Name: Mini Caramel Apple Pies Recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 16 oz. pkg. Pillsbury refrigerated sugar cookie dough; 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 teaspoon salt; 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger; 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg; 6 soft caramels like Kraft; 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; 10 soft caramels; 1 1/2 tablespoons heavy cream; 1/8 teaspoon salt

There’s something utterly cozy about the smell of warm apples and caramel filling the kitchen, right? These Mini Caramel Apple Pies Recipe capture that autumnal magic in a sweet, handheld treat that’s perfectly portioned – just right for sharing, gifting, or enjoying all by yourself on a crisp afternoon.

The image shows small round tarts placed on a white plate with a white marbled texture background. Each tart has a light golden brown crust forming a thick base and sides. On top, there is a layer of crumbly, dark brown streusel with bits of chopped nuts that add a crunchy texture. Over the streusel, a shiny caramel sauce is drizzled, creating a glossy, amber coating that softly pools in some areas. The tarts look rich and textured with a mix of smooth caramel and rough nut bits. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 2:3 --v 7

Jump to:

Why You'll Love This Recipe
Ingredients & Why They Work
Make It Your Way
Step-by-Step: How I Make Mini Caramel Apple Pies Recipe
Top Tip
How to Serve Mini Caramel Apple Pies Recipe
Make Ahead and Storage
Frequently Asked Questions:
Final Thoughts
Mini Caramel Apple Pies Recipe

Why You'll Love This Recipe

I always get excited about mini desserts because they feel special but don’t require much effort to share or enjoy later. These mini pies are no exception – they combine crisp-tender apples with rich caramel and a buttery crust that’s foolproof to make.

Easy, approachable crust: Using refrigerated sugar cookie dough means no fuss rolling or chilling.
Perfectly balanced filling: Tangy Granny Smith apples with warm spices and melty caramel create a mouthwatering combo.
Crunchy streusel topping: Adds texture and a buttery, nutty contrast to the soft filling.
Mini size: They bake quickly, serve effortlessly, and stay intact when baked and cooled properly.

Ingredients & Why They Work

This Mini Caramel Apple Pies Recipe relies on classic, simple ingredients that blend beautifully. The pre-made dough keeps things easy, while fresh apples and caramel bring that nostalgic pie filling flavor we all adore.

Flat lay of peeled and chopped Granny Smith apples in a simple white ceramic bowl, a few small cubes of unsalted butter arranged neatly nearby, packed brown sugar in a small white bowl, white granulated sugar in another small white bowl, fresh lemon wedges beside a small white bowl of lemon juice, a neat pile of ground cinnamon, ground ginger, ground nutmeg, and salt each in tiny white bowls, whole soft caramel squares scattered artfully, a small white bowl filled with pecans, all-purpose flour in a small white ceramic bowl, chilled unsalted butter cut into pieces on a white ceramic plate, a small white bowl with heavy cream, whole uncracked brown eggs arranged symmetrically on a white ceramic plate, placed on a clean white marble surface, soft natural light, photo taken with an iPhone, professional food photography style, fresh ingredients, white ceramic bowls, no bottles, no duplicates, no utensils, no packaging --ar 2:3 --v 7 --p m7354615311229779997

Pillsbury refrigerated sugar cookie dough: Super convenient and yields a tender, buttery crust without extra prep.
Granny Smith apples: Their tartness contrasts the sweet caramel perfectly and holds their shape when cooked.
Butter: Adds richness and helps soften the apples gently during cooking.
Brown sugar and white sugar: Provide the right sweetness and help caramelize the filling.
Lemon juice: Brightens the filling and prevents apples from browning.
Ground cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger: Classic warm spices that bring depth to the apple filling.
Soft caramels: Melts into the apples for a luscious, sticky caramel flavor.
Pecans: Offer a crunchy, nutty contrast in the streusel topping.
Flour: Binds streusel ingredients and helps create those delightful clumps.
Unsalted butter (chilled): Keeps the streusel crumbly and tender.
Heavy cream and salt (optional): For the caramel drizzle that amps up the pie’s richness just before serving.

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Note: You'll find the complete list of ingredients, along with their exact measurements, in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Make It Your Way

What I love most about this Mini Caramel Apple Pies Recipe is how easy it is to tweak based on what you like or have on hand. Feel free to get creative with different nuts, spices, or even the crust!

Variation: I once swapped pecans for walnuts, and the result was equally fantastic – just a different kind of crunch and nuttiness that I really enjoyed.
Dietary tweak: For a dairy-free version, use vegan butter and caramel candies—just watch the melting time closely.
Seasonal twist: Adding a pinch of ground cloves or cardamom can warm the flavor for holidays or darker autumn evenings.
Crust swap: If you prefer a flakier crust, homemade pie dough works wonderfully but remember to chill it well before pressing into the muffin tins.

Step-by-Step: How I Make Mini Caramel Apple Pies Recipe

A close-up of a small dessert held by a woman's hand, showing three layers: a light golden crust at the bottom, a chunky, textured brown crumble topping mixed with nuts in the middle, and a scoop of creamy vanilla ice cream with visible specks on top; caramel sauce drizzled over the crumble and a few drops on a white plate below. The background is a white marbled texture. photo taken with an iphone --ar 2:3 --v 7

Step 1: Press the Cookie Dough Into Muffin Tins

Start by preheating your oven to 350°F and preparing your muffin tin by greasing and flouring it well—that little step helps the pies release beautifully later. Slice the refrigerated sugar cookie dough into even pieces and press each piece into the bottom and up the sides of each muffin cup. This forms your little edible crusts. They’ll puff up when baking, so don’t worry if they look a bit thick - just be gentle pressing them down later if needed after baking.

