This is a fun and tasty Pillsbury recipe for mini apple pies with cinnamon rolls and diced apples. We add caramel for added yumminess. Easy individual bite size dessert with fruit and so fun to make. If you love muffin tin recipes this is a great one to try.
Ok, I admit….I am a little obsessed with my muffin pan! I have made our favorite meals, mini sized thanks to this favorite pan of mine. This one takes the cake (well pie that is)!
They look good right??!! The best part about this recipe is that there are only 4 ingredients. Less if you choose to omit the nuts and raisins. You just line the muffin cup with refrigerated dough, fill and bake in the oven for about 10 minutes. You can fold all the way over if you’d rather make them as air fryer apple dumplings.
Mini Apple Pies with Cinnamon Rolls
Pillsbury cinnamon rolls or you can make this as a Rhodes frozen cinnamon roll recipe by defrosting for 45 seconds first. Either are lifesavers for this busy Mom. From monkey bread to using them as the base for these they make dessert semi-homemade but nobody would ever know they were as fast to make as they are.
Ingredient Notes
You will need diced apples, Granny Smith apples are best so they stay a bit firmer, or use homemade apple pie filling. I added a handful or 2 of the lunchbox sized boxes of raisins and caramel bits too but those are optional as well as about 1/4 c. chopped walnuts. I add a bit of cinnamon to this mix too but typically I already have that in my cupboard.
Refrigerated cinnamon rolls for the “crust” is the easiest way to create these. You can use Pillsbury crescent rolls instead. Store bought pie crust would be okay but a but thinner than I like.
Brown sugar will coat the outside of the fruit to make them sweeter and kinda’ caramelize a bit when baked. Now if you wanted more of a softer mixture you can make our diced baked apples and then make this with them.
Can you make mini pies with crescent rolls?
You could use these, separated using the perforations and set with the wide side inside each muffin cup. Then fold the side of the Crescent that is hanging over on top of the apple pie mixture filling the center. Tuck under the other side. Once again this isn’t an exact science but you get the idea.
Filling Ideas
The center can be varied to your liking. We did just that with a tweak like our Pumpkin Hand Pies but baked on a baking sheet. You could add a bit of vanilla ice cream on top of your tart apple bites. Y’all these are just like classic apple pies but smaller!!
They’re kinda’ like our air fryer apple crisp but made in the oven. You want the dough to be a golden brown. Once they are done let them set before scooping out so they stay in tact once they are put on a plate, they show quite nicely!
Glaze for the Top
You could make a quick glaze too with 1 cup powdered sugar and just enough milk to become thick. Drizzle that on the top or with ice cream too! I don’t even put these on a rack to cool, they don’t last that long. Instead we prefer these warm right out of the muffin tin. I use a spoon to scoop 1-2 out for each person and on to a small plate they go. In 20 minutes you literally can have a semi-homemade treat.
FAQ
If you want to make our muffin tin apple pies here but don’t have that type of pan there are other options. You can buy stiff aluminum foil cups that you set on top of a baking sheet instead. I like to use small ramekins myself. Just spray the inside with non stick spray and use as if it were a hole in a muffin pan.
That is not necessary. You will need to slice or dice the fruit into smaller pieces though in order to break down and get nice and tender while baking. Make sure your pieces are all the same size and thickness so they cook at the same rate.
Mini Apple Pies Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Bowl
Ingredients
- 1 tube cinnamon rolls , refrigerated, or frozen defrosted for 45 minutes or so in order to flatten
- 2 large green apples , peeled and diced
- 1/4 cup brown sugar, light
- 1/4 cup walnuts, raisins, or caramel bits (seen in photos)
Instructions
- Combine diced apples and brown sugar (and any other add in you choose such as chopped nuts, raisins or caramel bits) in a bowl, toss together.
- Save the frosting packet that comes with the cinnamon rolls to sweeten it up at the end.
- Flatten cinnamon rolls and push into muffin tin (spray with non stick spray first).
- Fill with apple mixture and put in a preheated oven at 350 for about 12 minutes or until cinnamon rolls are cooked and light browned on sides and bottom.
- Drizzle frosting over top after removing from pan and enjoy.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I have made mini pies before, but I use my ramekins in place of my muffin tins.
Easier for me to wash individual ramekins then it is a muffin pan. I use my ramekins A lot for making cupcakes, muffins, pineapple upside down cakes etc.
If using fresh diced apple, do they get soft enough at this baking time? thanks!
I made these into mini pies by dividing the dough into 16 pieces. They came out so cute!!! I loved the idea of caramel chips added in and happened to have some on hand! Took about 8 minutes to bake.