---

This healthy mini apple pie is a great and easy recipe for apple pie for kids. They are refined sugar-free and the perfect sweet treat!

This healthy mini apple pie is kind of a crossover between a pie and a cookie. They have the taste and texture of a classic pie, but are small in size and remind you of a large cookie. Whether you view them as mini pies or cookies, they are perfect for little hands to hold and are a great way to use up some apples!

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

This is what you’ll need to make this healthy mini apple pie:

• Apples: Fuji apples are my all-time favorite apple to use for baking! They are naturally sweet and crisp and add the perfect touch of sweetness to baked goods.
• Cinnamon: Provides an extra warm spice and added flavor.
• Butter: Used to cook down the apples in the pan.
• Maple Syrup: Optional ingredient to add a little more sweetness to the apple filling mixture. This can definitely be omitted as the apples provide plenty of natural sweetness on their own!
• Egg: Mixed with water to form an egg wash to brush over the pies. You may omit this step if your little one has an egg allergy, or brush the pies with a little melted butter instead.
• Pie Crust: You may use homemade or store-bought!

PROCESS

1. Peel and chop the apples into small pieces. I like to chop them up very well so that they cook quickly and evenly in the pan.
2. Melt the butter in a pan on medium-low heat and add in the apples, cinnamon, and maple syrup.
3. Mix the apples to coat and reduce the heat to low. Cover the pan and let the apples cook for about 10 minutes (stirring occasionally). If your apple mixture seems dry, add in a little more melted butter.
4. Once the apples are softened and cooked, set them aside to cool. You want the apples to be tender, but not too mushy as they will continue to cook in the oven.
5. Unroll the pie crust on a floured surface and use a cookie cutter (about 2-2.5 inches in diameter) to cut out 12 circles. Set the scraps aside to use for the top layer of the mini pies.
6. Combine the scraps and re-roll the dough out. Use a pizza slicer or knife to cut out thin strips about 3 inches in length.
7. Place about 1 tablespoon of the apple mixture into the center of each circle. Place two crust strips horizontally and another two crust strips vertically over each mini pie. Press down on the sides and use a fork all around the edges of each pie to seal the crust in place.
8. Whisk together 1 egg and 1 tablespoon of water for the egg wash and brush this mixture on top of each pie.
9. Bake the pies at 350 degrees F for 15 to 18 minutes, or until golden brown. Let the pies cool completely before serving.

STORAGE INSTRUCTIONS

Let the pies completely cool and store them in an airtight container for up to 4-5 days in the fridge. To freeze, store in a freezer-safe container or Ziploc bag once cooled for up to 3 months. 

SUBSTITUTIONS

• Apples: The apples may be replaced with cooked down blueberries or raspberries to form a berry-flavored mini pie!
• Butter: The butter may be replaced with a dairy-free alternative like plant-based butter or neutral-flavored oil like coconut oil.
• Egg: The egg is just used for an egg wash to help the pies brown up nicely. This step may be omitted, or you may replace it with melted butter.

HOMEMADE PIE CRUST

I used storebought pie crust for these mini pies, but if you prefer a homemade pie crust, you can use this recipe to make your own:

• 1 and 1/4 cup flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 stick cold unsalted butter (cubed)
• 2-3 tablespoons of ice water
• *Optional: 1/2 teaspoon sugar

Combine flour and salt and add in cold butter cubes. Press together with a fork or masher until it looks crumbly. Add in ice water a little at a time until it comes together. If it falls apart, add a tiny bit more ice water. Try not to add in too much water so that the dough doesn’t become too sticky. Form into a ball, then form a disc with the dough, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least an hour so that the ingredients can come together. Let it sit out at room temp for a few minutes before rolling out when ready to use!

RECIPE NOTES

• The maple syrup used in this recipe is optional and adds a touch of sweetness to the apple mixture. If you are omitting maple syrup, I highly recommend using a naturally sweet apple such as Fuji or Honeycrisp!
• You may use store-bought or homemade pie crust for these pies. See my recipe above if you decide to make your own crust!

Here are some other apple-flavored recipes that you may like!

• Apple Pie Bliss Balls
• Cinnamon Apple Waffles
• Cinnamon Apple Pancakes