Muffin Tin Mini Apple Pies

from 47 votes

Add a bite-sized twist to a dessert classic with this perfectly poppable recipe for Muffin Tin Mini Apple Pies starring a quick-fix homemade pie dough.

Top down view of Muffin Tin Mini Apple Pies

While many people await the arrival of pumpkin spice lattes to signal the start of fall, I prefer to kick off cooler temps and my Thanksgiving countdown with autumn’s all-star fruit: apples.

Now you can skip the forks in favor of your fingers with individual servings of the season’s standout dessert: Muffin Tin Mini Apple Pies!

Top down view of food processor with dough

I love a good muffin tin recipe, especially when it yields something beyond a classic muffin. The essential piece of culinary equipment is a versatile favorite in my kitchen and has resulted in some of our most popular recipes, including:

Hand with circle cookie cutter cutting pie dough

The list goes on and on, but one thing I hadn’t yet attempted with my trusty tin? Mini pies!

Clear bowl containing diced apples and cinnamon

I’ve served up my fair share of hand pies, which are also a great single-serving option for your dessert spread. They’re a bit faster on the prep front, with just as many filling options, but I wanted to up the presentation, so mini apple pies became a recipe development must.

Muffin pan containing unbaked mini pies

This recipe uses a homemade pie dough flavored with rosemary. It’s an optional add-in, but if you’re up for taking your pie flavor to a whole new level, I highly suggest you give it a shot.

Hand holding circle cookie cutter over lattice

Would store-bought pie crust work in this recipe? Absolutely! You know I’m all about a store-bought shortcut when it comes to saving time, so don’t hesitate to swap in your pie crust brand of choice if you want to speed up the process.

Muffin tin apple pies topped with weaved pie dough

Once you get the pie crust and filling tucked into the muffin tin cups, you can opt for two options to top off your pies:

  • A simple top crust, which can be a single piece of pie dough (just don’t forget to cut a few slits into it to help the steam release!)
  • A more intricate top crust in the form of a woven lattice

Hand holding easy muffin tin mini apple pie with lattice pie crust

No matter which path you choose, you’ll end up at the same tasty destination: Muffin Tin Mini Apple Pies!

They’re the ultimate portable, poppable and fork-free dessert option that can be customized with your seasonal filling of choice.

Homemade Muffin Tin Mini Apple Pies dusted with sanding sugar

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Dessert

Muffin Tin Mini Apple Pies

Skip the forks in favor of your fingers with this easy recipe for Muffin Tin Mini Apple Pies starring a quick-fix homemade pie crust.
Author: Kelly Senyei
4.88 from 47 votes
Top down view of Muffin Tin Mini Apple Pies
Prep Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Cook Time 18 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 33 minutes
Servings 12 mini pies

Ingredients 

For the crust:

  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling out dough
  • 1 1/2 Tablespoons minced fresh rosemary (optional)
  • 1 1/2 Tablespoons white sugar
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
  • 5 to 6 Tablespoons ice water

For the filling:

  • 4 medium apples, peeled and diced small (about 3 cups)
  • 1/4 cup white sugar
  • 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 large egg, whisked with 1 Tablespoon water
  • Sanding sugar (optional)

Instructions 

Make the crust:

  • In the bowl of a food processor, combine the flour, rosemary (optional), sugar and salt. Pulse just until combined then add the cubed butter and pulse until the mixture resembles wet sand.
  • With the food processor running, slowly stream in the ice water a few tablespoons at a time until the dough comes together into a cohesive ball.
  • Arrange a piece of plastic wrap on your work surface then transfer the dough into the center and wrap it up securely. Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes.
  • Lightly flour your work surface. 
  • Roll out the dough until it is 1/4-inch thick. Using a 4-inch cookie cutter (or a glass), cut out as many circles as you can. Re-roll the dough and cut out additional circles until you have a total of 12. Arrange each circle in a muffin tin cup, pressing it down and up the edges. Keep any dough scraps for the top lattice or decorations.

