Mini Apple Pies

1. I can enjoy the perfectly flaky pie crust on every bite. The melty apple filling tastes incredible, especially with the buttery crust. That is also why I love apple hand pies!
2. The crust gets flakier than a large apple pie. The crust gets crispier, and the filling gets cooked more easily in a smaller size. You can more easily avoid a soggier apple pie.
3. They are very easy to transport. Small pies are so much easier to move from plate to plate, thanks to the solid crust base! 
4. And lastly, they look so cute!! The individual apple pies are perfect mini desserts for home parties, such as Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner.

The pie crust

The buttery pie crust is perfectly flaky. It is the only pie crust recipe I use for various pies, such as quiche, pumpkin pie, blueberry pie, pecan pie, and more.

The apple filling

You can make the homemade apple pie filling with easy steps and simple ingredients. It is not overly sweet and has the just-right texture - not too soggy or too thick!

• Butter to apply over a pan: Use softened butter.
• Butter to place on top of filling: It adds a rich flavor.
• Egg whites for egg wash: Use only egg whites to prevent the surface from getting too dark in the oven.
• Granulated sugar: It adds a nice crispiness and a beautiful caramelized surface on top of the crust.
• Cinnamon: Make cinnamon sugar by mixing the granulated sugar and cinnamon.

Peel the apple skin and slice the apples. 

Add the sliced apples, sugar, salt, all-purpose flour, cornstarch, cinnamon, and nutmeg to a large pan and roughly mix. Add lemon zest and lemon juice. 

Cook them at medium heat until the apple slices get softer and slightly transparent. Be careful not to cook them until mushy!

Roll out the second pie dough in the same way. 

TIP💡: I typically roll out the dough for the top layer first and chill it in the fridge until right before use since assembling it is much easier when it's cold and firm.

TIP💡: I used these ramekins this time, but you can also use tart pans or rings! I actually recommend using them more than ramekins since they create a crispier pie crust!

With one batch of the recipe, you can make 5 5-inch pies. Make smaller ones as you like!

Cut the dough with a cookie cutter, pie roller, or knife. It should be large enough to cover the sides of the pan.

Cut out little apples and leaves using the excess dough after trimming the edge. This is optional, but something I always like to add on top of an apple pie.🍎

Place the cut-out circle on top of the pan. Push in the edges of the dough to sink it into the pan.

Fold the dough on the bottom corners to let it fit in.

Add firm pressure on the sides with a thumb (or 2 thumbs) to let the dough stick to them completely. Do not push it too hard to prevent it from getting uneven.

Lean the excess dough outward. 

(Watch the video tutorial to get a better understanding of each process!)

TIP💡: When the side of the dough is not long enough, add a piece of pie dough on the lower side and push it up. Do not attach it to the top because it can come off more easily. When it is too long, trim the edge with a scissor. 

Divide the apple filling into the pans equally. 

Place pieces of butter on top. 

Roll and tuck in the edge of the pie dough inside the pans.

Pushed with a toothpick:

Pinched with fingers:

Pressed with a fork:

Apply egg wash with a pastry brush all over the surface.

Sprinkle cinnamon sugar on top of the pies. 

Attach the cut-out apples, leaves, and stems on top (Use egg whites as glue.)

TIP💡: Make 4 - 5 cuts on top of each pie using a knife. This will ensure that the steam can get out from the holes. Otherwise, Too much of the filling will come out from very random places as it's cooked in the oven.

Note⚠️: I realized that I forgot to make the cuts 10 minutes after the pies went into the oven! I quickly had to make cuts with a knife.
But opening the oven door in the middle of the baking process is NOT ideal for making the flaky crust and holding the shapes better.

I was in a rush this time and made the small cuts, but I recommend making them wider so that the steam can get out more easily.
Be careful not to make the same mistake as me!😅

Chill them in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before baking them. 

The pies can hold their shape much better in the oven when they are cold and firm. They spread more when they are at room temperature.

Bake at 425ºF (218ºC) for 10 minutes, turn it down to 375ºF (190ºC), and bake for another 40 - 50 minutes until the top of each pie gets a nice dark golden brown and good amounts of the filling start bubbling out from the top and edge of the crust, usually from more than a couple of spots. 

Adjust the oven temperature and baking time depending on the size of the pie, the strength of the oven heat, etc.

Remove them from the pans if you would like. Wait until it cools down a little bit before doing so. You can remove them more easily when using non-stick pans with removable bottoms.

And that's it! Bon Appetit. 

This often means the butter got completely pasted into the pie dough by kneading the dough too much. The flaky texture is made when the tiny pieces of cold butter remain in the pie dough - When baked in the oven, the butter in the pie dough melts and gets absorbed into the flour or falls down, leaving hollows that create "layers" in the crust. 

To leave the butter in pieces in the dough, use very cold butter and cold water (ideally, cold flour as well!), and combine them quickly so that the butter won't start getting too soft.