Description
These Mini Apple Pies offer a delightful twist on the traditional apple pie, perfect for individual servings. Made with a buttery pie crust and a sweet, spiced apple filling, these little pies bake to golden perfection and are ideal for sharing at gatherings or enjoying as a comforting dessert.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Crust:
- 1 package refrigerated pie crusts (or homemade crust if preferred)
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar (for sprinkling)
For the Filling:
- 4 medium apples (Granny Smith or Honeycrisp), peeled, cored, and diced
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
Instructions
- Prepare the Oven and Crust: Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) to ensure it reaches the ideal temperature for baking the pies evenly. Roll out the pie crusts on a lightly floured surface and use a round cutter or glass top to cut circles about 4-5 inches in diameter to fit the muffin tin.
- Form the Pie Shells: Press each dough circle gently into the cups of a muffin tin, creating individual mini pie shells that will hold the apple filling perfectly.
- Make the Apple Filling: In a medium bowl, combine diced apples with granulated sugar, brown sugar, all-purpose flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and lemon juice. Stir well until the apples are thoroughly coated with the sugar and spice mixture, which will ensure a flavorful filling that thickens as it bakes.
- Assemble the Mini Pies: Spoon the prepared apple filling evenly into each pie crust cup, filling them to the top for a generous serving. Dot the surface of the filling with small pieces of unsalted butter to add richness and encourage browning.
- Add the Tops: If you have leftover dough, create small lattice tops or full cover crusts for each pie. For a rustic look, you can leave the pies open-faced. When using a top crust, place it over the filling and press edges to seal, then cut small slits to allow steam to escape during baking.
- Prepare for Baking: Sprinkle granulated sugar lightly over the tops of the pies to add a sweet, slightly crunchy finish once baked.
- Bake the Mini Pies: Place the muffin tin in the preheated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbly, indicating the apples are tender and the filling has thickened.
- Serve: Allow the mini pies to cool slightly before removing them from the muffin tin. Serve warm for the best taste, optionally accompanied by a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream for added indulgence.
Notes
- Choose tart apples like Granny Smith for a balanced sweet and tangy flavor.
- If you prefer a gluten-free option, use gluten-free pie crusts and ensure your flour substitute is suitable.
- Leftover pie crust dough can be frozen for future use.
- These pies can be prepared ahead of time and baked just before serving.
- To avoid soggy bottoms, you can pre-bake the crusts for 5 minutes before adding filling.
