So yesterday was Pi Day, or Pie Day as it’s being reinterpreted. I should have posted this recipe then, but I’m a day late. Forgive me?
Remember last fall when I had a hankering for apple pie? Ok, it was more than a hankering. It was a crazy craving, and it wouldn’t go away until I made and devoured a whole pie. (I’m just kidding, I didn’t devour the whole pie. Maybe half. Or more.)
I had a similar craving last weekend, but it was more for a mini pie. Whenever I crave apple pie, I drive by to the nearest McDonald’s and get a couple of their apple pies, since everyone in my family loves them. Crispy on the outside, but warm and gooey on the inside, they’re the perfect snack when you have an apple pie craving once a week, like I do.
But this time, I was in the mood to make my own mini pies, since I’m convinced that making food mini makes it better. Yup, I’m weird.
While I wasn’t able to recreate the rectangular shape of McDonald’s Apple Pie, they tasted pretty darn close to it! With a flaky, crispy crust, the apple mixture inside was warm, and bubbling with brown sugar. Check it out!
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups flour
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup butter, cubed and kept cold until use
- 6 to 8 tbsp ice cold water
- 3 to 4 medium apples, finely chopped
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 3 tbsp granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp flour
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
Instructions
- Remove this mixture from the food processor into a bowl, and then start adding the water, one tablespoon at a time. Knead the dough after each addition until it starts to hold its shape, being careful to not add too much water.
- Once the dough is roughly formed, separate it into two smaller rounds of dough. Flatten them a bit and then wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least an hour and up to 2 days.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Remove the two dough rounds from the fridge at least 15 minutes before they’re needed, and longer if they’ve been in the fridge for longer.
- Start by mixing your apple pieces with lemon juice, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and flour. Sprinkle cinnamon and nutmeg on top and then mix again.
- Unwrap the dough and make sure it’s soft enough to be rolled out. Get two large sheets of plastic wrap and place one round of dough in between the sheets and start rolling out. The plastic wrap makes it easier to roll the dough, without having it stick.
- Start by mixing your flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor. After a few pulses, go ahead and add your butter into the mix. Give it another few pulses, or until it’s all crumbly with chunks of butter and flour forming.
- Roll until the dough is about 1/4 of an inch thick. Cut out dough with a circle cookie cutter and place on parchment lined cookie sheet.
- Drop about one tablespoon and a half of filling into the center of your circle dough. Place another piece of dough and press down on sides with fingers. You can also use a fork.
- Repeat this procedure until all dough is used. With a knife, slit a few spots on top of the pies to let air escape during cooking. If desired, brush the top of each mini pie with an egg yolk mixed with 1 tbsp milk.
- Bake 20 to 25 minutes, or until edges are golden brown. Let cool before eating.
Crust inspired by Simply Recipes.
If you like crust, you are going to LOVE this one! Buttery and flaky and crumbly, it pretty much melts in your mouth. Sandwiched in between the flaky crust is an ooey, gooey apple filling, speckled with fragrant cinnamon and nutmeg.
A note about the filling: make sure your filling doesn’t sit on the counter too long, or the juices will start to come out in the bowl and not in the pies, like you want. I didn’t give myself enough time to roll out the dough, and the filling sat out a little too long, so my filling was a bit dry. But if you make it and use it right away, then you’ll end up with an even more gooey filling. 🙂
I also forgot about the egg bath, but it’s definitely something I would do next time. In a small bowl, beat one egg yolk with one tablespoon of milk, and then brush the mixture on top of your pies. This will give them an even more golden top.
And that’s it! These mini apple pies were a treat to bite into, and when toasted the next day, tasted even better! So try it out and let me know how you get on. 🙂
Happy Friday, and have a good weekend!
Ikhlas
They look so nice, makes me crave for them now, haha! Never had them of McDonalds though, I’m wondering now if we even have them here at McDonalds…
Also wanted to let you know that I tagged you in a writing blog hop. Just have a look if you want to participate 🙂 http://livinglifebright.blogspot.nl/2013/03/blog-hop-10-questions-on-my-writing.html
Arlette recently posted…Blog Hop: 10 questions on my writing
They are SO yummy from McDonald’s, Arlette! So warm and with an ooey gooey filling 🙂
Thanks for the tag!
I checked it out and we don’t, I repeat, don’t have them here 🙁 We’ve got apple pie, but that’s a completely different story
Arlette recently posted…Favourite fanvideos: And you belong with me
Oh boo, that sucks! 🙁
these look wonderful! did you know that apple pie is my absolute FAVORITE dessert ever? I have been wanting to make hand pies forever now. And i love the crust – the best part. 🙂
sally @ sallys baking addiction recently posted…Easy Homemade Funfetti Cake.
Thanks, Sally! I love apple pie too 🙂