Muffin Tin Caramel Apple Pies

Who doesn’t want their own little dessert?  Muffin Tin Caramel Apple Pies use two major shortcuts – refrigerated pie crust and a jar of store-bought caramel sauce.  These individual apple pies are heavenly served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

There is nothing in the entire world that says HOME like a warm piece of apple pie. On chilly days, a good cup of Creamy Pumpkin Soup and maybe a Celery Salad with Hazelnuts or Superfood Salad makes for a great meal before tucking into one of these absolutely delicious little pies.

It’s practically mandatory to serve some kind of apple dessert in the fall and winter months (preferably with caramel) so here’s a fun take on miniature pies to add to your repertoire:

• This recipe uses two shortcut ingredients, refrigerated pie crust and store bought caramel sauce.  Yay for this!
• These little pies are always a huge hit with everyone, and the flavors are warm and caramel-y and so, so good.

Ingredients for this Recipe

For full details about the ingredients, please scroll down to the recipe card.

One of the best parts of this recipe is we’re using two big shortcut ingredients for these delicious little Muffin Tin Caramel Apple Pies.

• Refrigerated pie crust:  One roll is all we need, and they are usually sold in packs of two… so freeze one for later.
• Caramel Sauce:  Any store-bought caramel sauce will do.  You’ll gently warm it in the microwave before spooning it over the pies.
• Apples:  Use the slightly tart Granny Smith variety, cut into small chunks so they fit easily in the muffin tin.
• Kitchen Staples:  Butter, salt, sugar, all-purpose flour, cinnamon, salt and vanilla extract are all needed for this recipe.

Step By Step Instructions

1. Prep your apples by peeling them, then quartering them, then cut the quarters length-wise.
2. Cut the length-wise pieces into rough 2″ pieces.

Cook the Apples and Make the Crumble Topping

Please see the recipe card below for step-by-step instructions on each process.

1. Cook the apples with the butter, salt, water, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon juice and vanilla extract.  They should look brown and soft with a little bit of syrup left in the pan.  It’s really important to completely cool the apples before proceeding. Otherwise the pie dough will fall apart as you (try in vain) to assemble them.
2. Use medium-high heat to cook until the water evaporates from the pan and the apples are golden and fork tender.  The length of time will vary depending on the ripeness of your apples, about 20 minutes total.  If the water evaporates and the apples aren’t fully cooked, just add more water 1/2 cup at a time until they are soft.
3. Taste the apples to for sweetness, and feel free to add a bit more sugar if needed, but note the crumb topping and caramel sauce will add sweetness too, so shoot for a slightly tart outcome on the apple step.
4. If you don’t have a fresh lemon or find it too obnoxious to cut one for a teaspoon of juice, skip it entirely!  A tiny bit of fresh lemon adds a nice balance to the overall sweetness of the pies.
5. Make an easy crumb topping in a food processor.  Just whiz together cold butter, flour, brown sugar, salt, and cinnamon.  You can also use two butter knives or a pastry cutter for this job.

How To Assemble the Pies

1. Cut a large piece of parchment paper into rough 5″ squares, this doesn’t need to be exact, and go for a rounded edge if you can.
2. Use a little non-stick cooking spray on the bottom of each well of the muffin tin, then also spray the parchment paper.  You’ll be placing the pies on the parchment, then setting them in the muffin tin.
3. PRO TIP: You must spray the muffin pan (to make the parchment paper stick) AND the parchment paper that you’re going to set the pie on (otherwise the pie will stick to the paper)… trust me on this 🙂
4. Roll the pie crust to an approximate 12″ x 12″ rectangle, then cut into 6 pieces.  Fold the pointy edges in toward the center, then press the seams together to make a rounded edge.
5. Spoon the cooled apples in the middle of each crust, followed by a generous tablespoon of the crumb topping.
6. Gather the pies into a little purse, starting with the edges and using both hands to keep the pie together before carefully transferring to the parchment paper square.  Carefully set the bundle into the muffin tin.

Remind yourself that these don’t need to look perfect, because they’ll look rustic and fabulous and taste absolutely delicious when they’re done 🙂

How to Bake the Pies

1. The left shows what the pies look like unbaked.  See how I gathered each pie individually and carefully set it in each muffin tin?
2. The right photo shows how they look just out of the oven.  Be sure to wait 15-20 minutes to let them cool in the muffin tin. Then just lift them out by the edges of the parchment paper and serve with warm caramel sauce and ice cream.

