Thanksgiving is almost here, and at Studio DIY our favorite part of the holiday is always the pie. This year we put a playful spin on a classic and made a Palm Springs-inspired caramel apple crumble pie. A crumble topping already feels like the perfect canvas for a Palm Springs scene, so we went all in with tiny palm trees, a mini house and a pool.
This pie is built on a buttery pie crust filled with cinnamon-spiced apples and drizzled with caramel, topped off with a crunchy cookie-thin crumble. We partnered with Mrs. Thinsters for the crumble—her Sea Salt Caramel Cookie Thins add a salty-sweet depth that elevates the whole dessert. If you haven’t tried them, they make a delightful snack while the pie bakes and a fantastic base for a crumble topping. Use the crumble to dress up a store-bought pie or as the finishing touch on this homemade caramel apple pie.
A Palm Springs Pie (+ A Recipe!)
Ingredients
- For the crust:
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter cut into cubes and chilled
- 2 tablespoons vegetable shortening chilled
- 4 tablespoons ice cold water
- For the filling:
- 5 cups peeled and thinly sliced apples
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 cup caramel sauce or caramel apple dip
- For the crumble:
- About 3 cups of Mrs. Thinsters Sea Salt Caramel Cookie Thins (about 2 cups cookie crumbs)
- 3 tablespoons butter melted
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
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Make the crust: combine the flour, salt and sugar in a food processor and pulse to mix.
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Add the chilled butter and shortening and pulse about 12 times until the mixture is crumbly.
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With the machine running, add the ice water a little at a time and pulse until the dough forms a ball. Wrap in plastic and chill for about an hour.
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On a well-floured surface, roll the dough into a circle large enough for your pie pan. Press into the pan, trim and crimp the edges.
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Prepare the filling: in a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar and cinnamon. Add the sliced apples and toss to coat.
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Pour the apple mixture into the prepared pie crust and drizzle the caramel sauce evenly over the apples.
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Make the crumble: place the cookie thins in a food processor and pulse until they resemble coarse sand.
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Stir in the melted butter until combined, then spread the cookie crumb mixture evenly over the apples.
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Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until the crust is golden and the filling is bubbling. Let the pie cool before serving.
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For extra texture, sprinkle additional cookie crumbles over the cooled pie.
To give the pie its Palm Springs look we added miniature palm trees, flamingos and cacti, plus a little pool made from blue cardstock (line the back with wax paper so grease doesn’t soak through). We also constructed a tiny house from cardstock: cut two house-shaped panels and two side rectangles, tape them into a box, then fold and glue a roof piece on top. Finish with a small pink rectangle for the door.
Photos by Jeff Mindell | Recipe by Theresa Rountree
We can’t wait to see Palm Springs pies on your Thanksgiving tables—beach versions with tiny umbrellas are equally welcome. The possibilities are endless and so much fun.
This post was created in partnership with Mrs. Thinsters. All content and opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the sponsors that keep Studio DIY going.