Caramel Apple Pie for Fall Festivities Recipe
This Caramel Apple Pie is a quintessential fall dessert perfect for festive gatherings. Featuring a flaky homemade pie crust filled with tender spiced apples coated in luscious caramel sauce, it blends sweet and tart flavors with warm spices to create a comforting treat. The golden-baked pie, topped with a drizzle of decadent caramel, is ideal for enjoying warm or at room temperature during chilly autumn days.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 60 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Pie Crust:
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- 6–8 tablespoons ice water
Caramel Sauce:
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Apple Filling:
- 6–8 medium-sized apples (Granny Smith or Honeycrisp), peeled, cored, and sliced
- ½ cup packed brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
- Prepare the Pie Crust: In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt, and sugar. Add the cold, cubed butter and use a pastry cutter or your fingers to blend until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Gradually add ice water, one tablespoon at a time, mixing gently until the dough just holds together. Divide the dough into two discs, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least one hour to firm up.
- Make the Caramel Sauce: In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the granulated sugar while stirring constantly until it liquifies and turns an amber color. Remove from heat briefly to stir in the butter until fully incorporated, then slowly add the heavy cream. Return to heat and boil gently for one minute. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract. Allow to cool to room temperature.
- Prepare the Apple Filling: In a large bowl, toss the sliced apples with brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, all-purpose flour, and lemon juice until the apples are evenly coated and the mixture is well combined.
- Assemble the Pie: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). On a floured surface, roll out one disc of dough to fit a 9-inch pie dish. Transfer the dough to the pie dish and gently press to line it. Combine half of the caramel sauce with the apple filling and stir to mix thoroughly. Pour the mixture into the crust. Roll out the second dough disc and place it over the filling. Seal the edges by crimping and cut slits on top to allow steam to escape. Brush the crust with egg wash and sprinkle sugar over the top for a golden finish.
- Bake the Pie: Place the pie on a baking sheet to catch any drips and bake in the preheated oven for 50 to 60 minutes until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbling. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly. Drizzle the remaining caramel sauce on the pie just before serving. Enjoy warm or at room temperature.
Notes
- Use tart apple varieties like Granny Smith or sweet-tart Honeycrisp for balanced flavor and texture.
- Chilling the pie dough before rolling helps prevent shrinking and ensures flakiness.
- If the crust edges brown too quickly during baking, cover them with foil to prevent burning.
- For a richer flavor, add a pinch of salt to the caramel sauce to make salted caramel apple pie.
- Let the pie cool sufficiently to allow the filling to set for easier slicing.
Keywords: caramel apple pie, fall dessert, apple pie recipe, homemade pie crust, caramel sauce, autumn recipes, holiday pie
