Caramel Apple Pie Bites
So small you could eat them in one bite, but so addicting you'd never stop at just one. These MINI-mini-pies are the perfect little appletizers for all your holiday parties!
Whooooo’s ready for Halloween? Me. The answer’s me. I’m always ready. If you think I don’t have decorative skulls around my house all year long, then you…well, you haven’t been to my house. And that’s a real shame. Especially if you like skulls.
Servings: 24 | Prep Time: 1 h 40 m | Cook Time: 22 m | Chill Time: 1 h
Cheese grater
Plastic wrap
Rolling pin
3” diameter round cutter
24-count mini muffin pan
Peeler
Large skillet
Food processor / Blender
Small pastry brush
Heavy-bottomed saucepan
Wooden spoon
Heat-safe bowl
Fine-mesh sieve
Squeeze bottle
Pie Crust:
2 ¼ cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 cup butter, cold
Ice water
Sour Apple Filling:
2 large Granny Smith apples
¼ cup butter
1 ½ tbsp flour
½ cup sugar
2 tbsp water
1 tsp citric acid
½ tsp clear vanilla
Teal food coloring
Streusel Topping:
¾ cup + 4 tsp flour
¼ cup brown sugar
½ tsp cinnamon
⅛ tsp ginger
⅛ tsp nutmeg
3 ½ tbsp butter, melted and cooled
Assembly:
1 egg yolk
1 tbsp water
Caramel Sauce:
¼ cup sugar
¼ cup brown sugar
¼ cup butter, cubed, room temp
¼ cup heavy whipping cream, room temp
¼ tsp vanilla
Pie Crust (30 minutes + 30 minutes chilling)
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and salt and set aside.
Using a cheese grater, grate the chilled butter and add to the flour.
Toss together so that all the butter is evenly coated with the flour.
Drizzle in a tablespoon of ice water at a time, mixing with your hands in between each addition, until the dough just starts to come together.
Split the dough in half and shape into two flat disks. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
On a lightly floured work surface, roll out one of the dough disks to a 10” x 15” rectangle about ¹⁄₁₆” thick.
With a 3” diameter round cutter (I actually used the rim of a small glass), cut out 12 circles of dough.
Place a circle of dough into each cavity of the mini muffin pan, using your fingers to gently press the dough snugly into the corners.
Repeat for the other disk of dough so you have 24 mini pie crusts in the pan.
Lightly cover the pan with plastic wrap and transfer to the fridge to chill until ready to assemble.
Sour Apple Filling (20 minutes)
Peel and dice the apples into small pieces, about ¼” in size. Set aside.
In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat.
Whisk in the flour until fully incorporated and mixture has thickened.
Whisk in the sugar, water, citric acid, and clear vanilla.
Bring the mixture just to a boil then reduce the heat to a simmer.
Add the apples and let simmer until apples soften and mixture has thickened.
Remove from the heat and add a small drop of teal food coloring, whisking to achieve a bright green color.
Set aside.
Streusel Topping (10 minutes + 30 minutes chilling)
In a food processor, add the flour, sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg.
Blend for a few seconds to combine.
Add the butter, about a tablespoon at a time, blending for a few seconds between additions.
Blend just until the mixture forms into fine crumbs. Do not overmix.
Transfer the crumbs to a small bowl and cover with plastic wrap.
Chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before assembly.
Assembly (20 minutes + 22 minutes baking)
Preheat the oven to 350° F.
Remove the chilled pie crusts from the fridge and fill each crust with 1 teaspoon of sour apple filling.
Place 1 teaspoon of streusel topping on each mini pie.
In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolk and water to create a wash.
With a small pastry brush, rush the exposed crust of each mini pie with the egg wash.
Bake for 22 minutes.
Let pies cool completely in pan before removing, about 15 minutes.
Caramel Sauce (20 minutes)
In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, whisk together the sugar and brown sugar.
Melt the sugar over high heat, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until they clump up and then liquify.
As soon as the caramel is fully liquid, remove from heat. Do not overcook.
Stir in the butter, a tablespoon at a time. The mixture will foam up and may splatter, so be careful when adding ingredients.
Once the butter is fully incorporated, whisk in a third of the heavy whipping cream at a time until fully combined.
Transfer the caramel to a heat-safe bowl.
Fill a larger bowl with ice and place the bowl with the caramel in it. This will stop the caramel from overcooking and help cool it down.
Gently whisk the caramel until it is at room temperature.
Whisk in the vanilla.
Pour caramel through a fine-mesh sieve to remove any clumps and transfer to a squeeze bottle.
Drizzle the caramel over the fully cooled pies.
Serve immediately. Store leftovers covered at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Enjoy!
Be sure to check out my Best Practices page for tips on how to make this recipe yourself. Let me know in the comments if you have any questions and feel free to tag me on Instagram @made.by.shade if you make it!
-Shade