Mini Apple Ginger Pies (with a cheddar cheese crust)

These Mini Apple Ginger Pies with their cheddar cheese crust are a blend of amazing flavors.

The apples bring in some sweetness, the ginger and cinnamon add that spicy kick, and the cheese throws in a savory twist. It all comes together for a taste that's just right. Perfectly balanced and irresistibly delicious.

Mini Apple Ginger Pies (with a cheddar cheese crust)

The crust gives off a classic rustic charm, being deliciously buttery, enhanced by the bold flavor of sharp cheddar. Plus the perfectly spiced apples bake tender yet hold their shape nicely.

Perfect for anytime you want a little dessert happiness, or just when you're craving something yummy. These mini Apple Ginger pies are your go-to treat, no occasion needed!

Visual instructions

Start by making the cheddar pastry

1 and 2: In a large bowl, whisk together 1 cup (120g) all purpose flour, ½ cup (56g) shredded cheddar cheese and ¼ teaspoon salt. (add ½ teaspoon salt if using unsalted butter) Combine well.

3. Mix in ⅓ cup (75g) salted butter butter and cut in with a pastry blender or fork until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

4. Add 3 tablespoons (45ml) of ice water ((plus a little more as needed). Incorporate with a fork until the flour is just mixed with the water

5. Bring the mixture together into a dough. If it is very crumbly, add another Tablespoon of ice water, a little at a time, until a soft dough is formed. The dough should feel a little sticky, but not overly wet. Do not add any more water than you need

5. Wrap the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 20-30 minutes. During this time you can prepare the apple filling.

7. In a large bowl add 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice, 5 cups (500g) diced apples, ½ cup (100g) white granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ⅛ teaspoon salt and 3 Tablespoons diced candied ginger. (If you do not have candied ginger, you can use ½ teaspoon ground ginger instead)

8. Mix all together until thoroughly combined. Set filling aside as you roll out the pie crust.

9. Once the crust has cooled, cut it in half.

10. Sprinkle some flour on your work surface, and then roll out the first half of the dough until it's about ⅛ inch thick. Use a 4-inch cookie cutter (10cm) or a cup to cut out circles. Re-roll the dough and cut until you have 12 circles (these are measurements for a standard muffin pan and will make 12 standard individual mini pies )

11. Press each circle of pie crust into 12 cavities of a standard muffin pan (or 6 cavities if using a jumbo muffin pan) You want the crust to fit in the bottom and snuggly around the sides.

12. Take the remaining half of the dough and cut it into strips if you're going for a lattice pattern, similar to the images in this post. Alternatively, for a quick and simple pie topping, use small cookie cutters to cut out decorative shapes.

13. Divide the apple pie filling evenly among the pie crusts. Add cut-out shapes on top or create a lattice pattern if you've cut strips. Lightly brush the surfaces with either a small amount of milk or a blend of milk and one beaten egg. Optionally, you can sprinkle a bit of brown sugar over the crust.

14. Bake for 20 - 25 minutes (if you used a 12 cup muffin pan) or 30 -35 minutes (if you used a 6 cup jumbo muffin pan)

• You can serve these mini apple pies either warm or after they have cooled. For an extra treat, pair them with a scoop of ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream.

Storage

Once they've completely cooled, store them at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Alternatively, you can refrigerate them in an airtight container for 5-7 days for extended freshness.

Tips

• If you don’t have a round cookie cutter, you can use the rim of a glass to cut the dough.

• As a substitute to fresh apples, you can use canned apple pie filling.

• Instead of slicing the apples, we dice them into small cubes. The apples will break down as they bake and release their juices. As they cool, the broken-down baked apples will draw back the liquid creating the perfect apple pie filling.