Easy Slab Caramel Apple Pie with Salted Caramel Sauce: The Ultimate Holiday Dessert
Get ready to impress without the stress! This **Slab Caramel Apple Pie with Salted Caramel Sauce** is the ultimate solution for serving a delicious, homemade apple pie to a crowd, especially during the busy holiday season. Forget the fuss of traditional round pies; this slab version simplifies the process while maximizing flavor and servings. Featuring a tender homemade pastry crust, a perfectly spiced apple filling, a delightful crunchy crumb topping, and a decadent drizzle of salted caramel sauce, it’s a dessert that’s both comforting and spectacular.
As the holiday season approaches, with Thanksgiving just around the corner and Christmas following closely, the thought of preparing elaborate meals can be overwhelming. But fear not! Dessert doesn’t have to be a source of anxiety. This easy slab apple pie recipe is designed for maximum impact with minimal effort, ensuring you can enjoy the festivities without spending endless hours in the kitchen.
Why a Slab Pie is Your Holiday Hero
Traditional round pies, while charming, can be intimidating to make and often don’t yield enough servings for larger gatherings. That’s where the beauty of a slab pie comes in. Baked in a standard half-sheet pan, this pie is designed to feed a significant number of guests with ease. The rectangular shape makes it incredibly simple to cut into uniform squares, perfect for portion control and less messy serving. There’s no need to meticulously crimp edges or worry about a perfect lattice top (unless you want to!). The focus shifts from intricate presentation to irresistible flavor and a generously shareable dessert experience. It’s truly a game-changer for holiday entertaining, allowing you to create a homemade treat that everyone will adore without the usual stress associated with pie making.
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The Irresistible Appeal of Apple Pie
There’s something truly magical about apple pie, especially as autumn leaves start to fall and the air turns crisp. For many, myself included, pie reigns supreme over other desserts like cake or cupcakes. It embodies comfort, tradition, and the cozy flavors of the season. When it comes to fall desserts, apple pie is undeniably king. However, I confess to struggling with the aesthetics of traditional round apple pies. Despite numerous attempts, I’ve often ended up with a soggy bottom crust or a lattice top that looks more like an abstract art piece than a perfect weave. This year, I decided to focus on what truly matters: exceptional flavor and ease of creation.
That’s why this slab pie is such a revelation. It champions deliciousness over daunting decoration. All you need to do is line a baking pan with a simple homemade crust, layer it with our delectable apple filling, and crown it with a glorious crumb topping. The result? A magnificent salted caramel apple pie that delivers on taste every single time, without the fuss. It’s the ultimate low-maintenance, high-reward dessert, ensuring a delightful experience for both the baker and everyone lucky enough to get a slice (or square!).
Essential Tools for Your Baking Success
Before you dive into baking this incredible slab pie, make sure you have a few key pieces of kitchen equipment on hand. These tools will make the process smooth and enjoyable:
- Mixing Bowls: You’ll need several, ideally in various sizes, to prepare the crust, filling, and crumb topping separately.
- Saucepan and Whisk: Absolutely essential for creating the silky-smooth salted caramel sauce. A medium-sized saucepan works best, and a good whisk will ensure a lump-free, perfectly emulsified sauce.
- Half Sheet Pan: This is the star of the show for a slab pie! A standard 18×13-inch half sheet pan with raised edges is perfect for baking this large-format dessert.
- Pastry Cutter or Two Forks: Crucial for cutting cold butter into the flour for both the crust and the crumb topping, ensuring flakiness.
- Rolling Pin: To roll out your pie crust evenly.
Having these simple tools ready will ensure your baking experience is efficient and fun, leading to a perfectly executed Slab Caramel Apple Pie every time.
How To Make This Spectacular Slab Caramel Apple Pie
Creating this delicious slab pie is straightforward and broken down into simple, manageable steps. Each component is designed for ease, allowing you to focus on the joy of baking. Here’s a detailed guide to bringing this incredible dessert to life:
Mastering the Homemade Crust
A great pie starts with a great crust, and our homemade pastry crust is wonderfully flaky and simple to prepare. The key to success here is using very cold butter, which creates pockets of steam during baking, resulting in that desirable flaky texture. You’ll combine flour, salt, sugar, and cardamom in a bowl, then cut in the cold, cubed butter until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Gradually add ice-cold water, just enough to bring the dough together. Be mindful not to overwork the dough, as this can lead to a tough crust. Once formed into a ball, wrap it tightly and refrigerate for at least two hours. This chilling time is essential for the butter to firm up and the gluten to relax, making the dough easier to roll out and ensuring a tender final product. You can even prepare this crust several days in advance, keeping it tightly wrapped in the fridge.
Preparing the Spiced Apple Filling
The heart of any apple pie is its filling, and this one is bursting with classic fall flavors. For the best results, we recommend using Granny Smith apples. Their tartness holds up well to baking and provides a perfect balance to the sweetness of the caramel and crumb topping. Peel, core, and chop your apples, then toss them in a large bowl with granulated sugar, all-purpose flour (to thicken the juices), fresh lemon juice (which prevents browning and brightens the flavors), pure vanilla extract, and a comforting blend of ground cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. This combination of spices creates a warm, aromatic profile that is truly irresistible. Like the crust, the filling can be prepared a couple of hours ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator, making your assembly process even quicker on bake day.
