Apple Ring Pies
These adorable hand-held pies don't require any apple peeling. Each round is cleverly filled with one slice of apple and a bit of caramel candy that melts and turns gooey as the pies are baked. The no-fuss prep makes these perfect for holidays and bake sales.
Equipment
- 2 Baking Sheets
- 1 Rolling Pin
- 1 Round Cutter 4-inch size
- 1 Apple Corer or Small Round Cutter For removing apple cores
- 1 Parchment Paper For lining baking sheets
Ingredients
Main
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter sliced
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 small Golden Delicious apples about 5 ounces each
- One 14.1-ounce box refrigerated pie crust 2 crusts total
- All-purpose flour for dusting
- 1 large egg beaten
- 2 square soft caramel candies such as Kraft, cut into quarters
- Granulated sugar for sprinkling
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment. Microwave the butter, brown sugar and cinnamon in a medium microwave-safe bowl until melted, about 1 minute.
- Cut the apples, crosswise, into slices between 1/4-and-1/2-inch thick, using only full size slices from the center of the apple. You should get 4 slices from each apple, each about 2 inches in diameter. Remove the cores from the apples with a small round cutter or apple corer to make rings. Add the apples to the butter mixture and turn to coat well, taking care not to break the slices.
- Unroll the pie crusts and roll each on a floured surface into 13-inch rounds. Use a 4 inch round cutter to cut 8 rounds from each piece of dough (gathering the scraps and rerolling the dough as needed). (See Cook's Note.) Arrange half of the rounds on the prepared baking sheets and brush all over with the egg. Center an apple slice on each round and spoon any juices left in the bowl in the center of the slice. Place a caramel piece in the center of each slice.
- Lay the remaining dough rounds over each apple slice and press the edges gently to seal, then crimp the edges with a fork. Cut small slits in the dough for air vents. Brush the tops with beaten egg and sprinkle generously with granulated sugar.
- Bake, rotating the trays from top to bottom halfway through baking time, until the crust is golden brown and crisp,18 to 20 minutes. Cool on the baking sheet at least 15 minutes before serving.
Notes
Ensure the apples are sliced consistently thin to cook through properly. Handle the apple rings gently after coating in the butter mixture as they can be fragile. When sealing the pie edges, press firmly around the apple slice to prevent leaks, then crimp with a fork for a decorative and secure seal. Reroll scraps minimally to avoid tough dough. The caramel melts and can become very hot, so allow ample cooling time.