Easy Recipe for a Single Serving Apple Pie Dessert
With their charming appearance and delectable taste, this single serving apple pie is going to become a family favorite fall dessert in your home too.
It’s officially back to school for us this week. It’s hard to believe how quickly the summer went by and even harder to believe our youngest is now a junior in high school!
Having a high school age son who is growing like a weed, means our house must always be stocked with snacks or goodies for him to quickly grab and munch on when he gets home from school.
As a busy working mom, I am always looking for quick and easy recipes to feed the kids after school or really any time of the day.
These mini apple pies are the answer!
Made with an apple shaped puff pastry shell these are the cutest, handheld after school treat especially during the fall season because of their adorable apple shape. Not only are these apple hand pies cute (Who doesn’t love food in miniature size?!), they are super simple to make with a little help from the grocery store.
Apples and pie are quintessential fall staples and what better way to enjoy the taste of the season than with the best apple pie single serve recipe. Let me show you how easy these hand pies are to make!
I’m joining a group of bloggers today to bring you delicious apple recipes. Continue reading to the end of this post for all the apple inspired recipes.
What you’ll love about this single serve apple pie recipe:
Easy Apple Pie Filling
To keep this recipe quick & easy, I opted to use a can of apple pie filling that I purchased from the grocery store.
There are several creative ways that you can take store bought apple pie filling and make it taste like your own homemade apple pie filling.
- Add Spices: Enhance the flavor profile by adding your favorite spices. Cinnamon, nutmeg, and a touch of cloves can bring added warmth and depth to the filling.
- Citrus: Add a burst of freshness by incorporating citrus zest. A bit of orange or lemon zest can brighten up the filling and add a tangy kick.
- Nuts for Texture: Toasted and chopped nuts like walnuts or pecans can provide a delightful crunch to your pie. Fold them into the filling for added texture.
- Dried Fruits: Experiment with dried fruits like raisins, cranberries, or chopped dried apricots. They’ll add a chewy texture and bursts of sweetness that play well with the apple filling.
- Vanilla Extract: A touch of vanilla extract can elevate the overall flavor and aroma of the filling. Here’s my recipe for making vanilla extract at home.
Why use puff pastry as the crust for this mini apple pie recipe?
Instead of using a traditional pie crust for our mini apple pies, I decided to use puff pastry instead.
Puff pastry dough when baked is light, airy, and buttery. It’s crunchy on the outside and soft & doughy on the inside. Just delicious!
Tip
Make sure to keep your puff pastry cold when making these handheld pies. Cold puff pastry dough is much easier to work with.
Puff pastry dough is readily available in most grocery stores’ freezer sections.
Its pre-made convenience will save you both time and effort when making these single serving pies.
Note: Store-bought pie crust or homemade pie dough can be used in this recipe too. Store-bought crusts offer time saving ease without compromising on taste, while homemade crusts allow you to infuse your pies with a personal touch. Just remember to adjust the cooking times based on the crust you decide to use.
How to Make Single Serve Apple Pie With Puff Pastry
Jump to RecipeThese individual apple shaped apple pies, made with store-bought apple pie filling and puff pastry, are a testament to how a simple twist can turn a classic dessert into a work of art that’s as delightful to make as it is to enjoy.
Just a few ingredients…
TOOLS YOU’LL NEED
The Simple Step by Step Instructions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Make an egg wash by cracking an room temperature egg into a bowl with about a tablespoon of water and whisk. Set aside. Fill another small bowl with cold water, set that aside too.
Flour a clean flat surface and place one sheet of puff pastry unfolded on top of the flour. Take a floured rolling pin and roll out puff pastry dough to about 1/8″ thickness.
Cut dough forms with an apple shaped cookie cutter. Remove remaining dough from around the apple shapes and set aside. One sheet of puff pastry should yield 8 apple cut outs (the amount of cut outs will depend on size of cookie cutter).
Place about a tablespoon of apple mixture (amount of filling will depend on the size of cut out) into the center of the bottom crust of 4 apple cut outs. Make sure there is enough dough on the edges to seal the hand pie.
Take the small bowl of water and dip finger into the water and trace that along the edge of the apple pie filled cut outs so edge of cut out is moist. Place one of the apple cut outs on top, lining the edges and pressing with finger to lightly seal the edges.
Take a fork and press down around the edges of mini pie to seal.
With a sharp knife, cut three slits into the center of the pie. This allows air to escape and will prevent the filling from oozing from the edges of the pies.
Place pies on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
Once all pies are assembled, brush the top crust with egg wash.
Bake pies in the oven for about 15 minutes or until pie crust is golden brown and flaky and filling is warm & bubbly.
Allow the pies to cool for several minutes and then enjoy!
Tips & Tricks
- Before working with the puff pastry, make sure it’s properly thawed if using frozen pastry. However, it’s crucial to keep the pastry chilled while working with it. Warm dough can become sticky and difficult to handle, so pop it in the fridge if it starts to get too soft.
- Lightly flour a flat surface to prevent the puff pastry from sticking. Be careful not to over flour, as excess flour can alter the texture of the pastry.
- Brushing the top of your apple pies with an egg wash before baking adds a beautiful golden shine to the finished pies.
- When sealing the edges of your pies, press them together firmly to prevent any leakage of the filling during baking.
