Is there anything more American than apple pie? There's something about that buttery sweet filling and flaky crust that just hits the spot. But a typical slice can set you back nearly 500 calories, and that's not even a la mode or mile-high. Try a mini cinnamon-sugar apple pie instead for a perfectly portioned and satisfying down-home treat. (Scroll to the bottom of the post for a printable PDF version of the recipe!)

Country Apple Pie Ingredients:

• 1 recipe pastry for a 9" double crust pie

• Filling:
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 3 tablespoons flour
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
  • 6 Granny Smith apples, peeled/cored/sliced

Changes Made:

• 1 recipe pastry for a 9" double crust pie: Used 1 1/2 pie crusts - 1 for bottom crust and 1/2 for lattice topping
  

• Filling: Reduced overall amount but also decreased butter and sugar relative to apples
  • 1/2 cup butter: Cut to 2 tablespoons (1/8 cup)
  • 3 tablespoons flour: Cut to 1 1/2 tablespoons - not as much needed since we cut down on the amount of filling overall
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1/2 cup white sugar: Eliminated
  • 1/2 cup packed brown sugar: Reduced to 1/4 cup
  • 6 Granny Smith apples, peeled/cored/sliced: Used 4 apples, left on peel for convenience and extra nutrition
  • Added cinnamon
  • Made into mini pies for portion control

Nutrition Facts Face-Off!

Cinnamon-Sugar Personal Apple Pies (Printable PDF Version)

Serves 12

Ingredients:

• 1 prepared 8-9" pie crust (2 crusts if topping with lattice pattern)

• Filling:
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons flour
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 4 medium Granny Smith apples

• Cinnamon-Sugar Topping:
  • Mix together 2 tablespoons granulated sugar with 1/2 tablespoon cinnamon. Store extras in an airtight container.

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425°F.
2. To make apple pie filling, melt butter in a large saucepan. Stir in flour to make a paste, then stir in water, brown sugar, and cinnamon until combined and smooth. Reduce heat to low.
3. Slice apples thinly or dice, leaving skin on. Stir into butter/sugar mixture and keep warm.
4. Meanwhile, prepare pie crust. Cut into 4" diameter rounds using a cookie cutter. Carefully position each round into muffin tins and press into tins. Gather dough scraps and re-roll as needed to get 12 rounds.
5. Fill each mini pie with about 1/3 cup filling and top with cinnamon-sugar (about ½ teaspoon per mini pie). Top with additional crust in lattice pattern or other variations if desired.
6. Bake for 13-15 minutes or until filling is bubbly and crust is golden brown.

*Serve with a dollop of whipped topping or low-fat vanilla frozen yogurt for a perfectly portioned treat.*

Nutrition Facts (1 lattice-topped mini pie): Calories 180, Total Fat 9g (Saturated 4g), Cholesterol 10mg, Sodium 140mg, Total Carbohydrate 27g, Dietary Fiber 1g, Protein 1g, Vitamin A 2% DV, Vitamin C 4% DV, Calcium 0% DV, Iron 0% DV

Today's post was written by Leia Kedem. Leia Kedem, MS, RD, is a registered dietitian and Nutrition & Wellness Educator covering Champaign, Ford, Iroquois, and Vermilion Counties. She appears weekly on WCIA-3/WCIX-49 and is a biweekly contributor to the Champaign-Urbana News-Gazette. She also maintains Facebook and Twitter accounts where she regularly posts health tips and answers nutrition questions for free.