Thank you Studio William for sponsoring this recipe!
What’s better than a warm, comforting apple pie? Salted caramel apple pie, that’s what.
I’ve been wanting to try this recipe out for a while now and always knew it would be good (how could caramel + apple pie not be good?) but after tasting it, I think it might be one of the most delicious things I’ve ever tasted!
Adding a dollop of coconut milk ice cream on top and a drizzling of my 5-minute vegan salted caramel sauce and I was in total heaven. YUM.
I’m a little disappointed that I didn’t share this sooner this year because it would make the most amazing Thanksgiving dessert. But, of course, it works wonderfully as a Christmas dessert too or just a great dessert all year round.
Now onto the recipe…
Please don’t think that this apple pie is complicated because it really isn’t. The pastry can be whizzed up in a food processor, then it’s a simple matter of splitting it in half and rolling out one piece for the bottom of the pie dish and another for the top. Lattice and other decorative elements are totally optional, but again it’s much easier than you’d think! I love this simple lattice pastry tutorial.
The caramel sauce really couldn’t be any quicker or easier and I suppose the most time-consuming part is peeling and chopping the apples!
As you can see, my apple pie isn’t perfect but (and I know this sounds like a cop-out) it’s not meant to be… Apple pie is a rustic, homey dessert and as long as it tastes good, then you’re going to love it.
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Salted Caramel Apple Pie (Vegan)
A drool-worthy dessert that's surprisingly easy to put together - perfect for making the night before!
Ingredients
For the pastry
- 350 g plain flour
- 4 tbsp icing sugar
- 225 g dairy-free butter, I recommend Vitalite or Earth Balance Buttery
- 80 ml cold water
For the apple pie filling
- 1 kg cooking apples
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp mixed spice, or pumpkin pie spice mix
- 1 tbsp corn starch
To serve
- Extra caramel sauce
- Vegan ice cream
Instructions
Make the pastry
- Add the flour, icing sugar and dairy-free butter to a food processor and blend until well combined. Add the water a tablespoon at a time until the dough clumps together. Add more if needed.
- Turn the dough out onto a roll of clingfilm and roll into a ball. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Prepare the apple pie filling
- Preheat the oven to 170C / 340F and brush a 9-inch pie dish with a little melted spread. Set aside.
- Peel the apples and chop into approx 1/2 cm slices. Add to a large saucepan with the spices and corn starch. Stir to combine then switch the hob onto a medium heat and let the apples stew for a few minutes until slightly softened.
- Remove from the heat and stir in half of the caramel sauce (save the rest for glazing and serving.)
Make the pie
- Remove the dough from the fridge and divide in half.
- Roll out one half to fit the bottom of the pastry dish. Don't worry about any overhanging pastry bits.
- Fill the pastry with the apple and caramel mixture so it's mounded on top.
- Now roll out the rest of the pastry and cut into 1-inch strips. Lay them on top of the pie in a lattice design. (See here for instructions, if needed)
- Trim the sides of the pastry to make it look neat.
- (Optional) Use any leftover pastry to make decorations for the pie, such as the leaf design I used. (See photos)
- Now use a pastry brush to glaze the pie with a little bit of the caramel sauce.
- Bake for 35 minutes until golden brown. You may need to cover the top or sides with tin foil if it starts to brown too much, during baking.
To serve
- Leave to cool for at least an hour before serving, so the caramel can set and the pastry is easier to cut.
- (Optional) Serve with a dollop of vegan ice cream and extra caramel sauce!
Could I make this pie with puff pastry like apple turnover.
Sure that would be delicious! I don’t know the exact amounts and method as I haven’t tried it but let me know if you give it a go.
Is icing sugar Vegan? I thought it was processed like refined sugar and not vegan.
This pie was delicious! And non-vegan approved! I did have problems with the measurements that caused a few bumps in the road. I wasn’t sure how many apples were in 1 kg, and the crust was a mess. If I wasn’t a baker this pie would have been a flop!
Hi Lucy, glad you enjoyed it! Can you clarify what you mean by the crust was a mess? Do you mean you had to adjust the measurements?
