Mini Apple Pie Bites

This post may include affiliate links. Thank you for your support.

These easy apple pie bites with flaky, crispy phyllo cups are stuffed with warm and luscious apple pie filling, cinnamon, and a touch of bourbon! They’re topped with whipped cream and a drizzle of salted caramel sauce for absolute perfection. Skip the fuss of regular apple pie with these mini apple pies instead!

About this apple pie bite recipe

Have you ever craved apple pie but didn’t want an entire slice of pie or the hassle of making an entire apple pie?! Today, you get to satisfy those cravings without fuss or effort. These mini apple pie bites are flaky, crispy, bite-sized treats made with delicate phyllo cups that are filled with warm apple pie filling and topped with whipped cream and salted caramel sauce. 

The apple pie filling is cinnamon-y and sweet, with a touch of boozy bourbon flavor and tender-crisp apples. The airy whipped cream topping with drizzled caramel sauce turns these simple apple tarts into a decadent dessert that you’ll be coming back for in no time!  

Enjoy these golden brown mini apple desserts for Thanksgiving, as a scrumptious midweek fall dessert for the family, or as a sweet snack to satisfy those apple pie cravings!

Why you’ll love this recipe!

These bite-sized easy apple mini pies are fun and cute treats to enjoy all year round. Here’s how I know you’ll love them:

• Quick and easy recipe. Whip up a fresh batch of mini apple bites in 30 minutes from start to finish! You can also reduce the prep time by making the filling in advance!
• Versatile! Change the fruit filling, add extra toppings, use a different pie base, or enjoy these treats as a sweet snack or breakfast bite instead of dessert.
• Individual portions. This recipe for apple pie bites is the perfect alternative to making a large apple pie. Simply add the individual bite sized apple pies to a platter and allow your guests to indulge as they please!
• Tastes like the real deal! Puff pastry mini apple pies taste like classic holiday apple pies without all the fuss. 
• Boozy flavor. Adding bourbon provides a touch of booze that sets these mini pie bites apart from those without. 

Ingredients for apple pie bites 

These adorable mini pie bites are so fun to make! Here’s exactly what you’ll need to get started:

• Unsalted butter – Two full racks. 
  • Substitution: Pork loin back ribs or spare ribs. 
• Fresh Apples – I’ve used Honeycrisp apples. Peel the apples and dice them into small uniform pieces. 
  • Substitution: Granny Smith apples or Gala apples can also be used. 
• Spices – Ground cinnamon and nutmeg. You’ll also need more for garnish. 
• Kosher Salt
• Dark brown sugar – Packed.
  • Substitution: Granulated sugar.
• Bourbon – Use your favorite brand. A high-quality bourbon is always best. 
• Lemon juice – Freshly squeezed is best. 
  • Substitution: Bottled lemon juice can be used in a pinch. 
• Cornstarch – An essential ingredient to thicken the apple pie filling. 
• Water
• Mini Phyllo shells – You’ll need 30 shells which is about 2 boxes. These can be found in the frozen food aisle of your grocery store. 
  • Substitution: Refrigerated pie crust, Crescent rolls, or cinnamon rolls. 
• Whipped cream – Store-bought or homemade. 
  • Substitution: Cool Whip (plain or vanilla flavored).
• Salted caramel sauce
  • Substitution: A simple cinnamon sugar glaze can easily replace the salted caramel sauce if you prefer. 

Recipe variations

• Toppings. Consider optional toppings such as a drizzle of honey and a sprinkle of powdered sugar. 
• Seasonings. Swap out the cinnamon and nutmeg for apple pie spice.
• Apple pie filling. Canned apple pie filling can be used instead of making the filling from scratch. 
• Mini apple pie puff pastry. Refrigerated pie crust, Crescent rolls, or cinnamon rolls, rolled out and cut out into mini circles, can be used. You could also ditch the pastry entirely and use Snickerdoodle cookie mix as the base for these apple caramel bites!
• Nuts. Chopped pecans or walnuts can be added to this delicious apple pie bites recipe. 
• Different fruit filling. Make different mini fruit pies by using blueberry pie filling, peach pie filling, raspberry pie filling, or cherry pie filling. 

