Buttery slab pie with spiced apple filling, homemade salted caramel, and flaky crust baked until golden.
Toss apple slices with lemon juice immediately after slicing to prevent browning. When making caramel, do not stir once sugar begins to melt; swirl the pan gently to ensure even cooking.
Keep all butter and water ice-cold when making the crust; warm fat melts into flour instead of creating flaky layers. Make the dough at least 2 hours ahead (or up to 1 day); chill wrapped in plastic wrap. This relaxes gluten and makes rolling easier.
Ingredients
Scale
Measurement units
- 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ lbs cold unsalted butter
- 1 ½ tsp kosher salt
- 8 fl oz ice water
- 1 egg yolk (for egg wash)
- 4 lbs Granny Smith apples
- ¾ cup granulated sugar (for caramel)
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter (for caramel)
- ½ cup heavy cream (for caramel)
- 1 ½ tsp fleur de sel (for caramel finish)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup light brown sugar (for apple filling)
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- sea salt (to taste for apple filling)
Ingredients
Scale
Measurement units
- 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ lbs cold unsalted butter
- 1 ½ tsp kosher salt
- 8 fl oz ice water
- 1 egg yolk (for egg wash)
- 4 lbs Granny Smith apples
- ¾ cup granulated sugar (for caramel)
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter (for caramel)
- ½ cup heavy cream (for caramel)
- 1 ½ tsp fleur de sel (for caramel finish)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup light brown sugar (for apple filling)
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- sea salt (to taste for apple filling)
Instructions
Make the pie crust dough
Combine all-purpose flour (3 ½ cup) and kosher salt (1 ½ teaspoon) in a food processor.
Add 1.5 lbs cold cubed unsalted butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal with pea-sized pieces of butter visible.
Drizzle in 8 fl oz ice water (8 fl oz) while pulsing until dough just comes together; do not overwork.
Divide dough in half, wrap each in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
Equipment: food processor, 13×18-inch half-sheet pan
Prepare the apple filling
Toss 4 lbs peeled, cored, sliced Granny Smith apples (4 lbs) with fresh lemon juice (2 tablespoon) to prevent browning.
In a large bowl, combine light brown sugar (½ cup), cornstarch (2 tablespoon), ground cinnamon (1 ½ teaspoon), ground nutmeg (¼ teaspoon), and salt to taste.
Add apples to the spice mixture and toss gently until evenly coated; set aside.
Make the salted caramel
Pour granulated sugar (¾ cup) into a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat; do not stir, but swirl the pan occasionally until sugar melts and turns medium amber (about 5–7 minutes).
Remove from heat and carefully add unsalted butter (6 tablespoon), stirring until melted.
Slowly pour in heavy cream (½ cup) (mixture will bubble); stir until smooth.
Stir in vanilla extract (1 teaspoon) and fleur de sel (1 ½ teaspoon); let cool to 110°F (43°C) before using.
Equipment: heavy-bottomed saucepan, 13×18-inch half-sheet pan
Assemble the slab pie
Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a 13×18-inch half-sheet pan with parchment paper if desired.
Remove one dough half from the refrigerator and roll out between two sheets of parchment to fit the bottom of the pan; transfer to the pan and press gently into corners.
Spread apple filling evenly over the bottom crust, leaving a 0.5-inch border.
Drizzle cooled salted caramel evenly over apples.
Roll out the second dough half and place over filling; press edges to seal, then trim excess dough and crimp edges with a fork.
Whisk together egg yolk with 1 tbsp water and brush over the top crust.
Equipment: 13×18-inch half-sheet pan, parchment paper, oven
Bake the pie
Bake at 375°F (190°C) until the crust is deep golden brown and filling bubbles at the edges, 45–50 minutes.
Cool on a wire rack for at least 15 minutes before slicing.
Before you cook
Cook notes
- • Make the dough at least 2 hours ahead (or up to 1 day); chill wrapped in plastic wrap. This relaxes gluten and makes rolling easier.
- • Keep all butter and water ice-cold when making the crust; warm fat melts into flour instead of creating flaky layers.
- • Toss apple slices with lemon juice immediately after slicing to prevent browning.
- • When making caramel, do not stir once sugar begins to melt; swirl the pan gently to ensure even cooking.
- • Remove caramel from heat the moment it reaches medium amber; carryover heat will darken it further.
- • Cool caramel to 110°F (43°C) before drizzling over apples; too-hot caramel will cook the apples unevenly.
- • Brush crust with egg wash for a shiny, golden finish; avoid pooling egg wash in corners.
- • Pie is best served warm or at room temperature within 4 hours of baking; store covered at room temperature up to 2 days.
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