This recipe takes all your favorite aspects of an apple pie and amplifies them into one incredibly delicious Apple Pie with Crumb Topping. Flaky, buttery puff pastry is layered with creamy caramel sauce, filled with warm cinnamon apples and covered with a sweet crumb topping. It's finished, of course, with another generous drizzle of that dreamy caramel sauce. It's simple to make but incredibly special to eat. Maybe that's why my mom, being the health nut that she was, always made an exception for this dessert. She'd happily eat it as a meal of its own for breakfast or dinner - a special treat we'd enjoy together after sports games or for birthdays. It's become a nostalgic treasure for me, and making it now is a sweet reminder of all those times we shared it.
Why I Love This
- Puff Pastry Crust: I absolutely LOVE the chewy, buttery, falkiness of the puff pastry on this pie. It sets it apart and makes every bite so satisfying. Plus, it's way quicker than a traditional crust!
- Caramel Delight: The addition of the caramel sauce to the Apple Pie with Crumb Topping makes it just superb! It's not too sweet but has that extra special flavor and texture that keeps you begging for more.
- Holiday Perfection: This Apple Pie with Crumb Topping is quick and easy to pull together making it ideal for the busy holidays. Bring new life to your Thanksgiving table or a sweet treat to your Christmas breakfast.
Try my Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls or my Currant Scones for more great holiday dessert ideas!
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Ingredients
- Puff Pastry - I have chosen to use store bought (9"x9") puff pastry (you can even find gluten free varieties!) for ease and speed but you are more than welcome to make your own! I have also kept the sheets large but you could cut them into smaller sizes for miniature pie too.
- Apples - because of the caramel sauce in this pie, I have used two Granny Smith apples and one Gala apple to help balance the sweetness. You are welcome to play with what balance and variety you like best.
- Caramel Sauce - I made my own caramel sauce but store bought works well too. I would just encourage you to buy a high quality caramel sauce rather than a cheaper one from a squeeze tube.
- Flour, butter, oats and brown sugar - these are the ingredients needed for the oat crumble on top. Feel free to use gluten free options if needed.
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Step 1: Preheat oven to 400°F. Preheat oven to 400°F. In a small bowl combine the brown sugar and melted butter. Mix to combine. Add the flour, rolled oats, cinnamon and salt and mix well to form crumble mixture.
Step 2: Peel and cut each apple into quarters, each quarter into three slices and then dice into small pieces. Slice the Granny Smith apples thinner than the Gala apples to allow for even baking. Add the flour, spices and granulated sugar and toss until evenly coated.
Step 3: Trim the puff pastry into a circle and transfer to your baking sheet (lining it with parchment paper allows for easy clean up).
Step 4: Spread the caramel sauce over the center of the puff pastry leaving a 1-inch border around the edges. Arrange 1 ½ cups of apples over the caramel sauce, then fold and pinch the pastry edges over the apples. Sprinkle the crumb topping evenly over the exposed apples.
Step 5: Bake at 400°F for 20-22 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown and the apples are tender.
Step 6: Drizzle with additional caramel sauce and serve warm, with a scoop of ice cream if desired.
Hint: You can cut your puff pastry into any size that suits you. I chose to make one pie out each sheet of pastry but you could easily cut them and make four small ones or even use muffin tins to make miniature pies that way.
Substitutions
- Gluten-Free - you can buy gluten-free puff pastry and use cornstarch or a gluten-free flour on the apples.
- Dairy-Free - there are dairy-free puff pastry and caramel sauce options available in stores or you can make your own as well.
Variations
- Apples - using different varieties of apples is a fun way to change up this Apple Pie with Crumb Topping. Use all Granny Smith for more of a caramel apple flavor or try sweet apples like Fuji for a really sweet pie.
- Deluxe - try adding in some berries or use pears instead of apples! Baking times may vary!
- 100% Homemade - feel free to make your own puff pastry and caramel sauce for an extra treat!
Try my Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp, my Peach Rhubarb Crisp or my Blueberry Peach Cobbler for more fruit filled desserts!
Storage
The first few days: This Apple Pie with Crumb Topping can be stored on the counter simply covered with a tea towel for the first day. After that it should be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container or cover the pie tightly with plastic wrap for to 3-4 days.
