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Mini Apple Cranberry Pies with Lattice crust

Mini Apple Cranberry Pies with Lattice Crust

Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 12 mini pies

Equipment

  • Muffin tin (standard size) Ideal for shaping the mini pies. A silicone muffin tray works well for easy removal.
  • Rolling Pin For rolling out your dough evenly.
  • Pastry cutter or sharp knife To cut the lattice strips.
  • Small mixing bowls For prepping ingredients individually.
  • Zester or microplane For zesting the orange.
  • Pastry Brush To apply the egg wash.
  • Cooling rack Allows pies to cool evenly and retain their crisp crust.

Ingredients
  

For the filling

  • 2 medium Granny Smith apples peeled, cored, and finely diced
  • 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • Zest of 1 orange

For the crust

  • 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 1 cup 2 sticks unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes
  • 6 –8 tablespoons ice water
  • Note: You can use pre-made pie dough to simplify things—perfect if you're fitting this into your collection of easy Christmas treats.

For assembling

  • 1 egg for egg wash
  • 1 tablespoon milk
  • Raw or sanding sugar for sprinkling optional

Instructions
 

Make the Pie Dough

  1. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, salt, and sugar. Add the cold butter cubes and work them into the flour using a pastry cutter or your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Gradually add ice water, one tablespoon at a time, mixing just until the dough holds together when pressed.
  2. Divide the dough into two discs, wrap in plastic, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. If you're using store-bought crust, skip this step and thaw according to package instructions.

Prepare the Filling

  1. In a medium bowl, combine diced apples, cranberries, granulated sugar, brown sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, vanilla, lemon juice, and orange zest. Stir well to evenly coat the fruit. Let the mixture sit while you roll out the dough—this helps the flavors meld and the sugars draw out the juices.

Roll and Cut the Dough

  1. On a floured surface, roll out one disc of chilled dough to about 1/8-inch thickness. Using a round cutter (about 4 inches wide), cut circles for the base of the pies. Gently press each circle into a muffin tin cavity, making sure it covers the bottom and sides. Re-roll scraps as needed.
  2. Roll out the second disc of dough and cut it into thin strips (about 1/4 inch wide) for the lattice tops.

Fill the Pies

  1. Spoon the apple-cranberry filling into each prepared crust, filling to the top but not overflowing. The filling will reduce as it bakes, so don’t be shy.

Create the Lattice Crust

  1. Lay 3–4 dough strips over each pie in one direction. Weave 3–4 more strips over the top, lifting and tucking to form a classic lattice. Press the edges gently into the base crust to seal.

Apply Egg Wash and Sugar

  1. Beat the egg with 1 tablespoon of milk to make an egg wash. Brush the tops of the lattice crusts lightly, then sprinkle with raw or sanding sugar for sparkle and crunch.

Bake

  1. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Bake the mini pies for about 25 minutes or until the crust is golden and the filling is bubbling.

Cool and Serve

  1. Let the pies cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then carefully lift them out and transfer to a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature. These also store beautifully and can be made a day ahead—great for planning your Christmas food ideas in advance.