Caramel Apple Crumble Pie

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Caramel Apple Crumble Pie — Apple pie meets apple crumble in this easy caramel apple crumble pie recipe. This apple pie is dense, rich, and is packed with caramel apple flavor!

slice of Caramel Apple Crumble Pie on pink plate with fork

Easy Apple Crumble Pie Recipe

I almost didn’t make this apple pie with crumb topping  But it took me all of five minutes to put it together and I’m so glad I did.

I was working in the kitchen Thanksgiving morning and realized that the pumpkin dessert I had made a few days before the holiday somehow all had been eaten. Hmmm, how did that happen? I was out of pumpkin puree because I used my last can to bake a pumpkin pie for Skylar’s school’s Thanksgiving celebration, held the day before.

I looked in my cupboard and saw a can of apple pie filling and figured I could do something with it. I was going to make Caramel Apple Bars but remembered the frozen pie crust I used for the pumpkin pie was sold in a two-pack and I had a spare pie crust in the freezer waiting. Some girls have all the luck.

In literally three minutes, I made the pie filling by melting one half stick of butter, and then added brown and granulated sugar, one egg, vanilla, cinnamon, and pinches of allspice, ground cloves and whisked.

Then I added flour, oats, and gently stirred in the apple pie filling. I enjoy the heartiness, chewiness, and texture that oats lend to apple crumbles, and my goal for this caramel apple pie was to be more like an apple crumble than just another plain old apple pie. There was nothing plain about this.

slice of Caramel Apple Crumble Pie on pink plate

I poured the filling into the frozen crust straight from the freezer without even thawing it, and filled it right up to the brim. The filling domed and puffed a bit while baking, and for a minute I was a bit worried it may overflow, but all was well. As the pie cooled, the filling relaxed and sank down, leaving behind rich density and fullness with each bite.

For the almost one hour that the pie baked, my house smelled like a bakery from the pie crust and oats, as well as a fragrant apple orchard. And the cinnamon-sugar and buttery caramely scents wafting were aromatherapy torture because all I wanted to do was dive into my oven.

Between the flour and oats, brown sugar and cinnamon, I got my wish for apple-pie-meets-apple-crumble. This apple pie with crumb topping has apple crumble tendencies with streusel-like texture and warm cinnamon-sugar notes, yet it’s all contained in a neat and tidy pie crust package, perfect to catch the sweet juices released from the apples as they bake.

slice of apple pie with crumb topping on pink plate

Caramel and apple is a perfect pairing, and for me, the more caramel, the merrier. Two dimensions of caramel are present. First, the butter and brown sugar in the filling caramelize while baking, giving a depth of flavor that reminds me of one of favorite frostings of all time, this Vanilla Caramel Glaze. Then, prior to serving, I drizzled caramel sauce over the top for an extra boost of sweet buttery caramel intensity.

Homemade Dark Rum Caramel Sauce would have been heavenly, as would have Vanilla Caramel Glaze, but I was pressed for time on a busy Thanksgiving day morning in the kitchen. I used Trader Joe’s Fleur de Sel Caramel sauce, with no complaints.

unbaked caramel apple pie with crumb topping

If you ever need a quick pie to make, with less than five minutes of active work time, that yields luscious and rich results, this is the one.

caramel apple pie with crump topping on wood surface

What’s in Caramel Apple Crumble Pie? 

To make this apple pie with crumb topping, you’ll need: 

  • Unsalted butter
  • Egg 
  • Granulated sugar
  • Light brown sugar
  • Vanilla extract
  • Spices
  • Salt
  • All-purpose flour
  • Rolled oats
  • Canned apple pie filling
  • Frozen pie crust (or homemade pie crust if you’re up for it)
  • Caramel sauce
slice of apple crumble pie on pink plate in front of pie plate filled with pie

How to Make Apple Crumble Pie

To make this apple crumble pie recipe, simply follow these basic steps.

  1. You’ll first need to melt the butter.
  2. Then stir in the egg.
  3. Add in the sugars, vanilla, spices, and salt and whisk until combined. 
  4. Add the flour and oats, followed by the apple pie filling.
  5. Pour the mixture into the frozen pie crust and bake until golden on top and the filling is set. 
  6. You’ll need to let this apple crumble pie rest for 30 minutes before slicing and serving it. I highly recommend topping it with a drizzle of caramel sauce and a scoop of ice cream! 
slice of apple crumble pie on pink plate

Can I Use Homemade Apple Pie Filling? 

You could of course make your own pie crust, as well as peel and core your own apples for the filling, but on a day about giving thanks and being thankful, I was grateful that I pulled this off on the fly.

Oftentimes it’s the things I make without a recipe, and just on a whim, that end up being our favorites.

apple pie with crumb topping slice on pink plate

Can I Use Instant Oats in the Filling? 

