Caramel Apple Pecan Crunch
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Caramel Apple Pecan Crunch is everything you love about autumn wrapped up in a warm apple cobbler! It’s crunchy, sweet, and spiced just right for holidays and special occasions.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Ever wonder how some cobblers have crusts that never get crunchy on top? Well, that won’t happen with Caramel Apple Pecan Crunch. In fact, I decided to call it a ‘crunch’ because there’s nothing fluffy about it!
This recipe started with a craving for apples and real caramel sauce. Making caramel apples is fun, but can take a lot of steps. Adding the same ingredients to a cobbler provides similar results without all of the work!
You’ll love the homemade caramel sauce weaved throughout this dessert. It’s tempting to top it with ice cream, but it’s not necessary. Whatever you do…make this easy recipe as soon as possible. Your family will give it rave reviews!
Ingredients You’ll Need
When you’re shopping, pick up a yellow cake mix, ground cinnamon, brown sugar, heavy cream, butter, vanilla extract, apple pie filling, and pecans. Quantities are listed in the recipe card below.
How to Make The Filling
If you’re looking for a recipe that comes together in a flash, this is it! Start by emptying two cans of apple pie filling into a 9 x 13 dish. Sprinkle the apples with cinnamon and cover with half of the caramel sauce (recipe below). Next, cover the apples with half of the pecans.
Add cinnamon to a dry cake mix, then sprinkle over the apples. Drizzle melted butter and the rest of the pecans over the top. Finish by pouring the rest of the caramel sauce over the entire cobbler. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 45 minutes until crunchy.
How to Make Homemade Caramel Sauce
To make homemade caramel sauce, simply melt 6 Tbsp. of butter in a saucepan, stir in brown sugar, and heavy cream. Stir well over medium heat until it begins to bubble and boil for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Caramel sauce will thicken as it cools.
Can I Use Store Bought Caramel Sauce Instead?
If you want to make this recipe even quicker, it’s perfectly fine to use store bought caramel sauce in a jar. I prefer to make it myself because it’s absolutely delicious, but saving time is never a bad thing!
Can I Use Substitute Fresh Apples?
Absolutely! If you want to peel and slice the apples beforehand for homemade fresh flavor, go for it! If you choose this route, you’ll need to cook the apples until they’re soft before adding them to the recipe.
Serving Suggestions
This is a great cobbler to serve with whipped topping or vanilla bean ice cream. It’s rich, dense and decadent. If you’re in charge of the dessert for Thanksgiving or Christmas the year, you’ll hit the bullseye with this one!
More Apple Desserts to Love
Before you know it, Caramel Apple Pecan Crunch will be gone and you’ll be craving another dessert! Try some of my other popular apple recipes…
- Fried Apple Crisp
- Monkey Bread Apple Cobbler
- Apple Walnut Dump Cake
- German Chocolate Caramel Apples
- Fresh Apple Cake
Caramel Apple Pecan Crunch
*See notes in blog post for detailed tips, photos and instructions.
Ingredients
FILLING
- 2 15 oz cans apple pie filling
- dusting of cinnamon
- 1 cup pecans roughly chopped
- 1 cup caramel sauce recipe below
- 1 15 oz box yellow cake mix
- 2 tsp. cinnamon
- 1 stick butter melted
HOMEMADE CARAMEL SAUCE
- 1 cup brown sugar
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 6 Tbsp. butter
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
Instructions
FILLING
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Empty apple pie filling into a 9 x 13 inch dish.
- Sprinkle apples with a dusting of cinnamon, then cover with half of the caramel sauce. (recipe below)
- Cover apples with half of the chopped pecans.
- Stir cinnamon into the dry cake mix, then sprinkle cake mix over apples.
- Drizzle melted butter over cake mix. Sprinkle the rest of the pecans over the top.
- Pour the rest of the caramel sauce over the entire cobbler.
- Bake in a 350 degree oven for 45 minutes until crunchy.
HOMEMADE CARAMEL SAUCE
- Melt butter in a saucepan.
- Stir in brown sugar and heavy cream.
- Stir well over medium heat until it begins to bubble and boil for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
- Use as directed in filling above.
Notes
- Caramel sauce will thicken as it cools.
- Serve cobbler with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream or whipped topping if desired.
Nutrition
Nutrition info is an auto generated estimate.
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I just made the caramel sauce. It is really yummy, and so much easier than my usual caramel.
I am going to try the whole dish at Thanksgiving. It looks delicious!
Thanks!
Woo Hoo! So glad it worked for you! I kept a little of it in the fridge…and I sneak a bite every now and then. It reminds me of the pralines in Charleston. 🙂
This is absolutely yummy. I love how crunchy the topping is. Never had anything like it.
I just discovered your blog and can’t wait to try so many of the recipes! This apple dessert was a 5 ⭐️ with my family! I knew we needed a good comfort meal on this cold day so I made chicken and dumplings followed with this yummy apple goodness. It was easy using the canned apple filling and so good!
Hi Sonya! Thank you so much for your lovely comments. I’m so glad you found me too! You picked a great recipe to try! Let me know if you have any questions in the future. 🙂
This is perfect for fall!
It sure is! So glad you like it!