This caramel apple pie is an all butter double crust filled with 6 to 7 cups of sliced Granny Smith and Honeycrisp apples, spices, and homemade caramel sauce, finished with a lattice top. It bakes at 400°F for 20 minutes, then at 375°F for 35 to 40 minutes, and makes one 9 inch pie, or 8 slices.
The caramel goes in twice: about ⅓ cup is mixed into the apples and another ¼ cup is drizzled over them in the crust, so every slice tastes of caramel instead of just being topped with it. Plan on about 4 hours in total, most of it chilling the dough and cooling the pie so the filling sets and slices clean.
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Try the Recipe Converter →Bake Times, Temps and Yield for a 9 Inch Lattice
- Yield: one 9 inch double crust pie, 8 slices
- Oven: 400°F (200°C) for 20 minutes, then 375°F (190°C) for 35 to 40 minutes
- Total time: about 4 hours, including at least 1 hour chilling the dough and 2 to 3 hours cooling
- Apples: 6 to 7 cups, peeled and sliced, half Granny Smith and half Honeycrisp
- Caramel: 1 cup sugar, 6 tablespoons butter, ½ cup heavy cream, vanilla and a pinch of salt
- Thickener: 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour in the filling
- Storage: 3 days in the fridge; the unbaked assembled pie can be frozen
What Goes Into the Crust, Caramel and Filling
Everything here is simple pantry baking: flour, butter, sugar, salt and ice water for the crust; sugar, butter, heavy cream, vanilla and salt for the caramel; and apples, lemon juice, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and a little flour for the filling. An egg wash and a spoonful of coarse sugar finish the top.
The All Butter Double Crust and Lattice Top
Whisk 2½ cups (315g) flour with 1 teaspoon salt and 1 tablespoon sugar, then cut in 1 cup (2 sticks) of cold, cubed butter until you have coarse crumbs with pea sized bits of butter still visible. Those bits melt in the oven and create the flaky layers. Add 6 to 8 tablespoons of ice water one tablespoon at a time, just until the dough holds together without being sticky.
Divide it into two discs, wrap, and chill for at least 1 hour. I have compared shortening crusts with this all butter one, and butter wins for flavor every time. If you want a step by step guide with photos, my homemade pie crust recipe walks through it in detail.
Roll one disc into a circle large enough to line a 9 inch pie dish and trim the overhang. Roll the second disc and cut it into strips for the lattice, or leave it whole for a full top crust. The weave does not need to be tight. A lattice mainly lets steam escape so the caramel filling thickens instead of boiling under a sealed lid.
Cooking the Homemade Caramel to Deep Amber
Melt 1 cup of granulated sugar in a heavy bottomed saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly. It clumps first, then melts into a clear liquid and darkens. When it reaches a deep amber color, add 6 tablespoons of cubed butter and stir until melted. Then pour in ½ cup heavy cream slowly while stirring. It will bubble hard, so stand back.
Simmer for 1 to 2 minutes, take the pan off the heat, and stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla and a pinch of salt. Let it cool slightly before it touches the apples. You will have caramel left after the filling, which is perfect warmed and drizzled over slices. The same method works as a stand alone homemade caramel sauce, and you can make it a day ahead and rewarm it gently.
Caramel Apple Pie Filling With Granny Smith, Honeycrisp and Flour
Toss 6 to 7 cups of peeled, sliced apples with 1 tablespoon lemon juice, then add ½ cup brown sugar, ¼ cup granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg and 2 tablespoons flour. Drizzle about ⅓ cup of the cooled caramel over the apples and fold gently until every slice is coated.
Granny Smith brings the tartness that keeps all that caramel from tasting flat, and Honeycrisp holds its texture. The brown sugar deepens the caramel notes. I have tested this filling with cornstarch too, but flour does a better job of holding the thick caramel without turning gummy, and it keeps the slices from slumping.
Spoon the filling into the lined dish, spread it evenly, and drizzle another ¼ cup of caramel over the top before adding the lattice. If you want a cooked, make ahead filling for other bakes, my stovetop homemade apple pie filling is the one to use.
