These easy mini apple pies are full of sweet and spicy apples. It’s like having a little apple pie right there in your hand and perfect for when a whole pie is too much. Perfect with a cup of fresh mint tea!
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Why we love this recipe
Okay, even though I love to make things like butter and ricotta cheese and bread from scratch, never let it be said that there isn’t a time and place in my life for things like pre-made crescent roll dough.
Yep, the kind in the tube that you get to pop open. Because crescent roll dough can lead to things like perfect little individual easy mini apple pies that you can hold in your hand, and possibly even eat two of since they are so small and delicious and impossible to resist.
And not only are these adorable little hand pies both speedy and easy, they are also perfect for when making a whole apple pie might be more than you need.
Ingredients you need
Ingredient notes and substitions
- Apples: We love the sweeter kinds of apples (like Macintosh) for this recipe, but you can use any kind you like. If you want to go for a tarter taste, the green Granny Smith apples will be great.
- Crescent Roll Dough: You can find this in your dairy section, and any brand is fine, including the reduced fat variety.
- Walnuts: You can leave these out if you prefer, or swap in a different kind of shopped nut you like better (hello, pecans!)
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to make this recipe
Step 1: Preheat your oven to 375 and line a rimmed baking pan with foil or parchment paper.
Step 2: Peel and core your apples and dice them up into little squares and then saute them in a little butter and cinnamon and brown sugar until they are nice and soft.
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Step 3: Now pop that crescent roll tube open (and side note: why did they stop letting us whack it on the side of the counter to open it? Remember that? Now we are supposed to press a spoon to the seam to open it, and I’m sorry but that is nowhere NEARLY as satisfying).
Separate the crescent roll dough into little triangles.
Step 4: Pop a spoonful of apple mixture at the wide end. If you have a tablespoon sized cookie scoop that will work great for this part!
Pro Tip: We find cutting the crescent dough along the perforations with a pizza cutter or a knife is much more reliable than trying to tear that sticky dough with your fingers.
Step 5: Roll it up carefully, making sure that none of the apple filling is peeking out, and press the sides firmly to seal it up.
Step 6: Now put the little apple pies on your lined baking sheet lined and baked them until they are just golden brown, about 10 minutes or so.
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Step 7: This next part is the hardest…let them cool a little bit on a wire rack. Your kitchen is going to smell like apple pie while you are waiting, and I’m here to tell you that’s not going to make the waiting any easier.
Step 8: Once they are cool enough to handle, shake some confectioner’s sugar on top (I like to do this by putting the sugar in a fine mesh strainer and tapping the side of it – works perfectly as a sugar shaker!) and then those little apple pies are all yours! Or you can share. Or not. I leave that part up to you!
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Recipe FAQs
Depending on how big your apples are, you might find yourself with some extra apple pie filling – lucky you! Because this is AMAZING on vanilla ice cream, spooned onto oatmeal or just eaten right as it is!
These are at their very best eaten on the same day you make them, but if yu need to, they will still be almost as good the next day. Wait to sprinkle on the powdered sugar until right before you serve them up.
Powdered sugar is regular white sugar that has been super finely ground so that is is very soft…it makes a great topping for all kinds of pies, cookies and cakes.
Pop your question in the comments section below and I will answer pronto!
Want to round out your dessert?
We love some fresh mint tea with these little baby apple pies when we are being good, and some red wine hot chocolate when we are being naughty. 😇 😈
Other apple recipes we love!
Looking for more pie inspiration? You can find our complete collection of pie recipes here!
Could you leave us a review?
If you try this recipe, we would love to hear how it came out for you! I’d be super grateful if you could leave a star rating (you pick how many stars! 🌟 ) and your thoughts in the Comments section.
PrintEasy Mini Apple Pies
5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star
5 from 1 review
These easy mini apple pies are full of sweet and spicy apples. It’s like having a little apple pie right there in your hand and perfect for when a whole pie is too much. Perfect with a cup of fresh mint tea!
- Author: Kate Morgan Jackson
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 8 mini pies 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Stovetop and Oven
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 2 apples, peeled, cored and cut into 1/4 inch dice
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/8 cup chopped pecans or walnuts, optional
- One 8 ounce containers of crescent roll dough (I used Pillsbury)
- Confectioner’s sugar for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375. Line a cookie sheet with foil.
- Melt butter in a medium skillet over medium high heat. Add apples, sugar, cinnamon and nuts (if using) and saute for about 5 minutes or until apples start to soften. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
- Open the container of dough and carefully separate the perforated triangles – you will have 8 triangles. Spoon a generous tablespoon of apple mixture onto the wide end of each triangle. Carefully roll up the triangle so that the pointed end wraps around the outside, making sure the apple mixture doesn’t spill out the sides. Press the sides of the mini pie gently to seal it.