Expert Tips, FAQ’s and Serving Ideas

• When cooking the apples, use medium-high heat until the water evaporates from the pan and the apples are golden and fork tender.  The length of time will vary depending on the ripeness of your apples, about 20 minutes total.  If the water evaporates and the apples aren’t fully cooked, just add more water 1/2 cup at a time until they are soft.
• Taste the apples to for sweetness, and feel free to add a bit more sugar if needed, but note the crumb topping and caramel sauce will add sweetness too, so shoot for a slightly sweet outcome on the apple step.
• If you don’t have a fresh lemon or find it too obnoxious to cut one for a teaspoon of juice, skip the lemon juice entirely, but it does add a nice balance to the sweetness of the pies.
• Use pure vanilla extract, and Trader Joe’s Pure Bourbon Vanilla Extract is one of my favorites.
• SUPER important to let the apples cool completely before assembling the pies…If they’re warm, the pie crust will fall apart and be very hard (impossible) to work with.
• Use a jumbo muffin pan like this.  Please promise to heed all advice about baking spray 🙂
• I love Trader Joe’s Fleur de Sel Salted Caramel Sauce.  Scoop from the jar into a microwave-safe bowl and heat for a few seconds to spoon it over the pies.
• This crumb topping will make more than you need, but it freezes beautifully for several months. Use some to make a Summer Fruit Crisp.
• Vanilla ice cream is practically mandatory for all apple desserts in the world, but you already know that, right?
• A little pitcher of warm caramel sauce is nice to serve alongside a big platter of mini pies, let everyone pour it on themselves!
• Serve these mini caramel apple pies after a casual dinner of  Taco Skillet Bake, Turkey Burgers with Pepperjack and Cranberry, or Blackberry Salad with Toasted Hazelnuts.

More Recipes to Try

Apple Upside Down Cake

Waffles with Spiced Apples

If you’ve made Muffin Tin Caramel Apple Pies or any recipe on Studio Delicious, please tell me all about it in the comments below!

Muffin Tin Caramel Apple Pies

Mini apple pies made with store-bought caramel sauce and pie crusts, everybody raves about Muffin Tin Caramel Apple Pies!

5 from 13 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 45 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

0 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Servings: 6

Calories: 489.12kcal

Author: Paige

Ingredients

• ▢ FOR THE APPLES
• ▢ 6 Golden Delicious Apples peeled and cut into 1/2" chunks
• ▢ 2 tbsp Butter
• ▢ 1/8 tsp Salt
• ▢ 1/2 cup Water
• ▢ 1/2 cup Sugar
• ▢ 1 tsp Cinnamon
• ▢ 1/4 tsp Nutmeg
• ▢ 1 tsp Lemon Juice, freshly squeezed
• ▢ 1 tsp Vanilla extract
• ▢ FOR THE CRUMB TOPPING
• ▢ 1 stick (1/2 cup) Butter, chilled, cut in cubes
• ▢ 1 cup flour
• ▢ 1/3 cup sugar
• ▢ 1/4 cup brown sugar
• ▢ 1/2 tsp salt
• ▢ 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• ▢ FOR SERVING:
• ▢ 1 tbsp Caramel Sauce store bought in a jar, see tips for recommendation
• ▢ 1 Refrigerated Pie Crust You'll need one rolled pie crust for a 9" pie (usually sold in a box of two, freeze one for later)
• ▢ Non stick cooking spray Spray the inside of the parchment paper before adding the pies or they will stick!

Instructions

• MAKE THE APPLES
• Melt the butter in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat, then add the peeled, sliced and 1/2" cubed pieces of apple

  Stir to coat the apples with the butter using a wooden spoon, increase the heat to medium high and cook for about 2 minutes until the apples begin to sizzle...don't brown the apples.

  Add the salt, water, sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg to the pan, stir until combined and continue to cook until the apples are fork tender and the liquid has mostly absorbed, leaving a bit of syrup on the bottom of the pan, about 20 minutes total. See TIPS for more on this step below.

