Mini Apple Pies

I won’t apologize for another mini pie post. We all know that would just be an unnecessary waste of time. This is the third and final type of mini pie we served at a recent church function (the others were pumpkin and pecan). The apple mini pies were not the prettiest of the batch (although that could easily be remedied with a swirl of whipped cream), but they were the only flavor I could sit down and eat a whole tray of. You can be the judge of whether that’s a good thing or bad thing, but personally I’m in the pro camp.

These mini apple pies are based on our crumbly apple pie, but when made tiny they turn into something that is equal parts soul food and fancy. It reminds my tastebuds of a turnover, only more elegant. There is a trade-off that happens with the mini version. The crust is easier to manage, but the topping becomes a little harder. On the full-sized pie you can easily pile it up, but on the mini pie the crumbly topping doesn’t stack quite as well. I finally gave up on trying to make the filling not spill onto the top of the pan. As long as you butter the top of the pan the pies will still slide out and you can break off any topping that juts out in peninsula fashion. (And pop it directly into your mouth of course.)

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Mini Crumbly Apple Pies

A mini version of our beloved crumbly apple pie.

Servings 24 mini pies

Ingredients

• 1 pie crust
• 2 apples Any kind or even two different kinds will do.
• 3 TBSP sugar
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 2 pinches nutmeg
• pinch salt
• 1/4 C brown sugar
• 1/4 C flour
• 2 TBSP butter

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400º F.
• Grease the entire mini muffin pan, including the top so the pies will slide right out even if the filling bubbles over. I have a 24 cup mini muffin pan so I can make the entire batch all at once.
• Roll out the dough and cut 24 circles using a cookie cutter, the rim of a small glass, or even a knife if you can’t find anything appropriately sized. A tip for choosing your crust cutter is you want it to be at least 1/4″ wider in diameter than the holes of the muffin tin. I used one of my children’s cups. Shot glasses would probably be another good option
• Carefully transfer the circles to the mini muffin pan. Gently press the dough into the well so it’s flush on all sides and there won’t be any air bubbles. Put the mini muffin pan(s) in the fridge to chill while you mix the filling. (Note: You will have extra pie dough. Make some pie crust cookies.
• Peel, core, and dice the apples. You want the apple pieces to be much smaller than you make them for a regular pie. Think pea sized.
• Pour sugar, cinnamon, pinch of nutmeg, and salt over the apples. Mix until evenly distributed.
• In another bowl, mix brown sugar, flour, butter, and pinch of nutmeg with a pastry blender or two knives until the mixture is coarse.
• Bake for 12 minutes then rotate the pan and bake for 12-14 more or until the topping is beginning to brown and bubble.
• Cool until you can touch the pan and then gently remove each individual pie.

Notes

This recipe can also be made using a regular sized muffin tin instead of a mini muffin tin. This will produce a higher filling to crust ratio which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. The recipe yields 8 standard muffin sized pies.