Caramel Apple Crunch Pie

Happy (day after) Thanksgiving!  I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday filled with friends, family, and food.  

I am thankful for so many things...my husband, my family, my friends, my house, my dogs, my pink mixer, my health, and definitely this apple pie.  

It's been a few years since I've made this pie and to be honest, I couldn't remember what it tasted like, I just remembered it was really good.  My roommate from college gave me this recipe from her aunt and I'm thoroughly convinced this pie could change lives.  Or at least your opinion of apple pies.

I took this to Thanksgiving lunch at my in-laws and everyone loved it!  It's "lick your plate" delicious.  Cinnamon-y apples in a flaky crust, with a crunchy streusel topping, toasted pecans and caramel drizzle...yes, please.

I couldn't decide what type of apples to use in this pie and googling opinions only made things worse.  So I did it my way....2 granny smith apples, 2 gala apples, and 2 Macintosh apples.  All which came out to about six cups of apples.  

Word from the wise.  Take the time to toast your pecans. The flavor is worth it. (This coming from the girl who hates waiting on butter to soften)

And now I'm ready for Christmas.

Crunchy Caramel Apple Pie 

from Allison's Aunt Puckett

(printable recipe)

1/2 cup sugar

1 tbsp flour

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/8 tsp salt

6 cups peeled and thinly sliced cooking apples

1 unbaked pie shell

Topping:

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup quick-cooking rolled oats

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans

caramel sauce for drizzle

1.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, stir together sugar, flour, cinnamon, and salt.  Add apple slices and toss gently to coat.  Transfer apple mixture to pie shell.

2.  Topping:  Stir together brown sugar, flour, and rolled oats.  Using a pastry blender, cut in softened butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  Sprinkle the mixture over the apples.  

3.  Cover the edge of pie crust with foil.  Bake 25 minutes then remove foil and bake 25-30 more minutes or until top is golden.  Remove from oven.  Sprinkle pie with toasted pecans and drizzle caramel syrup over top.  Cool on wire rack before serving.