Do you love a caramel apple with nuts?!? Then you will love my Caramel Apple Walnut Pie with a Streusel Topping. It is like taking a caramel apple with nut toppings and putting it into a warm pie.
The Caramel Apple Walnut Pie with a Streusel Topping is perfectly balanced with tartness, sweetness, and texture. Its crisp apple filling is like any traditional apple pie but with the addition of caramel sauce and crunchy walnuts.
The streusel topping makes it a Dutch apple pie, but this apple pie is in a league of its own. It takes any traditional or Dutch apple pie to another level!
This pie recipe is easy to make, but if you do not want to prepare a homemade pie crust and caramel sauce, do not worry! You can buy a pie crust and caramel sauce from the store to make this recipe more effortless.
Caramel Apple Walnut Pie with a Streusel Topping is the perfect fall and winter dessert to enjoy with family and friends. It brings a sense of comfort and happiness with every bite. So bring this delicious pie to the office, a party, or a family gathering – and your pie will outshine all the rest!
Apple Picking in Washington D.C.
The fall season is one of my favorite times, especially when we lived near Washington D.C. The fall foliage is beautiful, the weather is perfect, and there are so many fun things to do in Washington D.C. in the fall, like apple picking!
Apple picking is a beloved fall activity across the U.S., and some of the best apple orchards are on the East Coast. So we took a day trip from Washington D.C., to pick apples at Butler’s Orchard – one of the best orchards in the D.C. area.
Butler’s Orchard is a beautiful farm to visit year-round, but from September through October, it is apple heaven. There is apple picking, warm apple cider donuts, apple cider slushies, homemade apple pies, and already-picked apples at the market.
We LOVED our apple-picking experience at Butler’s Orchard! We climbed ladders to find the juiciest apples, enjoyed fresh apple cider donuts, and took home a Caramel Apple Walnut Pie with a Streusel Topping. We baked the pie at home, and it was so delicious it inspired this recipe.
What is Caramel Apple Walnut Pie with a Streusel Topping?
Caramel Apple Walnut Pie with a Streusel Topping is a Dutch apple pie with a caramel and nutty twist. Or, as previously stated, it is like a caramel apple with nuts but in a pie!
If you are unfamiliar with a Dutch apple pie, it is a traditional apple pie – but instead of a delicate lattice or solid cover of pie dough, it has a crumbly streusel topping. A streusel topping combines flour, sugars (white and/or brown), butter, and spices (cinnamon being the most common addition).
The apple filling is like any traditional apple pie. It is kept simple with crisp apples tossed in a cinnamon, nutmeg, sugar, and cornstarch. Then the filling goes untraditional with a sweet caramel that coats the apples and small chunks of toasted walnuts.
Like a Dutch apple pie, the Caramel Apple Walnut Pie is covered with a crumbly streusel. The streusel topping is sweet and buttery, with the addition of toasted walnuts. Lastly, the pie is finished with a drizzle of caramel sauce.
And voila, that is a Caramel Apple Walnut Pie with a Streusel Topping. I told you, this apple pie is in a league of its own.
List of Ingredients for Caramel Apple Walnut Pie with a Streusel Topping
The list of ingredients for this recipe is standard for baking—lots of unsalted butter, flour, sugar, spices, and more. Of course, you need apples and walnuts too. The question is…
What Kind of Apples?
The best apples for apple pie need to be crisp, firm, sweet, and tart. More importantly, it must stand up to the oven’s heat without turning mushy.
A few of the best apple varieties with all those qualities include Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, McIntosh, Pink Lady, and Jonagold. Despite being a tasty snack, you do not want to use Red Delicious, Gala, or Fuji.
This is a brief overview. Please refer to the full recipe description at the end of this post.
- If you desire, store-bought pie crust and caramel sauce.
- All-purpose flour
- Unsalted butter
- Sugar
- Light brown sugar
- Cornstarch
- Ground cinnamon
- Ground nutmeg
- Apples (Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, McIntosh, Pink Lady, or Jonagold)
- Walnuts
- Vanilla extract
- Heavy cream
- Lemon or lemon juice
- Ice cold water
- Salt
How to Make Caramel Apple Walnut Pie with a Streusel Topping
This is a brief overview. Please refer to the full recipe description at the end of this post. Additionally, there are lots of tips below (or click here) on how to make the perfect homemade pie dough and what you can make ahead of time.
