Mini Peanut Butter Apple Pies

Since I made the Hertzoggies a little while back, I’ve had mini-pies on my mind. Maybe it’s because pies are considered the trendy dessert right now. Maybe it’s because autumn makes me hungry for pies. Or maybe it’s just because I had some pie crust dough leftover in the freezer.

Regardless, on the drive home from work tonight, I was thinking of mini-pies. I also had some apples from a local orchard in the fridge threatening to go soft on me with every passing day.

Apples with peanut butter is one of my favorite snacks. Healthy snacks, that is. Given the opportunity, I’d take caramel, but one needs a little protein from time to time so let’s go with peanut butter.

It took me a while to figure out how to incorporate that into a pie that wasn’t also made with cream cheese and whipped cream, then I thought of the crumb topping. So I replaced the butter in the topping with natural peanut butter. Cold natural peanut butter, though, already opened and from the fridge which gives it a little more solid texture than taking it straight from a newly opened jar.

You can use any pie crust that is about 9-10 inches. I had leftover pie crust from the Hertzoggies because I only made a half batch. But the crust from Spiced Whole Grain Apple Pie would work well too.

Mini Peanut Butter Apple Pies

1, 9-inch pie crust
1 large apple, peeled and very thinly sliced
1 tsp white whole wheat flour
1 tsp mascavo sugar
¼ tsp cinnamon

Topping

2 tbsp old-fashioned rolled oats
2 tbsp white whole wheat flour
3 tbsp mascavo sugar
3 tbsp natural peanut butter

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a standard muffin pan. With a biscuit cutter or glass, cut the crust into individual circles about 7 cm in diameter. Place the crusts in the muffin tin.

In a small bowl, combine the apple slices, flour, sugar and cinnamon. Toss to coat. Layer the apples in each of the crusts, filling just until the top edge of the crust.

In a mini-food processor, pulse the topping ingredients until they are combined and crumbly. Evenly divide the topping over each pie and press gently into the layer of apples.

Bake for 20 minutes. Let cool in the muffin tin for 5 to 10 minutes. Use a fork to gently remove the pies. Makes 8 mini-pies.