- Transfer the pies to the prepared cookie sheet and bake until golden, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack, cool for about 10 minutes, sprinkle with confectioner’s sugar and serve warm!
Notes
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- Apples: We love the sweeter kinds of apples (like Macintosh) for this recipe, but you can use any kind you like. If you want to go for a tarter taste, the green Granny Smith apples will be great.
-
- Crescent Roll Dough: You can find this in your dairy section, and any brand is fine, including the reduced fat variety.
-
- Walnuts: You can leave these out if you prefer, or swap in a different kind of shopped nut you like better (hello, pecans!)
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ap says
Would it work if I used homemade pie crust dough cut in the shape of crescent rolls if I can’t find crescent roll dough?
Thanks!
Kate Morgan Jackson says
Hi there! It would, but that crust is going to be thicker than the crescent roll dough, so I would try and get a little more apple filling in there so that the filling and the crusts are balanced. Crescent roll dough is pretty easy to find in your hair section though – it’s the kind in the tube. :)
Tina B says
Would these freeze well?
Kate says
Hi Tina – I haven’t tried freezing them, but I don’t see any reason why they wouldn’t freeze just fine.
Anne says
I was looking for a way to make mini apple pies and this helped me out so much!! I made them for Thanksgiving and everyone loved it! I used the can filling though.
When I was making them, they keep exploding. I don’t put a lot of apple in it though. Is there a certain way to roll up the crescent? I want to eat a lot of the bread instead of the apple.
Kate says
Hi Anne – I just make sure to press the ends together really firmly. One thing you might try if you still have trouble is to brush the edges with some beaten egg before you press them together and that might help keep them firmly together.
Juliana says
These tasted phenomenal! But mine all exploded…. I think I may have added too much apple :(
Kate says
Oh no! I totally understand the temptation to put in a lot of apple. But next time you will know how much to use, and they will still taste so good! :)
Hannah T says
Made these tonight! While they were delicious, they were not nearly as pretty as yours. I guess I will have to make more so I can practice rolling them up!
Kate says
As long as they taste great that’s what counts! Although practicing could definitely be fun. :)
Candice@NotesFromABroad says
Brilliant, Kate, just brilliant.
Of course, there is no such thing as crescent dough or anything like it where I live but when we get back to the US, this will be yet another one of your recipes I will make.
I see a weight gain in my future :)
besitos, C
Kate says
Hurry up home – you have lots of cooking to do! :)
ruthie says
How did you know I had an apple tree right outside my back door? I’ve been dodging those hanging branches with their hard little lumps all summer! Heh.
Now, I will get my revenge. I also just happen to have a tube of those crescent rolls in the fridge. Serendipity? And I’m going to be a rebel and whack that roll on the counter edge like it was 1969, or whenever. ;) Great idea.
Kate says
Go for it!! It’s so satisfying.
Amy says
I read this to my 6 year old daughter. When she saw your Southern husband picking apples, she asked me if he was Johnny Appleseed!
Kate says
And now I just read your comment to my husband and it made his whole day! (I may have to now call him Johnny for a while…) :) :)
kel says
yummy! i’ve got some peaches just begging to get baked and this sounds like a perfectly easy solution! thank you!
Kate says
Oooooh, peaches! Perfection.
ColleenB says
These sound Wonderful. Will be making these for sure and may also experiment by using canned pie fillings as well
Thank U 4 the recipes
ColleenB.
Kate says
My pleasure! Let me know how the canned version turns out when you have a sec. :)
Winnie says
I am going apple picking this week on vacation. Lots of apples here in NY. I will make these for sure. I only use those rolls for pigs in a blanket. Great to have another use for them..
Kate says
Have fun apple picking (and then baking!)
Jane says
As so often happen, I find reflection here on the life questions I personally have frequently asked, to wit: why did they stop letting us whack it on the side of the counter to open it?
I know we all confront these issues and I appreciate someone who addresses them headon….
Did that sound sarcastic? Absolutely not so intended. It is good to know someone else has such reflections. Oh, and I look forward to the recipe, too!
Kate says
Ha! Not sarcastic at all – we think along the same lines! :)
Nancy Stern says
Trader Joe rolls and biscuits are good. Take their rolls and spread with their Cookie Butter Spread, roll and bake. Insanely good! Cookie butter is like peanut butter ( on the shelf next to it)
But tastes like cinnamon ginerbread. Enjoy!
Kate says
Cookie butter??? I think I just fainted. Wow!
Rachel says
Sounds like Speculoos in Europe.
Kate says
I think that is what it is – that word is on the label. (As you can tell, I went and got me some.) :)
Kris @ www.everywhereorange.com says
you are my hero!! we are going apple picking this weekend and I have a morning MOMS Club meeting next week that is going to love these!! thanks!!!
Kate says
Have fun Kris – I love apple picking!
Lori says
Fantastic idea! I will try this on Saturday.
Kate says
Hurray! Hope you love ’em. :)