There are three parts to this pie. It’s just like my deep dish apple pie, but towers high with salted caramel inside and on top. First, we have the buttery flaky pie crust, then the cinnamon-spiced apples, and finally the salted caramel. Let’s discuss the crust first.
Pie crust can be tricky, but it doesn’t have to be. It’s made with a few simple ingredients. Flour, salt, cold water, and fat. You can make pie crust with shortening or with butter. Why shortening? Shortening aids in creating flakiness. Flaky, tender, melt-in-your mouth crust. Butter imparts unparalleled, impeccable flavor. Nothing beats butter.
However, my pie crust uses both. The best of both worlds. Flaky, tender, buttery pie crust made from shortening AND butter. It’s nothing new – tons of folks do it this way. And it’s the way I like it.
Make the apple filling as the dough is chilling. Fresh lemon juice, apples, flour, spices, and sugar. We suggest using a variety of apples. I used Pink Ladies (sweet) and Granny Smiths (tart). You get more complex flavor in each bite using a combo.
What Type of Apples Are Best for Pie?
It’s best to use a variety of apples in apple pie. Just like when we make apple cake, I recommend using half tart and half sweet. I love tart Granny Smith apples paired with a sweet variety such as Pink Lady, Honeycrisp, Jazz, and/or Fuji.
Next, add the pie filling to the dough. You may think – “there is way too much filling, it won’t fit!” But it will.
Make the salted caramel. Pour 1/2 cup of salted caramel over the apples:
Take the remaining chilled dough ball out of the refrigerator. Roll it out into a 12 inch diameter. We made a lattice pie crust for the top. You can chose the kind of crust style that you want. Any other style requires you to cut several ventilation slits on the crust top. Just go with lattice. It’s pretty even if you mess it up.
Before baking, brush the top with an egg wash, then sprinkle with coarse sugar. (Looks like salt, but we promise it’s coarse sugar!) This is exactly how we finish off blueberry pie too!
You will love this updated version of the traditional classic! It’s comparable to eating giant caramel apples, but with a buttery flaky crust thrown on top. We served ours with vanilla ice cream and whipped cream because there’s always room for ice cream, right? It’s one of our favorite Thanksgiving pies, but there is no reason to wait until fall’s harvest to make your new favorite apple pie.
More Apple Pie
- Homemade Apple Pie with Chai Spices
- Apple Pie Bars (with salted caramel!)
- Apple Crumble Pie
- Salted Caramel Apple Galette
- Baked Apples
- Caramel Apple Cheesecake Pie
Salted Caramel Apple Pie
- Prep Time: 3 hours
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 7 hours
- Yield: 8-10 servings
- Category: Pie
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Classic lattice-topped apple pie bubbling with salted caramel and gooey, cinnamon apples.
Ingredients
- Homemade Pie Crust or All Butter Pie Crust (both recipes make 2 crusts, 1 for bottom and 1 for top)
- homemade salted caramel
- 8 large apples, cored, peeled, and sliced into 1/4 inch slices (10 cups or about 1.25kg total)*
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 1 Tablespoon (15ml) fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 cup (31g) all-purpose flour (spoon & leveled)
- 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice OR ground cloves (either are fine)
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- egg wash: 1 large egg beaten with 1 Tablespoon (15ml) milk
- optional: coarse sugar for sprinkling on crust
Instructions
- The crust: Prepare pie crust recipe through step 5.
- Make the salted caramel. You can do this as you wait for the pie dough to chill.
- Next, make the apple filling as the dough is still chilling: Place apple slices into a very large bowl. Add sugar, lemon juice, flour, allspice, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Gently toss to combine. Set aside.
- Roll out the chilled pie dough: On a floured work surface, roll out one of the discs of chilled dough (keep the other one in the refrigerator). Turn the dough about a quarter turn after every few rolls until you have a circle 12 inches in diameter. Carefully place the dough into a 9×2 inch pie dish. Tuck it in with your fingers, making sure it is smooth. With a small and sharp knife, trim the extra overhang of crust and discard.
- Fill the pie crust with the apples. There are a lot of apples, but pile them tightly and very high. Drizzle with 1/2 cup of the salted caramel, reserving the rest for topping.
- Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C). Place baking sheet on the bottom oven rack to catch any filling juices.
