Caramel apple crumb pie layers thinly sliced tart apples with homemade caramel sauce under a buttery streusel topping. The caramel soaks into the apples as the pie bakes. The streusel turns golden and crisp on top.
No top crust to roll out and no lattice to weave. The streusel does all the work.
Why This Caramel Apple Crumb Pie Works
Tart apples hold up to the caramel. Granny Smith is the go-to. Pink Lady, Cortland, Jonathan, and McIntosh work too. Sweet apples like Fuji or Gala break down into mush under all that caramel and the pie loses its structure. You want an apple with bite.
Slice the apples thin. A thick apple slice does not cook through in forty minutes and you end up with crunchy fruit in a soft pie. Thin slices soften evenly and the caramel seeps into every layer.
Homemade caramel sauce is five ingredients and takes less than ten minutes. Butter, brown sugar, heavy cream, vanilla. Melt, stir, let it bubble for a few minutes, pull it off the heat. No candy thermometer. No stress. The same caramel works on ice cream, cheesecake, or spooned straight from the jar.
Streusel topping replaces the top crust. Melted butter stirred into brown sugar and flour, pinched into crumbles over the top. It bakes up crisp and buttery without rolling out a second crust. Less work. More texture.
The crust comes together in one bowl. Flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon, cold water a tablespoon at a time. Knead, roll, press into the plate. No butter to cut in. No chilling. Simple and it works.
Cool before slicing. The caramel needs time to set. Cut into a hot pie and the filling runs across the plate. Let it cool and the slices hold their shape.
How to Make Caramel Apple Crumb Pie
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Make the crust first. Combine the flour, sugar, salt, and cinnamon in a bowl. Add water one tablespoon at a time, mixing until a ball of dough forms. If it is crumbly, add a little more water. Knead the dough, roll it out wide enough to fit a 9-inch pie plate, and press it in. Trim the edges.
- Make the caramel sauce. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the brown sugar and let it melt. Add the heavy cream and bring to a low boil. Stir constantly and cook for 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Set aside to cool.
- Peel, core, and thinly slice the apples. Layer half of the apples into the pie crust. Drizzle half of the caramel sauce over the apples. Layer the remaining apples and drizzle the rest of the caramel on top.
- Make the streusel. Melt the butter and stir in the brown sugar. Add the flour and mix until crumbly. Pinch off pieces with your fingers and scatter them across the top of the pie.
- Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the streusel is golden brown and the caramel is bubbling around the edges. Remove from the oven and let the pie cool completely before slicing.
Quick Tips
- Use tart apples. Granny Smith, Pink Lady, or McIntosh. Sweet apples turn to mush.
- Slice thin. Thick slices do not cook through in time.
- Cool the pie completely before cutting. Caramel needs time to set.
- Save extra pie dough. Wrap in plastic and freeze for up to three months.
- The streusel will feel wet. That is fine. Pinch it with your fingers and crumble it on.
Make Ahead and Storage
Store baked pie covered at room temperature for up to two days or in the refrigerator for up to five. The streusel softens in the fridge. Warm individual slices in the oven for a few minutes to crisp the topping back up.
The caramel sauce can be made a day ahead. Store it in a jar in the fridge and rewarm on the stove or in the microwave until pourable.
Unused pie dough freezes well. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap, then a freezer bag, and freeze for up to three months. Thaw on the counter before rolling.
More Apple Desserts
For a classic lattice-top version, try my Caramel Apple Pie. My apple cinnamon oatmeal cookies are another fall favorite with diced apples and vanilla icing. For a warm breakfast bake, make my apple cinnamon roll bake.
📖 Recipe
Caramel Apple Crumb Pie
Ingredients
- 5½ cups thinly sliced tart apples - peeled, cored
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 4-6 tablespoon water
Caramel Sauce
- 1 ½ cups brown sugar
- 8 tablespoon unsalted butter - (1 stick)
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Streusel Topping
- ¼ cup unsalted butter - (½ stick)
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup flour
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F
- Combine the 2 cups of all-purpose flour, the 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, and 2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon together in a bowl. It will be crumbly.
- Add the water in 1 tablespoon at a time and blend together the ingredients until a ball of dough forms.
- If it is crumbly add a small amount more of water.
- Knead the dough and then roll it out wide enough fit inside the pie place.
- Press the dough into the pie plate and trim the edges.
- Peel and thinly slice the tart apples and layer half of them into the pie.
- Drizzle half of the caramel sauce on the apples, then repeat the layers.
- Sprinkle the streusel topping on top of the pie and bake in the oven for about 35-40 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and allow the pie to cool before cutting.
Caramel Sauce
- In a small saucepan, melt the butter.
- Stir in the brown sugar and allow the sugar to melt.
- Add the heavy cream and heat to a low boil. Stir constantly and allow it to cook for about 3-5 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and add in the vanilla.
- Stir and allow it to cool.
Streusel Topping
- Melt the ¼ cup of butter then stir in the brown sugar. Add the flour and mix until it is crumbly.
- Pinch pieces off with fingers and sprinkle it on top of the pie.
Notes
- Use tart apples. Granny Smith is best. Pink Lady or McIntosh work too.
- Slice apples thin so they cook through in 40 minutes.
- Cool the pie completely before slicing or the caramel runs.
- The streusel will feel wet before baking. Pinch with your fingers and crumble it on.
- Extra pie dough freezes for up to 3 months. Wrap tight in plastic then a freezer bag.
- Caramel sauce can be made a day ahead. Store in the fridge and rewarm before using.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate based on third-party calculations. Actual values may vary due to ingredients, measurements, and serving sizes.
© Mama Needs Cake
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Her recipes range from classic comfort foods to healthy and nutritious meals, and she is always on the lookout for new and exciting ways to bring flavor and variety to the table.
