The Best Salted Caramel Pie
An Elegant Yet Effortless Holiday Dessert
Salted Caramel Pie: The Easiest Show-Stopping Dessert for Your Holiday Table
There are certain recipes that quietly work their way into your holiday traditions—not because they’re flashy or complicated, but because they’re the ones everyone asks for year after year. This Salted Caramel Pie is exactly that kind of recipe.
It looks impressive, tastes like something from a cozy little bakery tucked away in Vermont, and yet the entire thing comes together with pantry staples and almost no fuss. It’s simple, but in the most elegant, classic way—silky caramel, a buttery graham cracker crust, and clouds of softly whipped cream dusted with fleur de sel.
It’s the kind of dessert you can make while toddlers are running circles around your kitchen…and still feel like the most composed hostess in the room.
And the best part?
It chills overnight, which means one less thing to worry about on the morning of.
For the crust:
1 ¼ cups graham cracker crumbs (about 5 ounces)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
¼ cup light brown sugar
For the caramel filling:
Two 14-ounce cans sweetened condensed milk
Fleur de sel
For the topping:
2 cups heavy cream
2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
Ingredients
Make the Crust
Preheat your oven to 350°F.
In a food processor, pulse together the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and brown sugar until the mixture is evenly moistened.
Press the crumbs firmly into a 9-inch pie plate and bake for 8–10 minutes, until lightly golden. Let cool completely.
Increase oven temperature to 425°F.
Cook the Caramel
Scrape the sweetened condensed milk into a 9×13-inch baking dish.
Sprinkle with a scant ½ teaspoon of fleur de sel, cover tightly with foil, and place the dish inside a larger roasting pan.
Pour hot water into the roasting pan until it reaches about one-third of the way up the sides of the baking dish.
Bake for 1 1/2 - 2 hours, lifting the foil to stir the condensed milk 2–3 times.
Add more water as needed.
(Don’t panic if it looks lumpy—almost curdled—when it’s done. It smooths out beautifully as it chills.)
Fill the Pie
Pour the caramel into the cooled crust and smooth the top.
Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight.
Make the Whipped Cream
Right before serving, beat the heavy cream with the confectioners’ sugar until firm peaks form.
Remove the plastic from the pie, mound the whipped cream on top, and finish with a delicate sprinkle of fleur de sel.
Slice and serve.
Instructions
This pie is made for busy holiday schedules.
You can prepare the crust and caramel filling up to Step 2 up to 5 days ahead.
Make-Ahead Tips
There is something so charmingly nostalgic about a recipe that calls for just a few simple ingredients yet tastes like a true labor of love. This pie is exactly that—rich, cozy, effortless, impressive, and guaranteed to disappear one slice at a time.
It also pairs beautifully with everything else on your Thanksgiving table—from a full Friendsgiving spread to a quiet, candlelit family dinner.