- Make the lattice crust: Remove the other disc of chilled pie dough from the refrigerator. Roll the dough out, 12 inches diameter. Using a pastry wheel, sharp knife, or pizza cutter, cut 16 strips 1/2 inch wide. We always use a clean measuring tape or ruler as a guide to assure the lines are straight. Carefully thread the strips over and under one another, pulling back strips as necessary to weave. Using a small and sharp knife, trim the extra overhang. Crimp the edges of the dough with a fork or your fingers.
- Lightly brush the top of the pie crust with the egg wash. Sprinkle the top with coarse sugar, if using.
- Bake the pie for 25 minutes; then, keeping the pie in the oven, reduce the oven temperature down to 375°F (190°C). Place a pie crust shield (see Note for homemade shield) on the edges to prevent them from over-browning. Continue baking the pie until the filling’s juices are bubbling, 35-45 more minutes. If you want to be precise, the internal temperature of the filling taken with an instant read thermometer should be around 200°F (93°C) when done. Tip: If needed towards the end of bake time, remove the pie crust shield and tent an entire piece of foil on top of the pie if the top looks like it’s getting too brown.
- Cool pie for 4 hours before serving. Drizzle the pie with the extra caramel sauce to serve. This apple pie is best served on the same day, but it can be covered tightly and stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: The pie crust dough can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before using. Baked pie freezes well for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature before serving.
- Best Apples to Use: Firmer apples are ideal for baking. Avoid soft, mealy, and mushy apples. For depth of flavor, it’s best to bake with a mix of tart and sweet apples such as tart Granny Smith (in my opinion, this is the best overall apple for baking) and a sweet variety like Honeycrisp, Jazz, Fuji, or Pink Lady.
- Aluminum Foil Pie Crust Shield: You can purchase a pie crust shield or make one from aluminum foil. Cut a 14-inch square of aluminum foil. Fold in half. Cut out a 5-inch semi-circle on the folded edge. Unfold. Carefully fit the aluminum foil over the pie crust edges, securing down on the sides as best you can (careful, the pie is hot!), leaving the center of the pie exposed.
Keywords: salted caramel apple pie, apple pie
I followed directions exactly except I forgot to buy heavy cream for caramel. I had some commercial in the fridge so I added a little kosher salt and used it. I also was in a rush so no lattice work. But, this pie is amazing. Make sure you wait the four hours!
★★★★★
Hi Sally,
I want to make this recipe but was wondering if I could blind bake the crust to make sure it doesn’t sheink? I made my crustvusing your butter-shortening recipe. How much time should I bake this pie if my crust is already partially blind baked? Thanks in advance for your advice.
Hi Mary, There is no need to blind-bake the bottom crust for this recipe. The filled pie is in the oven long enough to properly cook it and it would be difficult to attach the top crust after blind baking. However, if you wish you can follow the directions for How to Blind Bake Pie Crust and the bake time should remain about the same. The pie will be done when the caramel begins to bubble up.
Hi Sally, I’m going to be baking these in deep dish foil pie pans. Do you think I should just blind bake them first then use foil to cover the lattice later, since I can’t use glass pie plates?
Hi April, You shouldn’t need to blind bake this crust. The baking directions should be the same even with a disposable pie pan. Enjoy!
Hi, I was looking around this website (I love it!) and I was wondering if you have any apple pie recipes that are just, you know, regular apple pie? I was just wondering and if you don’t then that’s ok, I’ll just make this one, because it sounds delicious!
Hi Eddie! I do, yes. You’ll enjoy my deep dish apple pie recipe. Pretty much fits in regular pie dishes too.
Thank you so much! I have a 9×2 pie dish which I totally forgot about. 9×2 is deep dish, right?
You’re welcome! Yes, you can use that 9×2 inch pie dish.
My family loved this pie, however, I was disappointed in the bake of the bottom of my crust. Could this be because I used a stoneware pie dish? Would it have done better in a glass dish or should I consider blind baking?
Hi Nancy, It could have been your stone pie dish. We prefer using a glass pie dish when I make pie. Glass dishes conduct heat evenly, which allows the bottom of the crust to bake thoroughly. Also, you’ll be able to see when the sides and bottom of the crust has browned. If you wish to use your stoneware you can try baking the pie for longer (covering up the top if it’s getting brown to quickly) or partially blind baking the crust before adding the filling.
I’m 66 and recently retired. Besides woodworking and puttering around the house I thought I’d give baking a go. Turns out I really enjoy it especially when there are such amazing recipes to follow. I’m a ‘by-the-book’ kind of guy so following instructions to the letter is easy for me. I’ve already made several recipes from this site and each one has gotten me raves at the dinner table.