To Make the Pie Dough
Mix – the all-purpose flour and salt together in a stand mixer.
Cut in fats – add the cold unsalted butter and vegetable shortening. On the lowest speed, mix the butter with the dry ingredients for 60 – 90 seconds until it is crumbly and resembles a coarse meal. Do not overmix.
Add ice-cold water – one tablespoon at a time until the dough begins to come together in a large ball.
Flour surface – transfer the dough to a floured surface. Mold and flatten the dough into a 1-inch disk.
Rest the dough – wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for one hour. (While the dough rests, you can toast walnuts, make the caramel sauce, and streusel topping.)
Roll the dough – on a floured surface, roll the dough into a 12-inch circle, 1/8-inch thick, to fit a 9-inch pie dish.
Transfer the dough – Use your rolling pin to help transfer the pie crust to the pie dish. Place the rolling pin on one end of the circle. Then carefully place the dough onto the rolling pin and gently roll the dough along the rolling pin toward the other end of the circle. Quickly and carefully, pick the rolling pin of dough up and roll it back out over the top of the pie dish. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator until ready to bake. Preheat oven to 375° F.
Par-bake the dough – trim the edges, flute the edges, or crimple the edges with a fork if you desire. Lightly fork the bottom of the pie crust. Place a sheet of foil or parchment paper on the bottom of the crust and add your baking weights i.e., dried beans or ceramic beads. Partially bake the pie crust for 20 – 25 minutes until it is lightly golden brown. Set aside.
Toast Walnuts
Toast chopped walnuts – at 325° F for 5 – 7 minutes.
Separate the walnuts – once the toasted walnuts are cool, separate them in half (3/4 cup and 3/4 cup). Set aside.
To Make the Caramel Sauce
Warm up ingredients – warm the heavy cream, salt, and vanilla extract together in a small saucepan. Keep warm on low heat.
Melt sugar – make a dry caramel in a separate stainless steel medium saucepan. When the saucepan is hot, slowly sprinkle the sugar over the pan. When the sugar crystals start to melt, slowly add more until all of the sugar is dissolved. Once the caramel turns a golden amber color, turn off the heat. The sugar will continue to cook and darken.
Whisk in the warm cream mixture – turn the heat low and slowly whisk in the heavy cream, salt, and vanilla extract mixture. When you add the cream, it will create a reaction with the sugar, so be careful. Now, increase the heat to medium to help dissolve the sugar.
Whisk in butter – until the caramel is silky smooth. Remove the caramel from the heat and let it cool to room temperature.
Separate caramel – once it is cool, you should have 3/4 cup of caramel sauce. Separate the caramel into 1/2 cup and 1/4 cup for different purposes. Set aside.
To Make the Streusel
Mix dry ingredients – in a food processor (or a stand mixer).
Add cold butter – to the flour mixture. Pulse (mix) 3 – 5 times until the mixture slightly clumps together. Big clumps are okay!
Stir in walnuts – gently with a spatula.
Chill – put the streusel in an airtight vessel and chill until ready to use. When the streusel is cold, it is easy to break apart the larger clumps.
To Make the Apple Filling
Prepare the apples – pour the lemon juice into a bowl (big enough for the apple slices). Peel, core, and slice the apples 1/4-inch thick. Add apple slices to the bowl and toss with the lemon juice.
Mix dry ingredients – whisk the cornstarch, sugar, ground nutmeg, and ground cinnamon together in a small bowl.
Toss the apples in the mixture – add the dry mix into the bowl of apples and toss until the apples are coated. Then add 1/2 cup of the caramel sauce and 3/4 cup of toasted walnuts. Toss until the apples are completely coated in the caramel sauce.
To Make Make Caramel Apple Walnut Pie with a Streusel Topping
Pour apple filling – into the par-baked pie crust. Create an even layer with a small mound of apples in the center. Try evenly distributing the chopped walnuts and get every last drop of caramel sauce!
