I never understood the “double crust” pie. I mean, even the flakiest, most tender crust is satisfying enough as a single layer, in my humble opinion.
But streusel topping? Now we’re talking.
And streusel topping is as much the star as the filling and crust are in these charming, bite-sized apple pie cookies – perfect for Rosh Hashanah, Thanksgiving and all of your fall celebrations!
This is a foolproof and easy recipe, made even simpler with the use of refrigerated pie crust. But feel free to switch things up! These cookies would be just as delicious with a shortbread, puff pastry or even crescent roll base – so use whatever you like. The key is to cut the circles slightly larger (about ¼”) than the base of your muffin tin, so that the edges come up a bit and hold the filling in place.
And unlike a traditional pie, these keep beautifully for a few days, allowing you to get a jump on your holiday baking! Best of all, they’re a no-mess, no-slice, no-utensil dessert that will add a special touch to your table!
And I’m not saying you SHOULD serve these with the tiniest scoops of vanilla ice cream. But I’m not saying you shouldn’t.
Ingredients
For the streusel:
- 4 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- ¾ cup flour
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
- ¼ cup white sugar
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- pinch of kosher salt
For the filling:
- 2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and diced
- 2 Tbsp brown sugar
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
- juice from one lemon
- pinch of kosher salt
- ½ tsp cinnamon
1 store-bought refrigerated pie crust, at room temperature
Directions
- Make the streusel: Line a small baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine the streusel ingredients in a bowl, breaking up any large clumps, and spread onto your baking sheet. Set aside to dry (can be made a day ahead; store covered at room temperature).
- Make the filling: Combine the filling ingredients in a saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring until the mixture comes to a simmer. Cook for 5 – 10 minutes, until the apples are slightly softened. Remove from heat, drain the liquid and cool completely (may be made a day ahead; store in the fridge).
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees; grease and flour a 12-cup muffin tin or line with parchment paper cups. Unroll your pie crust and use a glass or cookie cutter to cut circles that are slightly larger — about ¼-inch — than the base of your muffin cups (I used a 2 ½-inch cutter).
- Place the circles in the bottom of each muffin cup, pressing gently along the sides and bottoms. Spoon some apple filling into each crust and top with the streusel.
- Bake cookies for 20 minutes, or until streusel is golden brown. Cool completely in tins on a wire rack. Serve immediately or store, covered, for up to 3 days.
