This Salted Caramel Apple Crumble Pie is the ultimate fall dessert—warm, gooey, buttery, and bursting with cozy holiday flavor.
Tart Granny Smith apples are tossed in cinnamon and spices, cooked in homemade caramel, and then baked under a golden oat crumble for the perfect mix of sweet, salty, and crunchy.
Perfect for Thanksgiving or any holiday gathering, this pie is a show-stopper that tastes like a caramel apple and an apple crisp. Serve it warm with vanilla ice cream for pure magic.
Why you’ll love this recipe!
What ingredients do I need?
- Pie Dough
- 1 unbaked pie dough — store-bought or homemade; use a deep-dish if possible. You can even make my homemade Pie Dough for this!
- Oat Crumble
- All-purpose flour — binds the crumble.
- Old-fashioned oats — adds texture and crunch.
- Light brown sugar — caramel-like sweetness.
- Granulated sugar — helps the crumble crisp.
- Cinnamon — warm spice throughout.
- Unsalted butter (slightly melted, still firm) — creates clumps that bake into crunchy pieces.
- Caramel Sauce
- Unsalted butter — base for the caramel.
- Light brown sugar and granulated sugar — sweetens and caramelizes.
- Heavy cream (warmed) — prevents seizing and creates creamy caramel.
- Vanilla extract — enhances sweetness.
- Flaky sea salt — balances the caramel and adds depth.
- Apple Mixture
- Granny Smith apples — tart, firm, perfect for baking.
- Cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves — classic fall spices.
- All-purpose flour and cornstarch — thickens the juices.
- Unsalted butter — helps sauté the apples.
- Heavy cream (for brushing crust) — helps the edges brown beautifully.
Recipe Variations
- Add nuts: Add 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts to the crumble for extra crunch
- Make it Boozy: Add 1 tbsp bourbon to the caramel when cooking.
- Cranberry version: Add ½ cup dried cranberries to the apple mix before baking for a festive twist.
Pro Tips
- Slice apples evenly for perfect texture. Thin, uniform slices ensure the apples soften at the same rate and prevent mushy or undercooked spots.
- Slightly melt the butter before making crumble — it creates perfect chunky clusters.
- Warm the heavy cream before adding it to caramel to prevent splitting of the caramel.
- Use a deep pie dish. This is a tall, “heaping” pie. A deep-dish pie plate helps prevent overflow.
- Precooking the apples prevents a watery pie and guarantees even baking.
- Rotate the pie halfway through baking. Ensures the crumble browns evenly and the pie cooks uniformly.
- The pie must cool completely to set — at least 2 hours.
- Sprinkle the top of the baked pie with flaky sea salt. It makes everything even better!
- Add a drizzle of extra caramel before serving. It enhances the salted caramel flavor and makes slices look bakery-worthy.
Can I Substitute?
Yes! Like always though, any substitutions made to the recipe can result in a change in texture and/or flavor.
- Dairy-free: Use vegan butter for the caramel and crumble, replace the heavy cream with full fat coconut cream, and use a dairy free pie crust.
- Gluten-free: Use a gluten free pie crust, swap the flour for a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend, and ensure the oats are certified gluten free.
- Lower sugar: Reduce the sugar in the crumble by 1/4 cup and Use coconut sugar for a richer, but less sweet flavor.
Leftovers and Storage
- Store at room temperature for 1 day covered loosely with foil.
- Refrigerate for up to 4 days.
- Reheat slices at 300°F for 10–12 minutes to crisp the crumble again.
- Freeze slices individually for up to 2 months; thaw in the fridge and warm before serving.
But, I Still Have A Few Questions…
Why do you use both flour and cornstarch in the filling?
Flour absorbs excess apple juices and creates a creamy texture, while cornstarch thickens and gives a glossy, firm set. Using both balances moisture control and ensures the pie slices cleanly without being runny or gummy.
How far in advance can I make this pie?
You can make the entire pie up to one day ahead. Store it covered in the refrigerator and serve chilled or gently warmed.