Make the filling:

  • Preheat the oven to 425°F.
  • In a large bowl, stir together the diced apples, white sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon and flour.
  • Divide the mixture among the muffin tins. Top or each pie with a woven lattice or cut-out shapes. 
  • Brush the tops of the pies with the egg wash then sprinkle them with sanding sugar (optional). 
  • Bake the pies until they are golden brown, 16 to 18 minutes. 
  • Remove the pies from the oven and let them cool completely in the muffin tin. 
  • Using a sharp knife, run it around the edges of each pie to help release them then serve.
  • ★ Did you make this recipe? Don't forget to give it a star rating below!

Nutrition

Calories: 312kcal, Carbohydrates: 40g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 16g, Saturated Fat: 10g, Cholesterol: 54mg, Sodium: 156mg, Potassium: 108mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 17g, Vitamin A: 533IU, Vitamin C: 3mg, Calcium: 20mg, Iron: 1mg

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Recipe by Kelly Senyei of Just a Taste. Please do not reprint this recipe without my permission. If you'd like to feature this recipe on your site, please rewrite the method of preparation and link to this post as the original source.


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Comments

  1. 5 stars
    so yummy and so cute!!! I’m over 8K above sea level so its hard to find recipes that work for me, I”ll be making these again, Thank You!

  2. 5 stars
    Very easy, delicious, and adorable! I used refrigerated pie crust, which made it a breeze. The kids had fun helping :)

      1. Hi Natalie! No need, as long as it’s the same thickness as indicated in the recipe.

  3. 5 stars
    Kid- I am sick at home and my mom made these for me, they came out really nice and were seriously good!

    Mom- I precooked the apples, sugar, and cinnamon on the stove til soft, then stirred in the flour and spooned the mixture into the muffins before adding the lattice top and baking. The whole process took maybe 2 hours, but we had fun and think it is 10/10!

  4. 3 stars
    I’m so sad these didn’t work for us! Flavor of the crust was delicious but was a step missing? My apples didn’t cook at all and the crust was cooking fast so I got delicious crust and almost raw apples. ):

    Not a baker but hoping I know what the issue was.

    1. Hey there I’m just jumping in though I’m not the author of the recipe. One workaround would be to cook your apples down to almost tender in a saucepan before you use them in the recipe. That way they get the cook time they need.

  5. My daughter needs me to make 60 mini pies for her baby shower the first weekend in November. She wants Dutch apple, pumpkin, and mixed berry. I’m going to try to do a sample this week, but this recipe looks amazing. Have you made pumpkin and would there be any adjustments to the cooking? I’m just a bit nervous about taking them out of the muffin tin, so I might use two strips of parchment paper before I put the pie crust in for assistance with lifting out after they’re cooled.

    1. Hi Sue! That sounds like so much fun. A pumpkin filling will need to bake for a different amount of time than apple, I just can’t advise on what that is because I haven’t tried pumpkin in this recipe.

  6. 5 stars
    I used this recipe in a mini muffin pan to make 24 tiny apple pies for Apple Day in my son’s 1st grade class. I used 3 store-bought pie crusts and made mini heart shapes from the scraps to place on top. I adjusted the baking time down to 10-12 minutes and they turned out great! I had enough extra apple filling and pie crust to make 3 regular/standard muffin-sized pies.

      1. Hi! Can I make the pie crust the night before and keep in the fridge overnight? I want to make these with my class but I would like to make the crust at home and roll it out tomorrow with the class.

  7. 5 stars
    Modified the recipe a little and used gluten free flour. Needed 8 tablespoons of ice water for the dough to form and I used a Kitchen aide mixer as my Cuisinart blade needs to be replaced. Worked great until the lattice work, which I’m not that good at anyway. The apples are from my bosses tree so I don’t know what kind they are but they’re sweet so I also decreased the white sugar to 1/8 cup. My husband loves them and I’m taking a couple to my boss tomorrow.

