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We went Apple picking this past weekend, which is a always a favorite time of year! But what to do with all those apples? I really love including my kids in cooking and baking where possible, and I’ve found that baking in particular is very kid friendly.  I really love making mini pies with them– and the best part is that you can use whatever fruit is in season! It’s a great learning experience to show them how the apples they picked themselves can be peeled, chopped, and transformed in to a delicious treat.  I also like that you can adjust the amounts of sugar to what you feel comfortable with. 

We’ve been making mini pies a lot for playdates recently as well, and it’s always a big hit.  The kids can play while you pop them in the oven, and they’re a great, nutritious after school treat! Again, you can use the fruit of your choice, but I am including apples in this recipe since they’re seasonal.

Ingredients…

• 6-8 Apples, peeled, cored, and chopped in to 1/2 inch chunks
• 1 package pre-made pie crust
• 1 muffin tin
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 cup sugar
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1 Tbs all purpose flour
• 2 pats cold butter cut in to 4 pieces each

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Take your muffin tin and spray each section with nonstick cooking spray.  Remove your pie crust from the fridge and carefully roll it out so it’s flat.  Take a drinking glass, and pressing firmly cut circles in the pie crust, enough to line each muffin tin mold.  Place each circle in the bottom of the muffin mold, and press firmly to line the tin.  Next, take your apple chunks, cinnamon, nutmeg, sugar, lemon juice,and flour, and mix together well in a large mixing bowl.  Using a spoon, fill each muffin tin crust with approximately 2-3 Tbs of the apple mixture.  Top each mound of apple with a tiny piece of the cut up butter. Next, take the scraps of pie crust, roll in to a ball, and roll out on the counter top until it’s approximately 1/6 inch thick.  Taking a very sharp knife, slice the dough in to thin strips (about 1/6 inch).  Using 4 strips per mini pie, cross the strips in a lattice shape over the top of the pie.  Trim the excess.  Bake in the oven for approximately 25 minutes, or until the crust is golden but not burnt.  Place a sheet of aluminum foil over the muffin tin halfway through baking.  Remove from the oven, allow to cool for approximately 10 minutes, and serve immediately with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream!

Another one of my favorite fruits to make these pies with is strawberries! What’s your favorite seasonal pie flavor?

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Photographs by Julia Dags.