These simple mini apple pies feature a classic cinnamon apple filling wrapped in a flaky puff pastry. Delicious little single-serving desserts made in a muffin pan with just 5 ingredients.

Devour them warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

mini apple pies dusted with powdered sugar on plate with strawberries.

What to expect

Yield, look and taste:

These little rustic bundles taste like apple pie in a crispier crust. I say rustic because, as you can see, they are not all perfectly identical and smooth. I like to think the imperfections give them charm! This is comfort food, not fine dining.
The recipe uses one sheet of dough to make 9 mini puff pastry apple pies in a regular-sized muffin pan. You can also make twice as many smaller pies in a mini muffin tin with the same amount of dough.

Simplified recipe: We made these mini apple pies as simple as possible without sacrificing flavor. A couple of quick shortcuts help get the job done efficiently.

No peeling of apples is necessary (you can if you want but I never bother)
We use store-bought puff pastry which is an excellent product (making homemade puff pastry is a big tricky job).
Many recipes use lemon juice to keep the apples from turning brown. I don’t bother as the cinnamon and sautéing turn them brown anyway.
The muffin tins keep the little pies nicely shaped, and
They are really easy to serve – no slicing and no oozing filling. Just plop one in a bowl with some ice cream – done!

Want to jazz them up a bit? We have ideas.

Ingredients – tailored to your taste

puff pastry sheet, 4 small apples, brown sugar, butter, cinnamon, powdered sugar. — puff pastry sheet, apples, brown sugar, butter, cinnamon, powdered sugar.

Apples: Use any apple that holds its shape when cooked. Good choices are Granny Smith, Gala, Fuji, Bradburn, and Honeycrisp.

Puff Pastry: Buy a box of frozen puff pastry dough in the freezer section of your local grocery store. If possible, try to get a brand that says ‘made with butter’ on the package for a richer taste. If not available, don’t worry about it. Also try to get a box with 2 sheets. This is a huge convenience as each sheet is pre-rolled.

Variations for filling: In addition to apples, butter and cinnamon you can add other options like dried fruit, a pinch of nutmeg, nuts (pecans or walnuts), a dash of vanilla extract, lemon zest or brandy.

Finishing ideas: You can serve the individual apple pies plain with just a sprinkling of powdered sugar or fancy them up with:

a drizzle of glaze
a drizzle of maple syrup
a little cut-out shape of dough on top of each pie, added before baking e.g. a leaf or star.

Step-by-step instructions

small diced apples with peel on cutting board. — Core apples then dice them into small pieces. No need to peel them.

apples, butter, butter and cinnamon in skillet. — Sauté apples, butter, brown sugar and cinnamon for a few minutes. Cover and cook 10 minutes.

cooked apple mixture in skillet. — Uncover and continue cooking a few minutes until all juices are absorbed.

pastry sheet cut into 9 squares on cutting board. — Unfold one sheet of puff pastry dough and roll or stretch it out a little. Cut it into 9 squares.

squares of puff pastry dough fit into muffin tin cups. — Place each square in a muffin cup.

cooked apple mixture in muffin tins lined with puff pastry dough. — Fill each cup with apple mixture.

mini apple pies unbaked in muffin tins with dough folded over on top of each one. — Fold dough over the tops, leaving a couple of air vents.

baked mini apple pies in muffin tin cups. — Brush on egg wash and bake.

cut open mini apple pie on plate. — Serve warm or at room temperature.

Tips

It’s easier to work with cold dough. It’s best to defrost the dough overnight in the fridge. If you forget (like I do pretty much always!), let it sit on the counter for 45 minutes or so.
Be sure to let the juices from the apples evaporate in the skillet. This will avoid soggy bottoms.
If you plan to make the mini pies a day ahead, add a small pinch of flour to each puff pastry cup before adding the apple mixture to absorb any extra liquid that might seep out when sitting around unbaked in the fridge.
Brush egg wash on each pie before baking to achieve a golden brown finish. If you forget, don’t worry, the taste will not be affected. The pies will just be paler.

Make Ahead

The mini apple pies are best eaten fresh out of the oven. I make them a few hours ahead and pop them in the oven just before we sit down to dinner. Instructions for making ahead, freezing and reheating are in the recipe card.

What to serve with mini pies

My go-to with this apple dessert is vanilla, caramel or butter pecan ice cream. Other good pairings are whipped cream, caramel sauce or vanilla sauce.

one mini apple pie on plate with ice cream and a strawberry. — Pictured is a glazed mini apple pie sprinkled with icing sugar and served with ice cream.

More apple recipes

Puff pastry tart with apples (30 minutes) – a similar recipe in a different format
Apple and blueberry crumble
Sous vide pork chops with apple chutney
Apple cinnamon cake with bourbon caramel sauce
BBQ sweet potatoes and apples

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