Mini Apple Pies with Puff Pastry (No Peeling) Recipe
Delight in these charming Mini Apple Pies made with flaky puff pastry and a spiced apple filling. No peeling needed, these pies offer a rustic, golden brown crust filled with tender cinnamon-buttered apples. Perfectly portioned for sharing or as a sweet treat, they deliver a balance of buttery richness and fruity sweetness, finished with a dusting of powdered sugar.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 9 mini pies
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Apple Filling
- 4 small fresh apples, cores discarded, finely diced to 1/4 inch (6 mm)
- 1 tablespoon butter (plus 1/4 teaspoon salt if using unsalted butter)
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar (use 3 tablespoons if you prefer sweeter or if apples are less sweet)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Puff Pastry and Topping
- 1 sheet puff pastry dough, thawed
- 1 egg mixed with 1 teaspoon water for egg wash (optional, helps create golden brown finish)
- 2 teaspoons powdered sugar (icing sugar or confectioner’s sugar)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Muffin Tin: Heat oven to 425°F. Lightly spray 9 of the 12 cups in a muffin tin with oil to prevent sticking.
- Cook Apple Filling: In a medium skillet, add diced apples, butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Heat over medium-high, stirring for 2-3 minutes until apples start to release juice. Cover, reduce heat to medium, and cook for 10 minutes. Uncover and cook an additional 2-3 minutes until all liquid evaporates and apples are tender.
- Prepare Puff Pastry: On a lightly floured surface, unfold the thawed puff pastry sheet. Use a rolling pin to roll it into approximately an 11×11 inch (28×28 cm) square or stretch gently by hand. Cut into 9 equal squares. Place each square gently into sprayed muffin tin cups, pressing so dough touches the bottom and edges hang over the tops.
- Fill and Fold Pies: Spoon about 2.5-3 tablespoons of the warm apple filling into each pastry-lined cup, filling about three-quarters full. Fold the two overhanging corners facing each other toward the center and pinch to seal, then fold the other two corners toward the center and pinch. Leave small air vents for steam to escape. Brush tops gently with egg wash if using, to promote a golden crust.
- Bake: Place the muffin tin on the middle rack of the preheated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the pies are golden brown and puffed. Since oven temperatures vary, check occasionally and add a few extra minutes if needed.
- Cool and Finish: Transfer mini pies to a cooling rack using a soup spoon, and let cool for 8-10 minutes. Sprinkle powdered sugar evenly over the tops using a fine mesh sieve or by sprinkling from about 10 inches (25 cm) above if no sieve is available.
Notes
- Do not peel apples; the skin adds texture and nutrients.
- If you want sweeter pies, increase brown sugar to 3 tablespoons.
- Egg wash is optional but recommended for a beautiful golden finish.
- Use a fine mesh sieve for even powdered sugar distribution.
- Let pies cool properly before serving to allow filling to set and avoid burns.
- If puff pastry sheet is frozen, thaw fully in the refrigerator before use to make handling easier.
