Six Amazing Apple Pies and Caramel Apple Sheet Cake Recipes

Mini Apple Pies

Yield: 10-11 mini pies

Ingredients:

5 cups peeled, cored and chopped small Granny Smith Apples

1 tbs lemon juice

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup cornstarch

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmegpinch salt

2 cups water

1 package (2 9") store-bought pie

crustsugar for sprinkling

1 egg beaten for egg wash

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Grease a 12-cup muffin tin thoroughly and set aside.

Peel core and chop apples into small pieces and toss with some lemon juice. Set aside.

Combine sugars, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in a small saucepan. Pour in water and stir until incorporated. On medium heat, bring mixture to a gentle boil for 3 minutes stirring frequently to prevent scorching on the bottom. Once mixture is thickened slightly, add apples and toss bringing he mixture to a gentle boil once again. Reduce the head to low and simmer for 10 minutes or until the apples are tender. Take mixture off heat and allow it to cool slightly.

While mixture is cooling, thaw pie crusts if needed and unroll one crust onto a flat surface. Start by cutting 3 1/2 - 4" circles with a cookie cutter or rim of a glass/bowl. Place each disk into each muffin tin cavity, pressing them into the bottom and up the sides. Fill with apple pie filling about 2/3 to the top.

With the second pie crust, unroll and cut into 1/2" strips. Cut the long strips into 2 1/2" smaller strips. On a flat surface, place three strips vertically and three strips horizontally, creating a lattice pattern. Press down slightly with the palm of your hand so that they stick together. Refer to the picture in the post for a visual. (You can skip this step all together and just create the lattice pattern the traditional way and place them individually on top of the mini pies. Alternately, you can even just skip the lattice all together and just cut out a bunch of circles, place them on top and cut vent holes in the tops.)

Transfer lattice crust to the muffin tins and place on top of the apple pie filling. Press down slightly around the edges and trim away the excess with a sharp knife.

Brush the tops of the apple pies with egg wash, sprinkle them with some sugar and bake for 15-17 minutes or until tops are lightly golden and cooked through.

Mini apple pies are best served the same day made but will keep for up to 2 days stored in an airtight container.

Dutch Apple Pie

2.5 hrs to make, serves 8

Ingredients

Crust

1 cup Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon shortening

2 to 3 tablespoons cold water

Filling

8 cups sliced cored peeled apples

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Topping

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 cup Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour

2/3 cup packed brown sugar

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

Directions

• In medium bowl, mix 1 cup flour and the salt. Cut in shortening, using pastry blender (or pulling 2 table knives through ingredients in opposite directions), until particles are size of small peas. Sprinkle with cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing with fork until all flour is moistened and pastry almost leaves side of bowl (1 to 2 teaspoons more water can be added if necessary). Gather pastry into a ball. Shape into flattened round on lightly floured surface. Wrap flattened round of pastry in plastic wrap, and refrigerate about 45 minutes or until dough is firm and cold, yet pliable. This allows the shortening to become slightly firm, which helps make the baked pastry more flaky. If refrigerated longer, let pastry soften slightly before rolling.
• Heat oven to 400°F. On surface sprinkled with flour, using floured rolling pin, roll pastry dough into circle 2 inches larger than 9-inch pie plate. Fold pastry into fourths; place in pie plate. Unfold and ease into plate, pressing firmly against bottom and side and being careful not to stretch pastry, which will cause it to shrink when baked. Trim overhanging edge of pastry 1 inch from rim of pie plate. Fold and roll pastry under, even with plate; flute as desired.
• In large bowl, toss Filling ingredients. Pour into pie plate, mounding apples toward center.
• In medium bowl, use pastry blender or fingers to mix butter, 1 cup flour and the brown sugar until a crumb forms. Sprinkle evenly over top of pie. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon granulated sugar on top.
• Bake 45 to 55 minutes or until pie crust and crumb topping are deep golden brown and filling begins to bubble. Transfer to cooling rack to cool.