Caramel Apple Pie vs Classic Apple Pie: What Changes
A classic apple pie relies on the apples, sugar and spice alone. Here the caramel adds a deep, buttery sweetness and a thicker, glossier filling, so the sugar in the apples is lower than you might expect. The trade off is a little more work: one extra saucepan and a few minutes at the stove.
Compared with a Dutch apple pie or a classic apple crumble pie, this one keeps a pastry lattice on top rather than a crumb topping, so you get crisp, sugared crust in every bite. For a tangier, creamier slice, try my sour cream apple pie.
Two Oven Temperatures: 400°F, Then 375°F
Preheat to 400°F. Brush the lattice with beaten egg and sprinkle coarse sugar if you like. Set the pie on a parchment lined baking sheet, because caramel will bubble over. Bake 20 minutes at 400°F to set the crust, then lower the oven to 375°F and bake another 35 to 40 minutes.
The pie is done when the crust is golden brown and the filling bubbles thickly at the edges and through the lattice. A glass pie dish lets you check that the bottom crust is golden too. If the edges brown too fast, cover them loosely with foil for the rest of the bake.
Why the Slices Need 2 to 3 Hours on the Rack
Cool the pie on a wire rack for at least 2 to 3 hours before cutting. Hot caramel and apple juices are thin; they only thicken into a sliceable filling as the pie cools. Cut too early and the filling runs across the plate. The pie tastes even better the next day, chilled and then rewarmed gently.
Runny Filling, Pale Bottom, Burnt Edges: Fixes
- Filling ran when sliced: the pie was cut warm or pulled before it bubbled thickly at the edges. Bake until bubbling and give it the full 2 to 3 hours to cool.
- Caramel tastes bitter: the sugar went past deep amber. Take it to amber, add the butter right away, and lower the heat if it darkens fast.
- Caramel seized or went grainy: cold cream hit very hot sugar too fast. Pour the cream slowly while stirring and keep it over the heat until smooth.
- Pale or soggy bottom crust: bake on the lower rack, use a glass dish to check color, and do not skip the first 20 minutes at 400°F.
- Edges too dark: shield them with foil once they are golden.
- Tough crust: too much water or handling. Stop adding water as soon as the dough holds together.
Caramel and Crust a Day Early: A Thanksgiving Plan
For a holiday table, make the pie dough and the caramel the day before and keep both in the fridge. On the day, slice the apples, rewarm the caramel gently, assemble and bake. You can also freeze the unbaked assembled pie and bake it straight from frozen, adding 15 to 20 minutes to the baking time.
This pie pairs well on a dessert table with a pumpkin pie and a pecan pie. If you need something for a crowd, double crust apple pie bars and caramel apple dump cake feed more people with less work, and apple pie cookies are an easy hand held option.
Serve warm slices with vanilla ice cream or softly whipped cream, and drizzle the leftover caramel over the top just before serving. Leftovers keep, loosely covered, in the fridge for 3 days. After that the crust softens too much. Rewarm slices in the oven or serve them cold with whipped cream.
Quick Answers on Caramel, Apples and Lattice
What are the best apples for caramel apple pie?
Half Granny Smith and half Honeycrisp. Granny Smith keeps it tart and Honeycrisp holds its shape.
Can I use store bought caramel sauce?
Yes, a thick jarred caramel works in the same amounts, about ⅓ cup in the filling and ¼ cup on top, though homemade caramel tastes deeper and more buttery.
How do I keep caramel apple pie filling from being runny?
Use the 2 tablespoons of flour, bake until the filling bubbles thickly, and cool the pie for 2 to 3 hours before slicing.
Can I make caramel apple pie ahead?
Yes. Make the dough and caramel a day early, or freeze the unbaked pie and bake from frozen with 15 to 20 extra minutes.
Does caramel apple pie need to be refrigerated?
Store leftovers loosely covered in the fridge and eat them within 3 days.
