This caramel apple pie is loaded with tender (never mushy) apples in a thick and creamy salted caramel sauce, with a flaky lattice crust on top. I make it with two different pie doughs: one sturdy on the bottom and one flaky on top. Top a warm slice with stabilized whipped cream, and it's the pie everyone remembers from the holiday table.
This is one of my favorite pies to make. I've slightly tweaked it over the years, making it better and better each time! My mealy pie dough holds up to the juicy filling on the bottom without turning soggy. The more delicate flaky pie crust is what makes the lattice look and taste so good.
Quick Glance at the Recipe: Caramel Apple Pie
- Recipe Name: Caramel Apple Pie
- Why You'll Love It: Tender apples in a thick caramel filling, and a two-dough crust with a crisp bottom and a flaky lattice top
- Time and Difficulty: About 45 minutes active prep, plus chilling time for the dough and cooling time after baking, moderate difficulty
- Main Ingredients: Apples, caramel sauce, brown sugar, apple juice, warm spices, mealy pie dough, flaky pie dough
- Method: Apples are pre-cooked on the stovetop with spices and cornstarch until thick, finished with caramel sauce, then layered into a mealy dough crust and topped with a flaky lattice
- Texture and Flavor: Warmly spiced caramel apples that hold their shape, and a crust that's crisp on the bottom and flaky on top
- Quick Tip: Bake your pie on the bottom oven rack for the crispest, most fully baked bottom crust
Jump to:
- Quick Glance at the Recipe: Caramel Apple Pie
- What Makes This Caramel Apple Pie So Good⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
- Caramel Apple Pie Ingredients
- The Best Apples For Apple Pie
- How To Make Caramel Apple Pie Step-By-Step
- Common Caramel Apple Pie Problems To Avoid
- Final Thoughts
- Make This Recipe Your Own
- Caramel Apple Pie FAQs
- More Apple Dessert Recipes To Try
- Ready To Master Cake Decorating?
- Leave Me A Review⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
- Recipe
What Makes This Caramel Apple Pie So Good
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Here's why this is one of my favorite pies to make.
- Two doughs working together. My crisp, mealy pie dough goes on the bottom so it never gets soggy, and the flakier crust goes on top for that classic lattice.
- The filling is cooked first. Every bite is tender, never mushy, and the filling doesn't shrink away from the crust as it bakes.
- Real caramel sauce. It gets stirred right into the filling. Use my homemade caramel sauce or store-bought to save time.
- Customizable spices. Make it as warmly spiced or as simple as you want it to be.
- Freezer-friendly. Both the components and the whole assembled pie can be made ahead.
Caramel Apple Pie Ingredients
This pie has more components than a typical apple pie, but nothing complicated. Just apples, caramel sauce, warm spices, and two kinds of pie dough. I always recommend weighing your ingredients with a digital kitchen scale for the most accurate results, especially with the doughs.
- All-purpose flour - The base for both pie doughs.
- Salt - Balances the sweetness in the filling and rounds out both doughs.
- Butter - Cold and unsalted, it goes into both the mealy dough and the flaky dough, plus a bit more to sauté the apples for the filling. A European-style butter works great here for extra flavor.
- Egg - Goes into the mealy dough only. It helps bind the dough so it can hold up to the juicy filling without falling apart.
- Ice water - Brings both doughs together without warming up the butter.
- Apples - The star of the filling. Firmer baking apples like Honeycrisp, Braeburn, or Pink Lady hold their shape best; more on that below.
- Lemon juice - Brightens the filling and keeps the apples from browning while you work.
- Brown sugar - Sweetens the filling and adds a little molasses depth.
- Spices - I'm using cinnamon and cloves, but this is where you can really make this pie your own. Use more or less, or swap in your favorite warm spices.
- Apple juice - Adds concentrated apple flavor to the filling and thins the cornstarch slurry.
- Cornstarch - Thickens the filling so it holds together in a slice instead of running out. You can also use clear jel if you want a clearer filling.
- Honey - Adds flavor and keeps the filling from drying out as it cooks.
- Caramel sauce - I'm using my homemade caramel sauce recipe, but you can absolutely use store-bought to save time.
- Vanilla and orange extract - Vanilla extract rounds out the filling's flavor, and a little orange extract (totally optional) adds a bright note that plays really well with the warm spices.