  Add the lemon juice and the vanilla extract, stirring to combine, then set aside

  Cool the apple mixture while you make the crumb topping and assembling the pies
• MAKE THE CRUMB TOPPING

  Add the butter, flour, both sugars, salt and cinnamon to a food processor and pulse until the ingredients are combined and come together to form a crumble that stays together when you gently squeeze the mixture together with your fingers.

  Alternatively, you can use two knives or a pastry cutter to make the mixture.

  Note: This makes more crumb topping than you'll need, and what's leftover can be frozen in a well-sealed bag or container for up to 6 months.
• MAKE THE PIES

  Preheat oven to 350 degrees

  Roll out the pie dough with a rolling pin to approximately a 12" x 12" size, shaping it in a rectangle as best you can.

  Cut the pie crust into 6 even-ish pieces, then fold the pointed ends in to make circles. This doesn't need to be perfect!

  Spray the inside of the muffin tin with non-stick baking spray. Then spray each parchment square with non-stick spray too. (Don't skip this step or the pies will stick to the parchment paper!)

  Spoon the compeltely cooled apple mixture onto the top of each pie dough round, dividing it equally so there's about a 1/3 cup of apples on each round.

  Add a generous tablespoon of the crumb topping on top of the apples, then carefully gather each pie together into a bundle like purse and carefully transfer to a sprayed square of parchment paper. Carefully set the pie into the muffin tin.

  TIP: Bundle the pie, then place it on the parchement paper, then set the pie in the tin. Don't bundle the pie and parchement square together and then place in the tin...why? The pie crust will bake into the crevices of the paper, rather than into a little contained bundle.

  Place the muffin tin on a large baking sheet, and bake for 30-35 minutes, until the edges of the crust and crumb topping are lightly browned.

  Remove from oven, cool for at least 20 minutes. Remove each pie and carefully unwrap the parchment paper.

  For serving, spoon over a generous tablespoon of warmed caramel sauce and a scoop of vanilla ice cream, if desired.

Notes

• When cooking the apples, use medium-high heat until the water evaporates from the pan and the apples are golden and fork tender.  The length of time will vary depending on the ripeness of your apples, about 20 minutes total.  If the water evaporates and the apples aren't fully cooked, just add more water 1/2 cup at a time until they are soft. 
• Taste the apples to for sweetness, and feel free to add a bit more sugar if needed, but note the crumb topping and caramel sauce will add sweetness too, so shoot for a slightly sweet outcome on the apple step. 
• If you don't have a fresh lemon or find it too obnoxious to cut one for a teaspoon of juice, skip the lemon juice entirely, but it does add a nice balance to the sweetness of the pies.
• Use pure vanilla extract, and Trader Joe's Pure Bourbon Vanilla Extract is one of my favorites. 
• Make sure to cool the apples completely before assembling the pies, if they are too warm the pie crusts will melt a bit and be harder to work with. 
• Use a jumbo muffin pan like this for these muffin tin pies. 
• I love and use Trader Joe's Fleur de Sel Salted Caramel Sauce.  Scoop from the jar into a microwave safe bowl and heat for a few seconds until spoonable.
• The crumb topping will make more than you need, and it freezes beautifully for several months. 
• Use a jumbo muffin pan for this recipe.

 

Nutrition

Calories: 489.12kcal | Carbohydrates: 94.36g | Protein: 4.5g | Fat: 11.86g | Saturated Fat: 4.9g | Cholesterol: 10.43mg | Sodium: 410.52mg | Potassium: 256.71mg | Fiber: 5.91g | Sugar: 55.72g | Vitamin A: 214.9IU | Vitamin C: 8.69mg | Calcium: 32.14mg | Iron: 1.99mg

Tips for Success with Every Recipe

• Super important to read the whole recipe before you begin
• Pay attention to the ingredient list and photos for the recipe
• If possible, prep your ingredients a little before you start
• Always use a sharp knife for safety
• Use the size of pan called for in the recipe
• For savory recipes, taste and season as you go
• Buy fresh, organic ingredients, locally sourced whenever possible

Did you make this recipe?Show me! Tag @studiodelicious or use the hashtag #studiodeliciouseats!

This post was originally published in 2019, text and photos were updated October, 2020