Here is a little secret, we (mom & I) do not love or even really like apple pie. It just isn’t our favorite. We much prefer an apple crisp or apple cake or other apple delicious treats. BUT, there was one magical day when I had a little mini apple pie served to me at a girlfriend’s dinner party. And WOW! I LOVED it! Was it just my mood? Why did I love it so much? Well, I have continued to love it the most of all the apple pies in the land. And I realized at some point that it is because of the crust and pastry on top. It’s just THE BEST!
This recipe makes ONE regular sized pie (8 or 9 inches) or FIVE minnie pies (4 inches). The bottom crust is enough for 2 pies. If you are making 1 pie, then use the pastry for another pie, or discard. If you are making 2 pies then you will need to double the rest of the pie, but not the bottom crust.
I love to use a mix of different apples. My sister did a lot of research one year on how to make the best apple pie, and this is a tip she learned. DO NOT use ALL Granny Smith. Mix and match! Have some fun. My favorites to use are Honey Crisp, Macintosh, Golden Delicious and Granny Smith’s. Which apples will you use?
Measure the flour and salt for the bottom crust. Cut in the butter flavored Crisco, shortening, into the flour. I know shortening has such a bad wrap and we have made pie crust with just butter, but you know what? We just like it a lot better with shortening. It makes a huge difference in the consistency, texture, workability and using the butter flavored shortening makes the flavor top notch.
Use a little cold water at a time. Start with just 5-6 TBSP to start with. Use a fork to work the water into the dough. Add a little more as needed, until you are able to work it into a firm dough discs. Wrap them in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour. Form the dough into 2 discs or 5.
After the pastry has chilled, roll it out on a floured surface, one disc at a time. Use a little flour on top of the pastry and on the surface. Roll out into a circle to fit the tin or pie plate. Roll up the crust onto the rolling pin, then unroll it onto the pie plate. Fit it down into the corners. Trim around the edge if needed. Roll up the excess and pinch all the way around. Repeat with other dough discs.
Core, peel and thinly slice the apples. Place the apple slices into a large bowl. Measure the rest of the filling ingredients on top of the apples. Fold and stir until all the apples are coated in the dry ingredients. We LOVE the cinnamon AND nutmeg in the filling.
Pour the apples in the pie crust. If you are doing mini pies, place about 1 cup of the apples into each tin.
Pack in all of the apples evenly into the crusts you’ve rolled out. I would NOT throw out any “excess.” Pack them in!
Measure the butter, flour and sugar for the topping in a medium sized mixing bowl. Cut it all together with a fork or pastry blender until well blended.
Take a piece of the butter pastry and press it flat between your hands. Try to not work with it too long, or it will get warm and melty. Try to avoid that. Place the pieces on top of the apples forming a puzzle like top. Repeat until all the butter pastry is used up and the apples are covered.
Bake in a 400-degree oven for 50 minutes for an 8–9-inch pie. For the 4-inch mini pies I check them at 40 minutes. They bake for 40-45 minutes.
They are BEST served warm and with ice cream! If the pie has cooled, then warm in 350-degree oven for about 8-10 minutes.
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- Mini Apple Pie
Do you love Apple Desserts as much as us?! Then, you MUST try out these others!
- Apple Pie Slices
- Apple Pandowdy
- Easy Apple Fritters
- Applesauce Bread
- Spiced Apple Cake with Carmel Sauce
- Carmel Apple Cider Floats
Apple Pie
Almost a classic apple pie. Instead of a double crust, the top is crusted with a buttery, flaky, light crust. This recipe makes 1 pie.
Equipment
- Rolling Pin
- Pie Plate
Ingredients
Crust
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
- ¾ stick Crisco, butter flavored
- 6-8 TBSP ice water
Filling
- 5 apples, I use a mix. My faves are Honey Crisp, Granny's and Golden Delicious.
- ¾ cup white granulated sugar
- 2 TBSP all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- ¼ tsp salt
Butter Pastry Top
- 11 TBSP butter, softened
- ½ cup white granulated sugar
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
Instructions
Crust
- This is a double crust, but we only need one crust. Half of it can be used for another pie or discarded.
- Add flour and salt into a mixing bowl. Cut slices of the shortening into the flour. Use a fork or pastry blender to cut up the shortening into the flour mix, until crumbly.
- Drizzle about 5-6 TBSP of ice water over the top, then use a fork to casually work the water into the crumble until is holding together well. Add more ice water as needed until the dough can be formed into two firm dough discs. OR you can separate into 5 discs and wrap individually for mini pies. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for at least an hour or until needed.
- Take one of the crusts out. Lightly flour a clean and dry surface. Place the unwrapped crust on the floured surface. Sprinkle a bit more flour on top of the pastry. Roll out thin. Trim the edges and set into a pie plate. Roll up the edges and crimp the dough around the edge.
Filling
- Preheat the oven to 400°.
- Peel, core and thinly slice the five apples and put into a large bowl.
- Measure the rest of the filling ingredients over the apples.
- Use a large spoon or spatula to fold and toss and till the apples are all coated with the dry ingredients.
- Pour the apples into the pie crust, or individually scoop about 1 cup of the apples into small pie crusts.
Butter Pastry Top
- Measure the butter, flour and sugar into a mixing bowl. Cut up and mix together using a fork or pastry blender until well blended.
- Using your hands, take small bits and flatten between your palms into large pieces to place on top of the apples. Repeat this until all the butter pastry is gone and the apples are covered.
Bake
- Place the pie into a hot oven. Bake for 50 minutes. If you are doing individual mini pies, place the pies onto a large baking sheet. Place the sheet into the hot oven and bake 40-45 minutes.
- Place on the hot pies onto cooling racks. They taste best while warm. If they are being eaten later, or the next day, we recommend warming this pie in the oven for 5-10 minutes before serving.