- Make sure to cut a small vent or two on the top of each pie to allow steam to escape during baking. This prevents the pies from becoming too soggy.
- While you want a generous amount of filling in each pie, overfilling can lead to leaks and uneven baking. Leave enough space around the edges to seal the pies effectively.
- Oven temperatures can vary, so keep an eye on your pies as they bake. You’re looking for a deep golden color and puffed layers. If the edges start to brown too quickly, you can cover them with aluminum foil to prevent burning.
- Once baked, allow your individual apple pies to cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet before transferring them to a wire rack. This prevents the filling from spilling out when you cut into them.
What can you serve alongside these mini desserts?
These mini puff pastry pies are delicious all on their own, however here are some delicious ideas of what you could serve alongside your pies if you desired.
- A scoop of vanilla ice cream is a classic choice. The warm, flaky pastry of the apple pie pairs wonderfully with the cold creaminess of a scoop of ice cream. The contrast in temperatures and textures creates a heavenly combination.
- A dollop of freshly whipped cream is a must for Mr. ERH. It adds a light and airy touch to the rich flavors of the apple pie. You can even infuse the whipped cream with a hint of vanilla or a sprinkle of cinnamon for an extra layer of flavor.
- Drizzle a luxurious caramel sauce over the apple pie for a sweet and gooey addition. The caramel’s buttery notes complement the apples and add an extra layer of indulgence.
How long will these mini apple pies with puff pastry last?
The best way to enjoy mini apple pies are right after baking. If you happen to have leftovers, store the pies in an airtight container or on a dish covered tightly with plastic wrap.
The mini pies can be stored on the counter for a day or two, or they can also be refrigerated.
We like to warm our leftover pies in the microwave for a few seconds to soften the puff pastry and warm the filling.
Are there other fillings you could use to make these mini pies?
Absolutely, there’s a world of delicious possibilities beyond traditional apple pie filling ingredients for your mini pies.
If you do decide to change the filling, I would use circles of dough instead of the apple shape.
- Mixed Berries: Combine strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries for a burst of vibrant color and a sweet-tart flavor profile.
- Peach and Ginger: Sliced peaches with a touch of fresh grated ginger create a harmonious balance of sweet and slightly spicy notes.
- Pear and Cardamom: Sliced pears infused with the warm, citrusy aroma of cardamom can result in a wonderfully aromatic filling.
- Blueberry Lemon: Blueberries paired with lemon juice and zest offer a refreshing and zesty flavor combination.
- Fig and Honey: Figs and honey create a rich and indulgent filling with a hint of floral sweetness.
- Pumpkin Spice: Embrace the flavors of fall with a pumpkin spice filling reminiscent of everyone’s favorite autumn latte.
And how about a savory filling idea…chicken pot pie!!! How delicious would that be?!
View my google web story, Delicious & Adorable Mini Apple Hand Pie Recipe.
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More Apple Dessert Recipes
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Apple Hand Pies
Ingredients
- 1 can Apple Pie Filling
- 1 box Puff Pastry defrosted
- 1/4 cup All Purpose Flour
- 1 Egg
- 2 tbsp Water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Make an egg wash by cracking an egg into a bowl with about a tablespoon of water and whisk. Set aside. Fill another small bowl with cold water, set that aside too.
- Flour a clean work surface and place one sheet of puff pastry unfolded on top of the flour. Take a floured rolling pin and roll out puff pastry dough to about 1/8" thickness.
- Cut out dough with an apple cookie cutter. Remove excess dough from around the apple shapes and set aside. One sheet of puff pastry should yield 8 apple cut outs (the amount of cut outs will depend on size of cookie cutter).
- Place about a tablespoon of apple pie filling (amount of filling will depend on the size of cut out) into the center of 4 apple cut outs.
- Take the small bowl of water and dip finger into the water and trace that along the edge of the apple pie filled cut outs so edge of cut out is moist. Place one of the apple cut outs on top, lining the edges and pressing with finger to lightly seal the edges.
- Take a fork and press down around the edges of mini pie to seal.
- With a sharp knife, cut three slits into the center of the pie. This allows air to escape and will prevent the filling from oozing from the edges of the pies.
- Place pies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Once all pies are assembled, brush the top of each pie with egg wash.
- Bake pies in the oven for about 15 minutes or until pie crust is brown & flaky and filling is warm & bubbly.
- Allow pies to cool for several minutes and then enjoy!
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They are so good and easy too!
Yum! These sound delicious! Apple is my husbands favorite. I will definitely have to make these for him.
Thank you Janine!
Thank you Melaine!
Your easy recipe for a single serving apple pie dessert is so amazing! What a incredible tutorial and recipe. Thanks so much for joining us this round!
I had never heard of a single serving apple pie! I can’t wait to try these, pinned!
Thank you Sara!
Yum these look amazing!
Thank you so much Cindy! They were very good and so easy to make!!!
These are adorable and sound delicious.
Pinned
Thank you for sharing Jen!
Thank you Angie! Lol, I wish I could send you some, they were so delicious!!!
Wow– these are so cute and looks scrumptious! I am with Midwest Life and Style– do you take orders for shipping?
Okay..yum! My mouth is literally watering. Do you take orders for shipping????? Can’t wait to share your recipe this weeknd as part of my week in rewind post.