Of all of the desserts I’ve made, my husband Ryan claims this is one of the best ever. Funny, considering just how simple it is: 7 ingredients total. Given that caramel and whipped cream are two of his favorite things, his love for this pie makes sense. After all, it’s essentially a pile of caramel and a pile of whipped cream sitting atop a graham cracker crust!
When I saw this recipe in my recent Food & Wine magazine, I knew I had to give it a try, given my recent salted caramel kick! After assembling the pie, I cut a piece for the photographs and promptly ate the whole piece. I knew I had to get the pie out of my house as soon as possible. Freshly whipped cream only lasts so long and I knew it’d be too tempting to finish off the whole pie before the topping lost its jazz. 
The pie was just as much a hit amongst Ryan’s coworkers as it was in our house. Although I didn’t find the “salted” part of this pie noticeable enough, many thought it was perfect as is. If I made it again, I’d definitely up the salt in the caramel a bit and sprinkle some more on the finished product!
If you choose to make it ahead of time, like I did, don’t be surprised if the caramel is difficult to spread. I let mine warm up a bit on the counter before placing it in the crust and it was still kind of hard to fill…just use a spatula and take care not to break up the crust. Once topped with the whipped cream, I recommend letting it sit in the fridge for an hour or so…it was best once chilled.
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Salted Caramel Pie
- Total Time: 6 hours 30 minutes
- Yield: 8-10 1x
Description
This pie is ridiculously easy and ridiculously good–graham cracker crust, salty caramel filling, and whipped cream topping!
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups (300 ml) graham cracker crumbs
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) light brown sugar
- 2 cans (14 oz / 400 g each) sweetened condensed milk
- fleur de sel
- 2 cups (480 ml) heavy cream
- 2 tbsp confectioners' sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. In the bowl of a food processor, add graham cracker crumbs, butter, and brown sugar, pulsing until crumbs are moistened. Press the crumbs evenly into a 9-inch pie plate. Bake for 10 minutes and set aside to cool.
- Raise oven temperature to 425F. Pour sweetened condensed milk into a 9 x 13 pan and sprinkle with 1/4 tsp fleur de sel. Cover with foil and place in a roasting pan. Fill the roasting pan with hot water so that it reaches 1/3 of the way up the side of the 9 x 13 pan.
- Bake for 2 hours, until sweetened condensed milk is thick and golden. Stir 2-3 times with a spatula and add more water to the roasting pan if necessary. The consistency of the finished caramel should be like dulce de leche (may be lumpy but will smooth as it chills.
- Scrape the caramel into the pie crust, smoothing with a spatula. Spray a sheet of plastic wrap with cooking spray and cover the pie. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, until the filling is chilled and set.
- In a mixing bowl, beat heavy cream with confectioners’ sugar until firm. Remove pie from the fridge and remove plastic wrap. Mound the whipped cream on top of the pie and sprinkle with fleur de sel. Cut into wedges and serve.
- **Steps 1-3 can be done up to 5 days ahead of time. Refrigerate the crust and the filling separately.
Notes
- from Food and Wine November 2011
- Prep Time: 30 mins
- Cook Time: 2 hours 30 mins
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 520
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Frequently Asked Questions
How does the caramel filling get made — does it require cooking sugar on the stovetop?
No stovetop caramel needed. Two cans (14 oz / 400 g each) of sweetened condensed milk are poured into a 9×13 pan, sprinkled with 1/4 tsp fleur de sel, covered with foil, and placed in a water bath (water reaching 1/3 up the side). It bakes at 425°F for 2 hours, stirred 2-3 times, until thick and golden — the consistency of dulce de leche.
Can I make parts of this pie ahead of time?
Yes — the graham cracker crust and the caramel filling can each be made up to 5 days ahead and refrigerated separately. Scrape the cold caramel into the crust and let it warm slightly on the counter if it’s too stiff to spread (the author found this helpful). Add the whipped cream topping on the day of serving.
Why is the caramel hard to spread when made ahead?
The caramel sets firm once chilled. The author lets hers warm up a bit on the counter before filling the crust, then uses a spatula carefully to avoid breaking up the graham cracker base. Once the whipped cream (2 cups heavy cream beaten with 2 tbsp confectioners’ sugar) is mounded on top and the pie chills for an hour, it sets up perfectly.