Apple Crumble Pie

Ingredients:

• Homemade Pie Crust (my recipe makes 2 crusts; you can halve the crust recipe or freeze the 2nd half)
• 5 large apples, cored, peeled, and sliced into 1/2-inch slices1 (approx 8-10 cups total - use a variety for better flavor, such as Pink Lady or Fuji and Granny Smith)
• 2 Tablespoons (30ml) lemon juice
• 1/4 cup (31g) all-purpose flour (measured correctly)
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

CRUMBLE TOPPING

• 1/2 cup (100g) packed light or dark brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3/4 cup (94g) all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup (95g) chopped walnuts, such as Diamond of California
• 1/3 (75g) cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled

Directions:

1. The crust: Prepare my pie crust recipe through step 5.
2. Make the filling: In a large bowl using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, stir the apples, lemon juice, flour, cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, sugar, and vanilla extract together until thoroughly combined. Set filling aside as the oven preheats; this time allows the apples to begin letting off their juice.
3. Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C).
4. Roll out the chilled pie dough: On a floured work surface, roll out one of the discs of chilled dough (if you made the entire pie dough recipe-- you can freeze the other half of the dough at this time). Turn the dough about a quarter turn after every few rolls until you have a circle 12 inches in diameter. Carefully place the dough into a 9x2 inch pie dish. Tuck it in with your fingers, making sure it is smooth. Spoon the apple filling into the crust, leaving some of the liquid in the bowl-- don't want all that in the pie. Use a small paring knife to trim excess dough off the edges. Flute the edges..
5. Make the crumble topping: In a medium bowl, combine the brown sugar, cinnamon, flour, and walnuts. Using a rubber spatula, stir in the butter. The crumble topping will be thick and crumbly. Sprinkle over apples.
6. Place the pie onto a large baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Keeping the pie in the oven, turn the temperature down to 375°F (190°C) and bake for an additional 30-35 minutes. After the first 20 minutes of bake time, I place a pie crust shield on top of the pie to prevent the edges from browning too quickly.
7. Allow the pie to cool for 3 full hours at room temperature before serving. This time allows the filling to thicken up. Serve with vanilla ice cream if desired. Cover pie leftovers tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
8. Make ahead tip/Freezing: This a great pie to make 1 day in advance-- after it cools, cover tightly and keep at room temperature. The pie crust dough can also be prepared ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Baked pie freezes well for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature before serving. Prepared filling can be frozen up to 3 months, thaw overnight in the refrigerator before using.

Additional Notes:

1. Slice your apples a uniform thickness. You don't want some solid apples and some thin, mushy apples..

CARAMEL APPLE SHEET CAKE

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups flour plus 2 Tablespoons flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ cup butter
• 1 cup water
• ½ cup shortening
• ½ cup buttermilk
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 cups peeled and chopped green apples

Frosting

• ½ cup butter
• 6 Tablespoons milk
• 3½ cups powdered sugar
• ½ teaspoon vanilla
• ⅛ cup caramel sauce (I use caramel ice cream topping)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a large mixing bowl, measure flour, sugar and cinnamon and stir to combine. Set aside.
2. In medium sauce pan combine butter, water, and shorting. Bring to a boil. After mixture reaches a boil add it to the flour mixture and stir to combine. Add buttermilk, then baking soda, then eggs, then vanilla in that order, mixing in between each addition. Stir in apples.
3. Pour into a 15x13 inch greased jelly roll pan.
4. Bake at 400 degrees F for 20 minutes. Let cool for about 10-15 minutes.
5. While cake is cooling, make frosting by combining butter, and milk in a medium mixing bowl. Microwave until butter is melted. Add powdered sugar, vanilla, and caramel sauce and stir until smooth. Pour frosting evenly over cooled cake.

