Paula Deen Caramel Apple-Nut Crumb Pie

Paula Deen Caramel Apple-Nut Crumb Pie is a gooey, crumb-topped dessert with Granny Smith apples, dulce de leche and chopped walnuts that comes together in 1 hour 45 minutes. Save this easy fall apple pie for Thanksgiving, church supper or Sunday dinner, because it's a make-ahead holiday dessert that serves 8.

Spread the dulce de leche on the bottom of the unbaked crust before the apple filling goes in, since that layer is what turns the base into caramel. Skip it and you lose the gooey bottom that sets this pie apart from a plain apple crumb pie.

Paula bakes the pie for 30 minutes before adding the topping, so the crumbs stay crisp and golden instead of sinking into the filling. She also mixes the topping only until the flour is moistened but still crumbly, because overmixing turns it into a dense paste.

Paula Deen Caramel Apple-Nut Crumb Pie

0.0 from 0 votes

Course: DessertCuisine: American, SouthernDifficulty: Medium

Servings

8

servings

Prep time

45

minutes

Cooking time

1

hour 

Calories

520

kcal

Tart apples sit in a soft sour cream and caramel custard under a buttery brown sugar crumb with walnuts. After a long cool-down on a wire rack, the filling firms up enough to slice cleanly.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup Sour cream
  

• 3/4 cup warm dulce de leche
  

• 1 egg plus 1 egg yolk
  

• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  

• 2 tablespoons All-purpose flour
  

• 1 teaspoon vanilla
  

• 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
  

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  

• 1/4 teaspoon Ground nutmeg
  

• 1/4 teaspoon salt
  

• 4 Granny Smith apples
  

• 1 prepared 9-inch graham cracker crust*
  

• 1/2 cup 1 stick cold unsalted butter
  

• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
  

• 1 cup All-purpose flour
  

• 1/4 teaspoon Ground nutmeg
  

• 1/3 cup finely chopped walnuts
  

Directions

• Preheat and mix filling: Preheat the oven to 400°F, then whisk the sour cream, 1/2 cup dulce de leche, egg, egg yolk, granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons flour, vanilla, lemon juice, cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg and salt in a bowl. Fold in the apples once the mixture is smooth.
• Fill the crust: Spread the remaining 1/4 cup dulce de leche on the bottom of the unbaked graham cracker crust. Pour the apple mixture over it, remembering the crust will be very full, so use a deep pie plate.
• Bake the pie: Bake the pie for 30 minutes at 400°F. While it bakes, you can make the crumb topping.
• Make the topping: Beat the cold butter, brown sugar, 1 cup flour and 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg in an electric mixer on low speed. Stop once the flour is moistened but still crumbly, then fold in the chopped walnuts with a fork.
• Top and finish baking: Sprinkle the topping over the partially baked pie and return it to the oven. Bake about 30 minutes more, until the top is golden brown.
• Drizzle and cool: Drizzle the pie with additional dulce de leche, then set it on a wire rack. Let it cool completely before slicing so the filling can set.

Tools for this recipe

• Pyrex 9.5-inch glass pie plate, KitchenAid 5-speed hand mixer, Checkered Chef cooling racks, Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon vanilla extract, 8 oz. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Can I use store-bought dulce de leche?

Yes, a jar of dulce de leche works fine here. Warm it briefly so it spreads and drizzles easily, since cold dulce de leche is thick and hard to work with.

Why is my pie so full, and will it overflow?

The crust is meant to be very full, so use a deep pie plate. Setting the pie on a baking sheet is a smart move too, since it catches any drips and keeps your oven clean.

How should I store leftover pie?

Cover it and keep it in the fridge, since the filling has sour cream and eggs. Let slices sit out for a few minutes before serving so the caramel loosens up.

Can I use a different apple than Granny Smith?

Other firm, tart apples like Honeycrisp or Braeburn can stand in. Granny Smith holds its shape best and balances the sweet caramel, so a softer apple will make the filling mushier.

Why does the pie need to cool completely before slicing?

The egg and sour cream filling firms up as it cools, so cutting too early lets it run. Give it a full cool-down on a wire rack and the slices hold together.