These mini apple pies offer a bite-sized twist on a traditional autumn dessert, making them a sure crowd-pleaser at your upcoming gathering.
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Delicious Mini Apple Pies
I have a soft spot for homemade apple pies. The comforting flavors, the cozy spices, the sweet and gooey caramelized apples encased in a rich, flaky pie crust that practically melts in your mouth.
Making these mini apple pies in a muffin tin adds a fun twist, turning a classic dessert into bite-sized delights that you can easily enjoy by hand. They come in perfect portions and are great for sharing (or not 😉). These mini pies are always a crowd-pleaser at gatherings and holiday events. Plus, everyone gets to have their own!
Reasons to Adore This Mini Apple Pie Recipe:
- Fork-Free Delight: When baking for a Thanksgiving crowd, these mini pies are a fantastic way to reduce cleanup. They’re single-serving desserts that don’t need plates or forks, making serving and enjoying a breeze.
- Classic Flavor: This recipe features the finest classic apple pie filling, crafted from just 6 simple ingredients. It’s quick to prepare and brimming with the delicious essence of autumn apples, rich brown sugar, and comforting cinnamon spice.
- Muffin Tin Magic: You can effortlessly bake these mini apple pies in a regular-sized muffin tin! Each pie maintains its shape and offers the perfect serving size for one person.
Here’s a simple breakdown of the ingredients you’ll need for these mini apple pies:
- Apples: I prefer Granny Smith apples for their baking qualities, but you can use other baking apple varieties or even a mix. Remember to peel and dice them into bite-sized pieces.
- Sugar: You’ll use a combination of regular granulated sugar and brown sugar for a sweet, caramelized taste. If you prefer, you can use all white sugar or all brown sugar.
- Flour: Flour helps thicken the apple pie filling by binding the juices, preventing a watery texture.
- Cinnamon: A must-have spice for that warm, comforting apple pie flavor. You can also use ground nutmeg or pre-mixed spice blends like apple pie spice or pumpkin pie spice.
- Lemon Juice: Adds a bright, citrusy note to enhance the filling’s flavors. You can use freshly squeezed or bottled lemon juice.
- Pie Dough: You can opt for convenient store-bought refrigerated pie dough or make your own using my homemade pie crust recipe.
Best Apples for Apple Pie:
The top choices for apple pie are firm baking apples like Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Jonagold, Golden Delicious, or Braeburn. You can also mix different apple varieties for a more complex flavor. These apples maintain their texture and won’t turn mushy when baked.
Tips:
- If you’re using store-bought pie crust, you’ll need one standard package with 2 round pie crusts. Alternatively, you can follow the provided recipe for homemade pie dough.
- Be creative with your top crust. Instead of a lattice pattern, you can use leftover pie dough to decorate the pies however you like. Try using mini cookie cutters to make fun shapes or cover them with a full top crust. Just ensure you add air vents for steam to escape.
- Consider making mini apple crumble pies instead by following the instructions provided in the recipe.
- Use a regular 12-well muffin pan, not a mini muffin pan, to create the desired size for these mini apple pies.
Preventing Mushy Apples in Pie:
- To avoid mushy apples in your pie, ensure you’re using baking apples, as mentioned in the ingredients section. Coating the apples with flour helps thicken the filling as it bakes, preventing the pies from becoming mushy and runny. You can also substitute 2 tablespoons of cornstarch for the 1/4 cup of flour if needed, but it’s essential to include a thickener.
Peeling Apples for Pie:
- Peeling the apples is recommended when making apple pies of any size. While peeling does remove some of the apple’s nutritional content, it results in a soft, melt-in-your-mouth texture without any unexpected apple skins in the filling.
Serving Ideas:
- Enjoy these mini apple pies warm in the oven or at room temperature. You can serve them with vanilla ice cream, or whipped cream, or drizzle them with caramel sauce for a delightful treat.
Storage:
- Store the mini apple pies at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerate them for up to 5 days in an airtight container. Ensure they are completely cooled before storage. You can reheat them in the oven at 350ºF or in the microwave when ready to serve.
Freezing:
- For longer storage, you can freeze these mini pies. Once they’ve cooled to room temperature, wrap or store them airtight and freeze for 2-3 months. Defrost the pies in the fridge and reheat in the oven to crisp up the crust.
Love Pies? Be sure to check out these other great Pie recipes!
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