Two Cups Flour

Caramel Sauce
6 Make homemade caramel sauce ahead so it has time to cool. If you're using it cold straight from the fridge, warm slightly into a pourable consistency before adding to the pie. 
Homemade Pie Crust
1 Make the pie crust dough according to the recipe ahead of time. I like to make the double pie crust for this recipe, so I have plenty of overhang and a thicker crust. 
2 Roll the dough out to 1/4-inch thickness and line the pie pan. Trim away any overhanging dough, leaving about 1-inch overhang. Fold the overhanging dough under itself, to where it stays inside the edge of the pan. Crimp the dough and then dock the sides and bottom all over with a fork.
3 I don't always egg wash the crimp on this one, but if you'd like, just beat an egg and 1 teaspoon cream with a fork. Brush lightly over the crimped edges.
4 Place the lined pie pan in the fridge for the dough to firm while you make the filling and crumble.
Oat Crumble Topping
8 Whisk together the flour, oats, sugar, spices, salt, and sage in a large bowl.
9 Drop in the cold butter cubes and work them into the dry mixture with your hands until well combined and chunky. Place the bowl in the fridge to keep the crumble cold until ready to assemble the pie.
Pre-Cook Apple Pie Filling
16 **Pre-cooking the granny smith apples for a just a few minutes, creates a softer apple filling with thick slices that are neither too hard or mushy. This step also makes filling the pie crust easier, since the apples are a little softer and can be layered more evenly. They have also shrunk some in the pre-cooking process, giving a more realistic idea of how much filling can be added. 
11 In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, spices, and salt. 
13 In a large wide bottom pot or skillet on medium-low heat the butter until melted, add in the apples and lemon juice. Stir to coat. Sprinkle the sugar mixture on top and gently fold the apples with a silicone spatula to distribute.
12 Continue gently folding the apples while they cook and soften for about 5-6 minutes. Cook just long enough that they shrink slightly and become a little soft. 
14 Remove from heat and let the apples cool to room temperature. I transfer mine to a large wide bowl to cool more quickly.
Assemble and Bake
21 Preheat oven to 400℉ (200℃). Place an oven rack in the lower third of the oven. Set out a rimmed baking sheet.
17 Remove cold pie crust from the fridge and layer in the cooled apple slices. Scrape any excess liquid into the pie pan. 
18 The apples should fill up slightly higher than the sides of the pan as they will still shrink some in the oven.
19 Drizzle in the caramel sauce between layers to fill the cracks. It's ok if some pools up on top of the apples, it will melt down into the cracks in the oven. 
20 Take the cold crumble from the fridge and break into small chunks. Layer across the apples, gently pressing down to pack it down slightly.
22 Place the pie dish on the rimmed baking sheet. The pan will catch any drippings that might bubble out and help to heat the bottom of the pie crust.
23 Bake the pie for 20 minutes to kick start the pie crust, helping it cook through. 
24 Reduce heat to 350℉ (180℃) and continue baking for another 55-60 minutes. The pie is done when the filling is bubbling around the outer third of the pie and through the crumble. 
25 If the crumble is getting too dark, gently tent with a loose sheet of aluminum foil .
26 Place pie dish directly onto wire rack to cool completely, about 3 hours. The filling needs time to set and a hot pie will not be easy to cut. 
30 Serve plain or with vanilla ice cream and an extra drizzle of caramel sauce.