I posted a photo on Instagram recently where it featured mini apple pies. As mentioned in the caption, it’s tradition for me to bake an apple pie or two (a recipe from Laura in the Kitchen) during Thanksgiving weekend, along with other autumn-related desserts, of course.
But since this year is a little different, and it’s highly unlikely that I can single-handedly finish a 9-inch pie on my own, I opt to make her mini apple pies – which are essentially the same as her apple pie recipe but minis.
Even though the pies are mini, the recipe itself makes about two dozen, so I went ahead and 1/3 the recipe, which makes 8 cute mini apple pies. I also didn’t make the pie dough that was included in her recipe. Instead, I made a basic pie dough that doesn’t involve a lot of ingredients, literally just the basics.
Here’s my recipe for mini apple pies that can be indulge throughout the autumn season. If you already have pie dough, skip ahead to the filling portion of the recipe!
Ingredients (serves 8 mini pies):
Pie Crust:
- 1¼ cups All Purpose Flour
- 1/2 cup Cold Butter, cubed
- 1 tbsp Sugar
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 4-6 tbsp Ice Water
Filling:
- 2 Apples – peeled, cored, diced
- 1/2 tsp Lemon Juice
- 2 tbsp Sugar
- 1/4 tsp Cinnamon
- 2 tsp Flour
- Egg Wash (Egg + 1 tbsp Water)
Instructions:
For the pie crust:
In a food processor, add in Flour, Sugar, and Salt and pulse a few times to incorporate the ingredients.
Add in the Cold Butter and pulse about 10 times, while it’s pulsing, slowly add 1 tbsp of Ice Water at a time (the amount of tablespoon varies, you may need more or less), until the dough comes together when pitched.
Pour out the dough from the food processor and onto a lightly floured surface and form the dough into a disk.
Wrap the dough in food wrap (cling film, Saran wrap, eco-friendly beeswax wrap) and put it in the fridge while working on the filling.
**This pie dough is freezer friendly. So feel free to make the dough ahead of time and leave it in the freezer for future pie making. Just make sure to defrost it overnight in the fridge or on the counter for 2-3 hours.
For the filling:
Preheat oven to 325°F/165°C.
In a bowl, add in the Diced Apples, Lemon Juice, Sugar, Cinnamon, and Flour and mix until the apples are coated and none of the other ingredients are visible, set aside.
Take out the pie dough and place it onto a well floured surface. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out to about 1/8″ thick.
Next, using a 3½″ and 2½″ cookie cutter round, cut out 8 rounds from each (there should be 16 rounds in total) and make a few slits each on the 2½″ rounds. (Re-forming the dough may be needed)
Take a 12 cup muffin pan and spray it with non-stick spray and line the bottom with the 3½″ pie crust rounds, making sure it’s placed so that it comes up the sides.
Take the apple filling and evenly distribute into each muffin cup. Brush a bit of egg wash on top of each one.
Then take the 2½″ rounds and place them on top of each filling, pinching both pieces of dough together (use a fork to crimp for added decoration). Brush the tops with egg wash. Optionally, sprinkle the tops with raw sugar.
Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown.
Allow the pies to cool completely before serving.