Caramel Apple Slab Pie

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Entertaining a crowd? A caramel apple slab pie is the perfect fall dessert. Sliced apples are doused in homemade caramel sauce and baked in a buttery, flaky crust. Extra points for fun fall decorations!

Have you ever made a slab pie? I can’t take credit for this genius idea, but there is nothing better when entertaining a big group, especially for the Thanksgiving holiday. A slab pie is, quite simply, a pie baked in a sheet tray or jelly roll pan, that serves a crowd and isn’t as deep as a regular pie.

This caramel apple slab pie will be your Thanksgiving go-to and here’s why:

• The pie crust can be made days to even weeks in advance.
• The caramel sauce can be made days in advance.
• The pie is best the day it’s baked, but it can be made the day before and warmed in the oven before serving.
• Did I mention this feeds 20 people?

And now let’s talk flavor.

…buttery, flaky pie crust

…sweet, but not cloying caramel sauce that is reminiscent of munching on a caramel apple during a day of apple picking

…this pie is apple flavor forward, not hiding behind too many spices or overly sugary

Let’s make Caramel Apple Slab Pie

1. Gather the ingredients.
2. Combine the dry ingredients in the food processor and add chopped, cold butter.
3. Blend until you have coarse meal.
4. Add the ice water and blend just until the dough comes together. Form it into two discs on the counter, wrap and chill.
5. Combine the ingredients for the caramel sauce in a small saucepan.
6. Bring to a boil and cook until it reaches 250 degrees F on a candy thermometer.

7. Roll out one disc of dough and fit it into the bottom of a parchment lined sheet tray. Chill.
8. Arrange sliced apple halves in rows of four.
9. Brush the apples with caramel sauce.
10. Cut out pastry strips, twist them, and arrange them in a lattice pattern around the apples.
11. Cut out decorative leaves and arrange on the edges of the pie.
12. Bake until apples are tender and bubbly and the crust golden brown.

Tips for success

• Don’t over-mix the dough. Blend it just until it comes together so the pie crust bakes up light and flaky.
• The dough can be made several days in advance and refrigerated or several weeks in advance and frozen.
• The caramel sauce can be made several days in advance and refrigerated. Warm up gently on the stove or in the microwave before brushing over the apples.
• Work quickly with the peeled apples to prevent them from oxidizing and browning. Once brushed with the caramel sauce, they won’t oxidize.
• I bake this pie until the apples are super tender and the caramel sauce very bubbly. Foil, lightly covering the crust, will prevent it from becoming too dark and allow you to bake the pie longer.
• Have fun with the decorations and make it your own. These fall leave stampers are adorable and so easy to use!
• This pie tastes great at room temperature, but even better a little warm. If you make it in advance, pop it in a hot oven for a few minutes to heat through and serve it with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

Feeling the slab pie thing? Try this Peach Blackberry Slab Pie in peach season!

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Caramel Apple Slab Pie

Chilling Time

1 hr

Total Time

2 hrs 45 mins

 

Entertaining a crowd? A caramel apple slab pie is the perfect fall dessert. Sliced apples are doused in homemade caramel sauce and baked in a buttery, flaky crust. Extra points for fun fall decorations!

Course: Dessert, Pie

Cuisine: American

Keyword: apple pie, apple slab pie

Servings: 20 Servings

Calories: 351 kcal

Author: Cathy Roma | What Should I Make For...

Ingredients

Buttery Pie Crust

• 4 1/2 cup AP flour
• 3 Tbsp sugar
• 2 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 14 oz unsalted butter, very cold, chopped (3 1/2 sticks)
• 3/4 cup ice water

Caramel Sauce

• 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1/3 cup half and half
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt

For the Pie

• 10 apples, peeled, cored, and halved (I like Braeburn)
• 1/4 cup half and half

Instructions

Buttery Pie Crust

1. Combine the flour, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Pulse a few times to mix.

2. Add the cold, chopped butter and pulse about 10 -12 times until the butter is cut into the flour mixture and it's pea size.

3. Pour in about 2/3 of the ice water and pulse a few more times until a ball begins to form, adding more water as needed. Be careful not to overmix. The dough should not be completely blended, it will come together on the counter. (Alternatively the dough can be made by hand.)

4. Scrape dough onto the counter, divide it in two (one slightly larger than the other) and form into two flat discs. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour or overnight. (Dough can also be frozen for several weeks. Defrost in refrigerator before proceeding.)

Caramel Sauce

1. Combine brown sugar and half and half in a small saucepan. Stir over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved.

2. Add vanilla and salt and cook until it reaches 250 degrees F on a candy thermometer. Keep the caramel sauce warm.
   

Make the Pie

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Line a half sheet tray (or jellyroll pan) with parchment paper. Using the slightly larger dough, roll the pie dough into a large rectangle that measures 16x20 inches and lay it in the sheet pan with the edges slightly overlapping the sides. Place in the refrigerator to chill while you prep the apples.

2. Place each apple half on the cutting board, flat side down. Slice very thinly, leaving the halves together.

3. Remove the rolled pie crust and the other disc of dough from the refrigerator to warm up slightly. Arrange the apple halves in rows of four, fanning the apples slightly. Brush the apples with the caramel sauce.

4. Roll the remaining dough into a large rectangle about 1/4 inch thick. Cut five long strips (that fit lengthwise on the sheet pan) and six strips (that fit crosswise on the pan), about 1 inch thick. Twist them decoratively and weave them in a lattice pattern, around each apple half.

5. Use a decorative leaf cutter or stamper and cut out a variety of leaves in different shapes and sizes to decorate the edges of the pie. 

6. Adhere the leaves with a brush of half and half and brush the edges and leaves with half and half.

7. Bake until apples are tender and bubbling and crust is golden brown, about 1 hour - 1 hour 30 mins. Cover the pie, or just the edges of the pie loosely with aluminum foil if they're browning too quickly. 

Recipe Notes

• Don't over-mix the dough. Blend it just until it comes together so the pie crust bakes up light and flaky.
• The dough can be made several days in advance and refrigerated or several weeks in advance and frozen.
• The caramel sauce can be made several days in advance and refrigerated. Warm up gently on the stove or in the microwave before brushing over the apples.
• Work quickly with the peeled apples to prevent them from oxidizing and browning. Once brushed with the caramel sauce, they won't oxidize.
• I bake this pie until the apples are super tender and the caramel sauce very bubbly. Foil, lightly covering the crust, will prevent it from becoming too dark and allow you to bake the pie longer.
• Have fun with the decorations and make it your own. These fall leave stampers are adorable and so easy to use!
• This pie tastes great at room temperature, but even better a little warm. If you make it in advance, pop it in a hot oven for a few minutes to heat through and serve it with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

Nutrition Facts

Caramel Apple Slab Pie

Amount Per Serving

Calories 351 Calories from Fat 153

% Daily Value*

Fat 17g26%

Saturated Fat 10g63%

Cholesterol 45mg15%

Sodium 358mg16%

Potassium 156mg4%

Carbohydrates 46g15%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 22g24%

Protein 3g6%

Vitamin A 570IU11%

Vitamin C 4.2mg5%

Calcium 31mg3%

Iron 1.5mg8%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.