These little muffin tin apple pies are so easy to make, and are an especially fun Fall activity to do with your little ones at home!
When it comes to Thanksgiving pies, apple will always be #1 for me. I just love the spices, the warm gooey apple pie filling, the pie crust... it's just the quintessential Fall dessert. But I wanted to come up with an easy way to get those same flavors without having to make an entire pie. Enter: my muffin tin apple pies.
These mini apple pies will truly make your entire house smell like Fall, guaranteed. And you know I'm all about making things easy, so I'm using my favorite gluten free pie crust mix for the crust.
I personally love everything about bite-sized desserts because not only do they look adorable, they make for an easy little snack. I love serving these up with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, but you can enjoy them plain, too.
Whether you want to serve these pies up for friendsgiving, or if you really are just craving apple pie and want to get your fix, this recipe needs to go on your Fall baking list ASAP!
Why You'll Love These Pies...
- Just look at them! I find bite-sized desserts to be totally adorable, and these mini apple pies are no exception.
- It's such an easy process from start to finish. I know some people are intimidated by making pies, so this is a great recipe to start with if that's the case for you.
- Like I said, this is all the best Fall flavors wrapped up in a tiny little cup. What's not to love about that?
What You'll Need...
How To Make...
To make my gluten free apple pies, we'll start with the crust. I have a feeling you will LOVE just how easy this pie crust mix is. Ready? We're going to add the pie crust mix to a large bowl along with the cubed butter. Use a pastry blender to cut the butter into the dry mix. The mixture should be coarse and crumbly, and you will likely still have pea-sized bits of butter throughout.
Add ice cold water, one tablespoon at a time, until the dough just comes together when pressed. Wrap the dough up tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
In the meantime, you can start on your apple pie filling. Luckily, this part is super easy, too! Add all of your filling ingredients into a bowl. Make sure to mix well so that everything is completely incorporated. Now just set that aside to soak and thicken until you're ready to use it.
Once the dough is sufficiently chilled, roll it out to about ½ inch thickness. Use a round cookie cutter to cut circles out of your dough, and gently transfer each one into a greased muffin tin. Press down to fit the dough into each cup.
Scoop about a tablespoon of filling into each cup. Bake on 425ºF for about 18 minutes, or until the crust looks slightly golden.
Tips For Making The Best Mini Apple Pies...
- When it comes to flaky pie crust, you want COLD ingredients. I know we're all used to recipes calling for room temperature butter, but both your butter and your water should be cold.
- If you don't have a pastry blender, you can absolutely incorporate your butter using two knives. Some recipes will say you can use your hands, but I find that this can be tricky, as the warmth from your skin may warm up the dough, which we don't want.
- It's so, so important to add the water in gradually. You really don't want to go overboard, but you want enough moisture to where your dough comes together and doesn't fall apart.
- On that note, if your dough IS too dry or crumbly when you're working with it and rolling it out, sprinkle a bit of ice cold water on top and gently work it in.
- I used a 3.5 inch round cookie cutter to cut out my pie crust. You can feel free to add a design or lattice on top with any leftover dough, or just use it to make even more mini pies!
Ingredient Substitutions...
- For dairy free apple pies, you would need to use your favorite non-dairy butter. I haven't tested it but it should work just fine.
- If you don't have arrowroot on hand, feel free to swap in cornstarch. No need to adjust the measurements.
- I love using Granny Smith apples in this recipe, but you can technically use any apples you like!
Did you try my muffin tin apple pies? Leave me a comment below or tag me on Instagram @justastastyblog and #justastastyblog!
For More Gluten Free Pie Recipes, Check Out My...
📖 Recipe
Muffin Tin Apple Pies - Gluten Free, Eggless
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 1 package Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Pie Crust Mix
- 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter cold and cut into cubes
- 6-8 tablespoons ice cold water
For the filling:
- 2 cups (170g) Granny Smith apples peeled and diced
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon arrowroot
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
Instructions
- To make the crust, empty the pie crust mix into a large bowl. Using a pastry blender or two knives, cut the cold butter into the mix until crumbly. Add ice cold water, one tablespoon at a time, and mix until the dough just comes together. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
- To make the filling, combine all filling ingredients in a large bowl. Stir well to incorporate. Set aside until ready to use.
- Preheat the oven to 425°F and grease 1-2 standard muffin tins. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and roll out to about ½ inch thickness. If the dough is still crumbly, sprinkle ice cold water onto the surface and work it into the dough with your hands until it comes together. Use a small round cookie cutter to cut rounds out of the dough. Gather the scraps of dough and re-roll as necessary.
- Transfer each round to the muffin tin and use your hands to press the dough down into each muffin cup, pushing down in the centers to form a cup. Scoop one tablespoonful of filling into each cup. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until the crust is slightly golden. Allow to cool completely in the muffin tin before removing and serving.
Notes
- Cornstarch can be used as a 1:1 substitute for arrowroot.
- If the dough becomes too difficult to work with and starts to fall apart as you are rolling and cutting your circles, refrigerate for 15 minutes. The warmer the dough gets, the harder it is to use.
- I recommend using a 3.5 inch round cookie cutter for these mini pies.
- Feel free to use any leftover dough to cut shapes or a lattice design for the tops of the pies. Otherwise, you may also wrap tightly and freeze for up to 6 months.
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