Cover with streusel – over the top of the apple filling. Again, evenly distributing it.
Bake – place the pie in the oven and bake at 350° F for 50 – 60 minutes until the streusel topping and edges of the pie crust are golden brown delicious. Check at 50 minutes, but my pie bakes well for 60 minutes.
Enjoy – let the pie cool to room temperature. If you desire, dust the pie with powdered sugar, but definitely drizzle the remaining 1/4 cup of caramel sauce on top! Cut a slice and enjoy!
Tips & Tidbits
Here are a few tips and tidbits for the Caramel Apple Walnut Pie with a Streusel Topping. From secrets on the perfect pie dough to correctly measuring ingredients, what to make ahead of time, and more.
Tips for Making Homemade Pie Dough
- Keep everything cold until you bake the pie crust! That includes the mixing bowl, dry ingredients, fat, and water. I like to measure the dry ingredients, add them to the mixing bowl, and then chill them in the refrigerator before mixing them. Furthermore, keep the pie dough cold before rolling and molding the edges.
- Do not over-mix the fats with dry ingredients. It is okay if there are chunks of fat – you want that. The dough should be coarse, not pea-sized, before adding the water.
- When you mold the dough into a disk with your hands and notice it feels dry and crumbly, dip your hands in ice-cold water and gently work it in. If the dough feels too wet, sprinkle flour and gently work it in.
- If the pie dough is falling apart or crumbling when rolling, the fats are worked in too much. Do not worry. The pie dough can still be saved. Sprinkle more water and flour onto the dough and gently work it in with your fingers. If the dough does not feel cold, refrigerate it for up to 30 minutes and try rolling it out again.
- If the edges of the pie crust are cracking as you roll it out, dip your fingers in ice-cold water and meld the edges back together.
- You can use any 9-inch pie dish, but a glass pie dish is the best. A glass dish helps conduct heat evenly, allowing the crust’s bottom to bake thoroughly. It also lets you see if the crust’s sides and base have turned golden brown.
Chopped Nuts vs. Nuts, Chopped
Did you know there is a difference between chopped nuts and nuts, chopped?
When a recipe calls for a measurement of “chopped nuts” (like this one) – it means you need to measure chopped nuts. If you measure the nuts and then chop them, you will lose their volume, and the measurement will inaccurate.
If the recipe calls for a measurement of “nuts, chopped” – it means you measure the nuts and then chop them.
This rule of thumb can apply to other ingredients such as herbs, vegetables, garlic, etc. Moreover, it is applied to the apples in this recipe too. Always pay attention to where the “action” and comma are placed.
Can I Use a Different Nut?
Of course! You can substitute the walnuts for pecans, almonds, or any nut you desire. Make sure you still follow the recipe, i.e., chop and toast the nuts.
Can I Make it Nut-Free?
Absolutely! You do not need to adjust the recipe if you omit the walnuts in the apple pie filling or streusel topping. Just follow the recipe as is, and do not add the walnuts.
Can I Use Store-Bought Pie Crust or Caramel Sauce?
If you are pressed for time or want to avoid making homemade pie crust and caramel sauce, you can use store-bought. The pie will still taste delicious.
What Can I Make Ahead?
You can easily make a lot of the components ahead of time. Then assemble and bake the pie when you are ready. Here is what you can make ahead of time.
Toasted chopped walnuts – this is an effortless make-ahead-of-time task. Once the toasted chopped walnuts are cooled to room temperature, store them in an airtight container until ready to use.
Homemade pie crust – the pie dough disks can be stored in tightly wrapped plastic wrap or freezer bags. It can stay in the refrigerator for up to three days and in the freezer for up to three months (thaw out overnight). A par-baked pie crust can be stored in an airtight vessel or bag at room temperature for up to three days.
Streusel topping – I highly recommend making the streusel topping ahead of time because it is easy to use when cold. When freshly made, streusel can be soft and form into larger clumps. If that happens, it’s okay! Chill the streusel in the refrigerator, and you can easily break the large clumps into smaller ones.
