Mini Pie Series | Apple Pie Edition - Two Ways

So if you missed yesterday's post where I talked about mini pumpkin pies, you can catch up here.

Today we're talking apple pies, well mini apple pies and they are just as simple as yesterdays recipe.

Things you will need:

Mini Cupcake Tin

Mini Cupcake Wrappers (Optional)

Cooking Spray (only if you're NOT using wrappers)

One Large Can Apple Pie Filling 

1 tsp Cinnamon

1/2 tsp Allspice

Roll Out Pie Dough (I use Pillsbury's)

Small Round Cookie Cutter

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Line your cupcake tins with wrappers. If you choose not to use wrappers than spray your cupcake tins with a cooking spray so the pie dough won't stick.

Some people like to use wrappers as it makes it easier for the pie to come out of the tin, some people (like me) like to just bake them in the tin because it gives it a more rustic, authentic, apple pie look, but again, this part is totally up to you.

Take the can of apple pie filling and cut the apple slices into small chunks. This part will be messy because the apples are coated in a creamy mixture, but it's an important part as large apple slices will not fit into the small cupcake tin.

Once all of your apple slices are cut into small pieces, put them in a saucepan along with your cinnamon and allspice and mix together. I know that the apple pie filling already has those cinnamon flavors, but the allspice and added cinnamon together just make it so much better and gives it a more homemade taste. 

Once those ingredients are mixed let the mixture simmer on low heat for about 10 minutes until it's nice and warm.

In the meantime take your pie dough and roll until it's about 1/2" thick then take your small round cookie cutter and cut into small circles. If you don't have a small round cookie cutter a champagne glass will work as they have small openings at the top that fit perfectly into small cupcake tins.

Take a fork or toothpick and a put a few holes at the bottom of each pie shell and place in the oven for about 5-7 minutes. You want to put holes in the bottom of the pie shells so they won't rise and puff up as this will leave very little room for the apple pie filling.

Once the pie crusts are a light brown add your apple pie mixture and then using leftover pie dough put thin strips over each top of the pie to give it that apple pie lattice look or if you prefer use a cookie cutter into whichever shape you prefer.

Bake them for an additional 5 - 7 minutes or until the pie crust on top is golden brown.

Enjoy!


P.S. If you want to really kick your apple pie up a notch make it a cranberry apple pie! The flavor combination is one of my favorites and it gives the pie such a delicious tartness.

All you need to change from the above is this:

In a separate saucepan add your cranberries along with 3/4 cup of sugar and 1/2 cup of cranberry juice. I always use actual cranberry juice and NOT cranberry juice cocktail. Reason being is we're adding sugar and cranberry juice cocktail has a whole lot of sugar...we don't want it to be too sweet!

Stir on medium-high heat until it starts bubbling, then reduce your heat to medium-low and let sit for about 20-25 minutes stirring in between until the cranberries are nice and tender and all of the juice has been absorbed.

Once the cranberries are done, all you do is add them to your apple pie filling and mix then follow the recipe as it is above. :)

I'm off tomorrow to spend Thanksgiving with Cadence at school but on Friday I'll be sharing with you two more mini pie recipes that are probably the simplest yet...then our pie series will be complete!