Description
These Mini Apple Pies are a delightful twist on a classic dessert, featuring a sweet sugar cookie crust filled with tender, caramel-infused Granny Smith apples and topped with a crunchy pecan streusel. A luscious caramel drizzle adds an optional finishing touch for extra indulgence. Perfect for serving 12 at parties or as a delicious treat any time.
Ingredients
Scale
Crust
- 1 16 oz. pkg. Pillsbury refrigerated sugar cookie dough
Filling
- 3 1/2 cups peeled and chopped (1/2-1 inch) Granny Smith apples (4-5 apples)
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons white sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 6 soft caramels (like Kraft)
Streusel
- 1/3 cup pecans
- 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/3 cup flour
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cut into pieces
Caramel Drizzle (Optional)
- 10 soft caramels
- 1 1/2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Prepare Crust: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly grease a 12-cup muffin tin using nonstick cooking spray with flour or grease and flour the pan. Cut the sugar cookie dough into 12 even slices and press each slice into the bottom and up the sides of the prepared muffin cups to form the crusts. Bake the crusts for 15 minutes until lightly golden, then remove from the oven.
- Make Filling: While the crusts bake, melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the chopped Granny Smith apples, brown sugar, white sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, salt, ground ginger, and nutmeg. Cook the mixture, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes until the apples begin to soften.
- Add Caramels to Filling: Stir in the 6 soft caramels and continue cooking for about 3 more minutes until the caramels melt completely and the apples are tender. Remove the saucepan from heat.
- Prepare Streusel Topping: While the filling cooks, place pecans, flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a food processor and pulse until pecans are mostly chopped. Sprinkle the cold butter over the mixture and pulse again until it resembles small pebbles. Alternatively, combine in a bowl and cut in the butter by hand.
- Assemble Mini Pies: Using a slotted spoon, remove the filling from the pan to avoid excess liquid and evenly divide about 1 ½ tablespoons of filling into each sugar cookie crust. If the crust has puffed, gently press it down with the back of a tablespoon. Top each pie with 1 tablespoon of streusel, pushing it gently into the filling. Sprinkle the remaining streusel loosely on top.
- Bake Pies: Bake the assembled mini pies for an additional 7 minutes or until the crusts and streusel topping turn golden brown. Once baked, cool completely in the muffin tin before attempting to remove to prevent falling apart. Run a sharp knife around the edges before gently lifting the pies out.
- Make Caramel Drizzle (Optional): In a medium microwave-safe dish, combine 10 soft caramels, 1 1/2 tablespoons heavy cream, and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Microwave for 1 1/2 minutes, then whisk vigorously until smooth. If necessary, microwave for an additional 30 seconds and whisk again. Drizzle the caramel sauce over the pies just before serving to keep the streusel crisp.
- Serve: These mini caramel apple pies can be enjoyed at room temperature or warmed in the microwave for a few seconds if you prefer the flavor of warm apple pie. Drizzle with the optional caramel sauce to enhance their deliciousness.
Notes
- Make sure to cool pies completely before removing from muffin tin to prevent them from falling apart.
- The caramel drizzle should be added just before serving to avoid soggy streusel topping.
- You can use a food processor or hand-cut the butter into the streusel ingredients if you don’t have a processor.
- Press down the cookie dough crusts gently before adding filling if they puff up after the first bake.
- This recipe works best with tart Granny Smith apples for a balanced flavor against the sweetness.
- Use soft caramels for easy melting in both filling and drizzle.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 mini pie
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 22 g
- Sodium: 110 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 42 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 25 mg