Step 2: Cook the Apple Filling

While the crust bakes (about 15 minutes), melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Toss in your chopped Granny Smith apples, both sugars, lemon juice, cinnamon, salt, ginger, and nutmeg. Let them cook gently for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to soften the apples just enough. Then stir in your soft caramels and keep cooking another 3 minutes until the caramel melts fully and the apples are tender but not mushy. This filling is the heart of the pie, so make sure it’s not too wet or too dry.

Step 3: Make the Streusel Topping

While your filling cooks, pulse pecans, flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a food processor until nuts are finely chopped but still have some texture. Scatter your chilled butter cubes on top and pulse again until you get a pebble-like texture. If you don’t have a food processor, mixing by hand with a pastry cutter works just fine too. The streusel adds a buttery crunch to each bite, so don’t skip it!

Step 4: Assemble and Bake the Mini Pies

When your crusts come out of the oven, use a slotted spoon to scoop and evenly divide the apple filling into each cup (about 1½ tablespoons each). If the crust has puffed up too much, gently press it down with the back of a tablespoon to make room. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the streusel on top of each filled crust and gently press it in, then sprinkle the rest loosely on top. Pop them back into the oven for 7 minutes until the streusel is golden and the crust edges look perfectly baked.

Step 5: Cool Before Removing

This is key—cool your pies completely before taking them out of the tin. I learned this the hard way! If you try removing them hot, they often fall apart. Use a sharp knife to gently loosen edges, then pop them out carefully. Trust me, patience here saves you a mess.

Step 6: Optional Caramel Drizzle

If you want to get fancy, melt additional caramels with heavy cream and a pinch of salt in the microwave, whisking until smooth. Drizzle this over your pies just before serving for an extra gooey touch. Remember, don’t drizzle before baking or the streusel will get soggy!

Top Tip

Over the years, I’ve learned a few tricks that make this Mini Caramel Apple Pies Recipe turn out perfectly every time – and I want you to avoid the pitfalls I stumbled into!

Press Down Puffing Crusts: After the first bake, don’t skip pressing the crusts gently down before you add filling. It creates more space and prevents overflow.
Cool Completely: Removing the pies too hot is the fastest way to messy, broken mini pies. Let them cool fully in the tin.
Use a Slotted Spoon: This helps drain excess liquid from the filling before scooping into crusts, keeping pies from getting soggy.
Don’t Overcook Filling: The apples should be tender but still hold shape — mushy filling leaks and makes the crust soggy.

How to Serve Mini Caramel Apple Pies Recipe

Mini Caramel Apple Pies - Serving Suggestion

Garnishes

I usually keep garnishes simple to not overshadow these beauties. A light dusting of powdered sugar is lovely, or a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side always steals the show. For an extra touch, a drizzle of homemade caramel (as described earlier) is irresistible right before serving.

Side Dishes

These mini pies are quite the showstopper themselves, but if you want to turn dessert into a full small-plate spread, think along the lines of spiced nuts, a salty cheese platter, or even a warm cup of apple cider or mulled wine for adults. It’s like fall on a plate!

Creative Ways to Present

I love arranging these mini pies on a rustic wooden board or in mini cupcake liners for parties. For Thanksgiving, I’ve made little “pie towers” by stacking them on tiered dessert stands – guests loved the bite-sized option and it looked stunning.

Make Ahead and Storage

Storing Leftovers

Once cooled completely, store leftover pies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. They stay fresh and flavorful, but I recommend reheating just a bit before enjoying to bring back the soft warmth.

Freezing

I’ve frozen these mini pies wrapped individually in plastic wrap and then in a freezer-safe bag. They keep well for up to 2 months. When you’re ready, thaw in the fridge overnight and warm gently in the oven to revive that fresh-baked goodness.

Reheating

Microwaving for 15–20 seconds works in a pinch, but I prefer reheating in a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes on a baking sheet. This crisps up the crust and warms the filling without making the streusel soggy.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Can I use a different type of apple for this Mini Caramel Apple Pies Recipe?

While Granny Smith apples are preferred for their tartness and ability to hold their shape when cooked, you can use other firm apples like Honeycrisp or Braeburn. Just remember that sweeter apples will change the balance of sweetness, so you might want to adjust sugar accordingly.

What if I don’t have soft caramels? Can I substitute?

If you don’t have soft caramels, small caramel chips or butterscotch chips can be used, but their melting behavior varies so watch closely to prevent burning. Alternatively, you could drizzle homemade caramel sauce instead of mixing caramels in the filling, though texture and flavor will differ slightly.

Why do the pies fall apart sometimes when I remove them?

This usually means the pies weren’t cooled completely before removing or the crust wasn’t pressed down after the first bake. Cooling sets the crust and filling, so the pies hold shape. Also, gently loosen edges with a sharp knife before taking them out of the tin.

Can I make these Mini Caramel Apple Pies Recipe ahead for a party?

Absolutely! You can prepare and bake the pies a day in advance. Just store them in an airtight container at room temperature. If you plan to make them further ahead, freezing is your best bet. Reheat gently before serving for that fresh-from-the-oven feel.

Final Thoughts

This Mini Caramel Apple Pies Recipe is a staple that’s become one of my favorite go-to desserts whenever I want to impress without stress. Every bite echoes that warm, comforting feeling of homemade pie, but in a form that’s so portable and fun. I can’t wait for you to try it and maybe even make it your own with your little twists. You’ll find these mini pies perfect for gifting, sharing with friends, or sneaking as a sweet indulgence whenever the craving hits.