This scrumptious Skillet Apple Streusel Pie features tender slices of Granny Smith apples tossed with sugar and apple pie spice, finished with a crumbly oat-brown sugar streusel and a drizzle of homemade caramel at serving time. It’s rustic, comforting, and exactly what an autumn dessert should be.
Apples are the hallmark of fall baking, and this skillet pie fills the house with that warm, cozy aroma you expect from seasonal desserts. The recipe is straightforward: prepare a simple butter pie crust, layer in a spiced apple filling, top with a buttery oat streusel, bake until golden, and serve with a quick caramel sauce. Many components can be made ahead—especially the dough and the streusel—so you can save time on a busy day. If you prefer shortcuts, store-bought crust or prepared caramel will work in a pinch.
Pie Crust
This is a simple, flaky butter crust that’s perfect for an iron skillet and meant to look rustic rather than picture-perfect. Two key points: use cold butter cut into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs, and chill the dough briefly before rolling so it holds its shape. Roll the dough to fit a 10-inch skillet and press it up the sides. If you’re short on time, a good store-bought pie crust will also work.
Streusel
The oat streusel is quick to mix—old-fashioned oats, brown sugar, flour, a pinch of salt, and melted butter. It takes about five minutes to prepare and can be made up to five days ahead and kept refrigerated. Make sure you use old-fashioned oats (not quick oats) for the best texture. If you prefer a double-crust apple pie without streusel, a traditional top crust works nicely instead.
Filling
The filling relies on a cooking apple that holds its shape—Granny Smith is a great choice because it stays tender without turning mushy and adds a pleasant tart balance to the sugars. This filling is simply apples, granulated and brown sugar, a bit of cornstarch for thickening, apple pie spice, a pinch of salt, and an optional splash of lemon juice to prevent browning while you assemble the pie.
Caramel
The caramel sauce is quick to make and intensely satisfying: granulated sugar cooked to a golden amber, finished with butter, then tempered with hot heavy cream and a touch of sour cream for richness and tang. Make it just before serving or reheat gently if made ahead. A drizzle over each slice keeps guests in control of how much caramel they want on their portion.
Saving a little extra caramel is a good idea so you can add more at the table if needed.
Recipe Summary
- Title: Skillet Apple Streusel Pie
- Author: Cindy Gibbs
- Prep Time: 75 minutes (includes chilling dough)
- Cook Time: About 1 hour
- Total Time: Around 2 hours 15 minutes
- Yield: 8 slices
- Category: Pies
Ingredients
Dough
- 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 stick cold unsalted butter, cubed
- 5–6 tablespoons ice water
Streusel
- 1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Filling
- 4 large Granny Smith apples, peeled and sliced about 1/4″ thick
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 1/2 teaspoons apple pie spice
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (optional)
Caramel Sauce
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
- 1 tablespoon cold unsalted butter
- 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream, full fat
- 2 tablespoons sour cream
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
Instructions
Dough
- Whisk the flour, salt, sugar, and cinnamon in a large bowl. Cut in the cold butter with a pastry blender (or two forks) until the mixture forms coarse crumbs.
- Add 5 tablespoons of ice water and mix until a moist dough holds together; add the last tablespoon if needed. Shape the dough into a disk, wrap, and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled dough into a 13-inch circle. Transfer it to a 10-inch cast-iron skillet, pressing into the bottom and up the sides. Fold the edges under; a rustic finish is fine for this skillet pie.
Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
Streusel
- Combine oats, flour, brown sugar, and salt in a medium bowl. Stir in the melted butter until crumbly. Make ahead up to 5 days and refrigerate if desired.
Filling and Assembly
- In a large bowl, toss the apple slices with granulated sugar, brown sugar, cornstarch, apple pie spice, and salt until evenly coated. Add lemon juice if using to prevent browning.
- Spoon the apple mixture into the prepared crust, then sprinkle the streusel evenly over the top to fully cover the apples.
- Bake until the crust is golden and the apples are tender when tested with a knife, about the time noted in the summary. If the crust browns too quickly, loosely tent the pie with foil for the final 10 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack before serving.
Caramel Sauce
- Place the sugar in a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Stir together the water and corn syrup, add to the sugar, and moisten. Cook over medium-high heat without stirring until the sugar turns a golden amber, about 6–8 minutes; gently swirl the pan as needed to prevent hot spots.
- Remove from heat and stir in the butter carefully (the mixture will foam). In a microwave-safe cup, heat the heavy cream and sour cream until very hot but not boiling (30–60 seconds). Return the pan to low heat and slowly whisk in the cream mixture. Cook about 1 minute, remove from heat, and stir in the salt. Serve warm over slices of pie or refrigerate and reheat gently.
Cover and refrigerate any leftovers; the pie keeps up to 3 days chilled.
Notes & Tips
- Drizzle caramel over each serving to preserve the streusel texture; pouring it over the whole warm pie can allow the sauce to sink into the filling quickly.
- Old-fashioned oats give the streusel a pleasant chew; do not substitute quick oats for the same texture.
- Make the streusel and dough ahead to save time on baking day. The caramel can be made in advance and gently reheated.
Recipe adapted from Fall Baking, Collector’s Edition.