Assembling the Crunchy Crumb Topping
No slab apple pie is complete without a delightful crumb topping, and this one adds a fantastic texture contrast to the soft apples and flaky crust. This topping is incredibly easy to make and comes together quickly right before assembly. Simply combine quick-cooking rolled oats, packed brown sugar, and all-purpose flour in a bowl. The brown sugar not only adds sweetness but also a lovely molasses flavor that complements the apples. Then, cut in cold butter using a pastry cutter or your hands until a coarse crumb texture forms. This oat-infused topping bakes into a golden, buttery, and slightly chewy layer that elevates the entire pie experience, providing that satisfying crunch with every bite.
Baking to Golden Perfection
Once all your components are ready, assembly is a breeze. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). On a lightly floured surface, roll out your chilled pie crust into an 18×13-inch rectangle to fit your half sheet pan. Carefully transfer the dough to the pan, pressing it gently into the corners and up the rimmed edges. Trim any excess dough. Next, spread the spiced apple filling evenly over the crust. Finally, sprinkle the prepared crumb topping generously over the apples. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the crust is beautifully golden brown, the crumb topping is toasted, and the apple filling is bubbling enticingly. The aroma filling your kitchen will be absolutely divine!
Crafting the Luscious Salted Caramel Sauce
The salted caramel sauce is the crowning glory of this slab pie, adding a luxurious sweetness and a hint of savory depth that ties all the flavors together. What makes this recipe truly special is how unbelievably easy the caramel sauce is to make. Forget complicated sugar boiling or precise temperature checks! For this sauce, you literally combine all the ingredients – brown sugar, butter, half-and-half, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt – into a medium saucepan simultaneously. Place it over medium heat and whisk constantly. Within 5 to 7 minutes, the mixture will thicken into a rich, glossy, and pourable sauce. The salt is crucial here, as it cuts through the sweetness and enhances the overall flavor profile. Once thickened, remove it from the heat and generously drizzle it over your slightly cooled slab pie. This step takes minutes but transforms the pie into an extraordinary dessert.
More Apple Pie Inspired Recipes
If you love the flavors of apple pie as much as we do, you’ll definitely want to explore these other fantastic apple-themed recipes:
- Apple Pie Old Fashioned Cocktail
- Apple Pie Infused Whiskey
- Chocolate Chip Apple Pie Bread Pudding
- Easy Individual Bourbon Apple Pies
Stress-Free Prep: Make-Ahead Tips
One of the greatest advantages of this Slab Caramel Apple Pie recipe is how much of it can be prepared in advance, significantly reducing your stress on the day you plan to serve it. This is particularly helpful during busy holiday meal preparations.
- The Pie Crust: You can make the homemade pastry crust up to 5 days ahead of time. Simply wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator. When you’re ready to bake, let it sit at room temperature for about 15-20 minutes to make it easier to roll out.
- The Salted Caramel Sauce: The luscious salted caramel sauce can also be prepared ahead of time, up to 2 days in advance. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. When it’s time to serve, gently reheat the sauce in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring frequently, until it’s smooth and pourable again.
- The Apple Filling: The spiced apple filling can be mixed together up to 2 hours before you plan to assemble and bake the pie. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate. This short pre-prep time helps the flavors meld and the apples to slightly soften, though they will still maintain their structure during baking.
By staggering these preparations, you can tackle each element when you have a spare moment, ensuring a fresh, delicious, and beautifully presented dessert without feeling rushed on your special occasion. This strategic planning will free up valuable time, allowing you to relax and enjoy your holiday gatherings even more!
Slab Caramel Apple Pie with Salted Caramel Sauce
Equipment
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French Wire Whisk
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Stainless Steel Mixing Bowls
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Half Sheet Pan
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp granulated sugar
- 1 tsp ground cardamom
- 14 Tbsp unsalted butter very cold and cubed
- 6 Tbsp cold water
- 10 cups peeled and chopped Granny Smith apples
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground cloves
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 cup quick-cooking rolled oats
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup butter
- 1/2 cup Brown Sugar
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 1/4 cup Half-and-half
- 1/2 Tbsp Vanilla
- 1/2 tsp salt
Instructions
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To make the pie crust, add flour, salt, and sugar for the crust to a large bowl. Use a pastry cutter or two forks to cut in the butter until it resembles a coarse meal. The butter should be pea-sized or smaller. Drizzle over cold water, 1 Tablespoon at a time, bringing the mixture together with your hands. Stop adding water when the dough begins to form large clumps.
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Use your hands to knead the dough until the flour is fully incorporated and the dough is no longer sticky. Form dough into a ball and wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
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When ready to bake, preheat oven to 375˚F.
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Add all of the filling ingredients to a large bowl. Stir until combined and set aside.
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On a floured, flat work surface, roll out chilled pie crust into an 18×13-inch rectangle. Place dough into a half sheet pan, and press up the rimmed edge. Trim the dough that hangs over the edges. Make sure to smooth out the crust so it fits into the corners of the pan.
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Spread filling on top of the crust in an even layer.
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Add oats, sugar, and flour for the crumb topping to a large clean bowl. Stir together until combined. Add butter and use a pastry cutter or your hands to cut in the butter until it forms a coarse crumb texture. Sprinkle evenly on top of the filling.
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Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the crust is golden and crumble is toasty. Remove from oven and cool slightly in the pan.
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While the pie is cooling, make the salted caramel. Add all the caramel ingredients to a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook, whisking constantly, for 5 to 7 minutes, until thickened. Remove from heat and drizzle on top of the slab pie.