Next time you’re in the mood for an apple pie but want a treat that travels well, whip up a batch of mini apple pies. The dough is flaky yet tender, made rich with cream cheese and butter. The filling tastes like fall spices, caramel and bright, fresh apples. Even for people who can’t resist a perfect apple pie, there’s something fun about this mini version.
Ingredients for Mini Apple Pies
- Cream cheese: Your cream cheese should be softened before starting this recipe. Learn how to soften cream cheese safely—don’t leave it out for more than 45 minutes.
- Butter: Properly softened butter should be cold to the touch but dent when lightly pressed, somewhere around 65°F.
- All-purpose flour: Use AP flour to give the dough structure.
- Cinnamon: Bring cozy fall flavor to the filling and topping with any type of cinnamon.
- Allspice: This complex-tasting spice has notes of cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves.
- Apples: We love tart, firm apples for our apple pie recipes.
- Coarse sugar: Turbinado sugar is a great coarse sugar to top these mini pies. It doesn’t melt or dissolve into the pie crust like granulated sugar would, providing a crunchy texture.
Directions
Step 1: Create the pie dough
In a large bowl, use a hand mixer or stand mixer and beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Gradually add the dry mixture to the butter mixture until well blended. Divide the dough in half. Shape each half into a ball, then flatten into a disk. Wrap each disk tightly and refrigerate for one hour.
Step 2: Shape the pie dough
Preheat the oven to 425°. In a small bowl, whisk together the sugar, cinnamon and allspice. Set aside. Divide each portion of dough into 12 balls. On a lightly floured surface, roll each ball into a 4-inch circle.
Editor’s Tip: You could also roll out the entire portion of pie dough and cut out circles using a 4-inch dough cutter.
Step 3: Fill the pies
Place a tablespoonful of chopped apples on one side of each circle. Sprinkle each with a 1/2 teaspoon of the sugar mixture and dot with a 1/4 teaspoon of butter.
Step 4: Form the mini apple pies
In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolk and water. Brush the edges of each circle with the egg wash. Fold the pie dough over the filling and seal the edges well with a fork. Place pies two inches apart on ungreased baking sheets.
Brush the remaining egg wash over the tops. Cut slits in each pie. Sprinkle them with coarse sugar and cinnamon-sugar.
Editor’s Tip: If your kitchen is especially warm, pop the pre-baked pies in the fridge for 30 minutes before baking.
Step 5: Bake
Bake until the pies are golden brown, 11 to 14 minutes. Remove the pies to wire racks to cool to room temperature.
Recipe Variations
- Make them mini pie-shaped: Fit the pie crust rounds in a muffin tin and fill with apple pie filling. Use any leftover dough to make a lovely lattice design for the top or finish each one like an apple crumble pie.
- Top with caramel: Intensify the apple flavor with a drizzle of salted caramel sauce on the baked and cooled pies.
- Use canned apple filling: In a pinch, store-bought filling will save the day. We won’t tell!
- Make fun shapes: Shape the dough to fit a holiday, like heart cutouts for Valentine’s Day or football-shaped tailgate apple pies.
How to Store Mini Apple Pies
To store, allow the mini apple pies to cool completely to room temperature. Place in an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to four days. Gently rewarm in the microwave.
Can you freeze mini apple pies?
Yes, you can freeze mini apple pies. Allow the pies to cool completely to room temperature. Place in an airtight container and freeze for up to three months. This is the general technique on how to freeze a pie! To thaw, place in the fridge overnight, and gently rewarm in the microwave.
Mini Apple Pies Tips
What kind of apples should you use to make mini apple pies?
Use a tart apple with a firm texture to make mini apple pies. Granny Smiths are one of the best apples for apple pie and work great in this mini apple pie recipe, too. You could also go for something a little sweeter like Braeburn.
Can you make mini apple pies ahead of time?
You can make the components of mini apple pies ahead of time, but don’t assemble them until you’re ready to bake. Create the pie dough and store it in the fridge tightly wrapped in storage wrap until you’re ready to roll it out. It can be stored in the fridge for up to three days.
Prepare the apple filling as directed, squeeze lemon juice over to keep the apples from turning brown, stir everything together, place storage wrap over the bowl and refrigerate until you’re ready to use. The apples can be stored in the fridge for a day.
Should you cook apples before putting them in pie?
Many people like to cook apples before putting them in a pie so the apples and crust finish baking at the same time. However, a mini apple pie has nowhere near as much apple filling as an entire apple pie and, therefore, does not need to be cooked before being filled.
