Apple pie is one of those quintessential American foods. Every kitchen has their own version, as unique as the family themselves. Some swear by a particular apple variety, others use whatever they have on hand (that’s usually me!). Some prefer a little spice, others plain. The recipes can be as diverse as the great people of our country.
Ever wonder why apple pie is considered the American dessert? I was curious and found this interesting article from Better Homes and Gardens. A recipe for apple pie was found in the first American cookbook all the way back in 1796! A little digging and I found a blog that describes how those first pies were created. Aside from using mace and boiling the apples first, apple pie hasn’t changed much!
This caramel apple pie recipe creates a gooey, sweet sauce that pairs perfectly with the flaky, buttery pie crust. This is one of The Hubby’s preferred breakfasts, paired with a steaming fresh cup of coffee. We usually can never wait long enough for the pie to completely cool down, hence the oozing sauce in the picture. Caramel Apple Pie can be enjoyed with ice cream, whipped cream, or all by itself. Enjoy!
Caramel Apple Pie
Ingredients
- 1 double crust pie crust
- 8 medium apples peeled and sliced thinly
- 1 tsp lemon juice fresh is best, but bottled works as well
- 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp allspice
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1 cup sugar
- 4 tbsp cornstarch
- 3 tbsp butter chilled and cubed
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
Instructions
- Roll out bottom crust and fit into a deep dish pie plate. Roll out top crust and place on lightly floured cookie sheet. Place in fridge to chill while preparing apples.
- Preheat oven to 425F.
- Place prepared apples in a large bowl. Sprinkle lemon juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and ginger over apples and toss gently to combine. Set aside while making caramel sauce.
- Combine cold water, sugar, cornstarch and salt in a medium pot. Whisk until cornstarch is well mixed, then turn heat on to medium.
- Whisking occasionally, bring the mixture to a gentle boil. Whisk constantly as the mixture boils and thickens, for about 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat. You want the sauce to be thickened, but still easily pourable.
- Remove pie crusts from the fridge. Pour the caramel sauce over the apples and mix well. Pour apples into the bottom crust. Evenly distribute the butter cubes on the apples. Place remaining crust on top and seal. (Wetting the bottom crust edges with a little water helps the two crusts stick together.)
- Flute the edges or use a fork to press the two together. Using a sharp knife or kitchen razor, score the top.
- Sprinkle the top of the pie with 1 tbsp of sugar. Place pie on cookie sheet and bake it on the middle rack of the oven for 15 minutes at 425F.
- After 15 minutes, turn down the temperature of the oven to 350F and continue to bake for 50-60 minutes or until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbly. If the crust is browning too quickly, use aluminum foil to loosely cover the top.
- Once done, remove pie from the baking sheet and cool on a cooling rack. Allow pie to cool for 3-4 hours before slicing into. This gives the filling time to set up.
- Serve with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream or all on its own!
