♥ Recipe ♥

Add some sweetness to your day with these delicious cinnamony apple pies. We dare you to resist a second slice! Recipe below.

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Mini Apple Pies:
(makes 8-10 mini pies, depending on size)

Crust:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. fine salt
2 TBSP. granulated white sugar
1/4 cup vegetable shortening, cold
12 TBSP. butter, cold and cubed
1/4 cup to 1/2 cup ice cold water

DIRECTIONS:
1. In your food processor blend together the flour, salt and sugar.
2. Add the shortening and cold butter cubes. Pulse the mixture for about 30 seconds. Work it quickly, so the butter doesn't get too soft. The mixture will become crumbly, like very coarse cornmeal.
3. Add 1/4 cup of water to the mixture, blend for about 10 seconds. Add the remaining 1/4 cup water and blend until the mixture becomes one large lump. (You'll start to hear a thump, that just means the blade is working hard because the flour mixture and butter mixture have joined, and your dough is done!)
4. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.
5. On a floured surface roll each disk into 3-4″ rounds (depending on the size of your pie tins). Put the bottom pie crusts in each of your pie tins and set aside.

Filling:
1/2 cup unsalted butter
3 TBSP. all-purpose flour
1/4 cup
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 TBSP. cornstarch (this helps to bind all of the ingredients, so your pie isn't runny inside)
8 or more apples (any variety)- peeled, cored and diced

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 425 degreed F.
2. Peel, core and dice your apples. Pack them into your unbaked pie crusts, so they are slightly mounded,  and set aside.
3. Next, melt the butter in a saucepan. Stir in flour, water, white sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon and cornstarch and bring to a boil. Reduce temperature and let it simmer for 2 minutes.
4. Gently pour the sugar and butter liquid over the crust. Pour slowly so that it does not run off. Divide evenly amongst the mini pies.
5. Make cut outs in left over crust circles (so that your pies can breathe while baking).
6. Top each pie with a crust and brush with an egg wash.
7. Bake 15 mintues in the preheated oven. Reduce the temperature to 350 degrees F. Continue baking for 35-45 minutes, until the apples are soft.
8. Let them cool for at least 15 minutes before you dig in!

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