How to make apple crisp bites

This recipe for apple caramel bites is a snap to make. Here’s how:

1. Saute Apples: In a large sauté pan, melt butter over medium heat. Add the apples and season with cinnamon, salt, nutmeg and brown sugar. Stir to coat and add the bourbon. Bring to a boil and immediately reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 5-6 minutes, or until the apples have softened slightly. Remove cover, increase heat to medium-low and continue to cook for 5-6 minutes.
2. Thicken Apple Filling: Meanwhile, in a small bowl whisk together the cornstarch and water until cornstarch is dissolved. Add the cornstarch mixture to the apples. Continue cooking, stirring to combine, for 2-3 minutes or until apple mixture is thickened. Stir in lemon juice and remove from heat. Allow apples to cool slightly.
3. Bake the Phyllo Shells: Place phyllo shells on a baking sheet and bake until crisp, about 3-5 minutes. Remove from oven.
4. To Assemble: Generously spoon the apple pie filling into the phyllo shells. Top with whipped cream, drizzle with salted caramel, and sprinkle with cinnamon. Serve immediately.

Expert tips for the best success!

• Prep the ingredients. You can peel and dice the apples ahead of time to reduce the recipe prep time. If you choose to do this, store the apples in a mixture of 1 teaspoon of kosher salt and 2 cups of water. This helps prevent the apples turning brown. And make sure to rinse the apples before using. 
• Make the filling ahead of time. You can make the apple pie filling a few days in advance and store it in the fridge. Then, either reheat the filling and stuff, or stuff, heat, and eat. 
• Baking the phyllo shells. I bake the phyllo shells before stuffing them for the perfect crispy texture, but this step is completely optional – especially since the shells are baked before packaging. 
• Stronger bourbon flavor. Increase the bourbon to ½ cup for a stronger flavor.

FAQs: frequently asked questions

What type of apple is best for apple pie bites?

I typically use Honeycrisp apples in this mini apple pie bites recipe which are sweet and crisp. However, you can also use Granny Smith apples as they will provide a slightly tart flavor to balance the sweetness of these bite size apple pies. Other popular types of apples to use in apple pie include Gala apples, Fuji, and Golden Delicious. 

What kind of apples are in McDonald’s apple pie?

McDonald’s combines various types of apples in its apple pie recipe, including Jonagold, Fuji, Golden Delicious, Gala, Rome, and Ida Red. All of these apples are grown in the United States. 

What thickens apple pie?

I’ve used cornstarch to thicken the apple pie filling in these easy apple pie bites. Other options include flour, tapioca, arrowroot, and potato starch. 

Where did apple pie originate?

Believe it or not but apple pie wasn’t originally invented in America. The first documented apple pie recipe was written by Geoffrey Chaucer in 1381 in England and included raisins, figs, pears, apples, sugar, and a pastry shell. 

Serving mini apple pies bites

These adorable mini apple caramel bites are perfect for Thanksgiving, fall parties, or a sweet snack whenever the craving hits. 

Serve each of these apple phyllo tarts with a dollop of whipped cream and a drizzle of salted caramel sauce. Other delicious toppings include chopped nuts, cinnamon sugar glaze, or a sprinkle of powdered sugar. 

What to serve apple crisp bites with?

These mini apple caramel bites are delicious with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, cool whip frosting, homemade butter pecan ice cream, or a drizzle of homemade chocolate sauce! 

Enjoy this recipe as mini pie appetizers on a platter alongside other sweet treats, like my favorite cinnamon sugar duffins or danish pastries, or as a stand-alone dessert. 

More apple recipes!

Celebrate the autumn season and serve your apple pie bites with your favorite apple recipes. My favorites are below to help inspire:

• Apple Granola
• Cheddar Apple Soup
• Chicken Apple Meatballs
• Pork Chops with Apples
• Pork Tenderloin Apple Recipe
• Spiked Cider Cocktail

More pie recipes!

Ore celebrate unofficial pie season and pair your mini apple pie bites with different flavors of pie. Try these:

• Pumpkin Pie Cake
• Key Lime No Bake Cheesecake Pie
• Pumpkin Pie Martini (in case you want to drink your dessert instead)

Storing leftovers

• Store leftover mini apple pies bites in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. 
• You can also make the apple pie filling in advance and store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week or in the freezer for 2-3 months.  

Freezing instructions

Absolutely! Store baked apple pie bites in an airtight container in the freezer for 2-3 months. Just make sure to leave the whipped cream topping off until just before serving. 

You also have the option to freeze the apple pie filling separately in the freezer for 3-6 months!