Sally, thank you so much for sharing recipes that we can trust will be just as advertised. You are absolutely right; I will NEVER settle for store-bought apple pie after this recipe!
★★★★★
Hi, this recipe is so detailed and helpful. It is my first time making a pie and it’s for Father’s Day. I’m just getting prepared gathering ingredients and equipment, what sort of pie dish would you use for this recipe?
Hi Bethany, I recommend a 9X2 inch glass pie dish. The one I used is linked in step 5 of the recipe. I hope you love this pie!
Hi Sally,
As a beginner baker I was so intimidated about making a pie (mostly afraid of the crust). I carefully followed your instructions and that pie was a hit! My family and neighbors loved it! I made your blueberry lemon scones and banana muffins which were also a hit. Lastly, thank you for the post about Black lives matter. You and another food blogger I follow, Cookie and Kate posted very helpful websites and books to read, boy we have a lot of work to! Hope Jude is hanging in and resting comfortably. Wishing you all the best!
★★★★★
Absolutely sublime recipie!! Made it and now everyone wants one…. when they can visit after covid 19!!!
★★★★★
Hi Sally,
I’m hoping to make this recipe for my Mum on Mother’s Day so I’m giving it a test run today. You’re recipe doesn’t call to pre-cook the apples – I’m worried about the pie being watery – is there anything I can do to ensure it isn’t. Or can the apples be partially cooked before hand ? Thank You
Hi Sarah, No need to pre-cook the apples. Be sure to read through the post and watch the video above for all of my tips and let me know how it turns out!
This Pie came out FABULOUS and was a work of art to boot !! I photograph all my creations and this was a show stopper, I wish i could attach the pic here. I followed directions without deviating, I had no space between lattice and filling. The salted caramel was something dreams are made of, yes that good. I am grateful for you and ALL of your amazing recipes.
Banana Cake with Brown Butter Cream Cheese icing, is in the oven !!!!
★★★★★
A bit labor intensive but totally worth it! Thank you!
★★★★★
Amazing! Thanks for all your extra advice through the post, i made this and it turned out really well- and i am not a baker or pastry maker
★★★★★
can this recipe be made without the caramel syrup?
Hi Lindsay, Yes it can!
Hi Sally! I really love your recipes, including your oat chocolate chip cookies and blueberry scones 🙂
I made your pie crust two days ago and placed in the freezer. How do I thaw it in order to make your apple pie recipe?
Thanks,
Farah
Hi Farah, Thaw the frozen pie crust overnight in the refrigerator before using in your recipe. Enjoy!
I made this today for thanksgiving. It was a hit. We always have pie left over for the next day. This pie didn’t even get a chance to cool off for the 4 hours before the guys got into it. I got a small sliver. Definitely will need to make two next time. The only thing I did differently was to blind bake the bottom crust.
★★★★★
Hi Sally!
I am making this pie for the first time for Thanksgiving, and I’m super excited to see how my church family will like it. This pie has been on my mind to make for the past couple of years, but time has been a big factor in why I haven’t done so. Everything came out pretty well, and the directions were super easy to follow. I wish I had the confidence to do the lattice design. I’ll definitely try that another time. Thank you for the pictures and step by step instructions!
★★★★★
I made this for Friendsgiving this year using your All Butter Pie Crust, Homemade Salted Caramel, Granny Smith apples, and Pink Lady apples. It started as the prettiest dish on the overcrowded table and ended with friends licking the empty pie pan. It wasn’t overly sweet and the salty caramel added the perfect touch of salty-sweet to put this in the AMAZING category. I will be making a couple more of these pies through the holiday season. Thanks, Sally!
★★★★★
Hi there!
I’m looking forward to making this pie for Thanksgiving, the first in our new home! I was wondering if I could assemble the pie on Wednesday and keep it refrigerated until I bake it on Thursday??
Definitely– I do that all the time. Assemble, refrigerate, then bake. The pie may take a little longer in the oven since the apples may have released a bit more juice during that time. (Not a bad thing!)
Hello Sally!
Would it be possible to bake two pies at once? And if so, how would the bake time have to be adjusted to compensate?
Absolutely. The bake time will need to be extended but how long depends on your oven and its size. Keep a watchful eye on them and tent with foil to prevent over-browning, if needed.
