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An overhead view of a golden brown salted caramel apple pie with a crimped butter crust and decorative steam vents sprinkled with turbinado sugar.
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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!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time55 minutes
Chill & Cool Time1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time2 hours 40 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: pie
Servings: 8 people

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.