No, neither quick cook nor instant oats will work in this apple pie with crumb topping. You must use rolled oats (aka old-fashioned oats). 

Caramel Apple Crumble Pie - Apple Pie meets Apple Crumble meets plenty of gooey caramel. Easy, fast, 5-minutes to assemble. Goofproof recipe for those of us who aren't pie-makers!

Can I Make This With a Different Canned Filling? 

Oh, that’s a fun idea! I’ve only made this caramel apple pie using canned apple pie filling, but now I’m curious to make this with canned peach pie filling, canned cherry pie filling, and more. However, since I’ve not yet tried those variations myself I can’t say for sure if they’ll work with this recipe. 

Caramel Apple Crumble Pie - Apple pie meets apple crumble with loads of caramel! The easiest apple pie you'll ever make. Goofproof 5-minute recipe for those of us who aren't pie makers!

Can I Freeze Apple Pie? 

Yes, you can freeze the entire pie once it’s cooled or slice and freeze portions individually. To freeze apple pie, wrap it in a few layers of plastic wrap, then a layer of aluminum foil. To thaw the pie, set it in your fridge overnight. 

Caramel Apple Crumble Pie — Apple pie meets apple crumble in this easy caramel apple crumble pie recipe. This apple pie is dense, rich, and is packed with caramel apple flavor!

Tips for Making Caramel Apple Crumb Pie

When adding the spices to this apple pie with crumb topping, I made sure to use the spices in enough quantity so that they’d pop and complement the dish, rather than just getting lost. With that said, you’re welcome to alter the amount of spices you add to this apple crumble pie to suit your own tastes. 

Also, if you don’t tend to keep allspice or cloves around, feel free to add extra cinnamon, or try ground ginger or pumpkin pie spice instead. Use what you have on hand and don’t make a special trip to the store just for spices. 

Lastly, before baking this apple crumble pie I placed the pie plate on a baking sheet as insurance against overflow. My pie didn’t overflow, but you can never be too safe! 

Caramel Apple Crumble Pie — Apple pie meets apple crumble in this easy caramel apple crumble pie recipe. This apple pie is dense, rich, and is packed with caramel apple flavor!

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4.43 from 56 votes

Caramel Apple Crumble Pie

By Averie Sunshine
Apple pie meets apple crumble in this easy caramel apple crumble pie recipe. This apple pie is dense, rich, and is packed with caramel apple flavor!
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes
Servings: 10
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Ingredients  

  • ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted (half of one stick)
  • 1 large egg
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup light brown sugar, loosely measured
  • 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon allspice
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
  • ¼ teaspoon salt, optional and to taste
  • ¾ cup all-purpose flour
  • ¾ cup whole rolled old-fashioned oats, not quick cook or instant
  • one 21-ounce can apple pie filling, I used Comstock More Fruit Cinnamon ‘n Spice Apple filling
  • one 9-inch frozen pie crust, or make your own using your favorite recipe
  • caramel sauce or caramel ice cream topping, optional but recommended for drizzling*
  • ice cream or whipped topping, optional

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 350F. In a large microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter, about 1 minute on high power.
  • Allow the butter to cool momentarily so you don’t scramble the egg; then add the egg, sugars, vanilla, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, salt, and whisk to combine until batter is smooth (All spices and salt should be added to taste and use what you have on hand; omitting what you don’t have and mixing and matching with other spices such as ginger or pumpkin pie spice is okay).
  • Add the flour, oats, and stir to incorporate. Fold in the apple pie filling.
  • Pour filling mixture into frozen pie crust (I didn’t bother pre-thawing it)and lightly smooth filling with a spatula. It’s okay to fill pie crust up nearly to the brim; I did and it did not overflow. As insurance, place pie crust on a baking tray so if it does overflow a bit, it won’t pool in the bottom of the oven.
  • Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until top has just set and is not jiggly, and is golden. I baked mine for about 54 minutes and when I took it out of the oven, the filling had risen and was a bit domed and puffed, and as pie cooled, the dome sank and it flattened out.
  • Allow pie to cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing and serving. Prior to serving, optionally drizzle with caramel sauce or serve with ice cream.

Notes

  • *For the caramel sauce, you can use store-bought, or make your own. My favortie caramel sauce recipes are: The Best and Easiest Salted Caramel Sauce, Dark Rum Caramel Sauce, and Vanilla Caramel Glaze.
  • Pie should be kept covered and will keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. I prefer refrigerating it rather than keeping it at room temperature and I store my pie inside a large two-gallon sized plastic food storage bag in the refrigerator.