The Best Apples For Apple Pie
You can use any apple you want, but look for one that holds its shape after baking instead of turning to mush. Honestly, the best apple to use is whatever you have on hand.
- Jonagold - Slightly tart, crisp, and holds its shape well after baking
- Honeycrisp - Crisp, sweet, and holds its shape well after baking
- Braeburn - Crisp, sweet, and very juicy. Holds its shape well for baking
- Mutsu - Sweet, firm, and great for baking
- Pink Lady - Sweet, crisp, and firm. Great for baking
I've tested this recipe with a lot of different apple varieties over the years. I live in Oregon, so I've got plenty to choose from. There used to be an amazing apple festival near me every year where you could taste dozens of varieties side by side and rank your favorites. Talk about a fun afternoon.
How To Make Caramel Apple Pie Step-By-Step
Make your dough first since both doughs need time to chill, ideally overnight. Your apple filling also needs to cool completely before it goes anywhere near the crust, so plan to make it the same day and let it cool while you roll out your dough. Preheat your oven to 425º F when you're ready to assemble.
- Make the mealy pie dough. Mix the flour and salt, then mix in the cold grated butter until it looks like coarse, mealy sand. Add the egg and ice water and mix just until the dough comes together. Don't overwork it.
- Make the flaky pie dough. Toss the grated cold butter with the flour and salt, then sprinkle in the ice water a little at a time, bringing the dough together with your hands rather than kneading it.
PRO TIP: Keep your butter cold while you're working with both doughs. If it starts to soften or feel sticky, pop the dough back in the fridge for a few minutes before continuing.
- Chill both doughs. Flatten each dough into a disk, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes (2 hours is ideal). I like to label mine with an "M" for mealy pie dough.
- Cook the apples. Peel, core, and slice your apples into ½ inch wedges. Sauté them in the butter over medium heat until warm, then add the apple juice, brown sugar, honey, spices, salt, and lemon juice. Cook until the apples have softened but still have a little bit of firmness.
PRO TIP: For extra flavor, you can brown your butter first, then add in the apples.
- Thicken the filling. Whisk the rest of the apple juice with the cornstarch to make a slurry, stir it into the apples, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until the mixture bubbles and thickens.
- Add the caramel and cool. Take the filling off the heat and stir in the caramel sauce, vanilla, and orange extract. Spread it out on a sheet pan and let it cool completely.
PRO TIP: Don't skip pre-cooking the filling to save time. If the apples go in raw, they shrink inside the pie and release all their water as they bake, which leaves you with a soggy bottom and a gap under the top crust.
- Roll out the bottom crust. Let both doughs warm up at room temperature until you can roll them out easily but the butter is still firm and not sticky. Roll the mealy pie dough to ⅛ inch thick, fit it into a 9 inch pie pan, and trim the edges, leaving ¼ inch of extra dough to allow for shrinking.
- Fill the pie. Pour the cooled caramel apple filling into the pie crust.
- Cut the lattice strips. Roll out your flaky pie dough and cut it into 1 inch strips. Brush the edges of the bottom crust with egg wash.
- Weave the lattice. Weave the strips over the filling, pinch the lattice and bottom crust together, trim off the excess, and flute the edges if desired.
- Brush and chill. Brush the surface with more egg wash and sprinkle with sanding sugar for texture and flavor. Chill for 30 minutes in the fridge before baking.
- Bake the pie. Bake on the bottom oven rack at 425º F for 15 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 350º F and bake for another 35 to 45 minutes, until the crust shrinks away from the sides of the pie plate.
PRO TIP: A deep golden brown crust is what you want here, so don't pull the pie the moment it looks done. The real test is whether the crust has shrunk slightly away from the sides of the pie dish. If it hasn't, the bottom is probably still raw underneath.
Common Caramel Apple Pie Problems To Avoid
- Soggy bottom or a gap under the top crust. Both come from the same culprit, apples that went into the crust raw instead of pre-cooked. Cook your filling on the stovetop until thickened first, it's the single most important step for a foolproof pie.
- Lattice crust tears while weaving. The flaky dough is delicate by design, that's what makes it flaky. Give the dough a couple of folds before you roll it out so it holds together a little more, just don't overwork it. I wouldn't use the mealy dough for the top.
- Filling turns out runny instead of thick. Usually means the cornstarch slurry didn't fully cook. Keep it on the heat until it visibly thickens and starts to bubble, not just until it looks combined.
