Sweet & Crunchy Caramel Apple Pie
This Sweet & Crunchy Caramel Apple Pie is a delightful twist on the classic dessert that brings together the warmth of homemade pie with the sweet aroma of caramelized apples. Inspired by Paula Deen's beloved recipe, this pie features a unique filling made with fresh, crisp apples mixed with smooth applesauce, enhancing the flavor and giving the filling a perfect texture. Topped with a buttery, crumbly crunch topping and a beautiful lattice crust, this pie is sure to become a family favorite. Serve it warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for an unbeatable dessert experience that will leave everyone asking for seconds!
8
Servings
N/A
Calories
13
Ingredients
Ingredients
Pastry for double-crust pie
1 (9-inch) (homemade, frozen or refrigerated)
Sugar
3/4 cup (divided (1 tablespoon for topping))
All-purpose flour
1 tablespoon (for filling)
Ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon
Salt
1 dash
Peeled chopped cooking apples
3 1/2 cups (preferably Golden Delicious, Rome, or Granny Smith)
Lemon juice
1 tablespoon
Applesauce
1 (16-ounce) jar
Butter
2 tablespoons (chopped into small pieces for filling)
All-purpose flour
3 tablespoons (for crunch topping)
Sugar
1 tablespoon (for crunch topping)
Salt
1 dash (for crunch topping)
Butter
1 tablespoon (at room temperature for crunch topping)
Instructions
1
Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C).
2
Roll out half of the pie dough and line a 9-inch pie pan with it, ensuring that it fits snugly.
3
In a medium bowl, toss the peeled and chopped apples with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice to prevent browning.
4
In another small bowl, mix together the sugar, 1 tablespoon of flour, ground cinnamon, and salt. Sprinkle this mixture over the apples, tossing to coat evenly.
5
Add the applesauce to the apple mixture and combine well. Pour this filling into the prepared pie crust and dot with pieces of the chopped butter.
6
Cut the remaining crust into strips and arrange them in a lattice pattern over the pie filling, weaving the strips as you go.
7
In a separate bowl, prepare the crunch topping by mixing the 3 tablespoons of flour, the tablespoon of sugar, and a dash of salt. Cut in the room temperature butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
8
Sprinkle the crunch topping over the lattice crust, ensuring even coverage.
9
Bake the pie in the preheated oven for 10 minutes. After this, reduce the temperature to 350°F (175°C) and continue baking for about 45 minutes, or until the crust and topping are a beautiful golden brown. Keep an eye on your pie; it may be done sooner—especially if using Golden Delicious apples (after about 30 minutes).
10
For best results, create a foil ring around the pie crust edge during the last 20 minutes of baking to prevent over-browning.
Nutrition Information
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes the Sweet & Crunchy Caramel Apple Pie unique?
This pie is unique because it combines fresh, crisp apples with smooth applesauce in the filling, topped with a buttery crunch and a lattice crust.
Who is the inspiration for this apple pie recipe?
This recipe is inspired by Paula Deen's beloved version of apple pie.
Which types of apples are recommended for the best results?
Golden Delicious, Rome, or Granny Smith apples are the preferred cooking apples for this recipe.
Why do you need to add lemon juice to the apples?
Lemon juice is tossed with the peeled and chopped apples to prevent them from browning before baking.
How does the applesauce improve the pie filling?
The applesauce enhances the flavor and gives the filling a perfect, smooth texture that complements the fresh apple chunks.
What is the correct oven temperature to start baking the pie?
The oven should be preheated and the pie should start baking at 425 degrees Fahrenheit (220 degrees Celsius).
When should the oven temperature be reduced during baking?
After the first 10 minutes of baking, reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius).
How do you create the top of the pie?
The top features a lattice pattern made by weaving strips of the remaining pie crust dough over the filling.
What ingredients are used to make the crunch topping?
The crunch topping is made from 3 tablespoons of flour, 1 tablespoon of sugar, a dash of salt, and 1 tablespoon of room temperature butter.
How do you achieve the coarse crumb texture for the topping?
Cut the room temperature butter into the flour, sugar, and salt mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs.
What is the total baking time at the lower 350 degree temperature?
The pie should bake for approximately 45 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit, or until it reaches a golden brown color.
How does the baking time change if I use Golden Delicious apples?
If using Golden Delicious apples, the pie may be finished sooner, potentially after only 30 minutes of baking at the lower temperature.
How can I prevent the pie crust edges from over-browning?
Create a protective foil ring around the edge of the pie crust during the last 20 minutes of baking.
What size of pie pan is required for this recipe?
A standard 9-inch pie pan is required for this recipe.
How many people does this Sweet & Crunchy Caramel Apple Pie serve?
This recipe is designed to yield approximately 8 servings.
What should I do with the chopped butter for the filling?
The 2 tablespoons of chopped butter should be dotted over the apple filling before you arrange the lattice crust.
What options do I have for the pie pastry?
You can use homemade, frozen, or refrigerated pastry for a 9-inch double-crust pie.
How do I prepare the bottom crust of the pie?
Roll out half of the dough and line the 9-inch pie pan, ensuring that it fits snugly against the bottom and sides.
What is the purpose of the one tablespoon of flour in the filling?
One tablespoon of flour is mixed with sugar and spices to coat the apples and help thicken the filling juices.
What spices are used to flavor the apple filling?
The recipe calls for ground cinnamon to provide warmth and spice to the apple mixture.
What is the recommended way to serve this dessert?
For the best experience, serve the pie warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Where do you apply the crunch topping?
The crunch topping should be sprinkled evenly over the top of the lattice crust before the pie goes into the oven.
How much sugar is required for the main apple filling?
The main filling requires 3/4 cup of sugar, minus the one tablespoon reserved for the topping.
How much sugar is used in the crunch topping specifically?
Exactly one tablespoon of sugar is used to create the sweet crunch topping.
Is salt used in both the filling and the topping?
Yes, a dash of salt is included in both the apple filling mixture and the crunch topping mixture.
How do I know when the pie has finished baking?
The pie is done when both the lattice crust and the crunch topping have turned a beautiful golden brown.
How many cups of chopped apples are needed for the filling?
You will need 3 1/2 cups of peeled and chopped cooking apples.
What size of applesauce jar is required?
The recipe requires one 16-ounce jar of applesauce.
When do you add the crunch topping to the pie?
The crunch topping is sprinkled over the lattice crust just before placing the pie in the preheated oven.
What is the recipe category for this dish?
This dish is categorized as a Pie and is considered a classic comfort food dessert.