It’s commonly known that all desserts are better in mini form. Perhaps it’s that the smaller, more adorable portion is endearing, or it allows you to try a wider variety of sweets at the tea party you’re hosting. In any case, it’s best to grab your muffin tin and your mini spoon and get baking – because these mini apple pies are the perfect addition to your afternoon.
First off, I’d like to calmly ask you to put the store-bought pie crust down and back away slowly. Delicious, flaky pie crust is so easy to make, there is no reason to purchase pre-made ever again. The crust is arguably the most important part of a pie, so I’m going to share with you a recipe passed down from my mom to my sister and me. You can use this recipe for all kinds of pies, from apple to pumpkin to lemon meringue – and you can eat it on its own with some sugar and cinnamon sprinkled on top if you have any extra left over. *heart eyes*
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (I use this gluten free variety, which you can get at Whole Foods)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2/3 cup shortening
- 4 tbsp cold 7UP or Sprite
- 4 tbsp cold water
Get out your favorite mixing bowl and stir together the flour and salt. Cut in the shortening until pea sized, using a pastry blender like this one. Sprinkle the soda over the mixture 1 tablespoon at a time. If you’re not a soda drinker, those mini cans will give you plenty to work with here. Mix gently – and I mean gently! Be especially careful not to overmix your dough, or the texture won’t be quite right. Add the water in the same way until you can form a ball. Lightly flour a clean surface and break your dough into two. Flatten your dough, then roll with a rolling pin. This recipe makes enough for two regular pies, which should be enough to fill one 12-well muffin tin and then some (remember what I said about sugar and cinnamon?!). Break apart your rolled dough and press into each muffin well. If you have any left over, place the strips into an oven safe container (I usually just use a pie plate), sprinkle cinnamon and sugar ’til your heart’s content, and set it aside to bake later on with the pies.
Once your dough is ready to go, it’s time to prep the filling. Right around now is a good time to preheat your oven to 450 degrees F. Stir these ingredients into a mixing bowl or, for easy cleanup, toss them in a gallon size Ziploc.
- 5-6 skinned and sliced apples (Honeycrisp are a delicious choice)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp nutmeg
- 1 1/2 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
Once the apples are coated in goodness, spoon a few into each muffin cup and admire your artwork. Try not to eat any before they go in the oven (I fail at this every time)! Pop those puppies into the oven for about 10 minutes, then lower the heat to 350 for another 35 to 45 minutes. The length of time varies based on your preference! Gluten-free crust may require the shorter of the two. If you do have extra crust, dust it with sugar and cinnamon and put it in the oven for the first 10 minutes while your mini pies are at 450 degrees. Once you change up the heat, remove the extra crust and devour (after cooling, of course!) while waiting on the main event.
Changing up an old favorite is a fun way to make it feel new again. These mini pies are also much more portable than regular slices of a 9-inch pie, so take them on adventures and show me where you roam on Instagram or Twitter!