- Crust browns too fast before the center is done. A deep golden brown is what you want for taste and texture, so only cover the crust with foil if you see something turning black.
Final Thoughts
This is one of my favorite pies to make, tweaked over the years until I got it exactly where I wanted it. Once you've got the two-dough system down, it's worth it. There's nothing quite like warm caramel apples fresh out of the oven with a scoop of ice cream or a big spoonful of whipped cream on top.
For another fall apple treat, try my candy apple recipe with a shiny cinnamon candy shell.
Make This Recipe Your Own
- Change up the spices. Use the spices you like, and add more or less of the cinnamon and cloves to taste.
- Use store-bought caramel. Swap my homemade caramel sauce for a jar of store-bought caramel sauce to save time.
- Make mini pies. If you want individual pies instead of one big one, try my mini apple pies.
- More caramel and apples. If you love caramel and apples together, you'll also want to try my homemade caramel apples recipe, a fall classic that's a fun family project.
- Want the filling on its own? My apple pie filling uses the same method without the caramel, and it works in cakes, danishes, and more.
Caramel Apple Pie FAQs
Do I bake the pie at 350º F or 375º F?
350º F is correct. The pie starts at 425º F for 15 minutes, then you reduce the temperature to 350º F for the rest of the bake.
Can I freeze the whole pie unbaked and bake it later?
Yes, and it doesn't hurt the flavor at all. Wrap the fully assembled pie tightly in plastic wrap and freeze it for up to 3 months, then bake it straight from frozen and budget extra time. Use a metal pie dish or disposable pie tin, since a frozen glass dish can crack going straight into a hot oven.
How far ahead can I make the dough and the filling?
Both hold up well in advance. I would roll out the dough, put it in the pie pans, and freeze them so they're ready to fill when you need them. The filling can be made ahead and kept in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
Is 12 ounces of apple juice correct?
Yes, 12 ounces is correct. It looks like a lot of liquid, but the cornstarch slurry thickens it at the end.
More Apple Dessert Recipes To Try
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Recipe
Ingredients
Flakey Pie Dough
- 10 ounces all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 8 ounces cold butter grated or cut into small cubes
- 3 ounces ice water
Mealy Pie Dough
- 12 ounces all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 6 ounces cold butter grated
- 1 large egg cold
- 1 ounce ice water
Apple Pie Filling
- 2 lbs apples about 6 medium-sized apples
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 ounce unsalted butter
- 4 ounces brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon cloves
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 12 ounces apple juice
- 1 ounce cornstarch
- 2 ounces apple juice
- 1 Tablespoon honey
- ½ cup caramel sauce homemade or store-bought
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon orange extract optional
Instructions
- Before you begin: Make both doughs first so they have time to chill, at least 20 minutes, ideally 2 hours or overnight. Preheat your oven to 425º F before you're ready to bake.
For the Flaky Dough
- Place the flour and salt into a medium bowl.
- Add the grated cold butter and toss lightly with your hands to coat it in the flour.
- Sprinkle in half the water and use your hand like a claw to start bringing the mixture together. Do NOT knead it.
- Keep drizzling in water until the flour and butter mixture is mostly stuck together. Press it together, wrap in plastic wrap, and flatten into a disk rather than a ball.
- Chill for at least 20 minutes (ideally 2 hours or overnight). Let it warm on the counter for 20 minutes, or until pliable but still firm, before rolling out.
For the Mealy Dough
- Combine the flour and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
- Add the cold butter and mix on low until the mixture resembles coarse, mealy sand.
- Add the egg and water and mix on low until the dough comes together.
- Flatten and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill for at least 20 minutes (ideally 2 hours or overnight). Let it warm for 20 minutes, or until pliable but still firm, before rolling out.
For the Apple Filling
- Peel, core, and slice the apples into ½ inch wedges.
- Place the apples in a large pan over medium heat with the butter. Sauté until warm, about 1 minute.
- Add the 12 ounces of apple juice, cinnamon, cloves, sugar, honey, salt, and lemon juice, and stir to combine.
- Cook, stirring occasionally, until the apples have softened but still have a little bit of firmness.
- Whisk the 2 ounces of apple juice with the cornstarch in a separate cup to make a slurry, then stir it into the apples over medium-high heat.
- Cook and stir for 2 to 3 minutes, until the mixture bubbles and the cornstarch is fully cooked.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the caramel sauce, orange extract, and vanilla extract. Let cool completely.
Pie Assembly
- Preheat your oven to 425º F.
- Let the mealy dough and flaky dough warm at room temperature until pliable but still firm.
- Roll the mealy dough to ⅛ inch thick and fit it into your pie dish. Trim the excess, leaving ¼ inch around the edge to account for shrinkage.
- Fill the crust with the cooled apple filling.
- Roll out the flaky dough and cut it into 1 inch strips.
- Brush the edges of the bottom crust with egg wash (1 egg whisked with 1 Tablespoon of water).
- Weave the strips over the filling to form a lattice.
- Pinch the lattice and bottom crust together and flute the edges if desired.
- Brush the whole surface with egg wash and sprinkle with sanding sugar.
- Chill the unbaked pie for 30 minutes in the refrigerator before baking.
- Place the pie on the bottom oven rack. Bake for 15 minutes at 425º F, then reduce the temperature to 350º F and bake for another 35 to 45 minutes, until the crust has shrunk away from the sides of the pie dish.
- Let cool for 1 hour before serving. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Diane SR says
Hi Liz,
Really looking forward to trying this pie recipe for Thanksgiving, but can I make the whole pie 5-7 days prior and freeze it to bake on the day of the holiday? Does it hurt the flavor of it?
Thanks!
Liz Marek says
No it doesn't hurt it at all!
Heather L says
Step 3 and step 7 of the filling both say to add the salt, honey, and lemon juice. When is the best time to add those three ingredients? Thank you.
Liz Marek says
Thanks for catching that! The recipe card has been updated. The salt, honey, and lemon juice all go in with the apple juice and spices.
S. Rowley says
This filling is incredibly delicious!!! I can’t wait to make my pie tomorrow! I’ve had my favorite apple pie recipes through the years but this beats them all. Liz, you work magic in the kitchen!!! Thank you for sharing you’re recipes, skills and baking secrets!
Deedee says
How far in advance can we make the doughs and store? It’s Sunday and I want to make the pies on Wednesday or Thursday (Thanksgiving 2020). Is that too long? Fridge or freezer? Thanks, Liz!
Elizabeth Marek says
I would roll out the dough and put it in the pie pans and freeze them. Then they will be ready to bake with the filling when you need them.
Sharon B says
I’m assuming the filling can be made far in advance and refrigerated? Thanks!
Sugar Geek Show says
yes it can!
Cindy Kuo says
Hi, I tried only your mealy dough making my own apple pie filling and top with my flacky dough, it was definitely better than using also flacky dough at the bottom. It has a better cooked result. I used to use flacky dough for the bottom and the top, but always hard to cooked all the way through with the bottom crust, so when I found out your recipe and explaining why use mealy dough instead, I know I had to try it out! Thank you so much for posting this recipe and also other fantastic recipes! Can't wait for other great recipes to come!
Dee says
It says 12 ounces of apple cider but it looks like you only put a little bit of it
The Sugar Geek Show says
12 ounces is correct.
Dee says
Hey, Steps are missing in the apple pie filling part it didn’t say when to add the salt or the 2 extracts
The Sugar Geek Show says
Its after you add in the cornstarch slurry
Cindy McClintock says
The recipe says drop oven temp to 350 degrees; but the video says 375 degrees. Which is best?
The Sugar Geek Show says
350 is correct
Cindy McClintock says
Thank you for a great apple pie recipe with two easy and tasty pie doughs! I rolled out the bottom one a bit thicker than I wanted, but it was still good! I wanted to ask if you heard of brushing the bottom crust (before filling) with either egg or using apricot jam? It's to act as a barrier and does not alter the taste of your pie, supposedly. Have you tried and your thoughts?
The Sugar Geek Show says
Hi Cindy, I haven't tried that one but it definitely sounds interesting! So glad you enjoyed the recipe
Jenny says
Hey...... I love your recipes. I did try out the mealy and flakey dough for an apple pie. The flakey broke up a lot on the top but it tasted delicious. Don't know if I did something wrong. I think I will use the mealy dough for the top next time. Keep posting your recipes.
The Sugar Geek Show says
You didn't do anything wrong, the flakey layers are very delicate which makes them delicious. You could try give it a couple of folds next time to make it hold together a tad more but don't overwork it. I wouldn't suggest using mealy dough for the top 🙂