Caramel Apple Pie with Cheddar
Thank you Florida Dairy Farmers for sponsoring this caramel apple pie recipe. As usual, all opinions are 100% mine and I love sharing with you brands/products I use and enjoy in my kitchen.
We are at it again folks, doing the caramel and apple dance! Since these salted caramel apple cupcakes, I upped my fall recipe game and made a pie. Actually it’s thanks to a gazzilion apples from our apple picking trip last week if I am being honest and there’s no better way to use up pounds of apple than making an apple pie. It’s not your good ole apple pie recipe (that’s a classic) but an apple pie with cheddar cheese in the crust and caramel in all it’s nooks and crannies.
Like all my favorite pies, this caramel apple pie starts with a buttery and flaky crust. The exception here is that the crust is enhanced with sharp cheddar cheese adding a layer of flavor to the crust. This sharp cheddar resonates in every bite and pairs well with the spiced apple filling drizzled with a touch (or tons!) of caramel. Sweet, salty and perfectly tender apple filling is what makes this pie special.
I know not everyone makes pies but if you make one apple dessert this season, it has to be this pie. It’s worth every ounce of the trouble because the lovely combination of spiced apples and sharp cheddar with sweet and salty caramel is just remarkable. You have to try it!
Caramel Apple Pie
Ingredients
For Pie Crust
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 14 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
- ½ cup grated extra sharp cheddar, cold
- Ice cold water
- 1 egg, beaten
- Turbinado sugar for sprinkling
For the Filling
- 4 pounds apples, peeled cored and thinly sliced (I used a combination of Macintoshes, Galas and Cortlands)
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup dark brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup caramel sauce
Instructions
To prepare crust
- Prepare ½ cup ice-cold water and keep in fridge. In a food processor, pulse flour, sugar and salt. Add in half of the butter and pulse for 30 seconds. Add in the rest of butter and cheese and pulse until the mixture looks like coarse meal. Sprinkle about 6 tablespoons cold water over mixture and pulse until dough comes together in clumps. If dry, add a little bit more water (1 teaspoon at a time). Remove dough from processor and form into a disk. Divide dough into two disks; one slightly bigger than the other and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill for at least an hour.. The dough can be made up to 3 days ahead. Keep chilled. Let stand at room temperature 15-30 minutes before rolling out.
- Roll out larger disk of dough on a lightly floured surface to a large 12-inch circle. Fit into an ungreased 9-inch pie dish, crimping the edges into your desired style. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
For filling:
- While dough chills, prepare the filling. In a large dutch oven (or heavy bottomed saucepan), combine the apples, sugars, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and lemon juice. Toss together and cook over medium heat until apples are tender, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer to a large bowl. Let cool to room temperature. Once cooled, mix in cornstarch and salt until well combined. Set aside as you prepare the dough.
- Roll out the other disk of dough similarly into a 12-inch circle. Cut into strips to create a lattice top. The number of strips and size depends on the look you want. Set strips aside. (Alternatively, for a full covered pie, do not cut into strips. Leave the 12-inch circle whole).
- Pile the apple filling into the crust; making sure it’s piled high in the center. Drizzle the caramel sauce over the filling. Create a lattice top by weaving the strips over the filling (or just cover with round 12-inch circle if make a full covered pie.). Crimp the edges to your desired look.
- Brush the top of the pie with the egg wash and sprinkle generously with turbinado sugar. Place pie dish onto a baking sheet and bake for 50-60 minutes, or until filling is bubbling and pie crust is golden. Check pie at 30 minutes to see if edges are browning too quickly. If they are, cover loosely with foil and continue baking. Remove pie once done and let cool on a wire rack for at least 2 hours before serving.
Z, I LOVE this pie!!! Cheddar cheese in the crust and caramel?!!! oh my gawd, this is seriously brilliant! I love it!
Thank you Alice!!
As a Floridian, I love that you are supporting the Florida Dairy Farmers! This pie looks incredible. Apple pie is a classic favorite and I love that you added caramel!
Hhaha! You are one of my favorite Floridians 😉
This pie looks incredible, Z! I love that you added cheddar to the crust and the caramel sauce is the perfect addition!
Thanks Kelly!
Oh the caramel totally kicks this pie up a notch! I’m in love. It looks amazing. I have yet to go apple picking this year. I need to get on it STAT!
You need to!! The apples are juicy right now.
HOLY Cow this is so so so so so gorgeous!!! OMG Z!
Thanks girl!
I could do the caramel n’ apple dance daily! (#PartyInTheUsa) I LOVE a good classic apple pie, but I am seriously smitten with your addition of sharp cheddar cheese to the crust! GENIUS! I bet that tastes simply amazing! Pinned! Cheers to a fabulous day, lil’ lady!
It’s really a party and I am glad you are up for it!!
This has got to be the most brilliant flavor combo ever! I would have never thought to add cheese, but I LOVE IT! Pinned!
Thanks for sharing Taylor!
So you have your fruit, dairy and caramel all in a dessert form?! Genius!! Total winner here Zainab! 🙂
Pretty much! Most of the food groups lol!
OMG, this pie looks AMAZING! Cheddar in the crust – this is brilliant, I would never think of putting it in the sweet pie crust, but it sounds like it fits perfectly with this one. I will have to try this one!
It’s really a great match and you will enjoy it if you try it.
Oh, my goodness! This pie sounds amazing!
Apples and cheddar pair perfectly together and I love the caramel for that extra dimension of flavor- cool idea!
They really do!!
The crust sounds interesting and the pie looks just amazing 🙂 caramel and apples.. yummm!
Thanks Medeja! The curst is delightful 🙂