The Very Best Apple Pie Recipe By A Long Shot!
This Salted Caramel Apple Slab Pie is going to win the hearts of your friends and family this holiday season! We’ve taken a classic apple pie — an American staple — and (1) made it big enough to feed a large crowd, (2) surrounded it with a homemade cinnamon pie crust, and (3) made sure there was plenty of salted caramel drizzled over the apples.
Why I love this recipe
This dessert is what dreams are made of! Perhaps it’s best selling point? It can be made days, if not weeks, in advance, then frozen to be enjoyed later. No need to defrost, simply bake from frozen adding a little extra time and voila! The most epic apple pie recipe is ready to show off.
Serve it a la mode with your favorite ice cream or with homemade whipped cream — the choice is yours!
If you love baking with apples, be sure to try my easy apple galette or this impossibly moist apple cinnamon bundt cake next. For more sweets, check out all of my easy dessert recipes!
Ingredients Needed
This recipe has three basic parts: the pie dough, the apple pie filling, and homemade caramel sauce. If you want to use store-bought for the latter, that’s fine!
- Homemade pie crust: We’re using our standard pie crust recipe made from butter and shortening, but we’re adding a bit of ground cinnamon. The flavor works so well with apples! We recommend a quick egg wash of one egg and a teaspoon of water or milk, whisked together, to brush on top before baking.
- Apple pie filling: You’ll need 6 large baking apples (we like Macintosh), flour, ground cinnamon, granulated sugar, and lemon juice.
- Salted caramel sauce: This is made with sugar, water, heavy cream, Kosher salt, and unsalted butter. I could eat it by the spoonful!
If you want to take the apple slab pie over the top, make some cinnamon whipped cream to dollop on top! You can, of course, use Ready Whip or your favorite ice cream, if preferred.
Step-by-Step Directions
- I always have pie crust waiting in the freezer. Make a double batch or grab a couple of pie crusts from the store. Just be sure they’re not the round pie crusts since we’re making this in a sheet pan.
- Make the caramel: Combine sugar and water in a saucepan. Cook undisturbed until the sugar turns a dark amber hue, about 12-15 minutes. Drizzle in heavy cream then whisk well. Remove from the heat, then stir in butter and Kosher salt.
- Make the apple pie filling: In a large bowl, mix together diced apples, lemon juice, flour, cinnamon and sugar. Toss well.
- Roll out one of the pie doughs on a lightly floured surface to be a 12″x17″ rectangle. Carefully transfer to a jelly pan, pressing the dough gently up the sides. Trim off excess dough, then pour the apple filling inside.
- Drizzle the salted caramel sauce all over the filling! Don’t be shy!
- Roll out the second dough. You can make a lattice top or simply cover it completely. Crimp the edges, then use a knife to vent the top (if you didn’t make a lattice). Brush with egg wash.
- Bake at 375°F for 50-60 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the caramel sauce is bubbling.
At this point, you’ll want to let the pie cool down before slicing. When ready, serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
Baking With Apples
I recommend Macintosh apples, but Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, or Braeburn also work well.
If you want to use more than one type of apple, go ahead, but I still recommend sticking with the varieties listed above. Using more than one apple variety will yield a more complex flavor.
Expert Tips
- Keep your butter and water cold when making the crust for the flakiest results.
- Don’t skip the lemon juice in the filling – it adds a bright and tangy contrast to the sweetness of the apples.
- Be patient when rolling out the dough to ensure a uniform thickness.
- If the crust starts to brown too quickly, tent it with foil for the last 10-15 minutes of baking.
- Let the pie cool completely before slicing and serving. This will help the filling to set and prevent the pie from becoming soggy.
Make-Ahead. Leftovers, & Freezing
- Make-ahead: You can make the Apple Slab Pie a day in advance and store it in the refrigerator. Reheat slices in the oven or microwave before serving.
- Leftovers: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- To freeze: Wrap individual slices tightly in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.
Serving Suggestions
Caramel apple slab pie can be served warm or at room temperature. It is delicious on its own, but you can also top it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, or additional caramel sauce. We think this is the perfect end to a Thanksgiving or Friendsgiving dinner!
With any extra pie dough, I like to cutout little fall leaves, bake them off separately, then place them on the cooked pie. Totally optional, but man does it make a beautiful presentation!
Substitutions and Variations
- For a gluten-free crust, use gluten-free flour.
- For a vegan crust, use vegan butter. You’ll also want to use dairy-free caramel sauce in the filling.
- For a spicier pie, add more cinnamon or consider adding nutmeg and allspice to the filling.
