Pies in a jar

I love pies. Simple and true! This week I have been baking up a storm for a bridal shower for my friend Amanda. She has been both of my kids 3rd grade teacher and through the years turned into a super friend. Now she is getting married and so myself, a fellow teacher and another pal are throwing her a shower. It has been years since I have thrown a bridal shower so I had to really get my thinking cap on.

Amanda loves to bake and so I thought as the party favor for the guests I would make mini apple pies. (Fun fact: Men say the biggest scent that turns them on is that of cinnamon rolls.) So, I had to think of a way to make 40 mini pies in a way they could take with them. What better way than in a teeny tiny canning jar (4 ounce).

The recipe is really quite simple.

Apple Pie in a Jar

2 cans of apple pie filling
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 stick of unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
1 package Pillsbury pie crust
1 egg
cinnamon sugar

To prepare your jars for baking, wash the jars, lids and rings in the dishwasher. Allow to cool.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a large bowl pour apple pie filling in and cut apple into bite sized pieces. Add cinnamon and nutmeg mixing well. Stir in butter pieces. Using an ice cream scoop, fill jars so they are 3/4 filled.

Unroll pie crust onto a piece of parchment paper. Using the ring of the jar as a cookie cutter, cut out rings in pie crust. To vent the pie I use a smaller heart shaped cookie cutter and make a cut out in the center.

Press circles of crust into the top of each jar and then brush with beaten egg and dust with cinnamon sugar. Place jars on a rimmed baking sheet and put in oven to bake for 20-25 minutes or until bubbly and crust is golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before place lids on jars.

Decorate the top with a label and tie a ribbon around it and serve! I like to serve my little pies with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream!