Caramel Apple Streusel Pie
Caramel Apple Streusel Pie is the most decadently delicious pie you’ll eat all year! Featuring a buttery, flaky pie crust, filled with perfectly-sweetened apples and topped with a toffee-studded streusel topping. This is your new go-to pie recipe!
Servings 10 servings
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 1 (single crust)
Best Ever Pie Crust , chilled overnight
For the filling:
- 6 large (1260 grams) Granny Smith or Jonathan apples, cored, peeled, and sliced about ⅛-inch thick
- 1/2 cup (100 grams) packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup (32 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/4 cup (59 ml) heavy cream
- 4 tablespoons (57 grams) unsalted butter
For the streusel topping:
- 3/4 cup (96 grams) all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons (25 grams) granulated sugar
- 4 tablespoons (50 grams) light brown sugar
- 5 tablespoons (71 grams) unsalted butter, cold, cut into small pieces
- 1 cup (240 grams)
homemade toffee bits ,or Heath brand
Instructions
Blind bake the crust:
- Remove the pie crust from the fridge. Let sit at room temperature for about 5 minutes, until slightly pliable.
- Roll the dough out on a floured work surface. Keep turning the dough after every roll to ensure it doesn’t stick to the counter and is of even thickness. Roll out into a 13-inch circle about 1/8-inch thick.
- Gently roll the dough up and around the rolling pin, then unroll and drape over a 9-inch deep dish pie pan (safe for freezer-to-oven). Gently press into the cavity of the pie pan, being careful to avoid stretching it to fit. Use scissors or a knife to trim the excess dough, leaving a 1-inch overhang. Fold the overhang under itself and crimp or flute. Pierce the bottom and sides of the crust all over with a fork. Freeze for 30 minutes, or until very firm.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425°F. Adjust the oven rack to the lower third position. If you have one, place a baking stone or steel on the oven rack to help the bottom crust remain crispy.
- Make ahead: At this point, you can place the pie tin in a zip-top bag or wrap very well in plastic and store in the freezer until ready to use. Defrost in the fridge overnight.
- Remove the pie shell from the freezer. Line the chilled crust in the pan with parchment or foil, pressing gently across the bottom and up the sides of the pie. Fill the crust with pie weights (or dry beans or sugar) completely flush to the top edge of the crust to prevent shrinking or slumping.
- Place on a rimmed, parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until pale and just beginning to brown but not raw. Carefully remove the foil and weights and continue baking for another 7-10 minutes, or until just turning golden.
- Remove pie and reduce oven temperature to 375°F.
Make the filling:
- Combine all the ingredients except the butter in a large bowl. Melt the butter in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the apple mixture and cook until the apples begin to soften, stirring frequently, about 8 minutes. Pour the apple mixture into the pie crust.
Make the topping and bake:
- In a medium bowl, combine the flour and sugars. Cut the butter into the flour with a fork until coarse crumbs form. Stir in the toffee bits. Sprinkle over the apple mixture. Wrap the edges of the pie crust with a crust shield or foil.
- Bake the pie on a parchment-lined baking sheet for about 35 to 40 minutes, or until the top and crust are golden brown and the center of the pie is no longer wet.
- Let cool until just barely warm, about 1 hour. Serve with vanilla ice cream.
- Store leftovers wrapped in foil for up to 2 days at room temperature. Reheat in a 350°F oven for 5 to 10 minutes to re-crisp the crust.
Video
Notes
Can I Make This Pie Ahead of Time?
There are a few make-ahead options for this Caramel Apple Streusel Pie recipe.
1. Pie Dough - The pie dough can be shaped into a disc and refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 2 months, as long as it’s well wrapped in plastic. Defrost in the fridge overnight if frozen.
2. Filling - The filling can be made 1 day ahead of time and stored in an airtight container in the fridge. Reheat in a skillet on medium-low heat until bubbling before adding to the blind-baked crust.
3. Streusel - The streusel can be prepped up to 3 days in advance and refrigerated in an airtight container until ready to use.
4. Baked Pie - Fruit pies keep at a cool room temperature, loosely covered, for up to 2 days.
5. Make Ahead and Freeze - You can also freeze fruit pies. Instructions right below.
Can I Freeze This Caramel Apple Streusel Pie?
1. Use a disposable aluminum foil pie pan for best results. These pans store easily and don’t add much additional bulk to the freezer, plus they can safely go from freezer to oven without the fear of the pan cracking or shattering. Bonus: no pie pan to clean afterward!
2. Follow the full instructions for blind baking the crust and cooking the apples. Allow both to completely cool separately.
3. Make the streusel and set aside in the fridge while the filling and crust cool.
4. Once everything is cooled, assemble the pie fully.
5. Double wrap the pie in plastic, then a layer of foil, and freeze for up to 1 month.
6. When you’re ready to bake, place the frozen pie on a baking sheet and cover the edges with aluminum foil or a pie crust shield. Bake at 375°F on the bottom rack for about 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes.
7. The bake time will depend on your oven, so keep an eye on it and pull from the oven once the center of the pie registers about 190°F on an instant-read thermometer. Allow to cool for about 1 hour before serving.