Recipe

The Salted Caramel Apple Pie of Your Dreams

By Erin Voss at University of California – Berkeley

Fall has finally arrived, which means a) changing colors, b) cozy sweaters, and c) apple season. If you haven’t gone apple picking yet, I highly recommend rounding up your friends to go for a weekend. There is nothing more satisfying than biting into an apple straight from the tree. But let’s be real. I’m filling my bucket for one reason only: Pie.

But not just any apple pie. Salted. Caramel. Apple. Pie. Just imagine: A flaky, buttery crust bursting with freshly picked apples, sweet with a little bit of a tang surrounded by oozing caramel. That, my friends, is my dream of a perfect autumn pie. And trust me, this pie has got it all.

The caramel is the real star of the show, so don’t be afraid when drizzling it on. The sea salt cuts through the caramel so the pie isn’t overwhelmingly sweet and balances the flavors perfectly. Store-bought and homemade caramel both work fine, but you may need to adjust the salt depending on the brand.

Even if you can’t find a farm nearby, treat yourself to this quintessential fall pie. Once you go salted caramel, you won’t turn back.

Salted Caramel Apple Pie

Prep Time: 25 mins
Cook Time: 55 mins
Total Time: 1 hr 20 mins
Servings: 8

Ingredients

3 lemons
5-6 medium to large apples
1/3 cup sugar
2 tbsp flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp allspice
1/8 tsp nutmeg
2 defrosted pie crusts
1 cup caramel sauce
sugar for sprinkling on top
2 tbsp almond milk
1 tsp sea salt

Erin Voss

Step 1

Peel, core, and slice apples thinly, about ¼ inch. Juice lemons and place in a large bowl with apple slices.

#SpoonTip: Try using a mix of apples such as Granny Smith, Crispin, and Golden Delicious.

Erin Voss

Step 2

In a small bowl, combine flour, sugar, and spices. Sprinkle spice mixture over apples and mix to coat all the slices.

Erin Voss

Step 3

Preheat oven to 425°F.

Place one pie crust in a 9-inch circular pie pan. If making a lattice crust, roll out second pie crust so it is a circle 1-2 inches wider than the pan. Cut out 1 inch strips using a knife or pizza cutter. You should have 8-10 strips total.

Erin Voss

Step 4

Begin by layering 1/3 of apples in the pie pan. Spoon 1/4 cup of caramel over the apples.

Erin Voss

Step 5

Continue alternating layers of apple and caramel, reserving the last 1/4 cup of caramel for drizzling later.

Erin Voss

Step 6

Assemble lattice crust like a weave. Start with two long pieces and form a cross.

Erin Voss

Step 7

Place a third strip an inch away from the first strip. It should be on top of the horizontal strip and parallel to the vertical strip.

Erin Voss

Step 8

Carefully fold back one side of the horizontal strip and add a fourth strip parallel to the other two.

Erin Voss

Step 9

Put folded strip back flat. It should look like the beginnings of a woven blanket.

Erin Voss

Step 10

Fold back strips that are under the first horizontal strip and place a second horizontal strip 1 inch from the first. Unfold strips so they lay flat again.

Erin Voss

Step 11

Continue alternating folding back and placing strips of crust until you have covered the top of the pie. You may have some extra strips.

#SpoonTip: Never waste scraps! Sprinkle some cinnamon sugar on the extras and bake them until golden brown with the pie for a crispy treat.

GIF by Clara Park

Step 12

Crimp edges of the pie by pressing two crusts together using your index finger and thumb.

Erin Voss

Step 13

Brush crust with almond milk and sprinkle on the sugar and sea salt.

Step 14

Place pie on a baking sheet covered with foil or parchment paper and bake for 20 minutes. Be careful caramel doesn’t bubble over and burn the bottom of your oven.

Then, reduce the temperature to 375°F and bake for 25-35 minutes. You’ll know it’s done when apples are just soft. You can test this with a toothpick or small knife.

Erin Voss

Step 15

Let the pie cool, then slice and enjoy. Don't forget to drizzle extra caramel!

Erin Voss