Caramel sauce – can be made ahead and kept at room temperature for three days and up to a week in the refrigerator. If it is cold, measure the amount needed and slightly warm it up in the microwave. Do not get it too hot before adding it to the apple filling. It should be close to room temperature.
How to Store Caramel Apple Walnut Pie with a Streusel Topping Last
The Caramel Apple Walnut Pie with a Streusel Topping can stay at room temperature for up to two days. Although, it is best to keep it in the refrigerator, where it can last up to five days.
More Dessert Recipes
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- Classic French Lemon Tart (Tarte au Citron)
- Chocolate Caramel Tart – A Decadent Dessert
- The Ultimate Chocolate Peanut Butter Gooey Butter Cake
- Decadent Chocolate Rum Cake – A Caribbean Recipe From Scratch
Caramel Apple Walnut Pie with Streusel Topping
A caramel apple with nuts but in a flaky and warm pie!
Ingredients
Homemade Pie Crust
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter (cold), cubed
- 1/3 cup vegetable shortening
- 3 - 6 tablespoons ice cold water
- (optional - 9-inch store-bought pie crust)
Walnut Streusel Topping
- 3/4 cup walnuts (chopped), toasted
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter (cold), cubed
Apple Filling
- 6 cups of sliced apples (Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, or Pink Lady) - peeled, cored, and sliced 1/4 in. thick (about 6 -7 apples).
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice (1 lemon)
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 3/4 cup walnuts (chopped), toasted
Caramel Sauce
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- (optional - 3/4 cup store-bought caramel sauce)
Equipment Needed
- 9-inch pie dish
- Stand mixer
- Food processor (or only a mixer)
Instructions
Homemade Pie Crust
- Combine the flour and salt in the mixer.
- Add the cubed, cold unsalted butter and vegetable shortening. Mix the ingredients on the lowest speed for about 60 - 90 seconds until it is crumbly and resembles a coarse meal. Do not overmix. If there are chunks of fat, that is okay and preferred.
- Add one tablespoon of ice-cold water at a time until the dough begins to come together in a large ball. I usually need 5 - 6 tablespoons.
- Transfer the dough to a floured surface. Using floured hands, mold the dough into a 1-inch disk and flatten the top. If the dough feels dry or crumbly, dip your fingers in ice-cold water to mold the dough. If the dough feels sticky, sprinkle flour and mold the dough.
- Tightly wrap the pie dough in plastic and chill it in the refrigerator for one hour (and up to three days). While the dough rests, you can toast walnuts, make the caramel sauce, and streusel topping.
- When you are ready to roll the dough and par-bake the pie crust, preheat the oven to 375° F.
- On a floured surface, roll the dough into a 12-inch circle, 1/8-inch thick, to fit a 9-inch pie dish. See my notes below if you are running into complications with your dough.
- Use your rolling pin to help transfer the pie crust to the pie dish. Place the rolling pin on one end of the circle. Then carefully place the dough onto the rolling pin and gently roll the dough along the rolling pin toward the other end of the circle. Quickly and carefully, pick the rolling pin of dough up and roll it back out over the top of the pie dish. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator until you are ready to bake. If the dough feels like it's getting too warm, I place it in the refrigerator to rest and chill again before trimming and fluting the edges. It makes this process easier.
- If needed, trim the edges with a knife. Then flute or crimple the edges with a fork if you desire. Lightly fork the bottom of the pie crust. Place a sheet of foil or parchment paper on the bottom of the crust and add your baking weights i.e., dried beans or ceramic beads.
- Partially bake the pie crust for 20 - 25 minutes until it is lightly golden brown. Set aside.
Prepare Walnuts
- Preheat oven to 325°F degrees.
- Chop walnuts until you have measured 1 1/2 cups of chopped walnuts. Place on a baking sheet and toast the chopped walnuts for 5 -7 minutes until lightly golden brown.
- Cool the chopped walnuts to room temperature. Separate them in half - 3/4 cups for the apple filling and 3/4 cups for the walnut streusel topping.
Caramel Sauce
- Warm the heavy cream, salt, and vanilla extract in a small saucepan. Keep warm on low heat.
