Easy Caramel Apple Crisp Pie: A Delicious Fall Dessert

Fall is the perfect time for apple desserts, and this Caramel Apple Crisp Pie is one of the best. It combines the comforting warmth of apple pie with the satisfying crunch of apple crisp, all drizzled with luscious caramel. This recipe is easy to follow and yields a pie that’s sure to impress your family and friends. No need to choose between apple pie and apple crisp; this combines the best of both worlds!

## Why This Recipe Works

* **Easy to make:** Unlike traditional pie crusts, the oat-based crisp topping is a breeze to prepare.
* **Perfect for fall:** The combination of apples, cinnamon, and caramel evokes the cozy flavors of autumn.
* **Crowd-pleaser:** Everyone loves a good apple pie, and the crisp topping adds a delightful textural contrast.
* **Versatile:** You can easily customize this recipe by using different types of apples or adding nuts to the topping.
* **Make-ahead friendly:** The apple filling and crisp topping can be prepared ahead of time, making assembly quick and easy.

## Ingredients You’ll Need

### For the Apple Filling:

* **Apples:** 6-8 medium apples (such as Honeycrisp, Gala, Fuji, or Granny Smith), peeled, cored, and sliced
* **Lemon juice:** 1 tablespoon (to prevent browning and add a touch of brightness)
* **Granulated sugar:** ¾ cup
* **Brown sugar:** ¼ cup (packed)
* **All-purpose flour:** 2 tablespoons (to thicken the filling)
* **Ground cinnamon:** 1 teaspoon
* **Ground nutmeg:** ¼ teaspoon
* **Salt:** ¼ teaspoon
* **Unsalted butter:** 2 tablespoons, cut into small pieces

### For the Crisp Topping:

* **All-purpose flour:** 1 cup
* **Rolled oats:** 1 cup (old-fashioned or quick-cooking)
* **Brown sugar:** ¾ cup (packed)
* **Ground cinnamon:** ½ teaspoon
* **Salt:** ¼ teaspoon
* **Unsalted butter:** ½ cup (1 stick), cold and cut into small pieces

### For the Caramel Sauce:

* **Caramels:** 1 cup (about 20), unwrapped
* **Heavy cream:** 2 tablespoons
* **Pinch of salt**

### Equipment

* 9-inch pie plate
* Large mixing bowl
* Small mixing bowl
* Pastry blender or fork
* Saucepan or microwave-safe bowl

## Step-by-Step Instructions

### Step 1: Prepare the Apple Filling

1. **Peel, core, and slice the apples:** This is the most time-consuming part, but it’s essential for a delicious pie. Aim for slices that are about ¼ inch thick.
2. **Toss with lemon juice:** Place the sliced apples in a large mixing bowl and toss them with lemon juice to prevent browning and add a touch of brightness.
3. **Combine dry ingredients:** In the same bowl, add the granulated sugar, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Toss everything together until the apples are evenly coated.
4. **Dot with butter:** Scatter the small pieces of butter over the apple mixture. This will add richness and flavor to the filling.

### Step 2: Make the Crisp Topping

1. **Combine dry ingredients:** In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt.
2. **Cut in the butter:** Add the cold butter pieces to the dry ingredients. Use a pastry blender or fork to cut the butter into the mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs. The mixture should be crumbly, with small pea-sized pieces of butter still visible. This is key to achieving a crispy topping.

### Step 3: Assemble and Bake the Pie

1. **Pour the filling into the pie plate:** Transfer the apple filling into the 9-inch pie plate, spreading it evenly.
2. **Sprinkle with crisp topping:** Sprinkle the crisp topping evenly over the apple filling. Make sure to cover the entire surface.
3. **Bake:** Bake in a preheated oven at 375°F (190°C) for 45-55 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and the filling is bubbly. If the topping starts to brown too quickly, you can tent the pie with aluminum foil.
4. **Let cool:** Remove the pie from the oven and let it cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes before slicing and serving. This allows the filling to set slightly.

### Step 4: Make the Caramel Sauce

1. **Combine caramels and cream:** In a saucepan or microwave-safe bowl, combine the unwrapped caramels and heavy cream.
2. **Melt the caramels:** If using a saucepan, heat over low heat, stirring constantly, until the caramels are melted and the sauce is smooth. If using a microwave, heat in 30-second intervals, stirring in between, until melted and smooth.
3. **Add salt:** Stir in a pinch of salt to balance the sweetness.

### Step 5: Drizzle and Serve

1. **Drizzle with caramel:** Drizzle the warm caramel sauce over the pie before serving. You can also serve the caramel sauce on the side.
2. **Serve warm:** This pie is best served warm, either on its own or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

## Tips for Success

* **Use a variety of apples:** Combining different types of apples will give your pie a more complex flavor and texture. Honeycrisp, Gala, Fuji, and Granny Smith are all excellent choices.
* **Don’t overmix the crisp topping:** Overmixing can result in a tough topping. Mix just until the butter is incorporated and the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
* **Bake until golden brown:** The topping should be golden brown and crispy. If it starts to brown too quickly, you can tent the pie with aluminum foil.
* **Let the pie cool:** Allowing the pie to cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing will help the filling set and prevent it from being too runny.
* **Make ahead:** You can prepare the apple filling and crisp topping up to 24 hours in advance. Store them separately in the refrigerator and assemble the pie just before baking. The caramel sauce can also be made ahead of time and reheated before serving.
* **Don’t skip the lemon juice**: Lemon juice not only prevents the apples from browning, but also adds a nice tartness that complements the sweetness of the filling.
* **Adjust the sweetness to your liking:** If you prefer a less sweet pie, you can reduce the amount of sugar in the filling and topping.
* **Add nuts to the topping:** For added flavor and texture, you can add chopped nuts, such as pecans or walnuts, to the crisp topping.
* **Use cold butter:** Cold butter is essential for creating a crumbly and crispy topping. Make sure the butter is very cold before cutting it into the dry ingredients.
* **Check for doneness:** To check if the pie is done, insert a knife into the center of the filling. If the apples are tender and the juices are bubbly, the pie is ready.