Can I freeze this pie?
Yes. Freeze it baked or unbaked for up to 3 months. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and foil to prevent freezer burn.
Can I make the oat crumble ahead of time?
Absolutely. Store the crumble in the refrigerator for 2–3 days or freeze for up to one month.
Can I prepare the caramel in advance?
Yes. The caramel sauce can be made up to 5 days before using. Refrigerate in an airtight container.
What apples work best for this pie?
Granny Smith apples are ideal because they hold their shape and balance the sweetness, but Honeycrisp and Braeburn also work well.
Why do I need to cool the pie completely?
Cooling allows the caramel and apple filling to firm up, helping the slices hold their shape.
Can I precook the apple mixture ahead of time?
Yes. Precook the apples up to 24 hours in advance and store them in the refrigerator.
Do I need to use a baking sheet under the pie?
Using a baking sheet is recommended to catch any caramel that bubbles over.
What if the crumble browns too quickly?
Lightly tent the top with foil during the last part of baking to prevent over-browning.
How do I know when the pie is done?
The filling should be bubbling around the edges and the crumble should be golden brown.
What should I do if the caramel seizes when adding the cream?
Keep whisking over low heat. It will smooth back out as the sugars melt.
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Let’s engage!
Make sure to tag @thehomechefmomma on Instagram or Facebook, and leave a review or comment if you make these. I always get so excited to see your creations, variations of the recipe, and feedback! Just remember to be kind in your comments, there is still a person behind this screen! 🙂
Salted Caramel Apple Crumble Pie
Ingredients
- 1 pie dough unbaked
Oat Crumble—
- 3/4 c. All purpose flour
- 1/2 c. Old fashioned Oats
- 3/4 c. Light brown sugar
- 1/2 c. Granulated sugar
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 10 tbsp unsalted butter SLIGHTLY MELTED BUT STILL FIRM
Caramel Apple filling—
- 1/2 c. Unsalted butter
- 1/2 c. Light brown sugar
- 1/2 c. Granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp heavy cream warmed
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp flaky sea salt
Apple Mixture—
- 6 Granny Smith apples peeled and sliced thin
- 3 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp cloves
- 2 tbsp all purpose flour
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 tbsp heavy cream for brushing
Instructions
- In a medium bowl make the oat crumble. Add the flour, oats, cinnamon, sugars, and salt to the bowl and mix together well. Add in the cold butter cubes and use finger tips to work it into the flour mixture until well incorporated and crumbly. Place in fridge until ready to use.
- In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, add the butter and sugars. Melt and stir together. Bring to a light simmer and cook about 5-6 minutes until sugars are melted completely and it has thickened and turned a nice caramel color. Remove from heat and add slightly warmed heavy cream while stirring constantly. Add in the vanilla and salt and stir again. Set aside to cool little.
- Mix together the cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, flour, and cornstarch in a small bowl.
- In large bowl, add the thinly sliced apples and spice/flour mix. Stir until the apples are coated.
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add 1 tbsp of butter and the apple mix. Precook the apples until they get slightly soft. Remove from heat and add half of the caramel sauce. Stir to combine.
- Preheat oven to 425F and roll out pie dough onto deep 8-9”pie dish. Cut off any pie dough that excessively hangs over the edge of the dish and then crimp edges how you like and use a fork to poke the bottom of the dough numerous times.
- Assemble the pie by adding the pre cooked apples to the pie dough. Then pour the other half of the caramel overtop and then add the oat crumble, breaking up any large pieces. The pie will seem like it is heaping and that is okay, gently press the oat crumble down a little. Place the pie dish on a baking sheet to bake to catch any sugar that bubbles out while baking.
- Use a little heavy cream and brush any pie dough edges that you can see.
- Bake the pie for 25 minutes at 425F and then reduce the heat to 350F and bake another 25-30 minutes until bubbling and browned.
- Remove from oven and cool completely to help it firm up, at least 2 hours or overnight.
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Can’t wait to try this recipe!! Thank you for sharing!!
I hope you love it!