Apple Bourbon Mini Pies
apple bourbon mini pies
Total cook time: 2 hours
Yield: 12-16 mini pies
Ingredients
Crust
Flour: 2 cups (260g)
Granulated Sugar: 2 tablespoons (25g)
Kosher Salt: 1 teaspoon
Unsalted Butter (Cold): 1 cup (2 sticks, 226g)
Heavy Cream: 2 tablespoons
Ice Water: 1/3 cup
Filling
Unsalted Butter: 2 tablespoons (28g)
Apples (I like Granny Smith!): 2
Lemon Juice: 2 teaspoons
Brown Sugar (Packed): 1/4 cup (50g)
Cinnamon: 1 teaspoon
Nutmeg: 1/4 teaspoon
Allspice: 1/4 teaspoon
Black Pepper: 1/8 teaspoon
Cloves: Pinch
Bourbon: 2 teaspoons
Tapioca Starch: 1 tablespoon
Egg Wash
Egg (Large, Beaten): 1
A Few Notes:
Remember to use a cookie cutter that’s at least 3” wide! If you use a smaller cutter, you won’t get enough filling. You can use any shape you’d like - I used hearts and houses!
The yield will depend on what size of cookie cutter you use - it’ll likely be somewhere between 12-16 pies.
If your dough gets too soft at any point during rolling/cutting/assembling, just put it in the freezer for a few minutes.
Pop any pies that don’t fit in the oven on the first round into the fridge - this will make sure that they’ll hold their shape in the oven.
If you have any leftover apple filling you can eat it straight out of the bowl!
Pairs Well With:
*Special equipment: 3-inch cookie cutter, baking sheet, parchment paper
The How To (Crust):
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, and kosher salt. Using a pastry cutter or your fingertips, work the butter into the flour mixture until crumbly (the largest pieces should be the size of peas). Pour in the heavy cream and ice water. Stir with a rubber spatula and then knead with your hands until it holds together. Divide the dough into two sections. Flatten each section into a disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least an hour.
The How To (Filling):
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Heat a small skillet over medium heat. Add the butter and heat until browned and nutty (about 3 minutes), stirring occasionally. Set aside to cool slightly.
Peel, core, and chop the apples into smallish (approximately ¼”) pieces.
Stir together the chopped apples, lemon juice, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, black pepper, and cloves. Add the bourbon and brown butter. Add the tapioca starch and stir to coat thoroughly.
The How To (Assembly):
Roll out the first disk of pie crust into a rough circle (it should end up being a bit less than 1/8” thick). Using a cookie cutter (ideally one that’s at least 3” wide) cut shapes out of the dough. Re-roll the scraps and cut out more shapes. Place cut shapes in the fridge to firm up a bit, then roll out the second disk. Make sure you end up with an even number of shapes!
When you’re ready to assemble, place a heaped tablespoonful of filling in the center of half of your cut shapes. Rub the edges of these shapes with water and place another shape on top. Press with your fingertips to seal, then seal decoratively with the tines of a fork. Cut a couple of ventilation slits into each mini pie and brush with egg wash. Repeat with remaining pies. Put any pies that are not immediately going into the oven in the fridge.
Place pies on your prepared baking sheet and bake at 375 degrees F for 25-28 minutes, until golden brown. Cool on a wire cooling rack, or eat them right out of the oven.
Keeps for 3ish days, covered.
