Mini Apple Pie

What’s more comforting than a piece of hot homemade apple pie when snow falls outside? Very little. I grew up in a baking family. Literally, we owned a bakery. Pie was a staple, and my dad made some of the best apple pie of my childhood. It was a tradition after every Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner.

What makes it so delicious? Probably a little love and magic.

Topped with ice cream. Spiced with the right amount of cinnamon. Subtlety sweet. Enjoyed with hot chocolate (childhood), coffee (teenager) or special coffee (now).

I’m intent on keeping this childhood sweet treat alive and well as I get older. But, healthier.

Enter coconut oil crust. The only difference between this crust and a regular pie crust is you cut the flour with coconut oil instead of butter. You get the same consistency and taste. It bakes well. And you get all the added benefit of the healthy fat in coconut oil. I use this recipe from Minimalist Baker.

The filling is simple to make: diced apples, cinnamon and sugar. Mix. Let them mingle. Use coconut sugar as a healthier alternative. Also, reduce the amount of sugar you use if your apples are naturally sweeter.

 [recipe title="Mini Apple Pie" servings="12" time="2 hours"]

APPLE PIE FILLING

Ingredients

• 4 1/2 – 5 cups sliced, peeled apples (I like a mix of tart and sweet)
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/3 cup sugar (I used part brown sugar, part cane sugar)
• 1 1/2 Tbsp unbleached all purpose flour
• Coconut oil pie crust (tutorial here)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and place a rack in the bottom 1/3 of your oven for optimal baking.
2. Prepare filling by peeling and slicing apples into bite sized pieces or slices and tossing with cinnamon, salt, sugar, and unbleached flour. Set aside. Prepare crust.
3. Add the apple filling to crust, reserving most of the excess liquid that’s formed, and then roll out the other crust.
4. You can cut the crust into strips and do a lattice top (tutorial here), or just lay the whole crust over the apples for a traditional top, in which case you’ll need to poke several little holes with a knife to let steam escape.
5. Use your fingers to crimp edges and then brush the pie with lightly water or dairy-free milk and dust generously with sugar (optional).
6. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until golden brown. Cover the edges with foil at the 30-minute mark so they don’t get too brown.
7. Let cool completely before slicing or the filling will run – at least 3-4 hours. Best when fresh, but will keep for up to a few days. Serve with coconut whipped cream or your favorite non-dairy ice cream!

[/recipe]

Enjoy! Recipe adapted from Minimalist Baker.

XO | britt