Even More Mini Dessert Ideas
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There’s nothing better than a slice of apple pie…well, almost nothing. These individual-sized, mini apple pies are a fun, personalized twist that gives the classic a run for its money. No need for slicing and serving, because everyone gets their own perfectly portioned pie all to themselves. Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream and you’ve got a year-round dessert that couldn't be cuter.
This recipe calls for a 4" round mini pie pan. Mini pie pans can be found in specialty baking shops or online. Either a disposable pan or one made to last works great for these. If you only have a 5" or 6" pan, you’ll need to adjust the recipe by making more crust and more filling. Be sure to roll your dough out to no thicker than 1/8". Because of the miniature size, you want a thin dough so the ratio of crust to filling is right.
You can either start by rolling your dough out, like we do in the instructions below, or by making your pie filling, like we do in the video above. Personally I like to get the crusts chilling in the fridge for as long as I can, but you do you.
If you do go that direction, start by flouring a surface, then rolling out one of your doughs until it’s about ⅛” thick (hot tip: get a baking ruler!). Cut 2 (~7" circles) and place into 2 of your 4 pans. Repeat the process until you have 4 circles waiting in your 4 pans. Gently press each circle into the bottom of your pan, trying to keep it as centered as possible as you press up the sides. Tuck the edges under and crimp, cutting off any excess with a knife. Re-roll your scraps to the same thickness, then cut ~24-32 strips (about ⅓”x 7”) to use for your lattice. Place everything on 2 baking sheets lined with parchment, and fridge while you make your filling.
Preheat your oven! Then, mix all your remaining filling ingredients in a bowl. Pull your pie shells out, and divide the filling into them as evenly as possible. Brush the edges with a little egg wash so the lattice strips will stick.
Place 3-4 lattice strips across your filling. Lift up every other one and place another strip across horizontally. Lay the strips back down, and repeat until you’ve created a weave and the top of your mini pie is covered.
Trim the strips and repeat until you’ve done all 4 pies. Give the lattice strips a brush with more egg wash, then sprinkle with sugar.
Bake pies for 35-40 minutes, until the filing is thickened and bubbly and the crust is just starting to brown. Serve with ice cream, and enjoy!
Full list of ingredients and directions can be found in the recipe below.
Not a fan of apple? This recipe works pretty well with nearly any other pie fruit. Keep the proportions relatively the same, and you can make individual versions of all your favorite fruit pies:
These mini apple pies are best eaten the day they're made, but if you want to make them ahead, freeze after cooling completely, then reheat in a 300º oven until warm throughout.
All-purpose flour, for dusting
batches homemade pie dough or 2 store-bought crusts (preferably Pillsbury)
medium baking apples, such as Jonagold, Honeycrisp, or Braeburn (about 1 lb. total), peeled, cored, and finely chopped
(55 g.) packed light or dark brown sugar
(50 g.) granulated sugar
cornstarch
ground cinnamon
kosher salt
pure vanilla extract
large egg, beaten to blend
coarse sugar or sanding sugar
Vanilla ice cream, for serving
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