I know you suggest freezing after the apple pie is baked. However, what are directions for freezing the pie before baking. At what temperature and for how long would the pie be baked? Should it be baked frozen or defrosted first? Does freezing diminish the thickening power of the four? Thank you! Your site is wonderful tool for those of us who love to bake.
Hi Marion! I love freezing assembled pies before baking them. You can freeze for up to 3 months. I recommend freezing in a disposable aluminum pie dish. You can bake the frozen pie straight from the freezer. Same oven temperature, but the pie will take a little longer. All ovens are different, but definitely over 75 minutes. Tent with aluminum foil to prevent the crust from browning too much. You can also thaw, then bake. The baking instructions would be the same as written in the recipe.
Does this freeze well? If so, better to freeze before or after baking? I want to assemble a few for the upcoming holidays.
I usually freeze this pie after baking. See recipe notes for instructions!
Hey Sally! I love this recipe and Make it every year for Thanksgiving! But one issue I always seem to have is that the apples sink down as they cook but the lattice crust stays in place resulting in a big gap between the apples and the top crust. Any ideas for why this is happening or how I can fix it? Thanks so much!
Hi Katelyn! I’m happy to help. Make sure that you’re not slicing the apples too thin– keep them on the thicker side, at least 1/4 inch slices. When placing them in the pie crust, arrange them tightly together; don’t just pour them in. Pack them down. And when arranging the lattice on top, lay it right on the apples, even pressing it down slightly. These will all help for next time!
Hands down the best Apple Pie I have ever made/had!
This was my October challenge, the “fancy” crust”, my attempt at lattice. Because I went with wide strips It was actually pretty simple.
The pie has perfectly balanced spices and flavors. The crust was tender and flaky. I froze my crust for about a week, then thawed in the fridge overnight. Worked just fine. The salted caramel was super simple and a nice touch so don’t skip it. I say go heavy with the drizzle it is SO good.
This is now my go-to Apple Pie. 🙂
★★★★★
I made this over the weekend for a little cabin getaway with friends and it was amazing!! I wasn’t reluctant to add 1/2 cup of caramel so i probably only used about 1/4. I should have had more trust, because the caramel didn’t quite come through. I certainly won’t be making that mistake again! Thank you Sally!
Also – have you ever considered trying a recipe using hot water crust pastry? I’d love to hear what you’d come up with
★★★★★
Hi- I’d like to make this pie for a Christmas party at work tomorrow. Can this pie be made the night before, and sit at room temperature overnight? Or should I put in the fridge after it initially cools for 4 hours? Thanks!
Either the refrigerator or room temperature for 1 night is fine as long as it is covered tightly.
Hi, I want to put ice cream on it as it will be warm I understand that it needs to cool for the 4 hours however would it be okay to reheat it again (maybe with foil)?! If so how long and what temperature
I only recommend cooling for that long so it’s easier to slice. 🙂 Reheating slices in the microwave or for a few minutes in a 300F oven works!
Have you tried the chai spice apple pie with this caramel sauce? Is there anything special I would need to do to combine the two? I have only ever used all butter pie crust, does the shortening help make braiding/lattice work easier on the pie crust? Thank you for all of the amazing recipes you provide!
I’ve combined the chai spice apple pie with salted caramel, yes. Just follow this recipe where you add the caramel to the filling and drizzle on top of the slices. Shortening strengthens pie dough. It has a higher melting point so pie dough holds its shape better. See my whole post: https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/baking-basics-homemade-buttery-flaky-pie-crust/
Hi Sally,
Let me just tell you, every recipe I’ve used from your website has came out amazing!!! I’ve been trying to master apple pie for a long time. Either the recipe turns out bad with hard apples or not enough apple filling, but I tried this one last week and it was A TOTAL HIT!!!! you’re an awesome Baker and I will continue to follow you on Instagram and share with family members. I’m making this for Thanksgiving and have been asked to make it into a slab pie. Should I double the recipe or keep the same?? Thanks Sally again and I hope you have a happy Thanksgiving! 🙂
Hi Christina! I’m SO glad you conquered pie with this recipe! For a slab pie, I recommend using my apple slab pie recipe and adding the salted caramel to the filling like you do here. (Maybe about 2/3 cup; pour all over the top.) Then you can use the remaining salted caramel, warmed, to pour on top instead of the maple icing. Happy Thanksgiving to you too!