An all-American classic dessert with a caramel twist. This Easy Caramel Apple Pie is baked to perfection in a flaky all-butter pie crust. Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream for the perfect dessert for holidays or just because!
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Below you will find tips, tricks and helpful hints for making this recipe including step by step instructions with pictures. If you would like to go directly to the recipe, scroll down to the recipe card or tap “Jump to Recipe” at the top of the page.
Why You’ll Love this Homemade Apple Pie
I have tried many apple pie recipes, and have determined that this easy caramel apple pie is the best apple pie recipe ever! It’s easy to make, and the flavor from the caramel topping mixed with apples takes it over the top.
The pie is made with a few simple ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry and the lattice crust takes the presentation to a whole new level! It’s the perfect dessert for a fall gathering or holiday dinner.
Caramel Apple Pie Ingredients
*Ingredient amounts are located in the recipe card at the end of this post.
- Two pie crusts: One for the base and one as a decorative top crust over the apple pie filling. I use this recipe for Homemade Pie Crust, but you can also used store-bought pie crust as well.
- Caramel Ice Cream Topping: You can make your own homemade caramel sauce, but store-bought works as well. It can usually be found near the ice cream aisle at most grocery stores or near the ice cream cones. My favorite is Ghirardelli’s Salted Caramel Sauce.
- Salt: Salt is used to enhance the flavor and sweetness of the caramel.
- Lemon Juice: The acidity from the lemon juice helps to keep the apples from browning.
- Apples: I prefer to use a combination of different types of apples in my pies. For this pie, I used Honeycrisp, Gala, Fuji, and Golden Delicious. Granny Smith Apples are also a great choice. You can really use any type of apple that you like.
- Sugar and Brown Sugar: Both granulated sugar and brown sugar are used in the pie filling. The brown sugar adds a deeper flavor to the caramel.
- All-Purpose Flour: Thickens the juices from the apples so that the pie is not runny.
- Cinnamon: Gives the pie that classic fall flavor that we all know and love.
- Melted Butter: The butter is used to brush over the top of the crust before sprinkling on the sugar. This helps the sugar to stick and gives the pie a nice crispy top.
- Sparkling Sugar: This is optional, but I love the extra bit of sweetness and crunch it adds to the top of the pie. You can also use any coarse sugar or regular granulated white sugar.
How to Make Easy Caramel Apple Pie
[Step 1] Double Pie Crust: Prepare, but double, this All-Butter Pie Crust recipe or use two pre-made crust pie crusts. Place one pie crust on the bottom of a greased 9-inch pie dish leaving about 1/2 inch extra crust around the edge to fold over the pie later. Use a fork to prick the bottom of the crust.
[Step 2] Caramel Sauce: In a large bowl, combine the caramel ice cream topping, salt, and lemon juice.
[Step 3] Apple Pie Filling: Peel and dice the apples, add them to the mixing bowl and stir the apples and caramel mixture until combined.
[Step 4] Combine flour, sugar, and brown sugar. Sprinkle the flour mixture over the apple filling then stir to coat.
[Step 5] Pour the apple pie filling into the bottom crust.
[Step 6] Top Lattice Top Crust: Use a pizza cutter or sharp knife to slice the second crust into 1/2 inch strips. Lay 5 strips, evenly spaced across the top of the pie. Weave 5 more strips with those strips at an angle to create a lattice pattern. Trim off the excess crust from the lattice strips. Fold the extra crust around the edges over the strips.
[Step 7] Melt 1 tablespoon of butter and brush over the top of the pie crust using a pastry brush then sprinkle about 1 tablespoon of sparkling sugar, or regular sugar, over the top of the crust.
[Step 8] Cover the edges of the crust with foil. Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes, then remove the foil from the pie. Bake for an additional 25-30 minutes until the top of the pie is golden brown. Remove the pie and allow it to cool for at least 20 minutes before serving.
I hope you enjoy this easy caramel apple pie recipe as much as I do. If you make it, please leave a review and comment below. I’d love to hear what you think!
Helpful Kitchen Tools
Frequently Asked Questions
That is totally up to you! Some people prefer to use tart apples like Granny Smith, while others prefer the sweetness of a Honeycrisp. For this pie, I used a combination of Honeycrisp, Gala, Fuji, Pink Lady and Golden Delicious. The flavors of the apples melded together perfectly!
Absolutely! I use them all of the time when I am short on time. Although, I highly recommend if you have the ingredients and the time, use this all-butter pie crust recipe. I use it in all of the pies that I make and always get so many compliments.
No, you can use a single crust if you prefer. Just place the crust in the bottom of the pan and fill with the apple mixture. You can also add a crumb topping like this Dutch Apple Pie.
If you don’t want to make the top crust into a lattice, you can always lay the crust on top of the apple pie filling and crimp the crust over the top around the edges. Just make sure to cut a few slits in the top crust fo allow steam to escape while baking.
Yes, you can make the pie up to 24 hours in advance. Just store the unbaked pie in the refrigerator until you’re ready to bake it the next day.
Leftover pie can be stored, wrapped in plastic wrap or aluminum foil, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
More Pie Recipes:
- Dark Chocolate Pecan Pie
- Caramel Pecan Silk Pie
- Copycat Costco Pumpkin Pie
- Rustic Apple Pie
- Flaky Buttery Pie Crust
- Dutch Apple Pie (Award Winning)
Watch the video here:
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Salted Caramel Apple Pie
An all-American classic dessert with a caramel twist. This Salted Caramel Apple Pie is baked to perfection in a flaky all-butter pie crust.
Ingredients
- 2 Recipes All Butter Pie Crust
- 1/4 Cup Caramel Ice Cream Topping
- 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
- 1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
- 6 Cups Apples, peeled & diced (about 6 medium apples)
- 1/2 Cup Sugar
- 1/4 Cup Brown Sugar, packed
- 1/3 Cup All-Purpose Flour
- 1 Teaspoon Cinnamon
- 1 Tablespoon Butter, melted
- 1 Tablespoon Sparkling Sugar (optional, you can also use granulated sugar)
Instructions
- Prepare, but double, this All-Butter Pie Crust recipe found here or use a pre-made crust.
- Place one pie crust on the bottom of a greased 9-inch pie pan leaving about 1/2 inch extra crust around the edge to fold over the pie later.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the caramel ice cream topping, salt, and lemon juice.
- Peel and dice the apples and add them to the mixing bowl.
Stir the apples and caramel mixture together. - Sprinkle the sugar, brown sugar, and flour over the apple mixture and stir to coat.
- Pour the apple pie filling into the bottom pie shell.
- Use a pizza cutter to slice the other pie crust into 1/2 inch strips.
- Lay 5 strips, evenly spaced across the top of the pie.
- Weave 5 more strips with those strips at an angle to create a lattice pattern.
- Trim off the excess crust from the lattice strips.
- Fold the extra crust around the edges over the strips.
- Melt 1 tablespoon of butter brush over the top of the crust using a pastry brush.
- Sprinkle about 1 tablespoon of sparkling sugar, or regular sugar, over the top of the crust.
- Cover the edges of the crust with foil.
- Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes, then remove the foil from the pie.
- Bake for an additional 25-30 minutes until the top of the pie is golden brown.
- Remove the pie and allow it to cool for at least 20 minutes before serving.
