Recipe Swap ~ Mini Apple Pies

Before you say, "wait, didn't Lish make apple pie recently?" (Yes, yes, I did)... this is from my most recent recipe swap from my national cooking board. This is Maryanna's (Crafty Baker) recipe for Mini Apple Pies. I had planned on making apple turnovers or tarts anyway so this was a welcome trade! 

I did tweak it a tiny bit, only because I think nutmeg definitely adds a little punch to apple & as for lemon, I ALWAYS use lemon. It brightens the flavor of everything! This recipe is an adorable, fast & easy way to get apple pie on the table on a week night. Because I had just made the whole "she-bang", I stayed with the original recipe's requirement of a pre-made pie crust. It made things very, very easy for this tired working mom! I also used my muffin top tin because I thought they'd be cute little pies that way & wouldn't need the water addition. I also had a rather large honeycrisp apple ~ my favorite baking variety! 

Mini Apple Pies
adapted from "Taste & See"

• 1 large honeycrisp apple, 
• peeled, cored & thinly sliced
• juice & zest of 1 lemon
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 tsp all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp fresh ground nutmeg
• 1 sheet refrigerated pie crust (1/2 box)

Preheat oven to 425. 
In a medium bowl, combine apples, lemon juice & zest, sugar, flour, cinnamon & nutmeg. Toss gently then set aside.

Open and unroll pie crust flat onto work surface. Using a 3"-wide biscuit cutter, cut our six circles, reserving scraps. Press each circle inside 6 spaces of the muffin top tin.

Evenly divide apple mixture into each prepared muffin cup. Cut reserved dough scraps into strips 1/4-inch wide ~or~ into little cookie cutter shapes (I made leaves & acorns). Top each pie with strips in a basket weave pattern or with the cut shapes. 

Bake until the crust is browned, about 18-20 minutes. Let pies cool in muffin tin, then remove.

Thank you, Maryanna for a very simple & delicious dessert! I shared it with my in-laws too!

<3 Lishie

PS~ I will announce the winner of the Giveaway come tomorrow's post! Good Luck! :)


PSS~Come to the NYU Bookstore, 726 Broadway, NYC, NY 10003 on 10/6/11 @11a.m. for a free reading of Llama Llama Red Pajama to help break Jumpstart's Read for the Record