Reheating instructions

You can enjoy leftover apple crisp bites cold, straight from the fridge. Alternatively, you can reheat them in the microwave or oven. Just cover them and reheat until the apple filling is warm throughout. 

These bodacious lil’ bites of comforting apple pie filling and bourbon are cute, irresistibly delicious, and perfect for your holiday celebrations! 

Cheyanne

Craving MORE? Follow all the deliciousness on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram!

More sweet treats with apples!

• Apple Cinnamon Granola
• Cinnamon Apple Bread
• Baked Apple Cider Donuts
• Apple Dump Cake with Cake Mix

Mini Apple Pie Bites

5 from 8 votes

Author: Cheyanne Holzworth

Total Time: 30 minutes mins

Prep Time: 15 minutes mins

Cook Time: 15 minutes mins

Servings: 30 apple bites

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Flaky, crispy phyllo cups filled with cinnamon-y, barely boozy apples, topped with airy whipped cream and drizzled with decadent salted caramel. These Bourbon Apple Pie Bites are like mini apple pies minus the all the effort!

Equipment

• 1 skillet (for cooking the apple pie filling)
• 1 Small Bowl (for mixing the slurry thickener)
• 1 baking sheet (for baking apple pie bites)

Ingredients 

Apple Pie Filling:

• 1 TBS Unsalted Butter
• 3 Whole Honeycrisp Apples – peeled, cored and small dice
• 1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon – plus more for garnish
• 1/8 tsp EACH: Kosher Salt and Ground Nutmeg
• ¼ Cup Dark Brown Sugar – packed
• 1/3 Cup Bourbon
• 1 tsp Lemon Juice
• 3 TBS Cornstarch
• 1/3 Cup Water

For the Bites:

• 2 Boxes Mini Phyllo Shells (30 shells)
• Optional Garnish: Whipped Cream – to taste
• Optional Garnish: Salted Caramel Sauce – to taste

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Make apple pie filling: In a large sauté pan melt the butter over medium heat. Add the apples and season with cinnamon, salt, nutmeg and brown sugar. Stir to coat and add the bourbon. Bring to a boil and immediately reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 5-6 minutes, or until the apples have softened slightly. Remove cover, increase heat to medium-low and continue to cook for 5-6 minutes.
  
• Meanwhile make cornstarch slurry: In a small bowl whisk together the cornstarch and water until cornstarch is dissolved.

  Add the cornstarch mixture to the apples. Continue cooking, stirring to combine, for 2-3 minutes or until apple mixture is thickened.

  Stir in lemon juice and remove from heat. Allow apples to cool slightly.
  
• Bake the phyllo shells, optional but recommended: Place phyllo shells on a baking sheet and bake until crisp, about 3-5 minutes. Remove from oven.
  
• Assemble apple bites: Spoon a generous amount of the apple pie filling into the baked phyllo shells.
  
• Garnish and serve: Drizzle salted caramel over the top of your puff pastry min apple pies, then dollop with whipped cream, and dust with ground cinnamon. Serve immediately.
  

Video

Notes

• You can peel and dice your apples in advance to save prep time later. To prevent apples from turning brown mix 1 teaspoon of kosher salt with 2 cups of water and store your diced apples in the salt water (covered and refrigerated). Before using them, simply rinse and drain. You can easily double the salt water mixture if needed.
• The apple pie filling can be prepared in advance, and stored, covered in the refrigerator. If you prepare the filling in advance, skip the baking option in note one and spoon the cold filling into the shells, then bake the bites for 10 minutes or until the filling is warm.
• If you want a more prominent bourbon flavor in your apple pie filling, you can increase the amount to ½ cup.
• You should be able to find phyllo shells in the frozen food isle of your grocery store. In stores near me they are located with the frozen fruit and puff pastry sheets.
• Baking the phyllo shells prior to stuffing them is completely optional, as the shells have already been baked before packaging. I baked mine because I like the added crispness.
• Recipe Yield: 30 bites

Nutritional information is an estimate based upon 30 servings. Exact information will depend upon the brands of ingredients and precise measurements used.

Nutrition

Calories: 41kcal    Carbohydrates: 7g    Cholesterol: 1mg    Sodium: 8mg    Potassium: 21mg    Sugar: 3g    Vitamin A: 20IU    Vitamin C: 0.9mg    Calcium: 3mg

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

©No Spoon Necessary.  All images and content are under copyright protection. Please do not use any images without prior permission. Kindly do not publish this recipe. If you would like to reference this dish, please link directly to this post.