Easy Single-Serve Apple Pie Recipe (Using Leftover Pie Dough)
Your pie fairy godmother has arrived, my solo sweet-eating friends. This single-serve apple pie is the perfect recipe for pie season (which is every season, am I right?), when you have scraps of pie dough left over and need somewhere to put them.
Because we don’t throw away pie scraps, OK?
I love a not-so-serious bake too. This is a really unsexy dessert, but it’s oh-so-delicious and the perfect sweet treat for fall. All of your cozy, comfortable baking requirements, fulfilled!
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SINGLE-SERVE APPLE PIE
To get the perfect, tender, apple-pie-apple, you do have to cook these down for a minute on the stove. Brace yourself – this is a sweet treat that takes a little love and stirring.
But not too much, ok? I’m not here for applesauce apples in my pie filling. I want a tender bite, packed with cinnamon-y flavor.
Spoon them into a big bowl with your baked-to-golden pie crust scraps and a healthy dollop of whipped cream for the perfect single-serve fall dessert.
How do I shape my leftover pie dough? If it’s not already flat, roll your extra pie dough into 1/8″-inch thickness. You can cut it with a cookie cutter or simply a knife (or leave any jagged scraps as is), then pop them on a plate in the freezer for at least 30 minutes. From there, bake or store in a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months!
INGREDIENTS
- Pie Crust Scraps: Cut and saved from your previous pie-making days
- Egg: Beaten with a little water or milk to brush onto your crusts and provide a little color
- Coarse Sugar: An optional sweet crunch on top of your pie crusts, I love turbinado sugar
- Apple: I prefer mine peeled, but if you are happy with the skin on, leave as is
- Cinnamon: For a dash of cozy flavor
- Salt: Balances out the sweet and spicy
- Butter: Adds flavor and helps to cook down your apples
- Lemon Juice: Works with the sugar and pectin in your filling to thicken and balance out the sweetness
- Water: Since we’re not baking this in a steamy crust, the apples need a little extra liquid to start to cook down
- Flour: A thickening agent to get the perfect pie filling consistency
- Granulated Sugar: To bring out the sweetness in your apples
- Heavy Cream: To make fluffy whipped cream to top your apples and baked pie scraps
- Powdered Sugar: To give just a little bit of sweetness to your whipped cream
Can I add spices to my pie scraps? Yes! To prevent overworking your dough, I recommend shaking your spices onto your crust once it’s on the baking sheet. Be careful with how much spice you add, so you can see the color of the crust to check for doneness.
HOW TO MAKE A SINGLE-SERVE APPLE PIE
Start by baking your leftover pie scraps…
Line a baking tray with parchment paper and preheat your oven to 400°F. Place your pie scraps onto your baking tray, with a little space between each.
Then, in a bowl, whisk together your egg and a splash of milk or water until combined. Brush each piece of pie crust with the egg wash and sprinkle with your coarse sugar.
Pop your tray in the oven and bake for 7-10 minutes, depending on how big your scraps are, until lightly golden brown.
Make your single-serve baked apples…
In a small pot, add your apple, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch slices. Mix in your cinnamon, salt, butter, lemon juice, water, and flour, stir, and place on the stove over medium-low heat.
Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Place a lid over your pot and cook for 35-40 minutes, just until the apples are tender.
You want to be able to easily cut through them with the side of a spoon, but you don’t want them to be mushy. Every 5 minutes, give them a quick stir so the consistency of the filling stays even throughout.
Make your whipped cream and assemble…
As your apples are cooking down, whisk together your cream and powdered sugar in a bowl until thick and soft peaks have formed. Place your whipped cream in the fridge until you are ready to use it.
Assemble as you like, I prefer placing my pie scraps at the bottom of my bowl, topping with my cooked apple pie filling, and finishing with fresh whipped cream. Enjoy!
3 reasons you’ll love this single-serve apple pie
TIPS & VARIATIONS
- Make sure your pie scraps are relatively uniform in size and thickness. As a rule, my pie crust is usually 1/8″-inch thick. This will make sure they bake evenly, and you don’t have some scraps burning before the others are done.
- I never use water in regular apple pie, but for this, since we’re cooking the apples down on the stove, you need a little extra juice to get those apples breaking down.
- Dust your scraps with spices before baking if you please. I love some cinnamon, but cloves and/or cardamom would make great additions!
- You don’t need to bake as many pie scraps as you might have on hand (if you’ve been on a pie-baking streak). Keep the ones you don’t need yet in the freezer, and save for a future treat!
- These pie scraps would also make great “dippers” when served with a fresh compote or a quick homemade jam
MAKING AHEAD & STORING
Your pie scraps can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days or in the freezer for up to three months. Freezing your dough in scraps makes it easy to pull them out as needed, so you don’t have to bake more pie dough than necessary!
Once baked, your single-serve apple scrap pie can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days. Over time, your whipped cream may separate, so keep that in mind (if this even lasts that long!).
MORE SINGLE-SERVE RECIPES
- Mini Key Lime Cheesecake
- Single-Serve Funfetti Cake (No Egg!)
- Mint Chocolate Tiramisu
- Mini Roasted Garlic Rosemary Focaccia
- Drop Biscuit with a Cinnamon Plum
EQUIPMENT YOU’LL NEED
Equipment
- Baking Tray
- Parchment Paper
- Small pot
- Whisk
- Measuring Cups
- Measuring Spoons
- Peeler
- Pastry Brush
Ingredients
- ½ cup pie crust scraps
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp coarse sugar
- 1 large apple peeled
- Dash of cinnamon
- Dash of salt
- ½ tbsp butter
- ¼ tsp lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons water
- 2 tsp flour
- 1 ½ tbsps sugar
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 1 tsp powdered sugar sifted
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F and line a baking tray with parchment paper
- Lay your pie crust scraps onto your baking tray. Leave a little space in between, but these can be relatively close as they won't puff much as they bake
- In a bowl, whisk together your egg with a splash of water or milk until combined. Brush your egg wash onto your pie crust pieces and sprinkle with coarse sugar
- Bake for 7-10 minutes. This will vary depending on how big your scraps are, so keep an eye on them!
- Cut your peeled apple into ½-inch slices and place in a small pot
- To the pot add your cinnamon, salt, butter, lemon juice, water, and flour
- Stir and place on the stove on medium-low heat, cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally
- Place a lid over your pot and cook for 35-40 minutes until the apples are tender (you can easily cut through them with the side of a spoon). Stir every 5 minutes, there isn’t a lot in the pot so you don’t want it to get gloopy at the bottom if you don’t stir it
- While your apples are cooking, make your whipped cream by whisking together your heavy cream and powdered sugar in a bowl until thick. Place in the fridge until ready
- For assembly, place your baked pie scraps in a bowl, then top with your cooked apples and fresh whipped cream
- Enjoy!
