These little pies are completely drool-worthy! They were consumed in quantity over the Thanksgiving weekend, and will definitely be making their way into our dessert rotation. They're quite tasty on their own, but they move to a whole other level when topped with freshly made caramel sauce.*
I like pie crust but I don't need a ton of it, and my hubby is the type to eat the filling and leave an empty shell on his plate. The little star-shaped crust on top was just enough for both of us. It mingles with the crumble topping just enough.
And the portion, when baked in cute little half-pint mason jars? Perfect! We all felt satisfied after a single serving, without the feeling that comes with having taken too much pie.
Ready to make some of your own? Let's do it!
You'll Need:
For the Filling
Apples {I used Pink Lady's, and cut up twelve apples for twelve jars}
1/2 C. Sugar
2 Tbsp. Cinnamon {or more--it can't hurt}
2 Tbsp. Corn Starch
For the Pie Crust
1 C. Gluten Free AP Flour Blend
1 tsp. Xanthan Gum
1 Tbsp. Sugar
1/4 C. Coconut Oil
1/4 C. Cold Water
2 tsp. Cider Vinegar
For the Crumble
2/3 C. Brown Sugar
1/2 C. Earth Balance
1/2 C. Gluten Free AP Flour Blend
1/2 C. Gluten Free Rolled Oats
Sprinkle of Baking Powder
To Make:
For the Filling
Wash and peel your apples, and the slice into very thin slices, so they bake quickly. I estimated one medium-to-large apple per jar, and I was right! We had a few slices to spare, which my little guy consumed while he was "helping" me fill the jars.
Place the apples into a large mixing bowl, or use a large zip-top bag.
Mix the sugar, cinnamon, and corn starch in a small bowl, and then pour over the top of the apples.
Stir to coat the apples, or close your zip-top bag and give the apples a good shake to coat.
Pack the apples into clean, dry half-pint mason jars. I spread my jars in front of me and worked with several jars at a time, placing apples as they fit, sometimes breaking a slice in half to fill a gap. I wanted to pack the apples in snugly, so that the pies wouldn't shrink too much once they had been baked. It may seem tedious, but it really isn't.
For the Pie Crust
Combine flour, xanthan gum, and sugar in a small mixing bowl.
Heat coconut oil a bit so you have a liquid, then add it to the flour mixture and stir.
Add cold water and vinegar, and stir or knead to thoroughly mix.
If you dough seems gummy or soupy, add a bit more flour, working in small increments to avoid making the dough too dry. I added a couple of extra teaspoons of flour to my batch.
When you're satisfied with the consistency of your dough, sandwich it between two pieces of waxed or parchment paper, and roll it out to about 1/4-inch thick.
Use a cookie cutter to cut the shape you'd like to place on the top of your pies.
Place a cut-out on each pie. {If the dough is hard to work with at this point, place it in the fridge for several minutes to cool. Cooler dough retains its shape more easily, and won't stick to your fingers.}
For the Crumble
Combine brown sugar, earth balance, flour, oats, and baking powder in a small bowl.
Mix thoroughly with your hands, or with a potato masher. You can also use a hand mixer, though I've never gotten mine out for the purpose.
Dig your hands in and pack little bits of the crumble topping around the cut-out pie crust so that you've completely covered the top of each pie.
*Homemade caramel sauce recipe coming soon!
Shared on... Allergy Free Wednesdays