## Variations and Customizations

* **Add nuts:** Chopped pecans, walnuts, or almonds can be added to the crisp topping for extra flavor and texture.
* **Use different spices:** Experiment with other spices, such as ginger, cardamom, or cloves, in addition to cinnamon and nutmeg.
* **Add dried fruit:** Raisins, cranberries, or dried cherries can be added to the apple filling for a chewy texture and extra sweetness.
* **Make it gluten-free:** Use gluten-free flour and oats to make this pie gluten-free.
* **Add a streusel topping:** Instead of a crisp topping, you can use a streusel topping made with flour, butter, sugar, and nuts.
* **Make mini pies:** Use muffin tins to make individual mini caramel apple crisp pies.
* **Add a crumble topping:** Similar to a crisp, a crumble usually has nuts in the mix and bigger chunks of butter. It gives another nice texture to the pie.

## Serving Suggestions

* **Vanilla ice cream:** A scoop of vanilla ice cream is the perfect complement to warm apple pie.
* **Whipped cream:** A dollop of whipped cream adds a light and airy touch.
* **Caramel sauce:** Extra caramel sauce for drizzling.
* **Cinnamon:** A sprinkle of ground cinnamon.
* **Cheddar cheese:** In some regions, it’s common to serve apple pie with a slice of cheddar cheese.
* **Coffee or tea:** A warm beverage is the perfect accompaniment to dessert.
* **With a sprinkle of sea salt**: A tiny sprinkle of sea salt can bring out the sweetness and enhance all the other flavors.

## Storage Instructions

* **Room temperature:** The pie can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 days. Cover it loosely with plastic wrap or foil.
* **Refrigerator:** For longer storage, the pie can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Make sure to cover it tightly.
* **Freezer:** The baked pie can be frozen for up to 3 months. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and then in aluminum foil. Thaw in the refrigerator before serving.

## Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

**Q: Can I use canned apple pie filling?**
A: While it’s best to use fresh apples for the best flavor and texture, you can use canned apple pie filling in a pinch. However, you may need to adjust the amount of sugar in the filling, as canned pie filling is often very sweet.

**Q: Can I use a different type of apple?**
A: Yes, you can use any type of apple that you like. Honeycrisp, Gala, Fuji, and Granny Smith are all good choices.

**Q: Can I make this pie ahead of time?**
A: Yes, you can prepare the apple filling and crisp topping up to 24 hours in advance. Store them separately in the refrigerator and assemble the pie just before baking. The caramel sauce can also be made ahead of time and reheated before serving.

**Q: How do I prevent the pie crust from burning?**
A: Since this recipe does not have a traditional pie crust, burning is not usually an issue. However, if the topping starts to brown too quickly, you can tent the pie with aluminum foil.

**Q: My apple filling is too watery. What can I do?**
A: Make sure you are using enough flour to thicken the filling. You can also try adding a tablespoon of cornstarch to the filling. Letting the pie cool completely before slicing will also help the filling set.

**Q: Can I add spices other than cinnamon and nutmeg?**
A: Yes, you can experiment with other spices such as ginger, cardamom, or cloves.

**Q: How do I reheat the pie?**
A: You can reheat the pie in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) for 10-15 minutes, or until warmed through. You can also reheat individual slices in the microwave.

**Q: Can I use salted butter?**
A: I recommend using unsalted butter so that you can control the amount of salt in the recipe. If you only have salted butter on hand, you can use it, but you may want to reduce the amount of salt in the recipe.

**Q: What if I don’t have rolled oats?**
A: You can use quick-cooking oats as a substitute for rolled oats. The texture might be slightly different, but it will still work well.

**Q: Can I make this recipe vegan?**
A: Yes, you can make this recipe vegan by using vegan butter, plant-based milk (like almond or soy milk) in the caramel sauce, and ensuring that your sugar is vegan-friendly (some refined sugars are processed with bone char).

**Q: Is it necessary to peel the apples?**
A: While the pie will work with unpeeled apples, peeling them gives the pie a smoother texture and allows the flavors to meld better. It is recommended, but if you prefer unpeeled apples, that will work too.

**Q: Can I add a splash of alcohol to the filling?**
A: Yes, a tablespoon or two of bourbon, rum, or apple brandy can add a delicious depth of flavor to the filling. Add it when you add the lemon juice and other filling ingredients.

## Enjoy This Delicious Fall Treat!

This Easy Caramel Apple Crisp Pie is a perfect dessert for any occasion. With its warm flavors, crispy topping, and luscious caramel sauce, it’s sure to become a family favorite. Enjoy!