    1. If you’re using a nonstick muffin pan, you really shouldn’t need to, but you definitely could coat them with cooking spray if you’d like!

  8. 5 stars
    These came out so great and we’re a huge hit at a 4th of July Party! The only thing is that my lattices were not nearly as pretty as yours. Any tips?

    1. I’m thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Emily! Create a perfect lattice by using chilled, thin and evenly rolled dough. Weave uniform strips over the pie and trim excess dough for clean edges, and practice helps :)

    1. I’ve made these for years , now with my large pies for guests or taking somewhere I use apples , I myself like Grannie smith , Little tartness and sweet . When I want something quick for dessert , I used canned, mixed with , cinn/cloves /pumpkin pie spice .. a did a little orange sometime , egg wash top , sprinkle CINNIMON/Sugar and touch of brown sugar … until golden almost brown , we like crisp crust .

  9. 5 stars
    Easy to follow recipe! The mini pies were a big hit with my grandson, for whom I made them, and the rest of the family! Will definitely keep this recipe.

  10. These are adorable!! Always have homemade pie dough in the freezer so they were a snap to make.made half with dough topping half with crumble topping either way yummy. Family loves them

    1. Sure, Matti! However, I’ve never made this recipe using a mini muffin tin so I’m not certain about the bake time. I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe!

  11. 3 stars
    I used local Greening apples and cut down on the sugar and the filling was delicious. I recommend rolling the dough out to 1/8″ instead of 1/4″. I did not have enough dough for 12, so I have 11 and then made a walnut streusel for the top. They just cooled and I tried one and the crust did not cook all the way through because it was too thick. Other than that, great idea and super cute–will make again with my modifications.

  12. I love this recipe. I have already made 24 pies. Tonight I am making a gluten free crust. Anxious to see how it turns out. Everyone who has tried them, loves the mini pies. Thanks!

      1. Hi Ashley! Once the mini pies have completely cooled, they can be stored in an air-tight container at room temp for up to 3 days.

    1. Hi Nicole – I haven’t tried freezing these mini apple pies, but it should work great!

  13. 5 stars
    I love this recipe! I’ve made it twice in one week and it’s a massive hit. I especially like the ease of the crust recipe. I had never made a pie crust before and it came out perfect.

    I have a question. If I wanted to use a blueberry pie filling instead of apple could I use a standard blueberry pie filling recipe? Or would that be too much for this recipe?

    1. I’m so glad you’re enjoying the recipe, Victoria! Yes, you can absolutely swap in any other type of fruit filling and it’ll work great.

    1. Hi Sue! That should work if it’s just for a few hours (any longer and I’d worry that the filling would soak into the crust and make it soggy).

    1. Absolutely! These actually are great reheated in the good ol’ microwave for 30 seconds (or longer, depending on your microwave model).

      1. 5 stars
        Made these for a friends get together. They were delicious. Used store bought pie crust and Apple Pies spice instead of cinnamon. Will definitely make again.

  14. This looks like so much fun!! I can’t wait to make it!! Also I was going to ask about wether or not you can store the crust in the freezer, but then I saw its been asked like five times sooo… thanks other people!! XD

  15. 5 stars
    Really easy to make!! And they turned out so well! This was my first time making pie crust and it was a lot easier than I thought it would be. I won’t be buying pie crust from the store anymore! Great recipe

      1. Hi Faith! The dough will last 1-2 days when securely wrapped with plastic wrap and stored in the fridge. :)

  16. Hi Kelly! What kind of apples or mix of apples do you use for this recipe? I’m really excited to make these.

  17. Hi, I don’t see anything about having to butter the tins? The store bought crust will come off easily from the tins? Thanks so much!

  18. I only have a 6 cup muffin tin with irregular diameter (Top: 8cm/3″; Bottom: 5.5cm/2″; Height: 3.3cm/1.3″). How long should I bake the pies?

