These adorable Caramel Apple Pies nestled in easy soft, buttery, sugar cookie crust have readers raving: “Amazing!” “They were such a hit!” “They were as good as they looked lol….delicious…” “SO yummy! a real showstopper.”
I’ve experimented and perfected this recipe to bring you the BEST version of apple pie with an easy and more delicious sugar cookie crust, a tender apple filling infused with cinnamon and caramel, and a crunchy pecan streusel for the perfect balance of flavor and crunch in every bite. This expertly crafted recipe simplifies pie-making while ensuring a gourmet, bakery-quality dessert that’s perfect for Thanksgiving and beyond!
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CARAMEL APPLE PIE RECIPE VIDEO
Why you’ll love Caramel Apple Pie
Everyone will be obsessed with this recipe! Backed by step-by-step photos, a detailed video tutorial, and expert-tested tips, this foolproof recipe is guaranteed to become a family favorite and in-demand tradition! Here’s why you’ll all in love:
Mini Apple Pie Ingredients
Let’s take a closer look at what you need to make this recipe (measurements in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post):
For the Streusel:
How to Make Caramel Apple Pie
There are 4 parts to my Caramel Apple Streusel Pies, but I promise they are easy. First: the buttery, chewy sugar cookie crust, 2) caramel cinnamon apples filling 3) buttery pecan streusel, 4) caramel drizzle. So let’s get to it!
Step 1: How to Make Caramel Apple Pie Crust
Pie crust is one of the most important elements of a pie so it has to be deeeelicous! These buttery sugar cookie crusts are not only delectable – they are super simple to make -winning! Simply cut a package of sugar cookie dough into 12 slices and press them into your muffin tins to bake. As you can see, they don’t need to be perfect, so don’t stress about it!
Step 2: How to Make Caramel Apple Pie Filling
Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add chopped, peeled apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, ground ginger, nutmeg and lemon juice and cook, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes.
Add caramels and continue to cook until caramels are completely melted and apples are tender, about 3 additional minutes. Remove from heat.
Remove filling using a slotted spoon and evenly divide it between baked sugar cookie crusts.
Step 3: How to Make Caramel Apple Pie Streusel
- Add pecans flour, sugar and cinnamon and pulse until pecans are mostly chopped small. Sprinkle cold butter over top and the mixture resembles small pebbles.
- Divide filling evenly between sugar cookie crust (about 1 ½ tablespoons). Top each pie with 1 tablespoon streusel and push into pie. Top evenly with remaining streusel (leave loose).
HOW LONG TO BAKE CARAMEL APPLE PIE
We first bake our sugar cookie crusts for 15 minutes so they are mostly baked before we add the Caramel Apple Pie filling. This ensures they emerge golden and not soggy. After adding the filling, bake an traditional 5-7 minutes or until the tops of the pies and crusts are golden.
Let Caramel Apple Pies Cool
It is essential that you let your pies cool so they will hold their shape when removed from the muffin tin. If you try and remove them when they are still warm, they will fall apart because the pie crust will still be soft and won’t hold its form. Once the pies are cool, remove them by running a sharp knife along the edge of each pie then gently prying up.
If you love warm apple pie (don’t we all?!), then microwave for a few seconds before servings but honestly, these Mini Caramel Apple Pies area so good just as they are!
Step 4: How to Make Caramel Drizzle
1: Add 10 soft caramels, 1 ½ tablespoons heavy cream and salt to a medium microwave safe dish.
2: Microwave for 1 ½ minutes then whisk vigorously until smooth. Microwave an additional 30 seconds if needed.
Mini Apple Pies Recipe Tips
DOES CARAMEL APPLE PIE NEED TO BE REFRIGERATED?
These individual apple pies will be completely cooked so they don’t need to be refrigerated. Store them in an airtight container on the counter for up to 2 days.
Apple Caramel Pie FAQs
To prevent the bottom of your apple pie from getting soggy, start by cooking the apple filling first. This helps remove excess moisture and allows the flavors to deepen without soaking the crust. Additionally, par-bake the crust lightly before adding the filling, which creates a firmer base that can better withstand the juicy apple mixture.
Let the filling cool slightly before adding it to the crust to avoid excess steam softening the base. Be sure not to overfill the pies, as this can release too much juice and make the crust soggy. Finally, allow the pies to cool before removing them from the pan, as this helps the crust set and maintain its structure.
Granny Smith apples are often considered the best for pie due to their firm texture and tart flavor. Their firmness allows them to hold their shape while baking, preventing them from becoming mushy and ensuring a satisfying bite. The tartness of Granny Smith apples also balances out the sweetness of the pie filling, creating a more complex, flavorful pie. Additionally, their acidity helps to cut through the richness of other pie ingredients, like butter and sugar, providing a refreshing contrast.
Looking for More Thanksgiving Dessert REcipes?
S’mores Pie
Apple Pie
Pecan Pie
Banana Cream Pie
Lemon Meringue Pie
Pumpkin Pie
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Mini Apple Pies Recipe
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Ingredients
Crust
- 1 16 oz. pkg. Pillsbury refrigerated sugar cookie dough
Filling
- 3 1/2 cups peeled and chopped (1/2-1”) Granny Smith apples ( 4-5 apples)
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons white sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp EACH salt, ground ginger, ground nutmeg
- 6 soft caramels like Kraft
Streusel
- 1/3 cup pecans
- 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/3 cup flour
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter chilled and cut into pieces
Caramel Drizzle (Optional)
- 10 soft caramels
- 1 1/2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
Instructions
Crust
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 12-cup muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray with FLOUR or grease and flour your pan.
