Ingredients

1 recipe All Butter Pie Crust Dough, below
2 tbsp butter
3 large apples, peeled and diced
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp cornstarch
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Add in apples and sautee for 4-5 minutes, until they just start to soften.
In a medium bowl, whisk together cinnamon, brown sugar, cornstarch and salt. Add to apples and stir to coat. Cook until sugar is bubbling, apples are very tender and the mixture starts to thicken, 5-8 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Set aside to cool to room temperature

Preheat oven to 400F.
(At this point, you can preheat a mini pie maker if you have one and make dough rounds that fit that. The instructions below are for a conventional preparation.)
Roll out half of the pie crust dough on a lightly floured surface until they are about 1/8-inch thick. Cut dough into 6 rounds about 1-inch larger than the size of the muffin tin (or mini pie pan) that you will be using. Press dough into pan and up the sides.
Roll out remaining half of the pie crust dough on a lightly floured surface. Cut smaller rounds into remaining dough to form the tops of the pies.
Spoon about 1/3 cup of cooled apple mixture into each prepared pie crust. Some liquid will have been released from the apples, so evenly distribute this as well. Top pies with a second round of dough and crimp the edges with a fork to seal.
Bake for 16-20 minutes, until pastry is golden brown. Allow pies to cool in pan for 10 minutes, then gently loosen and transfer to a wire rack to cool before serving.

Makes 6 mini pies

All Butter Pie Crust Dough
This recipe makes about 1 1/2 standard pie crusts. If you need crust for a full sized double crust pie, try this scaled-up recipe.
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp sugar
3/4 cup butter, cut into 1 inch cubes and chilled
5-7 tbsp ice water

Whisk together flour, salt and sugar in a large bowl. Toss butter in the flour mixture, then rub in with your finger tips until mixture is coarse and no chunks larger than a large pea remain. Add in water gradually and stir with a fork until dough starts to come together, then press dough into a ball with the palms of your hands. If dough is dry, add an additional tablespoon or two of water to pull the dough together.
Divide dough into two balls and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least one hour before using.

pies