Freezing: You can freeze this after it has been baked either as a whole or as individual pieces. Store in the freezer in an airtight container or bag for up to 3 months. It is ideal to freeze this dessert prior to baking. See the "Top Tip" below for more details.
Reheating: You can warm slices or the whole pie in the oven at 350°F for about 8-12 minutes or until heated through. An air fryer also works well. The microwave tends to make the puff pastry soggy.
Top Tip - Prep Ahead
Freezing: This can be a great make-ahead dessert that you freeze before baking. Prepare the Apple Pie with Crumb Topping as directed but add about 2 teaspoons extra flour to the apples as they release a little more moisture after being frozen. Freeze on parchment paper in an airtight container or bag. Bake from frozen but expect the baking time to be longer.
Prep-Ahead: If you are simply wanting to prepare this ahead of time (24 hours or less) you can make the elements of the pie and assemble them right before baking. I don't recommend assembling the pie and storing it in the fridge as the apples can make the puff pastry soggy. The puff pastry, crumb topping, caramel sauce and sliced apples with spices can all be covered and stored in the fridge up to 24 hours for quick assembly when ready. The puff pastry and crumb topping can be made even further in advance and frozen until needed.
FAQ
I like to use a more tart apple in this recipe to balance the sweetness of the caramel sauce. I have used a combination of Gala and Granny Smith so create the best balance.
Absolutely! I recommend trying to find a high quality caramel sauce that isn't too thin.
You can make this pie ahead of time and freeze it or you can make elements of this pie ahead of time to make assembly quick (see "Top Tip").
Yes! Use two sheets of puff pastry to line your pie plate (10-inch) and use the same amount of everything else! Baking times may vary.
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Apple Pie with Crumb Topping
- Total Time: 35-37 minutes
- Yield: 3 x 7-inch pies 1x
Description
This recipe takes all your favorite aspects of an apple pie and amplifies them into one incredibly delicious dessert. Flaky, buttery puff pastry is layered with creamy caramel sauce, filled with warm cinnamon apples and covered with a sweet crumb topping. It's finished, of course, with another generous drizzle of that dreamy caramel sauce. It's simple to make but incredibly special to eat.
Ingredients
For the Crumb Topping:
- 6 tablespoons (72 grams) brown sugar lightly packed
- ¼ cup (2 ounces) butter melted
- ½ cup (62 grams) all purpose flour
- 6 tablespoons (32 grams) rolled oats
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
For the Fruit:
- 3 x puff pastry sheets 9"x9" each
- 2 (~340 grams) Granny Smith apples diced thinly
- 1 (~180 grams) Gala Apples diced twice as thick as the Granny Smith
- ⅓ cup (66 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon (10 grams) all purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¾ cup (240 grams) caramel sauce divided
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. In a small bowl combine the brown sugar and melted butter. Mix to combine. Add the flour, rolled oats, cinnamon and salt and mix well to form crumble mixture.
- Peel and cut each apple into quarters, each quarter into three slices and then dice into small pieces. Slice the Granny Smith apples thinner than the Gala apples to allow for even baking (this should total about 4 ½ cups of cut apples). Add the flour, spices and granulated sugar and toss until evenly coated.
- Trim the puff pastry into a circle and transfer to your baking sheet (lining it with parchment paper allows for easy clean up).
- Spread the caramel sauce over the center of the puff pastry leaving a 1-inch border around the edges. Arrange 1 ½ cups of apples over the caramel sauce, then fold and pinch the pastry edges over the apples. Sprinkle the crumb topping evenly over the exposed apples.
- Bake at 400°F for 20-22 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown and the apples are tender.
- Drizzle with additional caramel sauce and serve warm, with a scoop of ice cream if desired.
*All nutritional information is an estimation only. Exact nutritional value depends on exact amounts and ingredients used.
Notes
This recipe makes three 7-inch open faced pies. The amount of apples called for would also make one pie in a regular 10-inch pie plate. You will only need two sheets of puff pastry to line your pie plate in this instance. Baking times may vary
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20-22 minutes
- Category: Breakfast, Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Jenice Wallace says
This might be one of my favorite desserts! I absolutely love the puff pastry in place of a traditional crust and love making the smaller pies so you get more pastry per bite! The caramel sauce is the winning touch that adds the perfect amount of sweetness and additional flavor a traditional apple pie lacks. The crunchy topping is the perfect finishing touch! I'm truly in love with this one!