Ingredients:

Pies

• 1 lb apples, peeled, cored, and diced to ¼-inch pieces. (About 3 medium apples)
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• ¼ cup organic cane sugar, or to taste
• 1 Tbsp cornstarch
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• ¼ tsp cardamom
• 1/8 tsp ginger
• 1/8 tsp allspice
• ¼ tsp sea salt
• 1 pie crusts (homemade or store bought)
• 1 egg + 1 Tbsp water, optional
• Coarse sugar, for sprinkling
• Whipped cream, for serving

Caramel Sauce

• ¾ cup brown sugar
• ½ cup heavy cream
• 3 Tbsp butter
• Pinch salt

Instructions:

1. Mix together 1/4 cup sugar, cornstarch, spices, and salt in a small bowl. In a large bowl mix apples and lemon juice. Add sugar-spice mixture to the apples and toss to coat. Let macerate for about 30 minutes.
2. Roll out the pie crust to ⅛-inch thick. Use a 3 ½-inch cookie cutter to cut 12 circles, re-rolling scraps as necessary. 
3. Grease a muffin pan with butter or a little cooking spray. Press each circle of dough into the muffin cups, being careful not to tear the dough. Fill with apple mixture. Freeze for 15 minutes.
4. Preheat your oven to 425°F. Bake mini pies for 20-25 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the filling is tender. Allow to cool in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes before removing pies. 
5. While pies are cooling, bring caramel sauce ingredients in a small saucepan to a simmer over medium heat. Stirring constantly, continue to cook until slightly thickened, about 5-7 minutes. 
6. Serve pies with whipped cream and a drizzle of caramel sauce.

Makes 12 servings 

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