- Cut cookie dough into 12 even slices and press into the bottom and up the sides of prepared muffin cups.* Bake for 15 minutes then remove from oven.
Filling
- Meanwhile, melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add apples, brown sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, salt, ground ginger and nutmeg and cook, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes.
- Add caramels and continue to cook until caramels are completely melted and apples are tender, about 3 additional minutes. Remove from heat.
Streusel
Assemble
- Remove filling using a slotted spoon and evenly divide it between sugar cookie crusts (about 1 ½ tablespoons each). You may need to press cookie crust down with the back of a tablespoon if they are still puffed up. Top each pie with 1 tablespoon streusesl and push into pie. Top evenly with remaining streusel (leave loose). Bake an additional 5-7 minutes or until crusts and streusel are golden.
- Cool COMPLETELY before removing from muffin tin or they will fall apart. When cooled, run a sharp knife along the edge of each pie before gently removing.
Caramel Drizzle (optional)
- Add caramels, heavy cream and salt to a medium microwave safe dish. Microwave for 1 ½ minutes then whisk vigorously until smooth. Microwave an additional 30 seconds if needed. Drizzle over pies just before serving – NOT BEFORE or the streusel will get soggy.
Serve
- If you love warm apple pie, then microwave for a few seconds before servings but honestly, these Mini Caramel Apple Pies area so good just as they are! Drizzle Caramel Apple pies with Caramel (optional).
Video
Notes
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©Carlsbad Cravings Original
2pots2cook says
Perfect ingredients lead to perfect result 🙂
Jen says
yessss! And you will love these results!
Rhonda says
Wondering if you have nutrition nformation breakdown on your recipes. Even approximates would help.Looking at Mini Caramel Apple Pies and winter Fruit Salad.
Jen says
Hi Rhonda, you can calculate all nutritional info at https://www.myfitnesspal.com/recipe/calculator enjoy!
Nancy Maloy says
I made the Mini Caramel Apple Pies last night. I did grease and flour the pan well and cooled over night. I didn’t have any problems removing from the cupcake pan. Of course we did a taste test just to make sure they were as good as they looked lol….delicious…will be putting caramel sauce and ice cream on theses babies for dessert tonight. Thank you for the wonderful recipe.
Jen says
Hi Nancy, thanks for taking the time to comment! I’m so pleased they easily came out of the pan and were as good as they looked 🙂 I hope you have a very Merry Christmas!
Anne-Louise Hill says
Once again another successful dessert
I did cut out or decreased some of the sugar and it remained absolutely delicious.
Thanks again for your inspiring recipes.
I was amazed at how easy they came out of the tins.
I’m a forever fan and recommend your site to all my patients.
Jen says
Thank you so much Anne-Louise Hill, I’m so pleased it was a hit! Thank you for making my recipes and recommending them!
Sarah Standerfer says
I have made these once and they were absolutely delicious but my sugar cookie crusts were a little crumbly. I was wondering at what temp and how long did everyone cook the crusts? Thanks again for the great recipe.
Jen says
Hi Sara, I bake the crust according to the recipe directions but it is possible your oven runs hot so maybe try a few minutes less. I hope that does the trick!
Cindy says
Did you use a mini muffin tin or regular size?
Jen says
Regular size. Enjoy!
Kathy says
Hi wondering if you know if you can premake these and freeze them? TIA
Jen says
Hi Kathy, I haven’t personally tried it but in theory you should be able to freeze the cookie crust and filling separately (don’t assemble or they will become mushy). When freezing, make sure all the elements cool completely and that the apples still have a little bite to them. Good luck!
Pia Espinosa says
Hi! I’ve made these a few times and such a hit. I’d like to make this and your mini pumpkin cheesecakes, so wondering if I could make this in a regular size pie baking dish?
Jen says
I’m so happy to hear these are a hit and I’m excited you’re making the mini pumpkin cheesecake this year – so good!! I honestly have never made this in a regular baking dish, but in theory it should work great. Good luck!
Morgan says
SO yummy! This recipe was very to easy to follow and everything about it is perfect. My family loved this dessert. . I made some maple pumpkin spice whip cream to put on top, and It was a real showstopper. Thanks so much for creating this recipe and sharing it!
Jen says
I am LOVING the idea of maple pumpkin spice whipped cream paired with these apple pies – yum! I’m so these pies were such a hit! Happy Thanksgiving!
Denise A Thompson says
Could you use cupcake liners for these instead of greasing and flouring?
Jen says
Hi Denise, you can still use cupcake liners but I would grease them with a nonstick cooking spray with flour.
Amy says
I brought these to party last month and they were such a hit! Making them again this week, and I’m wondering if it’s possible to freeze them?
Jen says
I’m so happy to hear that! And yes, freezing them should work just fine!
Sue says
I made these last night for dessert and they were amazing! I left out the caramel because most of my family does not love caramel (I know, I know, they’re crazy!) but they were still amazing! I too do not care for pie crust, but the sugar cookie crust was perfect! How do you think the sugar cookie crust would do as a crust for a whole pie?
Jen says
Thank you for such a wonderful comment, Sue! I so appreciate it! That means more caramel for you, right? 🙂 The sugar cookie crust should be ok for a whole pie! Just press into a greased pie dish and bake 12-15 minutes. Happy baking!