Description

This Mini Apple Pies recipe delivers perfectly individual-sized pies, bursting with a classic cinnamon-spiced apple filling enveloped in flaky, buttery crust. A charming twist on traditional apple pie, these mini treats are ideal for parties, holidays, or anytime you want a delightful, portable dessert. Made with simple ingredients and baked in a muffin pan, they offer convenience without compromising on taste or presentation.

Ingredients

Scale

Pie Crust

2 pie crusts (homemade or store-bought)

Apple Filling

2 ½ cups chopped apples (315 grams)
¼ cup granulated sugar (50 grams)
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (15 grams)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg

Additional

1 tablespoon unsalted butter (15 grams), optional

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Instructions

Prepare the Oven and Your Tools: Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Lightly flour your work surface to prevent the dough from sticking during rolling and cutting.
Roll and Cut the Pie Crust: Roll out the pie crusts to about 1/8-inch thickness. Using a 3.5-inch cookie cutter or cup, cut out 12 circles from the dough. Re-roll any leftover dough to make more circles until you have 12 total.
Shape the Mini Pie Shells: Press each dough circle gently into the cavities of a standard 12-count muffin pan to form mini pie shells. Ensure each fits snugly without tearing. Put the muffin pan and any extra dough back into the refrigerator while you prepare the apple filling.
Prepare the Apple Filling: In a large bowl, combine chopped apples, granulated sugar, all-purpose flour, ground cinnamon, pure vanilla extract, and ground nutmeg. Stir everything together until the apples are evenly coated with the spiced mixture.
Fill the Pie Shells: Remove the muffin pan from the refrigerator. Spoon the apple filling evenly into the dough-lined muffin cups, using about 3 tablespoons per cup for consistent filling amounts.
Add Butter: Dice the unsalted butter into 12 small pieces. Place one small piece of butter on top of the apple filling in each mini pie to enrich flavor and add moisture.
Top the Pies: Retrieve leftover pie crust from the fridge. Cut out small decorative shapes or lattice strips and place them atop each mini pie for an attractive finish.
Bake: Place the muffin pan in the preheated oven and bake for 18 to 23 minutes until the crust turns golden brown and the apple filling bubbles visibly.
Cool: Remove the pies from the oven and let them cool in the muffin pan for 10 to 15 minutes. Carefully lift out each mini pie and transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling before serving for best texture and flavor.

Notes

You can use either homemade or store-bought pie crusts depending on your preference for convenience or freshness.
Chilling the dough-lined muffin pan before filling helps maintain the crust shape and prevents shrinking during baking.
Using a crust cutter that is about 3.5 inches ensures the perfect size for single serving mini pies.
Adding small butter pieces on top of the filling enhances richness and helps achieve a glossy finish.
Decorative crust tops can be customized as lattice strips, small shapes, or left plain based on your aesthetic preference.
Allow pies to cool properly before serving to prevent burning and to let the filling set for easier eating.