Nothing is as cozy and comforting as sharing a flaky-crusted, cinnamon-spiced, absolutely luscious apple pie with your friends. Drizzled with a decadent caramel sauce, it's the perfect cozy dessert. Invite everyone a little closer for a sweet slice of holiday joy.
In a large bowl, combine flour and salt. Using a pastry blender, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Mix in water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until dough begins to form. Divide dough and form each piece into a disk. Wrap each piece in plastic and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Toss all filling ingredients in a large bowl and let sit 10–15 minutes to release the juices.
Transfer apple mixture to large saucepan and cook over low heat.
When apples start steaming, cover the pot and cook on low for 15–20 minutes, ensuring the mixture is at a very low simmer: do not boil.
After 15–20 minutes has passed, remove the lid and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring frequently.
Cook until the sauce thickens and leaves a trail when scraped with the spatula. Cool to room temperature before filling pie shell.
Preheat oven to 425ºF. On a floured surface, roll first disk into a 12-inch circle. Place crust in pie plate. Press the dough into pie plate. Pour apple mixture into pie shell.
Roll out second disk into a 12-inch circle and cut into twelve 1-inch strips. Lay 6 horizontally over the pie, choosing according to length. Fold every other strip almost all the way back, and lay an unused strip over the remaining three perpendicularly. Unfold the strips back across the pie, and fold the other 3 back. Repeat with remaining strips until pie is completely covered.
Fold any excess dough under and crimp or flute the edges.
Brush top crust with milk and sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon sugar. Place a baking pan on lower rack. Bake on middle rack for 25 minutes. Reduce temperature to 375ºF and bake for 30 minutes or until crust is golden brown and juices are bubbling. Remove from oven and cool on wire rack at least 1 hour.