Pin It for Your Thanksgiving Pie Table
Save this recipe to your Thanksgiving or fall baking board so it is easy to find when pie season starts. If you bake it, let me know in the comments how your caramel turned out and which apples you used.
Caramel Apple Pie Recipe
This caramel apple pie is a classic double crust apple pie made with an all butter crust, Granny Smith and Honeycrisp apples, cinnamon, nutmeg, and homemade caramel sauce from sugar, butter, and heavy cream. It makes one 9 inch lattice pie, or 8 slices, and bakes at 400°F for 20 minutes, then 375°F for 35 to 40 minutes. The caramel goes into the apple filling and over it in the crust, so the caramel apple pie filling is thick, glossy, and full of flavor. Serve it for Thanksgiving, fall dinners, or as a caramel apple dessert with vanilla ice cream. Make the crust and caramel a day ahead, cool the pie 2 to 3 hours before slicing, and refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 days.
Ingredients
- FOR THE PIE DOUGH (DOUBLE CRUST):
- 2 ½ cups (315g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- 6–8 tbsp ice water
- FOR THE CARAMEL SAUCE:
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into cubes
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- FOR THE APPLE FILLING:
- 6–7 cups peeled, sliced apples (half Granny Smith, half Honeycrisp recommended)
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- FOR THE TOP:
- 1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)
- 1 tbsp coarse sugar (optional, for sprinkling)
Instructions
- MAKE THE PIE DOUGH: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and sugar. Cut in the cold butter using a pastry cutter or your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with pea-sized bits of butter. Add ice water one tablespoon at a time, mixing gently with a fork just until the dough comes together without being sticky. Divide the dough into two equal discs, wrap each in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- MAKE THE CARAMEL SAUCE: In a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat, add the granulated sugar and stir continuously as it melts. Once the sugar becomes an amber color, carefully add the butter and stir until melted and combined. Slowly pour in the heavy cream while stirring—the mixture will bubble vigorously. Allow it to simmer for 1–2 minutes, then remove from heat. Stir in the vanilla extract and salt. Let the caramel cool slightly before using.
- PREPARE THE APPLE FILLING: In a large bowl, toss the peeled and sliced apples with lemon juice. Add brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and flour. Stir to coat the apples evenly. Drizzle about ⅓ cup of the cooled caramel sauce over the apples and gently mix to combine.
- ASSEMBLE THE PIE: Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). On a lightly floured surface, roll out one disc of dough into a circle large enough to line a 9-inch pie dish. Transfer the dough to the dish and trim any excess overhang. Spoon the apple filling into the crust and spread it evenly. Drizzle another ¼ cup of the caramel sauce over the apples. Roll out the second dough disc and cut into strips to form a lattice top, or leave it whole for a full crust. Arrange the top crust over the filling and trim and crimp the edges. Brush the top with beaten egg and sprinkle with coarse sugar if desired.
- BAKE: Place the assembled pie on a parchment-lined baking sheet to catch any drips. Bake at 400°F for 20 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 375°F (190°C) and continue baking for 35–40 minutes. The crust should be golden brown and the filling bubbling at the edges. If the crust browns too quickly, cover loosely with foil.
- COOL: Remove the pie from the oven and allow it to cool on a wire rack for at least 2–3 hours. This cooling time is essential for the filling to thicken and set properly before slicing.
Notes
Use a mix of tart and sweet apples for the best flavor balance; half Granny Smith and half Honeycrisp works well. Homemade caramel can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator; rewarm gently before using. Leftover caramel is perfect for drizzling over warm slices. A glass pie dish helps monitor browning of the bottom crust. Bake on a parchment lined baking sheet to catch drips, and cover the edges with foil if they brown too fast. Cool for at least 2 to 3 hours so the filling sets before slicing. Store leftovers loosely covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The unbaked assembled pie can be frozen and baked from frozen, adding 15 to 20 minutes.
Nutrition Information
Yield
8Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 952Total Fat 20gSaturated Fat 11gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 7gCholesterol 67mgSodium 401mgCarbohydrates 200gFiber 26gSugar 131gProtein 9g
