Caramel Apple Pie

This caramel apple pie is packed with tart and sweet apples sliced thin and tossed in a quick caramel sauce, then tucked into an easy, flaky, homemade crust.

Apple pie. Is there anything better on a crisp fall day? The smell of the apples and cinnamon alone is enough to put a smile on your face. There’s something so therapeutic about making pie. Rolling out the dough, tucking the apples in there nice and tight, then weaving the perfect lattice top. Not to mention getting to eat a slice with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and an extra caramel drizzle. This Caramel Apple Pie is just so good.

In this post I’ll walk you through how to make everything from scratch (well except the ice cream) including the pie dough. But, if making homemade pie crust isn’t your jam, store bought is totally acceptable. Let’s get right to it.

How to Make Caramel Apple Pie

Start with the dough.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt. Add in the cold, cubed butter and pinch it into the flour between your fingers. Keep squishing the butter into the flour until you have flat, pea-sized pieces.

Add in the ice water and stir with a wooden spoon until combined. The dough will seem a little crumbly, but it will come together as you work with it. Bring it together with your hands until it holds it’s shape. Then, divide the dough into two halves, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate it while you prepare the filling.

Make the Caramel Apple Filling

Fill a large bowl with water and the juice from 1/2 a lemon. Peel the apples and remove the core, then place the apples in the lemon water as you continue peeling so that they don’t brown. Once all the apples are peeled, drain the water and put the apples into a colander and set the colander inside the large (now empty) bowl. Toss the apples with the juice from the other 1/2 of the lemon and 2 TBSP of granulated sugar. Set aside and allow the apples to release their juices. Reserve 1/4 C of the apple juices, then place the apples in the fridge while you make the quick caramel.

In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour, then whisk to combine and allow the flour to cook for 1-2 minutes to help remove the raw flour taste. Add in the apple juices and water, whisk to combine. Then, stir in the granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla. Once combined, bring to a boil, then simmer for 2-3 minutes until the sugar is dissolved.

Remove the caramel sauce from the heat and pour over the chilled apple slices. Toss to combine and set aside.

Assembly & Baking

Remove the pie dough from the fridge. On a floured surface, roll out one half of the dough into a circle about 12″ in diameter. Place it in your pie pan and crimp the edges as you please. Brush it with 1 beaten egg white, then place it back in the fridge.

Roll out the second half into a square about 10X10″. Cut the dough into 9-10 strips about 1″ wide. Place the dough strips on a cookie sheet and put them into the fridge.

Remove the pie pan from the fridge and fill it with the apples. I recommend stacking them in the pan carefully and as tight together as possible. I lay them in one by one. This takes a little extra time, but creates a tall pie that holds it’s shape when sliced, so it’s worth the extra effort. Once all the apples are packed in, pour in any remaining caramel sauce.

Apply a lattice top with the pie dough strips, then trim the edges. Brush with egg wash (1 egg beaten with 2 TBSP water) then sprinkle with turbinado sugar. The turbinado sugar gives a nice crunch to the pie. Place the entire pie in the freezer while you preheat the oven to 425.

Bake at 425 for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven temp to 350. Wrap the edges of the pie crust in foil to prevent the edges from browning too fast, then bake at 350 for and additional 50-55 minutes.

Let cool enough to slice and serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and caramel.

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If you liked this recipe, then I know you’ll love these Apple Cider Donuts, and these Apple Pie Blondies.