire rack to cool for at least 1 hour before slicing and serving with ice cream.
Recipe FAQs
Do I need to peel the apples?
I recommend peeling the apples for a smoother texture within the pie filling.
How do I know when the pie is done?
The crust will be golden brown, and the filling will be bubbly. The apples should be fork-tender.
Why is my filling runny?
The filling will thicken while it cools. Did you let the pie cool for at least one hour?
Baking at Altitude Adjustments
At elevations around 3,000 feet and above, pie crusts can dry out more quickly, and the filling may take longer to cook. These adjustments can help.
- Pie Crust: Start with the recommended amount of ice water and add a little more only if the dough feels dry or crumbly.
- Filling: At higher elevations, water boils at a lower temperature, and apple filling can take longer to soften and thicken. Slice the apples evenly and use the bubbling filling as your main sign of doneness. If the filling remains loose after cooling, try an extra teaspoon of flour the next time you bake.
- Baking Time: Keep the oven temperatures listed in the recipe and begin checking the pie at the recommended time. It may need another 5 to 15 minutes, depending on your elevation, oven, and pie dish. Cover the crust edges if they begin to brown before the filling is ready.
Leave a rating and comment in the recipe card below if you make this salted caramel apple pie.
Caramel Apple Pie
This Salted Caramel Apple Pie layers sweet and tart apples with caramel in a homemade butter crust, topped with a crunchy sugar crust. A cozy dessert for fall baking!
Equipment
- 9-inch pie dish
- mixing bowls
- Measuring cups & spoons
- Pastry cutter
- Fork
- Rolling Pin
- Cutting board
- Knife
- vegetable peeler
- Mixing spoon
- whisk
- pastry brush
- Rimmed baking sheet
- wire cooling rack
Ingredients
Pie Crust
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
- 6 to 8 Tablespoons ice water
Apple Filling
- 6 to 7 Granny Smith and Honeycrisp apples, peeled and sliced
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- ½ cup salted caramel sauce, divided
Egg Wash & Topping
- 1 large egg
- 1 Tablespoon milk
- 1 Tablespoon turbinado sugar
For Serving
- vanilla ice cream, optional
Instructions
Make the Crust
- Whisk the flour, salt, and sugar together in a large mixing bowl. Add the cold, cubed butter and cut it into the dry ingredients with a pastry cutter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs, with pea-sized butter pieces throughout.2½ cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar, 1 cup cold unsalted butter
- Drizzle the ice water into the bowl, starting with 6 Tablespoons. Stir gently with a fork just until the dough begins to come together, adding up to 2 additional Tablespoons of ice water if needed. Divide the dough into two equal portions, flatten each into a smooth disk, and wrap both tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes.6 to 8 Tablespoons ice water
- Roll each chilled dough disk out on a lightly floured surface into a 12-inch circle.
Assemble the Pie
- Move the oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Place the sliced apples into a large bowl. Add the brown sugar, granulated sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, vanilla extract, and lemon juice. Toss thoroughly until the apple slices are evenly coated.6 to 7 Granny Smith and Honeycrisp apples, ½ cup brown sugar, ¼ cup granulated sugar, 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- Gently fit the bottom crust into a 9-inch pie dish, leaving the excess dough overhanging the rim. Layer half the spiced apples over the bottom crust, then drizzle with ¼ cup salted caramel sauce. Top with the remaining apples and drizzle with the remaining ¼ cup caramel sauce.½ cup salted caramel sauce
- Place the second rolled crust over the apple filling. Trim any excess dough and crimp the edges together to seal the pie. Cut a few small slits in the top crust to allow steam to escape during baking.
- Whisk the egg and milk together in a small bowl until smooth. Brush the egg wash evenly over the top crust, then sprinkle the surface with the turbinado sugar.1 large egg, 1 Tablespoon milk, 1 Tablespoon turbinado sugar
Bake & Cool
- Bake the pie at 425°F for 20 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 375°F without removing the pie, and bake for another 35 minutes, until the crust turns a deep golden brown and the filling bubbles gently.
- Remove the pie from the oven, then let it cool completely on a wire rack for at least 1 hour. Cooling lets the spiced caramel juices thicken before you slice and serve with ice cream (optional).vanilla ice cream
Notes
Baking at Altitude Adjustments
At elevations around 3,000 feet and above, pie crusts can dry out more quickly, and the filling may take longer to cook. These adjustments can help.- Pie Crust: Start with the recommended amount of ice water and add a little more only if the dough feels dry or crumbly.
- Filling: At higher elevations, water boils at a lower temperature, and apple filling can take longer to soften and thicken. Slice the apples evenly and use the bubbling filling as your main sign of doneness. If the filling remains loose after cooling, try an extra teaspoon of flour the next time you bake.
- Baking Time: Keep the oven temperatures listed in the recipe and begin checking the pie at the recommended time. It may need another 5 to 15 minutes, depending on your elevation, oven, and pie dish. Cover the crust edges if they begin to brown before the filling is ready.
