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This apple pie for one bakes soft, cinnamon-spiced apples over a buttery, flaky crust. Made from scratch with one apple, it’s ready in 30 minutes.
Featured Comment
“This apple pie was exceptional and very easy to make…”
– Cheryl
Quick Look
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Equipment: 10-ounce ramekin or 5-inch mini pie pan
- Cook Method: Oven
- Servings: 1 serving
- Difficulty: Easy
- Flavor Profile: Sweet and lightly cinnamon-spiced, with tender apples over a rich, flaky crust.
This single serving apple pie keeps it simple, with an open-faced crust, a few pantry ingredients, and just one apple.
Why You’ll Love This Single Serve Apple Pie
I’ll bake this small apple pie just for the way it fills the house with the scent of cinnamon and warm apples. It’s a real apple pie sized for one. I make it with a single apple, a mini pie pan or ramekin, and it’s ready in about 30 minutes. Every bite is soft, spiced fruit over a crust that stays flaky at the edges.
This filling thickens itself. I don’t add flour or cornstarch, and that’s on purpose. Apples carry their own natural pectin, so as they cook down the juices pull together and set on their own. Because the pie is open-faced with no top crust, the extra moisture escapes into the oven as it bakes instead of pooling under a lid. One apple, a little sugar, and cinnamon are all it takes for a filling that holds together.
The method is simple. You press the crust into the dish, spoon the apples on top, and bake, with no dough to chill first. Keep it open-faced the way I make it, or finish it with a top crust, a lattice, or a streusel topping.
When I have extra apples to use up, I turn to a few other single serving apple recipes: apple crisp for one, apple cobbler for one, an apple dumpling for one, or a puffy apple dutch baby for one.
Ingredient Notes
If you have any ingredients leftover from this individual apple pie recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder.
For the apple filling
Apple: You need one medium apple, peeled, cored, and chopped. Just about any apple works, though firmer varieties like Gala, Honeycrisp, or Granny Smith hold their shape as they bake and bring plenty of natural juice to the filling. Have extra apples? Use them in apple pie oatmeal or small batch baked apples.
Sugar: One tablespoon sweetens the fruit, enough for a single apple without burying the apple flavor.
Cinnamon: A half teaspoon gives the filling its warm, classic apple pie taste.
Lemon juice: A teaspoon balances the sweetness and keeps the chopped apple from browning while you put the crust together.
For the crust
All-purpose flour: Two and a half tablespoons form the base of the crust, the right amount for one small pie. This crust is our mini pie crust, halved, so it doubles cleanly if you want to make an apple pie for two.
Sugar: A quarter teaspoon adds a little sweetness to the dough.
Salt: A pinch sharpens the flavor of the crust. A pinch is about half of a 1/8 teaspoon, the amount you can hold between your thumb and forefinger.
Cold butter: Cold salted butter is what makes the crust flaky. Kept cold, it stays in small pieces that turn to steam in the oven and leave the crust light. You’ll use one tablespoon in the dough, plus another tablespoon, chopped, to dot over the apples before baking.
Ice water: A teaspoon of ice water brings the dough together. Keeping it cold holds the butter firm, so the baked crust stays tender.
Recipe Variations
You can change this small single crust apple pie a few ways to suit what you have on hand or who you’re feeding.
Apple Pie with Lattice Crust
For a double-crust or lattice-topped pie, double the crust recipe. Press half into the dish for the bottom. Roll the other half and either lay it over the apples and crimp the edges, cutting a few slits to let steam escape, or cut it into strips and weave them into a lattice.
Apple Pie with Streusel Topping
For a crumb-topped apple pie, skip the top crust and add a streusel. Mix 2 tablespoons flour, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon with 1 tablespoon softened salted butter until crumbly, then scatter it over the apples before baking.
Change the Crust
Short on time? Use a store-bought refrigerated pie crust cut to fit your dish, or a preformed mini pie shell. For a different texture, press in a mini graham cracker crust or a mini shortbread crust in place of the pastry crust.
Make Apple Pie for Two
To make a larger one-crust apple pie, double all of the ingredients and bake it in a 5×5-inch baking dish. Bake until the apples are tender and the crust is golden.
For warmer spice: Add a pinch of ground nutmeg to the filling.
How To Make A Single Serving Apple Pie
This one crust apple pie comes together in a few simple steps. See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts and full instructions, and preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
Make the Filling
- In a small bowl, toss the chopped apple with the sugar, cinnamon, and lemon juice until the pieces are coated. Set it aside while you make the crust.
Make the Crust
- In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, and salt. Cut in the cold butter with a fork until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs.
- Add the ice water a little at a time, mixing just until the dough holds together, then shape it into a ball.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a circle large enough to line your dish.
- Lightly grease a 5-inch mini pie pan or 10-ounce ramekin. Press the dough into the dish, trim the edges, and prick the bottom several times with a fork.
