Mini caramel apple pies made in a muffin tin for Thanksgiving dessert

Looking to impress with a Thanksgiving Day dessert? Try these uniquely adorable, mini caramel apple pies.

"These mini caramel apple pies are the perfect, decadent dessert that everyone loves," Paige Thomason of the blog Studio Delicious tells Fox News Digital. "Made in a muffin tin with shortcuts like store-bought pie dough and caramel sauce means less time in the kitchen, too."

Try making them for Friendsgiving or Turkey Day.

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Mini Caramel Apple Pies 

Makes 6 servings

Prep Time: 45 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

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Ingredients:

1 roll refrigerated pie crust  (sold in boxes of two rolls, 14.1 ounces per box)

Non-stick cooking spray (for inside the parchment paper before gathering the pies)

Jumbo 6-cup, non-stick muffin tin pan

For the Filling:

6 Golden Delicious (or Granny Smith) apples peeled, sliced and cubed into ½" chunks

2 tablespoons butter

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon lemon juice, freshly squeezed

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the Crumb Topping

1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into cubes

1 cup flour

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

For Serving

6 tablespoons caramel sauce, store-bought (approx. one tablespoon per pie)

One quart of vanilla ice cream

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Instructions:

1. Cook the apples by melting the butter in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat, then add the cubed apples. Use a wooden spoon to toss and coat the apples, then increase to medium-high heat and cook for 2 minutes, just until the apple sizzle, being careful not to brown them.

2. Add the salt, water, sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg to the pan with the apples, and stir until combined. Continue to cook until fork tender and the liquid has mostly been absorbed, leaving a bit of syrup on the bottom of the pan, about 20 minutes total. Length will vary depending on the ripeness of your apples. 

If the water evaporates and apples aren’t cooked, add water 1/2 cup at a time and continue to cook until it evaporates, and the apples are tender. 

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Add the lemon juice and the vanilla extract, stir to combine. Cool completely in the refrigerator before assembling the pies.

3. To make the crumb topping, add butter, flour, both sugars, salt and cinnamon to a food processor and pulse until the ingredients come together to form a crumble that holds together when you gently squeeze it in your hands. 

Alternatively, use two butter knives or a pastry cutter to cut and combine the mixture until completely combined and it holds together when lightly squeezed. This makes a bit more than you'll need, so freeze the rest in a well-sealed container for up to 6 months.

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4. To assemble the pies, preheat the oven to 350 °F degrees. On a lightly floured surface, use a rolling pin to shape the dough into a rectangle approximately 12" x 12" in size. Use a sharp knife to cut the dough into 6 evenly sized pieces, then fold the pointed ends of each piece inward to make circles (doesn’t need to be perfect).  

Spray the inside of each muffin tin with non-stick baking spray. Also, spray the entire parchment square with non-stick baking spray. (Don't skip this step or the pies will stick). 

5. Spoon the completely cooled apple mixture onto the top of each pie dough round, dividing it equally, so there's about a ⅓  cup of apples on each round.

6. Add a generous tablespoon of the crumb topping on top of the apples, then carefully gather each pie together into a bundle like a purse and transfer to a square of the sprayed parchment paper. 

To place them in the muffin tin, carefully lift each pie from the parchment paper corners, then set into the tin. Tip: Don't gather the pie and parchment square together and place in the tin. This way, the pie crust will bake into the crevices of the paper. 

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Bundle the pie, then set it on the sprayed parchment paper, then lift the parchment and pie into the muffin tin.

7. To bake, place the muffin tin on a large baking sheet, and bake for 30-35 minutes, until edges of the crust and crumb topping are lightly browned.  

Remove from oven and let cool for 20 minutes, then lift each pie out of the tins and carefully unwrap from the parchment paper. 

For serving, spoon a generous tablespoon of warmed caramel sauce on top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

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This recipe was created by Paige Thomason of the blog Studio Delicious and shared with Fox News Digital.