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A slice of apple caramel crumble pie on a dessert plate with a spoon. The rest of the pie is behind the slice.
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5 from 1 vote

Irresistible Apple Caramel Crumble Pie

Now this is an extra special pie. My Apple Caramel Crumble Pie has a flaky and tender golden brown crust, a scrumptious filling of caramel sauce, ground spices, Granny Smith and Jonagold apples, and a buttery crumble. The use of two different types of apples tied together with the salted caramel makes this pie unforgettable and a fall flavor explosion.
Prep Time1 hour
Cook Time1 hour
Cooling Time2 hours
Total Time4 hours
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 502kcal
Author: Cheryl Norris

Equipment

Ingredients

Homemade Pie Crust

Salted Caramel Sauce

Crumble Topping

  • 1 cup (125 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 8 tablespoons (113 grams) unsalted butter cold
  • 1/3 cup (67 grams) packed light brown sugar

Apple Filling

  • 1-1/4 pounds (568 grams) Granny Smith apples weight of the unpeeled apples
  • 1 pound (454 grams) Jonagold apples
  • 1 cup + 2 tablespoons (225 grams) granulated sugar
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 5 tablespoons (45 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons (30 ml) lemon juice fresh-squeezed

Instructions

Make the Pie Dough

  • The pie dough can be made up to 2 days ahead.
    Make the pie dough according to this recipe. Divide dough into 2 equal-sized pieces. Wrap each piece in plastic wrap and store for at least 45 minutes and up to 2 days. The unused portion can be frozen for up to 2 months.
  • On the day you make the pie, and before making the apple filling, prepare the pie dough. Generously flour your work surface. Roll the dough out with a rolling pin to a 12-13-inch circle. Fold the dough in half, and then half again, so it’s in a quarter. Lay it in the pie dish, and gently unfold it. Gently press the dough against the bottom and sides of the pan to remove any air gaps. Trim the edges so they are all about 3/4-inch past the edge.
  • Fold the dough under so the edge of the dough lines up with the rim of the pie plate. Crimp the dough. Refrigerate the dough for at least 2 hours.

Homemade Salted Caramel Sauce

  • Make the caramel sauce the day before or the morning of the day you plan to make the apple pie. The sauce takes about 15-20 minutes to make and about 1 hour to cool enough to use in the pie filling. This recipe makes 1-1/4 cups of caramel sauce. There is enough for the filling and to pour over the pie right before serving it.
  • If you make the caramel sauce the day before refrigerate it in a container with a lid. It will turn solid if refrigerated, so microwave it to make it pourable.

Make the Crumble Topping

  • Cut the cold butter into 1/2-inch cubes and place it back in the refrigerator so it stays cold while you prepare the other ingredients.
  • Place the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a medium size bowl. Whisk until well combined. Add the butter to the dry ingredients and toss the butter into the flour mixture with your hands until all the butter is well coated.
  • Use the pastry blender to cut the butter into the flour mixture, until the mixture resembles clumpy sand, some pieces small, some pieces the size of small lima beans. You can also you use your hands if you don’t have a pastry blender. To mix it with your hands take each piece of butter and smash it flat between your index finger and thumb. Continue to do this until the butter is broken up.
  • Add the brown sugar and use your hands to rub the sugar into the butter-flour mixture. The mixture should be crumbly and look like large bread crumbs. Refrigerate the crumble for 60 minutes or place it in the freezer for 30 minutes.
  • The crumble can be made up to one week in advance and refrigerated until ready to use.

Make the Apple Filling

  • Before you start peeling the apples preheat the oven to 400°F and place a rimmed baking sheet in the oven.
  • Whisk together the granulated sugar, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, ground cardamom, ground ginger, ground cloves, and salt, and flour in a medium-sized bowl. Set it aside.
  • Peel the apples. With the apples in the upright position and the stem pointing skyward, cut down and around the cores to remove the flesh in 4 lobes (you’ll be left with a square-shaped core). Set the lobes flat-side down and slice the apple lengthwise into 1/8-inch slices, making them as even as possible.
  • Place the apples in a large bowl. Use a large bowl that has enough room to gently fold the dry ingredients into the apples without breaking the apples. As you place the apples in the bowl, sprinkle some of the lemon juice over the apples until all the lemon juice is used up.
  • Sprinkle the dry ingredients over the apples, then use a large spoon to gently fold the dry ingredients into the apples. Be careful not to break the apples. It may be easier to use your hands to mix in the dry ingredients.

Assemble the Pie

  • Layer the apples into the dough-lined pie plate so there are as few gaps as possible. Pour 1/2 cup of caramel sauce over the apples in a circular pattern. If you made the caramel several hours ago you may need to heat it up so it’s pourable. If so, heat it for about 20-30 seconds in the microwave.
  • Remove the crumble from the refrigerator and spread it evenly over the apples. Take small handfuls, squeeze it together and then break it apart as you spread it over the apples.

Bake the Pie

  • Place the pie on top of the baking sheet in the oven. Bake for 15 minutes, then without opening the oven door, reduce the heat to 350°F and bake for another 45-50 minutes until you see the filling bubbling up around the edges and occasionally through the crumble. The dough will be golden brown. If at any point the edges of the pie become too dark, place a pie shield over the edges.
  • Remove the pie from the oven and place it on a wire cooling rack. Let it cool until room temperature before slicing and serving. Right before cutting the pie pour about 1/4 cup of the caramel sauce of the pie over the top of the pie. Reserve the rest of the caramel to serve with individual slices of pie.

Storing the Pie

  • I recommend keeping this pie in a cake container or cover it loosely with foil at room temperature for maximum freshness. It will keep for up to 2 days at room temperature.
  • After 2 days store it in the refrigerator tightly wrapped in plastic or foil, where it will stay fresh for up to 5 days. The crumble will start to lose some of its texture after a couple of days, but it will still be safe to eat. But usually it doesn’t last that long!

Notes

Homemade Pie Dough:  See my pie dough recipe for tips on successfully making pie dough.
Apples: You need about 5-6 large peeled apples. Peel then slice apples in a uniform thickness, about 1/8 inch thick. You don’t want some solid apples and some thin, mushy apples. For best flavor, use a variety of apples such as Granny Smith, Honey Crisp, Cosmic Crisp, Jonagold, or Newton Pippin.
Cool Completely: Let the pie cool completely before cutting it.  Once it comes out of the oven, the thickener needs time to finish setting up and the cooled pie will taste better than a hot pie straight from the oven.
Troubleshooting: If the pie filling is runny even after it cools, the pie either wasn't cooked long enough or you used too many apples.  If the bottom of the crust is underdone either the pie was not baked long enough or the oven wasn't hot enough.  If the edges of the pie are too dark, use a pie shield to protect the edges.

Nutrition

Calories: 502kcal | Carbohydrates: 88g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 32mg | Sodium: 341mg | Potassium: 155mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 50g | Vitamin A: 410IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 30mg | Iron: 2mg