Mini Kefir Apple Pies

I have the perfect new Thanksgiving dessert for you! Think Southern Buttermilk Pie, but with a cinnamon Fall flavor, and made with nutritious and delicious Lifeway Vanilla Kefir, then topped with homemade apple pie filling! And the best part? It’s mini sized – made in individual tart pans, so no one has to fight about whether they got a smaller or bigger slice than the other guests! Sweet and filling, everyone will love this little dessert! 

This post is sponsored by Lifeway Kefir,  but the opinions and thoughts are mine. Thanks for supporting the brands that make EyeDocBakes possible!

What You’ll Need. . .

• flour
• granulated sugar
• salt
• unsalted butter
• cold water
• eggs
• brown sugar
• vanilla extract
• cinnamon
• nutmeg
• vanilla Lifeway Kefir
• lemon

Making the pie dough. . .

1. Cut the butter into cubes. In your stand mixer, combine the flour, sugar, and salt, and whisk with your whisk attachment. Next switch to the paddle attachment. Add one cube of butter at a time while mixing on low until it starts to clump into smaller pieces. Add in your water while mixing on low, 1/8 cup at a time until the dough starts to stay together but is not too wet.
2. Once the dough comes together, use your hands to roll it into a ball and seal it tightly with plastic wrap, then flatten a bit and refrigerate for at least two hours, or overnight.

Making the Kefir Filling

1. In a medium bowl whisk together sugars, cinnamon, nutmeg, flour, and salt. In a large bowl whisk together 3 large eggs, the zest and juice of 1/2 a large lemon, vanilla extract, kefir, and melted cooled butter.
2. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and whisk together until smooth. This makes about 3 cups. 

Make the apple pie topping . . .

1. Core and peel the apples. Chop into small cubes. Add apples to melted butter on medium sized pan over medium heat until they appear a bit browned.
2. Meanwhile heat apple juice in a saucepan until it boils and then add it to the apples. In a bowl combine the dry ingredients (except for the cornstarch!) and add to the apple pan after a couple minutes. Mix to coat evenly. Next combine the cornstarch with water and add it to the pan to get that gooey apple pie filling. Mix well to combine everything.

Putting it all together. . .

1. Remove pie dough from refrigerator. Roll out and cut into 6 parts to gently press into your 6 individual, pre-buttered tart pans. Prick the bottoms with a fork and place in the freezer for 20 minutes. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Remove tarts from the freezer. Pour 1/2 cup of kefir filling into each tart shell. Bake 30-33 minutes until filling is browned and slightly puffy. It will come down as it cools. Let cool two hours, and then refrigerate – best to refrigerate overnight so it sets completely. When ready to serve, top with apple pie filling on each tart. 

If you liked this recipe, you may want to try . . .

1. Cranberry pear pie with a cinnamon spice crust
2. Fall harvest Cobbler

Tried this recipe?

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Print Recipe

Mini Kefir Apple Pies

Perfect mini pies made for Thanksgiving using an all butter crust, healthy Kefir for a Southern buttermilk pie type base, topped with apple pie filling!

Prep Time30 minutes mins

Cook Time33 minutes mins

Refrigeration time2 days d

Total Time2 days d 1 hour hr 3 minutes mins

Course: Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: apple pie, apple pie filling, buttermilk pie, kefir apple pie, kefir pie, mini pie, Thanksgiving dessert

Servings: 6 individual mini pies

Ingredients

Pie Dough

• 1½ cup flour
• 1 tbsp granulated sugar
• ½ tsp salt
• ¾ cup unsalted butter
• ¼ cup cold water

Kefir Filling

• 1 cup granulated sugar
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• 2 tbsp flour
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• ¼ tsp nutmeg
• ⅛ tsp salt
• 3 large eggs
• ½ cup unsalted butter melted, slightly cooled
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup vanilla Kefir
• juice and zest of ½ large lemon

Apple Pie Topping

• 1½ tbsp unsalted butter
• 3 large apples cored and peeled
• 1 cup apple juice
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• ¼ tsp nutmeg
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1½ tbsp cornstarch
• ¼ cup water

Instructions

Pie Dough

• Cut the butter into cubes. In your stand mixer, combine the flour, sugar, and salt, and whisk with your whisk attachment. Next switch to the paddle attachment. Add one cube of butter at a time while mixing on low until it starts to clump into smaller pieces. Add in your water while mixing on low, 1/8 cup at a time until the dough starts to stay together but is not too wet. Once the dough comes together, use your hands to roll it into a ball and seal it tightly with plastic wrap, then flatten a bit and refrigerate for at least two hours, or overnight.

Kefir Filling

• Once your are ready to use the dough: in a medium bowl whisk together granulated and brown sugars, cinnamon, nutmeg, flour, and salt. In a large bowl whisk together 3 large eggs, the zest and juice of 1/2 a large lemon, vanilla extract, kefir, and melted, cooled butter. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and whisk together until smooth. This makes about 3 cups. Set aside.

Apple Pie Topping

• Core and peel the apples. Chop into small cubes. Add apples to melted butter on medium sized pan over medium heat until they appear a bit browned. Meanwhile heat apple juice in a saucepan until it boils and then add it to the apples. In a bowl combine the dry ingredients (except for the cornstarch!) and add to the apple pan after a couple minutes. Mix to coat evenly. Next combine the cornstarch with water and add it to the pan to get that gooey apple pie filling. Mix well to combine everything.

Assembly and Baking

• Remove pie dough from refrigerator. Roll out and cut into 6 parts to gently press into your 6 individual, pre-buttered tart pans. Prick the bottoms with a fork and place in the freezer for 20 minutes. Preheat oven to 350F.
• Remove tarts from the freezer. Pour 1/2 cup of kefir filling into each tart shell. Bake 30-33 minutes until filling is browned and slightly puffy. It will come down as it cools. Let cool two hours, and then refrigerate - best to refrigerate overnight so it sets completely. When ready to serve, top with apple pie filling on each tart. 

Notes

1. Tarts can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, and can be reheated in the microwave - but are best fresh. 
2. If you make the apple pie topping early, you can store it in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to use for a few days.