The tender, flaky crust alone is worth giving this recipe a try, but oh my goodness if you love salted caramel sauce and apples, move this to the top of your must-try list! It is next-level delicious and so dang impressive!
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Salted Caramel Apple Slab Pie Recipe
Ingredients
For the caramel
- 250 g (1½ cups) granulated sugar
- 89 ml (6 Tbsp) water
- 237 ml (1 cup) heavy cream, slightly warmed
- 1¼ tsp Kosher salt
- 56.7 g (4 Tbsp) unsalted butter
For the pie
- 1 Homemade Pie Crust recipe, which yields 2 crusts for this recipe
- juice of 1 lemon, about 2 tsp
- 6 cups peeled and diced baking apples, about 6 large Macintosh apples
- 15.6 g (2 Tbsp) all-purpose flour
- 5.2 g (2 tsp) ground cinnamon
- 15 g (2 Tbsp) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
For the whipped cream
- 236 ml (1 cup) heavy whipping cream
- 4.2 g (1 tsp) pure vanilla extract
- 23.4 g (3 Tbsp) confectioners sugar
- 5.2 g (2 tsp) ground cinnamon
Instructions
- If you haven't already, make the pie dough.
- Make the caramel. Combine 1½ cups (250g) sugar and 6 Tbsp (89ml) water in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook undisturbed until the sugar has turned a deep amber hue, about 12-15 minutes. Tip: don't get caught up on the time, just watch the caramel based on temperature and color.
- Finish the caramel. Carefully and slowly drizzle in 1 cup (237ml) heavy cream while whisking, then cook until caramel is smooth and the cream has fully incorporated. Remove the pan from the heat, then add 1¼ tsp Kosher salt and 4 Tbsp (56.7g) butter. Whisk until combined, then set aside.
- Make the apple pie filling. Combine 2 tsp lemon juice and 6 cups apples in a large bowl. Add 2 Tbsp (15.6g) flour, 2 tsp (5.1g) cinnamon, and 2 Tbsp (15g) sugar, then toss to combine.
- Make the egg wash. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Whisk together 1 large egg with 2 tsp water, then set aside.
- Prepare the pie dough. Roll out one round of dough on a lightly floured surface to a 12"x17" rectangle. Transfer through onto a 15" x 10" x 1" jelly roll pan. Gently press the dough into the edge of the pan and trim off excess dough, leaving a ¾" overhang around all edges. Use any excess dough to fill in spots where the dough cracked or wasn't long enough.
- Add the filling. Pour prepared apples into the pan and spread out to fill evenly. Drizzle the caramel evenly over the filling. Note: If it's hard to pour, reheat the caramel slightly beforehand.
- Roll out the 2nd pie dough: Roll out your remaining piece of dough into a 12" x 17" rectangle. Either roll dough onto your rolling pin and transfer to the pie OR cut into strips to create lattice top. Fold the bottom edge over the top, crimping with your fingers as desired. If you did not make a lattice pattern, use a knife to vent the pie. Brush the egg wash on top.
- Bake the apple pie. Bake in a preheated oven for 50-60 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the caramel inside is bubbling. Rotate pie halfway through cooking. Allow the pie to cool for at least 1 hour, then serve with homemade cinnamon whipped cream or ice cream!
- Make the whipped cream. While the pie is cooling, pour 1 cup (236ml) heavy cream into the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat on high speed until soft peaks begin to form. Stop the mixer and add 1 tsp (4.2g) vanilla extract, 3 Tbsp (23.4g) powdered sugar, and 2 tsp (5.2g) cinnamon. Continue to mix until stiff peaks form, then serve immediately with pie.
Notes
- Make-ahead: You can make the apple pie a day in advance and store it in the refrigerator. Reheat slices in the oven or microwave before serving.
- Leftovers: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- To freeze: Wap individual slices tightly in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.
Nutrition
Recipe adapted from Kate Wood.
This looks amazing. Truly amazing. (And love the writing).
Thank you, Amanda! It was a total labor of love.
Ari, you nailed it! Two big loves of mine. Salted caramel + apple. Perfect! Will try it very very soon.
Please do! I’ve made my fair share of pies, but this one is honestly the best. Report back!
I see one piece with something chocolatey. For sweet Ethan, may be?
You’re funny — Ethan actually didn’t get a slice! I brought it in for Colin’s teachers! Don’t tell the kids…
Ari, recently purchased the slab pie baker dish from Made In, designed by Nancy Silverton.
Thanks for this recipe because I’ve been waiting for a slab pie recipe so that I can try my new slab pie baker. It’s 13 x 9 so your dough recipe should work out perfectly. I’ve just recently found your website. Thank you for this.
I hope you love it! Please report back and let me know what you think! xo, Ari