Apple Hand Pies

yield: 12-14 HAND PIES

prep time: 10 MINUTES, PLUS 10 MINUTES FOR GLAZE

cook time: 15-20 MINUTES

INGREDIENTS:

FOR THE HAND PIES:

• 1 box (14.1 oz) refrigerated pie crust (for two pies)
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• 2 cup diced and peeled Crunch Pak apples (about 24-30 slices or 2 large apples)
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 2 Tbsp flour
• 1 egg white, beaten

FOR THE GLAZE:

• 1 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 2 Tbsp milk

DIRECTIONS:

1. Remove pie crusts from package and allow to come to room temperature while you prepare filling. Preheat oven to 425F.
2. Dice and peel Crunch Pak apple slices. In a large skillet, melt butter over medium high heat. Add apples, salt, nutmeg, brown sugar and cinnamon. Heat for about 5-10 minutes, until apples are soft, stirring occasionally.
3. While apples are heating, unroll pie crusts and cut 6-7 circles from each crust (using a 4 inch biscuit cutter). You may have to roll scraps to get the extra circles. Set aside.
4. After apples have softened, sprinkle in flour. Heat for an additional minute, stirring thoroughly.
5. Using a 1 Tbsp scoop, drop apple mixture into center of each pie crust circle. Fold in half and pinch edges COMPLETELY. Fold pinch edges over. Poke hand pie with tines of a fork to prevent bursting.
6. Beat egg white in a small bowl. Brush over the tops of each pie. Bake on a parchment paper lined baking sheet for 15-20 minutes, until lightly browned.
7. While pies are baking, whisk together the glaze ingredients. Remove cooked pies from baking sheet and drop in glaze, coating it completely. Return to parchment paper and allow to set, about 10 minutes. Enjoy warm or cold.

Dutch Apple Pie Muffins

Yield: 12 muffins

Ingredients

• For the crumb topping:
• 1/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour (or all purpose)
• 2 Tablespoons sugar
• 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 cup old fashioned rolled oats
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• For the muffins:
• 2 1/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour (or all purpose flour)
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 t baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt (I used kosher)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons apple pie spice (or cinnamon)
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1/2 cup fat free evaporated milk (you can use low fat or full fat)
• 6 Tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 cups peeled, diced apples (about 2 medium apples)
• lemon juice
• ground apple pie spice or cinnamon

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Prepare a 12 cup muffin pan with paper muffin cups.
2. Make the crumb topping. Combine the flour, sugar, brown sugar, salt, oats and butter in a small mixing bowl. Work the butter into the dry ingredients with a pastry blender, a fork or your fingers until the mixture holds together in a clump if you press it together with your fingers. You should have no dry ingredients still powdery in the bowl. Cover and set aside in the refrigerator until ready to use.
3. Your apples should be diced, sprinkled and tossed with a few squeezes of some fresh lemon juice (to keep them from browning) before starting to make the muffin batter.
4. To make the muffin batter, in a large bowl, whisk to combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and apple pie spice.
5. In a separate bowl, whisk brown sugar, eggs, applesauce, milk and oil until well combined.
6. Pour egg mixture into flour mixture and stir only until combined.
7. Scoop into prepared muffin pan. The cups will be almost full.
8. Carefully pile diced apples on top of the batter. Lightly sprinkle with apple pie spice or cinnamon.
9. Pile crumb topping on top of the apples. I found using a spoon to place the topping, guided by my fingers helped to accomplish this best. You can scoop up any stray topping that lands on the pan and put it back onto the top of the muffin.
10. Bake at 425 degrees F for 5 minutes, then immediately lower the heat to 375 degrees F, without opening the oven. Bake for an additional 14-17 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached. Don't over bake or you'll risk dry muffins.
11. Allow to cool in pan for 10 minutes, then carefully remove from pan and finish cooling on a rack.

Notes

These muffins are best on the first day, but can be stored, covered at room temperature up to 3 days. A few seconds of reheating in the microwave will help bring back some moisture.

You can use all purpose flour instead of whole wheat pastry flour. If you want to use regular whole wheat flour, use half of that and half all purpose.

You may use sweetened applesauce with no other adjustments; your muffin will be sweeter, but I don't think it will be too sweet. If you're worried about it, you could reduce the brown sugar in the muffin batter by a tablespoon, but I'd try it with no changes first.