This rustic skillet apple pie is the easiest way to make an apple pie without a traditional pie plate! This pie recipe has spiced apples layered in a flaky crust with caramel sauce, served warm from a skillet instead. A scoop of ice cream is non-negotiable!
As soon as the first leaf hits the ground in the fall, I’m ALL about apple desserts. I’ve made mini apple pies and even apple pie dip. I know you’ll love this easy skillet apple pie just as much as I do!
Why You’ll Love This Iron Skillet Apple Pie
There’s nothing, and I mean NOTHING better than the smell of apple pie baking in the oven. The sweetness, the cozy spice. Yes, please! I love my classic baked apple pie recipe for that reason. But here’s why should bake your next apple pie in a skillet:
A new twist on a classic. This skillet apple pie is a more rustic, less fussy way of making pie. It turns out great with homemade or refrigerated pie crust, so it’s perfect for everyday baking.
Caramel apple filling. This pie is a double-decker. It has classic, sweet apple pie filling and the bottom crust bakes in caramelized brown sugar. Every time you serve a slice, you get a “surprise” of gooey caramel underneath!
Better baking. Cast iron skillets are great insulators. So, not only does this skillet apple pie look pretty, it has the bonus benefit of baking more evenly with an extra crisp crust.
Perfect for fall occasions. Serve this skillet apple pie warm a la mode, topped with big scoops of vanilla ice cream. Apple pie is always a favorite, and this one’s a real show-stopper at the dessert table.
What You’ll Need
The skillet method might be new, but this recipe uses all your classic apple pie ingredients. See my notes below, and scroll down to the printable recipe card for the full ingredients list with amounts.
Apples – Choose any baking apples, like Granny Smith (my fave), Braeburn, Cortland, Honeycrisp, or a mix of different apples. The best apples for baking are firm enough to hold up in the heat of the oven. Peel and chop them into ½” slices.
Brown Sugar – I like the caramelized flavor of brown sugar, but granulated sugar works too.
Flour and Salt – All-purpose flour and kosher salt. Flour thickens the apple pie filling, but you can replace the flour in this recipe with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch if you prefer.
Cinnamon – Or apple pie spice.
Butter – Salted or unsalted.
Pie Crust – Just like a classic apple pie, this skillet version calls for a flaky pie crust. I use my homemade crust, but a refrigerated store-bought crust works perfectly. Make sure it’s a double crust (top and bottom).
Egg – Just the egg white, for an egg wash. Brushing the pie crust with egg before baking gives the apple pie a golden, glossy finish.
Sugar – Coarse sugar or granulated sugar, to sprinkle over the crust for extra crunch.
What Kind of Skillet Should I Use?
Whichever skillet you use, the most important thing is that it’s 100% oven-proof. The best choice for this skillet apple pie is a 10-inch cast iron skillet. Staub and Le Creuset are good brands to look for. Cast iron comes coated (with enamel or similar) or uncoated. I love mine, and use it for everything from desserts like pies and skillet cookies to skillet apple biscuits and skillet chicken parmesan. Totally worth the investment!
How to Make Apple Pie In a Skillet
This easy skillet apple pie takes just a few minutes to put together and the steps are crazy simple. You’ll toss the apples in spices, and make a quick brown sugar caramel sauce in the skillet before you assemble. Follow along below, and refer to the recipe card for printable instructions.
Toss the apples with cinnamon sugar.Melt butter with brown sugar for the sauce.
Prepare the apples. Peel, slice, and toss the apples with brown sugar, flour, salt, and cinnamon.
Make the caramel sauce. Next, melt butter and brown sugar in a cast iron skillet. Let it come to a boil for 2 minutes (keep stirring!) and take the skillet off the heat.
Add the bottom crust and fill it with apples.Add the top crust and bake!
Assemble. The first pie crust goes into the skillet OVER the caramel. Trust the process! Next, add the apples, followed by the second pie crust. Give the edges a pinch to close.
Add an egg wash. Brush the top crust lightly with egg and sprinkle over some sugar. Score the top of the crust with a knife so that the steam can escape.
Bake. Bake the skillet apple pie in a 350ºF oven for 1 hour, or until it’s nicely browned and bubbly.
Do I Have to Bake This Pie in a Skillet?
Baking apple pie in a skillet has it’s benefits, but if you don’t have a skillet or would prefer to bake this pie the traditional way instead, that’s fine, too. This recipe works with aluminum, glass, tin, or ceramic pie plates. However, the base of the pie won’t be quite as crispy and caramelized, and the filling might not bake as consistently as when it’s baked in a skillet.
Tips and Variations
Shield the crust. If the pie is over-browning in the oven, cover the crust with aluminum foil while the pie finishes baking.
Time-saving tip. If you’re running short on time, you can use my microwave caramel sauce recipe for the caramel layer. Just spread it into the pan and assemble the pie as usual.
Don’t overcook the caramel. Overcooking the caramel sauce makes it less saucy and chewier as it sets, like the texture of homemade caramels. Still delicious, mind you, just not what we’re going for. Let the caramel boil for just 2 minutes, and then take the pan off the heat right away.
Try a different top crust. Instead of a whole top crust, top this skillet apple pie with a crumble like you would with a Dutch apple pie. Or, if you have the time, slice and weave the pie dough to make a lattice crust.
Add spice. Make a variation of this chai Dutch apple pie and toss the apples with chai spices. So cozy!
How to Serve Skillet Apple Pie
Now, for the most important step: topping this gooey skillet pie with a scoop (or three) of creamy vanilla ice cream! Plus, an extra drizzle of caramel for kicks. I also love topping my slices with homemade apple cider caramel sauce or pumpkin spice caramel sauce when I have a batch in the fridge. Fall desserts don’t get much better!
Storing and Reheating
Refrigerate. This skillet apple pie is fine to store covered at room temperature for a couple of days, or you can refrigerate it up to 5 days.
Reheat. Apple pie is a delicious cold breakfast, if you ask me! Otherwise you can reheat the whole pie right in the skillet, or warm smaller portions in the microwave for 30 seconds before serving.
Skillet apple pie is a rustic twist on a classic dessert. It’s an easy pie recipe baked in a cast iron skillet with layers of spiced apples and a bottom crust infused with caramel. Serve warm, topped with ice cream!
4 pounds Granny Smith Apples, peeled and sliced into 1/2– inch slices
1 3/4 cup light brown sugar, divided
1/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup butter
2 (round 12-inch) pie crusts, homemade or store bought
1 egg white, whisked
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
Preheat oven to 350°F
In a large bowl combine apple slices, 3/4 cup brown sugar, flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and cinnamon. Stir to coat the apples evenly. Set aside.
In a 10-inch cast iron skillet melt the butter and remaining 1 cup of brown sugar together over medium heat, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil and boil for 2 minutes, continuing to stir constantly, and remove immediately from the heat.
Place one of the pie crusts evenly OVER the brown sugar in the skillet and carefully up the edges. Pour the apples into the bottom crust. Top the apples with the remaining pie crust, pinching the edges to seal the pie.
Lightly brush the egg white onto the top crust, and sprinkle with granulated sugar.
Place the skillet on a baking sheet and place in the oven. Bake for 60 -70 minutes until the pie is golden brown and bubbly. If necessary shield the crust of the pie with aluminum foil for the last 10 minutes of baking to prevent burning.
