Fall makes me crave really, really good food. From football tailgates to Thanksgiving feasts, I find myself getting creative in the kitchen more often than in other times of the year. And most of the time, I’m all for experimenting with new recipes, too, but there is one item that intimidates me like no other…. pie crust.

Apple, pumpkin, blueberry… Those who know me, understand my need for perfection in my presentation. I’ve never actually tried to make my own pie crust, but something always tells me to take another route to the end goal. Maybe I have set unrealistic expectations for myself to achieve the gorgeous woven golden brown basket crust, steaming with hints of cinnamon and vanilla filling the air like the pros on Food Network. Whatever it is, in case you feel like me, I’ve put together a few alternative ways to satisfy your cravings for pie; they are creative, easy, and will definitely come with a nod of approval from children and adults alike.

Don’t forget to tag @reflections and @justtryingrecipes in your fall kitchen trials!

Apple Pie Cookies makes 12

Ingredients

1 roll of refrigerated pie dough

Apple Pie Filling

Ingredients

3 Granny Smith apples peeled, cored, finely diced

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 tablespoon lemon juice 

⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 ½ teaspoons cornstarch

Method

Preheat oven to 350°F. 

Prepare a standard size muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray. 

Roll out dough, cut circles to fit bottom of muffin wells (a small cup or jar is perfect for this). Place circles in bottom of each muffin well.

Add apples, lemon juice, sugar, cinnamon, and cornstarch to a medium saucepan. 

Cook on medium to low heat, stirring until apples begin to soften, and a glaze is visible. Approx. 10 minutes. 

Remove from heat.

Top each pie dough circle with an even amount of apple mixture.

Streusel Topping

Ingredients

1 cup + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

⅓ cup dark brown sugar

⅓ cup granulated sugar

⅓ cups old fashioned oats

⅛ teaspoon salt

7 tablespoons butter, melted

Method

In a medium bowl, mix flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, oats, and salt. Add melted butter, mix until well incorporated.

Divide streusel topping evenly over each muffin well, spreading and patting down over apple mixture.

Bake 20 minutes or until tops are golden. 

Let cookies cool before removing from pan. 

Using a butter knife, scrape edges of the cookies to remove from the side walls of pan.