Nutrition

Serving: 1, Calories: 356kcal, Carbohydrates: 61g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 12g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g, Cholesterol: 37mg, Sodium: 201mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 40g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

More Easy Apple Desserts: 

Apple Pie Bars – A flaky, buttery crust is topped with homemade apple pie filling and an oat crumble topping in these INCREDIBLE spiced apple pie bars! Salted caramel sauce is the finishing touch because nothing beats the combination of caramel and apples! Make these EASY, no-mixer bars as written for a smaller gathering, or double it for a party! 

Apple Pie Bars — A flaky, buttery crust is topped with homemade apple pie filling and an oat crumble topping in these INCREDIBLE spiced apple pie bars! Salted caramel sauce is the finishing touch because nothing beats the combination of caramel and apples! Make these EASY, no-mixer bars as written for a smaller gathering, or double it for a party! 

Apple Turnovers — These apple turnovers take just 15 minutes to prep and are filled with the most incredible cinnamon apple filling. These are the ultimate fall dessert! 

Apple Turnovers

Cinnamon Roll Apple Crisp – A layer of cinnamon rolls topped with apples and a crunchy oatmeal crumble makes this the ULTIMATE apple crisp!! EASY, ready in 40 minutes, and tastes AMAZING!!

Cinnamon Roll Apple Crisp

Apple Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting — An EASY, one-bowl, no-mixer apple cake that’s to-die-for!! Loaded with juicy apples in every bite, perfectly spiced, and topped with tangy cream cheese frosting! So DELISH!!

Apple Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting 

Cinnamon Spice Applesauce Bread with Honey Butter — This applesauce bread is packed with fall flavors and comes together quickly. I serve mine with homemade honey butter, because why not? 

Cinnamon Spice Applesauce Bread with Honey Butter 

Caramel Apple Cheesecake Crumble Bars — These caramel apple cheesecake bars feature a buttery crust that’s topped with cheesecake and spiced apples. After they’re done baking, the bars are drizzled with salted caramel sauce!

Caramel Apple Cheesecake Crumble Bars 

5-Minute Apple Cinnamon Crumble for One — This microwave apple crisp comes together in just 5 minutes and generously serves one person. Top it with a scoop or ice cream or whipped cream! 

5-Minute Apple Cinnamon Crumble for One 

Sugar Cookie Apple Crumble Cheesecake Pie – A buttery sugar cookie crust, tangy cream cheese filling, tender juicy apples, and a crumble topping make this pie a total SHOWSTOPPER!! EASY and THE BEST apple pie!!

Sugar Cookie Apple Crumble Cheesecake Pie

Originally published November 2012. Republished October 2019.

About the Author

Welcome to AverieCooks! Here you’ll find fast and easy recipes that taste amazing and are geared for real life. Nothing fussy or complicated, just awesome tasting dishes everyone loves!

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Please note: I have only made the recipe as written, and cannot give advice or predict what will happen if you change something. If you have a question regarding changing, altering, or making substitutions to the recipe, please check out the FAQ page for more info.

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Comments

  1. This looks amazing. I don’t bake many pies either but it looks so delicious that I think I may have to! 
    @Darleen Buoy, I baked a fresh apple pie years ago and the same thing happened to me, too dry. I definitely put too much flour in. Maybe a little apple sauce? I’m definitely not a pie expert though.

  2. This looked so yummy and I had apples I needed to use so I tried it. It is delicious but too dry. Have you tried this recipe using fresh apples? I thought maybe cut down on flour & oats and add water or Apple juice. Any suggestions? I am definitely going to try it again. Thank you again for the recipe.

  3. I’m curious to know if I would be able to use gluten free flour instead of the regular flour? I would also use a gluten free pie crust. This looks amazing…… Well I guess i will try it and see how it turns out

  4. I made this pie for Thanksgiving – I must have goofed it because after filling one pie crust I had a bunch left over and so I balanced them out and made 2 pies!

    Everyone loved it, I added some fresh whipped cream on top and that first pie didn’t last long. :)

    1. Some pie crusts/pie plates are just more shallow or deep and filling amounts can be a little variable – but sounds like you just made 2. Excellent! And cardamom is so good!

  5. I have made this pie about 4 times now, and it is like a little slice of heaven in your mouth!!! I will never use another apple pie recipe. I add 1/4 tsp of nutmeg, pumpkin pie spice, and ginger in addition to the other spices, and it is simply AMAZING!!! Thank you soooo much for this recipe!!!

    1. So glad you’re happy and I love that you’ve made it 4 times AND that you’ll never use another apple pie recipe :) That’s awesome and love your spice additions!

  6. if using homemade or store bought pie crust that just rolled out dough, do you bake it first before adding the filling?

    1. I have only made it with frozen pie crust and didn’t prebake. You should probably pre-bake for 20 minutes or so if you’re using raw dough before adding the filling, just to make sure it crisps up enough – but again, not speaking from personally trying it, but that would be my educated guess.