Cranberry Apple Mini Pies {Thanksgiving Dessert}

Name: Cranberry Apple Mini Pies
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 55 min
Ingredients: 2 9-inch whole refrigerated pre-made pie crusts ( or homemade); 2 apples (peeled, cored and small diced); ¾ cup cranberries (halved); ¼ cup chopped pecans (chopped); ¼ cup cane sugar; 2 tablespoons cornstarch; 1 tablespoon orange zest; 1 teaspoon cinnamon; Powdered sugar (for serving)

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These Cranberry Apple Mini Pies is a fun dessert recipe you can make without any baking experience or special tools. It’s a great way to use up leftover apples and cranberries, and makes for a festive holiday dessert!

Mini cranberry apple pies on a white dish dusted with powdered sugar

You’re going to love the balance of the tart cranberries with the sweet cinnamon apples and the buttery, golden, rich pie crust. And because they’re mini, you can have many. If you have extra cranberries, make sure to grab these tips for how to freeze fresh cranberries.

Ingredients & substitutions

Pie crust: You can use refrigerated pie crust or use your favorite homemade recipe.
Apples: Peel and core the apples and dice them finely.
Cranberries: Use fresh cranberries and cut them in half so that they mix easily with the apple pieces.
Pecans: Chopped pecans add a great crunchy texture to these mini pies. You could also use almonds or walnuts.
Sugar: We like to use cane sugar which is less processed. White or brown sugar can also be used.
Cornstarch: This helps to thicken the fruit juices so that your pie crusts don’t get soggy.
Orange zest and cinnamon: Fresh orange zest adds a tangy flavor and ground cinnamon adds a wonderful sweetness.

how to make cranberry apple mini pies

Add the ingredients for the pie filling to a bowl.
Mix together to combine.
Cut circles out of the pie dough to form the mini pie crusts.

3 image collage to show how to make the filling and cut the pie dough

Press the pie crust circles in to a muffin tin.
Spoon in the cranberry and apple mix.
Bake til the dough is cooked and golden brown.

3 image collage to show how to make the pie crust in a muffin tin and then add the filling to the tin

Tips to make this recipe

Make one larger pie. If you prefer to serve up a full sized pie, simply add the apple and cranberry filling to a 9 inch pie crust and bake!
Grease your muffin tin with oil. This will make the mini pies easier to remove. Don’t use butter to grease the tin as this can burn and cause the pies to stick.
Don’t skip the cornstarch in the filling. Without it, when the fruit bakes it will release a lot of water and can make your pie crusts soggy.
Cool the mini pies on a wire rack. A wire rack allows air to circulate all around the pies so the bottoms will cool and crisp up. If you let them cool on a solid surface, the pie crusts can absorb moisture.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long do they keep?

Once fully cooled, transfer the pies to an airtight container and they will keep well for up to a week in the fridge or at room temperature. You can warm them through to serve if you like at 360F for 5 to 10 minutes.

Can you freeze them?

You can freeze these pies either baked or unbaked. Unbaked hand pies can be covered and refrigerated or frozen for 3 days. Bake them from frozen, just add a couple extra minutes of bake time.

Baked hand pies can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator, then bring to room temperature before serving.

What do you serve them with?

These apple and cranberry mini pies can easily be enjoyed by themselves. They are also delicious served warm with a scoop of ice cream, drizzled in heavy cream or finished with whipped cream.

Seriously though, these rock for Thanksgiving dessert table because they give you that sweet satisfaction without committing to a whole pie slice. Make these cranberry apple mini pies for thanksgiving and feel free to double or triple the recipe for a larger crowd.

More cranberry recipes:

More easy pie recipes

If you try this healthy-ish feel good Cranberry Apple Mini Pies recipe or any other recipe on Feel Good Foodie, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave a comment below! It helps others who are thinking of making the recipe. We would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some shots, share it on Instagram so we can repost on Stories!

This Cranberry Apple Mini Pies recipe was originally published on November 8, 2017. The recipe has been slightly modified to make it easier and the post now includes updated step-by-step photos.

Review

Cranberry Apple Mini Pies

These Cranberry Apple Mini Pies are made with fresh cranberries, apples and a hint of orange zest – perfect for Thanksgiving & the holidays!

5 from 22 votes

Author Yumna Jawad

Servings servings

Course Dessert

Calories 207

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 40

Total Time 55

Ingredients

▢ 2 9-inch whole refrigerated pre-made pie crusts or homemade
▢ 2 apples peeled, cored and small diced
▢ ¾ cup cranberries halved
▢ ¼ cup chopped pecans chopped
▢ ¼ cup cane sugar
▢ 2 tablespoons cornstarch
▢ 1 tablespoon orange zest
▢ 1 teaspoon cinnamon
▢ Powdered sugar for serving

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Remove pie crust from package and allow to sit at room temperature while preparing the pie filling.
In a medium bowl, combine the apples, cranberries, pecans, sugar, cornstarch, orange zest and cinnamon until well combined.
Use a 4″ round cookie cutter to cut out 24 round pieces of pie crust. You will need to re-roll the scraps.
Place the cut out dough into two muffin tins, using your fingers to form the dough into cups.
Fill the cranberry apple filling mixture into the muffin cups to the top and bake in the preheated oven until the fruit is softened and bubbly, and the dough becomes golden brown, 25-30 minutes.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool for at least 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Dust powdered sugar on top, if desired.

Equipment

Notes

Storage: Once fully cooled, store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.

Freezing Directions: Unbaked hand pies can be covered and refrigerated or frozen for 3 days, then bake from frozen; add a couple extra minutes of bake time. Baked hand pies can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator, then bring to room temperature before serving.

Substitutes: For best results, follow the recipe as is. However, here are some common substitutes that would work well in this recipe.

Instead of pecans, you can use other nuts like walnuts, almonds or macadamia nuts. You can also use any seeds or just leave them out.
Instead of cornstarch, you can use arrowroot starch or all-purpose flour.

Nutrition

Calories: 207kcal, Carbohydrates: 27g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 10g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 5g, Sodium: 137mg, Potassium: 80mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 8g, Vitamin A: 24IU, Vitamin C: 3mg, Calcium: 13mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.

Diet: Vegetarian

Cuisine American

Course: Dessert

5 from 22 votes (14 ratings without comment)

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