    1. Hi Abigail! It’s hard for me to gauge timing on that size, as I’ve never made this recipe with that pan before, but if they’re roughly twice the size, you can start checking them at the 25-minute mark.

  19. Love these! Wondering if I wanted to (crazily) make 150+ for a wedding favor, how can I store/freeze them in advance?

  20. 5 stars
    Followed the recipe and they came out wonderful! The rosemary in the crust was a nice touch. The whole family enjoyed them with a dab of whipped cream.

  21. Love your recipe! I halved it and made a 6-inch pie, it worked perfectly with a bit extra baking time. Althouh I’mnow wondering, can I pre-make the dough and store it for future use?

  22. These were so delicious!!! I made two batches one with the fresh Rosemary in the dough and one without… I think I like the ones with the rosemary the best!! Thank you for suggesting that little touch!! Very delicious and will make these again!

  23. 4 stars
    Great recipe! I will overstuff the apples next time, so that the crust to apple ratio is a little better. I found the pie crust super easy to make for my first time from scratch – the recipe provided plenty of crust for 17 pies. Thank you for sharing!

  24. 5 stars
    I cried tears of joy as my “I don’t like hot fruit” husband bit into one and ate 6. We had them warm, cold, and frozen!

    I did not change the recipe one bit and won’t! These are so good and a great way to get more crust.

    Love, love, love the rosemary in the crust.

    1. Hi Carolina! The dough will last 1-2 days when securely wrapped with plastic wrap and stored in the fridge. :)

  25. 5 stars
    So good, but the original crust recipe didn’t make nearly enough. I ended up doing one and a half times the dough so that there was enough, and i substituted cinnamon for nutmeg and lemon zest.

    1. Hi Hannah – I haven’t tried this recipe with any other type of flour so I’m not sure. You could try using gluten-free flour such as Cup4Cup that’s a 1:1 ratio as regular flour. Let me know if you give it a shot!

    2. Of course. Use gluten free flour to make the dough. Many recipes on the Internet. We use GF flour all the time in this house.

  26. 5 stars
    I made the mini pies a few weeks ago and its was so easy to make and quick! But im still not sure on with apple to use, red or green? I had used red apples at the time but what do u think?

  27. Hi. I dont own a food processor but I would like to try the homemade dough instead of store bought can I use an electric mixer instead ?

  28. 5 stars
    The were delicious! Super easy and fun. We used store-bought crust to save time and it worked well. Still needed 2 pie crust boxes to fit the pies.

  29. 5 stars
    These are such an easy to take dessert and the grandkids loved them! Took them on a hike and held up well in our basket-it was a great treat after a fall hike! Thanks again for the great recipe!

  30. Can you freeze these? I want to be able to do some and just have on hand when a pie craving hits-thanks for the great recipe and yes indeed we are going to use some rosemary-I grew some this year and I’m always looking for fun ways to use herbs! Thanks again

  31. 5 stars
    Can you use the actual mini muffin pan to make them bite sized? If so, how long should I leave them in the oven?

    1. Sure, Penelope! However, I’ve never made this recipe using a mini muffin tin so I’m not certain about the bake time.

  32. Them look adorable & delicious; but you muffin pan looks like a regular muffin tin instead of a mini pan. When I think of ‘mini’ ( bite size) I think of the 1 & 3/4- 2 inch size cavity of muffin pan.
    I would think that f a person is in a hurry that you probably could use canned pie filling of choice.
    Thanks for sharing your recipe

  33. I read the recipe .. it mentions cutting out 12 circles for the crust but nothing about the top.. do I have to make another batch of dough for the tops ? Did I miss something ??
    Thanks

      1. I followed this to the letter and completely ran out of pastry once I’d filled the tin. I’m using a muffin tray. Are you using a shallower pan for smaller cupcakes? Could this be why it went wrong?

      2. Hi Kerstie – I used a standard 12-cup muffin tin. Did you roll the dough until it was 1/4-inch thick?