Holiday Dessert: Salted Bourbon Apple Pie Recipe by Two of a Kind

What’s better than apple pie? Boozy apple pie, of course! A splash of bourbon and a sprinkle of sea salt set this tasty pie from Alison of Two of A Kind apart from the rest. Want your holiday pie to stand out on the dessert table? This recipe’s your best bet.

Get the full recipe for Alison’s Salted Bourbon Apple Pie below!

Salted Bourbon Caramel Apple Pie Recipe
Makes 8 servings

INGREDIENTS

Crust:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 teaspoons salt
16 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold, cut into small pieces
6-8 tablespoons ice water

Salted bourbon caramel sauce (see notes):

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons bourbon
1 1/2-2 teaspoons sea salt

Filling:

4 pounds Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and cut into 8 slices each
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Finish:
1 egg beaten with 1 teaspoon water
1 tablespoon Demerara sugar

INSTRUCTIONS:

Prepare the crust: In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar and salt. Add the butter and rub it into the flour mixture with your fingertips until it resembles coarse meal. Add 6 tablespoons water and mix with a fork. If it is crumbly, add more water, 1 teaspoon at a time, until the ingredients start to come together. Then use your hands to lightly knead the dough in the bowl until it forms a ball.

Turn the dough out onto a work surface and divide in half. Shape each half into a disc, wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 2 days.

Prepare the salted bourbon caramel sauce: In a medium sauce pan, combine the sugar, water and lemon juice. Bring to a boil over medium-hight heat. Stir the mixture with a wooden spoon during the first 2-3 minutes but do not stir after this point, instead swirling the pan occasionally to ensure even cooking. Cook until the mixture is amber colored, about 9 minutes total, watching very carefully as it will go from amber colored to burned in a few seconds.

Remove the pan from the heat and slowly and carefully add the heavy cream, stirring with a wooden spoon; the mixture will bubble. Then stir in the bourbon and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt until smooth; add another 1/2 teaspoon salt if you prefer a saltier sauce.

Cook the sauce over medium-high heat for 1 minute and then transfer to a glass jar with a lid. Let cool to room temperature; cover and refrigerate if not using right away

Prepare the filling: In a large Dutch oven, combine the apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and lemon juice. Cover and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the apples are just tender, about 20 minutes.

Uncover and let the apples cool to room temperature. Stir in the cornstarch, salt and 3/4 cup caramel sauce; reserve the remaining sauce for serving.

Assemble and bake the pie: Remove 1 disc of dough from the refrigerator and let it sit for 5 minutes. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out dough to a 14” circle. Carefully transfer the dough to a 9” springform pan, pressing it against the bottom and sides. Use a sharp knife to trim the edge of the dough so it comes about 2 inches up the side of the pan. Transfer the crust to the freezer and let chill for at least 30 minutes.

Remove the other disc of dough and let it sit for 5 minutes. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out dough to a 14” circle. Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut dough into diamonds. Lay cutouts in a single layer on a baking sheet and transfer to the freezer; let chill for at least 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Pour the filling into the chilled pie shell. Arrange the cutouts over the filling, working in a spiral from the outside in to the center, overlapping them slightly. Brush the top crust with egg wash and sprinkle with the Demerara sugar.

Place the springform pan on a baking sheet. Transfer to the oven and bake until the crust is golden brown and the apples are very tender, about 1 hour. Check the pie after 30 minutes; if the top crust gets too brown before it is done baking, cover loosely with foil.

Remove pie from oven and let cool for 15 minutes. Then remove ring and transfer pie to a wire rack to cool for at least 2 hours before serving. When ready to serve, reheat reserved caramel sauce and drizzle over pie.

Notes: The salted bourbon caramel sauce can be refrigerated for up to 2 weeks. To reheat, microwave for about 30-60 seconds and stir well.