Think I could make the entire pie (prior to baking) a day in advance? Cheers!
Hi Caitlin. Yes! Wrap it well in cling film and chill or freeze. Allow it to come to room temperature before baking. Enjoy :)
Is it right that there’s no sugar in with the apples? I feel like it’s going to be very sour.
I made this but I don’t like it…it’s too much cinnamon for me and I don’t like the shortcrust pastry, it’s very bland and needs salt in it.
Awesome recipe I LOVE pie and the recipe is so healthy compared to some non-vegan ones I’ve seen recently… Any who… Great recipe!
Do you think this would hold up as mini hand pies instead of one big one? I want to make it for a party where people will be having more finger foods, but I don’t want to make them that way if you think they’ll fall apart!
Good question… I think they would hold up OK, pastry-wise but would be concerned about the caramel filling and sticky fingers! But if you’re making very small pies (like cupcake size) then I guess it wouldn’t be much of a problem. Sorry I can’t be more helpful. Let me know if you give it a try!
I made mini ones today and they are absolutely delicious. Cooked them for about 20mins. Delicious recipe.
We made this with rhubarb as well and it was yummy but realised its called Salted Caramel but theres no salt…? It would be a completely different flavour profile being salted too.
I made this for pi day and it was a hit! My non vegan friends loved it! Thank you so much for this great recipe. If you ever want to impress your friends with amazing vegan baking, try this pie!
This pie looks amazing. So, no blind baking of the bottom crust?
How much caramel sauce do you use, as you have not mentioned this?
Hi Gaynor, the recipe states 1/2 the batch (see this recipe) is used to mix with the apple pie filling and the rest is used for glazing and serving. Let me know if you try it!
Can I also make this if I don’t have a food processor?
Yes, you can make up the pie dough by hand too :) just add the flour and sugar to a bowl and rub in the “butter”. Add a small amount of water and stir with your hands to make up the dough. Let me know how you get on!
This pie looks amazing! I’m planning to make it for my family this weekend. My questions is, can you make the dough a day ahead? Is it okay, if I store it in the fridge?
Thanks! :)
Hi Mária, thank you! And yes, you can make it ahead and store it in the fridge – just make sure to leave it at room temperature for a little bit before rolling out, to let it soften. Enjoy! Let me know how you get on :-)
1kg cooking apples
what does this amount to in cups
For me it was five apples!
I made this and it was a hit. I recently went vegan and was looking for a good apple pie recipe. Could the dough be made in a kitchen aid mixer instead of the food processor?
Hi Amber, I’m wondering about the same thing. Did you try it and did it work out for you?
Hi!
I made the dough in a kitchen aid, no problem at all :)
I have just discovered your blog and I have to tell you I am in love with all your photos and recipes. I am catering christmas this year and am thinking this beautiful pie shall have to be a feature – my vegan and dairy free relatives are going to be so thankful haha.
That makes me so happy to hear! Thank you Ruby :-)
Ohhh, decadent idea to drizzle on that caramel sauce. Dessert brilliance – I’m in! Just want it served to me now. ;)
Wow, this is all around stunning Aimee. It looks like a bakery made pie with so much rich flavor!
This looks good good good! x
Jessica — NinetyCo
Nothing better than a classic apple pie! Wait, I’m wrong – apple pie with caramel sauce is better! This looks heavenly!
That is one gorgeous pie! I love the leaf cut outs. Apple and pumpkin pie are tied in my world, I can’t get enough.
I love apple pie with cinnamon so much! I have a caramel apple pie on my site too and I make it year round for sure!! This look SO good and so gorgeous!
Droolworthy indeed. I love apple and caramel together and throw in some pastry and I’m in heaven! Love the pie server and forks too.
Drooling over here! Seriously, how gorgeous does this pie look!
And vegan?!!! Well done my friend.
This looks like a perfect Christmas dessert, and I’m loving that perfect lattice crust!
You are a crust lattice-ing pro and those little leaves around the outside–so detailed and pretty! I think you know how I feel about apple and caramel, I mean why even have one without the other!? And there’s no point in serving apple pie without ice cream, so good thing the entire gang is accounted for here :D