Mini Caramel Apple Pie Bites
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Author:
Ingredients
  • For Crust
  • 2.5 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • ¾ tsp salt
  • 10 tbsp chilled unsalted butter, cut in small pieces or grated on a grater
  • ⅓ cup solid vegetable shortening, cut into pieces
  • 6 tbsp ice water and more as needed
  • Filling
  • 1 cup sugar
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • 4 tbsp all purpose flour
  • 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 4 tsp grated lemon peel
  • ¼ tsp ground nutmeg or in place you can use 2 - 4 tsp apple pie spice
  • 2 - 4 tsp cinnamon powder
  • I used 4 huge apples, peeled, quartered, cored and thinly sliced
  • Milk
  • Additional sugar
  • Caramel Sauce for drizzling
Instructions
  1. For Crust
  2. Stir flour, sugar and salt together in a bowl using spatula.
  3. Add butter and shortening and using a pastry cutter or simply your fingers work it together, until it resembles a coarse meal.
  4. Add 6 tbsp iced water and mix until moist clumps form. Add more water by tsps if desired and until the dough gathers into a ball.
  5. Divide the dough into half. Flatten each piece and wrap in a plastic wrap.
  6. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours. (At this point, dough can be prepared 2 days ahead. Keep chilled. Let it soften to room temp before rolling out)
  7. For filling
  8. Position rack in bottom third of oven and preheat oven to 400F.
  9. Mix first 7 ingredients in a large bowl. Add apples and toss to combine.
  10. Pulse half of this apple spice mix in a food processor until you have a coarse puree. Keep it aside.
  11. Assembling
  12. Roll out one dough disk on a floured surface to 12 inch round. Using a round cookie cutter and a large bowl or glass, cut circles from the dough.
  13. Place a tbsp or so of that puree on half of those dough circles and then on top put a tbsp or so of apples mixed with spices.
  14. Cover each one of them with another circle and using a fork, pinch the outsides to make a decorative design and so the filling doesn't come out! Repeat with the other dough ball in the same way.
  15. Transfer them to a lined baking sheet and Brush the surface using milk. Sprinkle with generous amount of coarse sugar.
  16. Bake in a preheated 400F oven for 22 - 25 mins or until it's nice and golden brown..
  17. Let it rest for an hour before serving if possible.
  18. Serve drizzled with caramel sauce!.
Notes
Ami says:
These can be made ahead of time.
The recipe is adapted from my Old Fashioned Apple Pie.
Recipe by Naive Cook Cooks at https://www.naivecookcooks.com/mini-caramel-apple-pie-bites/