Apple pie lasagna is a no-bake dessert that combines layers of graham cracker pecan curst, caramel, whipped cream cheese, apple pie filling, and whipped cream topped with more caramel. It's a delicious and easy way to enjoy the flavors of apple pie without turning on the oven.
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🍎A multi layered dessert
This apple pie lasagna is a dessert to make for a crowd (other great crowd worthy desserts are apple crumble cinnamon rolls and pumpkin streusel coffee cake)! The graham cracker pecan crust in this recipe is THE best crust in my opinion! It can be chilled until set, or you can bake it. Either works just as well!
There are several components to this cake, so to save time, use store bought caramel, or make it from scratch! The apple pie filling can be made the day before too.
The whipped cream cheese comes together quickly. Top with the whipped cream and drizzle caramel on top. Chill the whole cake for at least an hour to set.
Like apple desserts!?! Try my apple cider coffee cake, mini apple crisp cheesecakes, apple crumble cinnamon rolls, or my apple butter cheesecake!
🥘Ingredients
Ingredient notes
- Cream cheese - Make sure to use block cream cheese which is meant for baking and cooking.
- Pecans - Get pecan pieces to save time on chopping up whole pecans.
- Unsalted butter - Yes there's a lot of butter in this! 🤣
- Apples - I prefer using two different apples in my apple recipes, such as my apple pie recipe. Using one tart apple and one sweeter apple gives a more complex flavour.
- Lemon - Use freshly squeezed lemon juice for best flavour.
🔪Instructions
Crust
Start with the crust by mixing together graham cracker crumbs, chopped pecans, and brown sugar in a large bowl. Add melted butter and stir until everything is combined. Press into prepared pan.
You can either freeze or refrigerate the crust until it's ready, or bake it. Either works just fine. For an unbaked crust, place in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, or in the freezer for 1 hour. For a baked crust, bake for 10 minutes at 350°F (177°C). Let cool until room temperature before continuing with the next step.
Caramel
If you are making the caramel layer, add sugar to a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir occasionally until sugar starts to melt. This can take about 15 minutes. Don't stir once sugar has melted and let it boil until it turns a light amber colour. Then remove from heat.
Add butter and whisk it together. Add whipping cream and whisk until combined. Add flour and then put saucepan back over medium heat until, stirring constantly until caramel starts boiling. Remove from heat.
Strain into a small bowl and stir in salt. Let cool until room temperature. Once caramel is at room temperature, measure out ⅓ cup for later use. Then evenly spread the rest of the caramel over the crust in the baking pan.
Whipped Cream Cheese Layer
To make this layer, combine cream cheese and butter in a large bowl and beat until fully combined. Add powdered sugar and vanilla extract and mix until combined.
Whip heavy whipping cream in a medium bowl until stiff peaks. Gently fold whipped cream into cream cheese mixture.
Evenly spread whipped cream cheese over caramel in the baking pan. Store in the refrigerator to firm while you make the apple pie filling.
Apple Pie Filling
To make the apple pie filling, mix diced apples with lemon juice in a medium bowl.
Add flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg to a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook until brown sugar has melted, then add apples and water. Stir to combine.
Cook until filling starts to boil, then turn down the temperature to low and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until apples have softened.
Remove from heat and let cool until room temperature. Then place in the refrigerator until cooled, about 30 minutes. You can also make the apple pie filling a day before and store in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Remove baking pan from the refrigerator and evenly spread apple pie filling over top of the whipped cream cheese layer. Chill in the refrigerator until the next step is done.
Whipped Cream Topping
Whip heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl until stiff peaks form. Evenly spread over apple pie filling.
Drizzle the remaining ⅓ cup caramel over the top of the cake. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. Leftovers should be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
✔️Expert Tips
- Let the pie filling cool completely before you layer it on top of the whipped cream cheese layer. If it's warm, it will melt the other layers.
- Use store bought caramel if you are worried about making your own, or are short on time.
- Chill for a minimum of 2 hours so everything firms up nicely before you cut into it.
💭FAQs
There are several layers you can make ahead of time. The caramel and apple pie filling can be both made in advance and kept in the refrigerator until you are ready to assemble.
The whole cake can be made a day in advance as well. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
I like using a combination of sweet and tart apples for more complex flavour. But use whichever types of apples you usually prefer.
I would not recommend freezing this cake. The whipped fillings will have a different consistency after thawing.
🔖Related Recipes
📋 Recipe
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Apple Pie Lasagna
Equipment
- one 9x13" baking pan
Ingredients
Crust
- 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
- 1½ cups chopped pecans
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar packed
- ¾ cup unsalted butter melted
Caramel
- 3 cups granulated sugar
- ¾ cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 1½ cups heavy whipping cream
- ½ cup all purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Whipped Cream Cheese Layer
- 14 ounces cream cheese room temperature
- ½ cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 1½ cups powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1½ cups heavy whipping cream cold
Apple Pie Filling
- 6 medium apples peeled, cored, and diced
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
- ½ cup brown sugar packed
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 cup water
Whipped Topping
- 1½ cups heavy whipping cream cold
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Crust
- Grease a 9x13" baking pan and set aside.
- In a medium sized bowl, mix together graham cracker crumbs, chopped pecans, and brown sugar. Add melted butter and stir until everything is combined. Press into prepared pan.
- You can either freeze or refrigerate the crust until it's ready, or bake it. Either works just fine.
- For an unbaked crust, place in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, or in the freezer for 1 hour.
- For a baked crust, bake for 10 minutes at 350°F (177°C). Let cool until room temperature before continuing with the next step.
Caramel
- Add sugar to a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir occasionally until sugar starts to melt. This can take about 15 minutes. Don't stir once sugar has melted and let it boil until it turns a light amber colour. Then remove from heat.
- Add butter and whisk it together. Add whipping cream and whisk until combined.
- Add flour and then put saucepan back over medium heat until, stirring constantly until caramel starts boiling. Remove from heat.
- Strain into a small bowl and stir in salt. Let cool until room temperature. Once caramel is at room temperature, measure out ⅓ cup for later use. Then evenly spread the rest of the caramel over the crust in the baking pan.
Whipped Cream Cheese Layer
- In a large bowl, combine cream cheese and butter and beat until fully combined. Add powdered sugar and vanilla extract and mix until combined.
- Whip heavy whipping cream in a medium bowl until stiff peaks. Gently fold whipped cream into cream cheese mixture.
- Evenly spread whipped cream cheese over caramel in the baking pan. Store in the refrigerator to firm while you make the apple pie filling.
Apple Pie Filling
- In a large bowl mix diced apples with lemon juice.
- Add flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg to a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook until brown sugar has melted, then add apples and water. Stir to combine.
- Cook until filling starts to boil, then turn down the temperature to low and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until apples have softened.
- Remove from heat and let cool until room temperature. Then place in the refrigerator until cooled, about 30 minutes. You can also make the apple pie filling a day before.
- Remove baking pan from the refrigerator and evenly spread apple pie filling over top of the whipped cream cheese layer. Chill in the refrigerator until the next step is done.
Whipped Cream Topping
- Whip heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl until stiff peaks form. Evenly spread over apple pie filling.
- Drizzle the remaining ⅓ cup caramel over the top of the cake. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before serving. Leftovers should be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Notes
- Let the pie filling cool completely before you layer it on top of the whipped cream cheese layer. If it's warm, it will melt the other layers.
- Use store bought caramel if you are worried about making your own, or are short on time.
- Chill for a minimum of 2 hours so everything firms up nicely before you cut into it.
Did you try this recipe? Comment below to let me know ☺️