Assemble and Bake
- Spoon the apple filling onto the crust and dot the top with a few small pieces of butter.
- Set the pie pan or ramekin on a rimmed baking sheet, then bake on the center rack for 20 minutes, until the crust is golden and the apples are tender.
- Let the pie cool slightly before serving.
Expert Tips
Keep everything cold. Use cold butter straight from the fridge and ice water in the dough. Cold butter stays in firm pieces as the crust bakes, which is what makes it flaky.
Don’t overwork the dough. Stop mixing as soon as it holds together. The less you handle it, the more tender the crust bakes.
Cut the apple into small, even pieces. This is a small pie with a 20-minute bake, so small, uniform pieces cook through and turn tender in that time. Large chunks can still be firm when the crust is done.
Use the right size dish. A 5-inch round pie pan or 10-ounce ramekin holds the crust and filling in the right proportions and bakes evenly. A bigger dish spreads everything thin, and the crust can overbake before the apples soften.
Let the pie cool before serving. The apple’s natural juices set as it cools, so this open-faced, single crust pie holds together without any flour or cornstarch.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this mini apple pie warm, on its own or with one of these:
- A scoop of vanilla ice cream melting over the top, the classic à la mode way.
- A drizzle of warm caramel sauce over the spiced apples.
- A spoonful of whipped cream for a lighter finish.
- A mug of mulled cider to drink alongside on a cool fall day.
Frequently Asked Questions
A buttery pastry crust made from flour, cold butter, sugar, and salt. It bakes as a single bottom crust with the apples on top, so this is an open-faced pie with no top crust to roll.
One. This single serving apple pie is made with one medium apple, peeled, cored, and chopped, which fills a 5-inch tart or pie pan or 10-ounce ramekin.
No. This open-faced pie skips both. The apple’s natural pectin sets the juices as the pie cools, and the open top lets extra moisture escape in the oven, so the filling holds together and won’t be runny.
Firm apples like Gala, Honeycrisp, or Granny Smith. They hold their shape as they bake and bring plenty of juice to the filling, though just about any apple works.
No, you don’t have to, but peeling gives the best texture. Leave the skin on if you prefer a more rustic pie.
One. It’s baked in a 5-inch tart or pie pan or 10-ounce ramekin and makes a single serving.
Covered in the refrigerator for up to two days. Let the pie cool completely before covering it.
More Single Serving Pie Recipes
Looking for more pie recipes for one? Try these:
Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this small apple pie recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder or you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:
If you’ve tried this one-crust single serve apple pie or any recipe on One Dish Kitchen please let me know how you liked it by rating the recipe and telling me about it in the comment section below.
Apple Pie For One
Equipment
- 10-ounce ramekin or use a 5-inch pie or tart pan
Ingredients
For the apple filling
- 1 medium apple – peeled, cored, and chopped into small pieces
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon salted butter – cut into small pieces to dot over the apples
For the crust
- 2 ½ tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon sugar
- pinch salt
- 1 tablespoon cold salted butter
- 1 teaspoon ice water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
Make the apple filling
- In a small bowl, toss the chopped apple with the sugar, cinnamon, and lemon juice until coated. Set aside.
Make the crust
- In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, and salt.
- Cut 1 tablespoon of the cold butter into the flour with a fork until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs.
- Add the ice water a little at a time, mixing just until the dough holds together.
- On a lightly floured surface, shape the dough into a ball, then roll it into a circle large enough to line your dish.
- Lightly grease a 5-inch tart pan or 10-ounce ramekin, press the dough into it, and trim the edges.
- Prick the bottom of the crust several times with a fork.
Assemble and bake
- Spoon the apple filling onto the crust and dot the top with the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter, cut into small pieces.
- Set the dish on a rimmed baking sheet and bake on the center rack for 20 minutes, until the crust is golden and the apples are tender.
- Let the pie cool slightly before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
I cook so many of your recipes since there is just myself and my son, who doesn’t like apple pie, but asked for more of this one. My only thing is the apples weren’t quite as tender as I would have liked, but I think its due to the size ramiken we used. I love pie crust, so I doubled the crust and we attempted a lattice top, it was a little lop sided, but we loved it.
Love your recipes but some didn’t turn out as well as could because wrong size bake dish.
Where do you find the 5”x5” square bakeware. I’ve looked everywhere. Thank you.
Hi Michele, The baking dish you use for our recipes is critical to the success of the dish. Since many people have had trouble finding the dishes, we are now selling the 5×5 inch baking dishes and the 5×7 inch baking dishes on the store page of our website – https://store.onedishkitchen.com/
Simply delicious and perfect size
i’ve never made an apple pie before but this is pretty easy to follow along
I am such a procrastinator as I should have rated this recipe a week ago. This little apple pie turned out perfect 🥰 and delicious. Not to mention beautiful to look at, almost didn’t want to eat it 😋 but I did!
I’m so glad you enjoyed the pie!
This apple pie which was exceptional and very easy to make. I used Gala apples. I made some for my single friends and they love it.
