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These Mini Apple Pies are perfect for your dessert table! Bite sized apple pies with crumb topping are easier to serve than a full apple pie. People love mini food and you will love these too!

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stack of mini pies on blue plate


BEST Mini Apple Pies

I love making mini food because they’re easier to serve (no messy cutting) and they’re easier to eat (bite size!) Plus, if there are a few small dessert options people feel like they can eat a little bit of each one.

These mini crumb apple pies are the perfect fit for any holiday table: they’re bite size with perfectly cooked apples and a buttery crunchy crumb topping.

Why you’ll love this recipe

There is one recipe that I’ve made more times than I can count: Crumb Apple Pie. That pie is my thing; my specialty. It’s the pie that everyone expects at holidays (especially my husband). That pie is the reason I started blogging!

A legendary apple pie…that’s also cute as a MINI apple pie!

stack of mini pies on blue plate with one missing a bite

Ingredients in Mini Apple Pies

  • Pie Crust – You can make my homemade pie crust recipe or use a refrigerated pack of two. I tend to go semi-homemade because it’s easier! Just don’t use a frozen crust since we need to cut small pieces for the mini muffin pans.
  • Apples – I love using Granny Smith apples but you can use your favorite.
  • Butter – for the crumble topping. You can dice it or shred it for easier combining.
  • Sugar – I use granulated sugar for my crumble but you can also swap brown sugar.
  • Cinnamon – Ground cinnamon is a must for apple pie!
  • Flour – Just regular all-purpose flour. Be sure to measure it correctly!

Best Pans for Mini Pies

You can make mini apple pies in mini muffin pans or regular size muffin/cupcake pans.

To fit a mini muffin pan, you’ll need a round cookie cutter (or a glass or mason jar lid) that is about 2 1/2-inches in diameter.

For a regular size muffin pan, I use a cutter that is about 5-inches across (or a large plastic tumbler).

how to make mini apple pies 4 photos

How do you make mini apple pies?

  • Instead of lining a 9-inch pie plate with a pie crust, instead I cut them into small circles to fill a mini muffin pan. Grease your muffin pans and press the crust into them. Re-roll the crust as needed on a lightly floured surface.
  • The secret to my apple pie is to pre-cook the apples: I boil my apples in a little water before adding them to the pie crust. They continue baking in the oven and turn out soft and not crunchy.
  • Make the crumble topping by working the butter into the flour and sugar.
  • Fill each pie with apples and top each pie with a bit of crumble.
mini apple pies on white plate

What kind of topping is good for a mini pie?

  • I’ve seen lattice top and double crust mini pies all over the internet but I prefer a crumble topping. The crumble topping is much easier to sprinkle on top the pies making this a foolproof easy recipe you can make in no time at all.
  • You can also make or buy extra crust and cut double the rounds to make a two crust mini pie. Simply lay the second crust on top of the apples instead of the crumble.
mini apple pies on white plate

FAQ

What are the best apples to use for baking pies?

I always use Granny Smith apples when I’m making apple pie. The tart apple stands up to cooking and it pairs nicely with the sugary crumbly topping. Can you use Gala apples or another similar apple? Yes, but you may want to reduce the amount of sugar you sprinkle on top the apples before adding the topping.

How do you store apple pie?

Store apple pie in the refrigerator for up to three days.

Can you freeze mini pies?

These pies freeze well, which makes them perfect for the holidays. Freeze them in single layers, between paper towels. Let them defrost at room temperature and the paper towels will absorb the moisture. They’ll be as good as fresh!

Do you cook apples before adding them to a pie?

Yes – pre cooking the apples ensures they’ll be perfectly cooked after baking the pie.

What pan do you use to make mini pies?

You can use a mini muffin pan or a regular size cupcake pan. You can even use mason jar lids!

How do you reheat apple pie?

If I’m reheating a bunch of mini pies I’ll do it on warm (200°F) in the oven. Or you can heat them in the microwave for about 10-15 seconds.

Can I make this recipe sugar-free?

To make sugar free mini apple pies, omit the crumble topping. Make double crust pies instead and replace the sprinkling of sugar with your favorite granulated sweetener.

Have you made this recipe?

Give a review and leave a star rating below!

overhead shot of apple pies on white plate

Mini Crumb Apple Pies

5 from 5 votes
Make an easy mini apple pie with a crumble topping instead of a full size apple pie! Easier to serve, easier to eat, mini apple pies are the same as my favorite apple pie recipe in bite size form!
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Yield 36 pies
Serving Size 1 pie

Ingredients
 

For the pie:

  • 2 recipes all butter pie crust or use a refrigerated pack of 2 pie crusts, readymade
  • 5 medium Granny Smith Apples
  • ¼ cup (50g) sugar
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon

For the crumb

  • ½ cup (100g) sugar
  • 1 cup (124g) flour
  • 8 tablespoons (113g) butter slightly softened

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400°F. Spray 3 mini muffin tins (36 total cavities) with cooking spray, preferably the kind with flour. Otherwise, grease them with butter or shortening.
  • Unroll your pie crusts and use a 2.5” circle cutter to cut rounds of crust. A cookie cutter is perfect, but a glass or a jar lid will work too. Press one crust into the bottom of each muffin tin cavity. With re-rolling your dough, you will get about 36. Chill until filling is ready.
  • Peel and slice apples to a small dice. Place one inch of water in the bottom of a pot. Add apples and cook, stirring occasionally, approximately 3-5 minutes after water boils. You want the apples semi-opaque but not mushy.
  • Stir 1/4 cup sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Set aside.
  • While apples are cooking, add the crumb ingredients to a large bowl. Using a fork or pastry cutter, cut the ingredients together until they form coarse crumbs, about the size of a pea.
  • Drain apples very well and divide among crusts, about 1 tablespoon each. Sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon of the cinnamon sugar mixture over the apples in each pie. Add your crumb mixture evenly on top of each, about 1 tablespoon per mini pie. Place muffin tins on a cookie sheet to avoid mess in the oven.
  • Bake for about 12 minutes, until the edges of the crust are browned. Cool at least 10 minutes in pan and remove carefully using a knife to help you lift out each pie.

Recipe Video

Recipe Notes

If you want, you can use a regular size muffin tin and get about 12 pies from two crusts.

Recipe Nutrition

Serving: 1pie | Calories: 65kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 7mg | Sodium: 23mg | Potassium: 31mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 91IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 3mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutritional information not guaranteed to be accurate
Course Dessert
Cuisine American

Other pie recipes to make into mini pies:

You can easily make a mini apple pie from my favorite pie recipe! A crumble topping is the perfect way to finish off these bite sized pies.

Last Updated on November 5, 2022



Dorothy Kern

Welcome to Crazy for Crust, where I share recipes that are sometimes crazy, often with a crust, and always served with a slice of life.

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37 Comments

  1. This recipe turned out AMAZING! Just a personal preference, and maybe because of my oven, but I left them in for 15-17 minutes to brown the crust a little longer. At 12 they were definitely cooked, but not crunchy enough for my preferences. However, I will admit that I have an electric oven with no oven thermometer so the temperature inside might be inaccurate! Thanks so much for sharing this recipe, it’s definitely going in my book.