- Place a separate stainless steel medium saucepan over medium heat. When the saucepan is hot, slowly sprinkle the sugar over the pan. When the sugar crystals start to melt, slowly add more until all of the sugar is dissolved. Once the caramel turns a golden amber color, turn off the heat. The sugar will continue to cook and darken.
- Slowly whisk in the heavy cream, salt, and vanilla extract mixture. When you add the cream, it will create a reaction with the sugar, so be careful. Turn the heat on medium-low to help dissolve the sugar.
- Once the sugar is fully dissolved, whisk the butter into the sauce until the caramel is silky smooth.
- Remove the caramel from the heat and let it cool to room temperature. You should have 3/4 cup of caramel sauce. Separate the caramel into 1/2 cup and 1/4 cup for different purposes. Set aside.
Walnut Streusel Topping
- Mix the flour, sugar, brown sugar, ground cinnamon, and salt in a food processor (or stand mixer with a paddle attachment).
- Add the cubed, cold unsalted butter to the mixture. Pulse (mix) 3 - 5 times until the mixture slightly clumps together. Big clumps are okay!
- Gently stir in the toasted, chopped walnuts.
- Place the streusel in an airtight container and chill until ready to use. When the streusel is cold, it is easy to break apart the larger clumps.
Apple Pie Filling
- Preheat the oven to 350° F (to prepare for baking the apple pie).
- Pour the lemon juice into a bowl large enough for the apple slices. Peel, core, and slice the apples 1/4-inch thick.
- Add apple slices to the bowl and toss with the lemon juice.
- Whisk the cornstarch, sugar, ground nutmeg, and ground cinnamon together in a small bowl.
- Add the dry mix into the bowl of apples and toss until the apples are coated.
- Add 1/2 cup of caramel sauce and 3/4 cup of toasted walnuts. Toss until the apples are completely coated in the caramel sauce.
Bake the Caramel Apple Walnut Pie with Streusel Topping
- Pour apple filling into the par-baked pie crust. Create an even layer with a small mound of apples in the center. Try evenly distributing the chopped walnuts and get every last drop of caramel sauce!
- Cover the apple pie with streusel. Again, evenly distributing it.
- Place the apple pie in the oven and bake at 350° F for 50 - 60 minutes until the streusel topping and edges of the pie crust are golden brown delicious. Check at 50 minutes, but my pie bakes well for 60 minutes.
- Allow the apple pie to cool to room temperature or slightly warm. If you desire, dust the pie with powdered sugar, but definitely drizzle the remaining 1/4 cup of caramel sauce on top. Cut a slice and enjoy!
Notes
Tips for Making Homemade Pie Dough
- Keep everything cold until you bake the pie crust! That includes the mixing bowl, dry ingredients, fat, and water. I like to measure the dry ingredients, add them to the mixing bowl, and then chill them in the refrigerator before mixing them. Furthermore, keep the pie dough cold before rolling and molding the edges.
- If the pie dough is falling apart or crumbling when rolling, the fats are worked in too much. Do not worry. The pie dough can still be saved. Sprinkle more water and flour onto the dough and gently work it in with your fingers. If the dough does not feel cold, refrigerate it for up to 30 minutes and try rolling it out again.
- If the edges of the pie crust are cracking as you roll it out, dip your fingers in ice-cold water and meld the edges back together.
- A glass pie dish is the best because it helps conduct heat evenly, allowing the crust's bottom to bake thoroughly. It also lets you see if the crust's sides and base have turned golden brown.
Measuring the Chopped Nuts Properly
- When a recipe calls for a measurement of "chopped nuts" (like this one) - it means you need to measure chopped nuts. If you measure the nuts and then chop them, you will lose their volume, and the measurement will inaccurate. This also applies to the sliced apples in this recipe.
Can I Use a Different Nut or Make it Nut-Free?
- Yes, to both! You do not need to make any adjustments to the recipe. Either omit the nuts or make sure you still chop and toast the nuts.
What Can I Make Ahead of Time?
- You can make and store the pie dough, caramel sauce, and streusel in an airtight container for up to three days in the refrigerator.
- The toasted walnuts can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container.
- A par-baked pie crust can be stored in an airtight container or bag at room temperature for up to three days.