I just made (and ate) the recipe! Swapped sugar for brown sugar and doubled the dough (I like to put dough on top of the apples too). Absolutely delicious and super easy to make for one! Will be making this again 🙂
Made this today it was very enjoyable so easy to follow the recipe just had to work out the measurements as I live in the UK but would certainly make this again
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe. Thank you so much for your feedback.
I made this for my mom, she loves apple tarts, pies, crumbles, and more. She loved it! I don’t like apple things personally but I tried it and loved it!
Totally recommend
Emma,
I’m so happy your mom (and you!) enjoyed the apple pie. That makes me so happy to hear. Thanks so much for letting me know.
Joanie
Apple pie is at the top of my favorite pies!! I would probably make 2 just for me HA!!! Delicious recipe!
I like this recipe too. I have a 7″ inch pie plate I use.
This is the cutest little apple pie ever! Everyone else in my family likes cherry pies, so I never get apple! Totally making this so I can have my favorite pie!
Way to go Joanie! I don’t eat much sugar or desserts but sometimes I get in the mood for something and this recipe was perfect because it doesn’t require much sugar. I like the way that it was so quick and simple. Just for fun I added some honey and walnuts to the apple mixture and I topped it with a little bit of apple crisp topping. Plus instead of ice cream I used a scoop of yogurt on top. It worked GREAT and was oh so delicious thanks to you! 👏😁
Awesome, it sounds delicious! I’m so happy you enjoyed the recipe. I bet the walnuts and the apple crisp topping were great additions!
I just baked this recipe and have to say I love it! Since I’m the only one in my family who enjoys eating apple pies, it’s perfect for me because I don’t have to bake a large pie and then watch it being wasted…
So thank you so much for this recipe because I have been craving to eat one and it came up 🙂
I’m so happy you liked the recipe, Rebeca! Thank you so much for letting me know!!
What a sweet little pie! I love the idea of individual pies….even for a crowd!
Thank you, Cathy. Smaller desserts can certainly make a simple dessert more fun.
I love this!! Single servings are just so fun!
Apple pie is my husband’s favorite – definitely have to try this ASAP!
Thanks, Melanie. I hope you do 🙂
A mini pie pan is a MUST, looking on amazon!!
I’ve only recently discovered them and I wonder why it took me so long. Thanks, Beth!
I love single serving desserts for late night cravings. I think I could eat a few of these all by myself though! 😉
I believe I certainly could too, Ashlyn 😉
I need these in my life ASAP!!! Looks amazing!
Thanks, Becky. Mini pies are so fun!
How great is this for portion control! I have to admit, I do not think I could help myself to only one piece 🙂 I bought small cake pans (4-inches) to start making mini cakes. It will save time, money, and not have me tempted to eat an entire 9-inch cake!
These are great for portion control and for when you want just a little something sweet. For those cooking for one person, it won’t leave them with a whole lot of leftovers. Thanks, Kacey!
Amazing! I’m in love with this! And I do believe that my “diet” will be suffering a bit, as I will likely want to make this and devour it a few times a week 😉
Thank you, Patricia.
Now this is your most dangerous recipe yet! 🙂
I love this recipe for a single serving apple pie! Although, I might eat more than one!
Your apple pies are adorable! Not sure one would be enough though 🙂
Thanks, Sheena.
I bought my grandmother mini pie pans for Christmas and now I totally want to order some for myself. This is GENIUS. I could definitely go for my own tiny apple pie right now.
Thank you, Amanda. I love these mini pie pans and use them all the time.
Since tapas is my thing, I love that this pie is for one! Plus with apple pie around I can’t control my portions!!
Sometimes one is all you need. Thanks, Jennifer.
Such a cute idea! We’ve got a couple small summer parties planned – I think these would be perfect for dessert!
They would be fun for a party. Thanks, Chrisy 🙂
You just figured out a way for me not to inhale an entire pie! THANK YOU!!! I love this idea!
Yes, I feel the same way. They’re the perfect size. Thanks, Kate.
Yes please!!! This is genius!
Thank you, Annie 🙂
As a college student with a sweet tooth, I’ve got to say this is probably the best apple pie I’ve ever had. Thanks for the super awesome recipe!
Katherine, Thank you so much for your kind words. I’m so happy you enjoyed the recipe and I appreciate you taking the time to let me know. Thank you.
Oh my, that looks delicious! I could probably eat more than one, though. 😉 Pinned and tweeted!
Thanks so much, Leia.
My hubby and I can rarely agree on dessert, so single-serving recipes are my favorite! I love apple pie so this really perfect. 🙂
I can relate, Faith. My husband and I can rarely agree on a single dessert too. With single serving desserts, at least we we can share and we get to have a bit of both 🙂
I have been thinking about apple pie lately! LOVE this!!!!
Thank you, Stephanie. Single serving desserts can certainly satisfy a craving without having to deal with leftovers.