Ingredients

• Pie Crust
• {Note: Two refrigerated pie crusts may be purchased from store
•       rather than making your own, if desired.}
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 1 cup (2 sticks) chilled butter, each stick cut into 4 sections
• 1/4 cup ice water (or cold from the fridge)


• Pie Filling
• 4 large apples, peeled and grated
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 cup rolled oats


• Topping
• 4 oz. cream cheese (at room temperature)
• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
• /2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 oz. toffee bits

Directions

Place flour, salt and sugar into a food processor. Blend briefly to mix. Add butter and process until mixture resembles coarse

crumbs. Through the top opening of the processor, add ice water slowly while processing until combined (about 30 seconds).

Pour pie crust dough into a large bowl and work with hands to form into a ball. Roll dough ball back and forth on a lightly floured work surface to form an elongated roll (about 8-10 inches long). Slice dough roll into 12 equal portions. (Note: If needed, to make all pieces the same size, small pieces of dough can be taken from larger pieces and added to smaller pieces.) Roll each dough piece into balls, then roll out with a rolling pin to about 4 1/2-inch circles.

Grease a 12-cup muffin pan (butter or non-stick spray may be used). Gently bending up sides of each circle to fit cups, insert each dough circle into muffin cups, manipulating dough as necessary (pinch together and smooth folded areas) to comfortably fit. Note: Allow top edges of dough to extend about 1/8 to 1/4 inch above tops of muffin cups. Set aside.


Preheat oven to 350° F.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine grated apples, sugar, cinnamon and oats. Stir with a fork until well-combined. Fill each unbaked pie crust to the top with equal portions of the apple mixture.

Bake for 20 minutes. While pies are baking, prepare topping (recipe follows).


Combine cream cheese, sugars and vanilla in an electric mixer bowl or beat with a handheld mixer until well-blended. (Alternatively, you can mix with a fork, though this will take a little more effort and time.)

After 20 minutes of baking, remove mini pies from oven. Spread about 1 tablespoon of the topping (or more if there is any left over) over the tops of each pie, spreading only to the inside edges of pie crusts (do not cover tops of pie crusts). Sprinkle about 1 teaspoon of the toffee bits over tops of the cream cheese topping (or more if there are any bits left over). Return to oven and bake about 5 minutes longer, or until the top edges of pie crusts turn light golden brown in color and topping has begun to bubble and slightly melt.

To remove mini pies from muffin cups, simply slide two table knives down opposing sides of each pie, then carefully lift and transfer to a serving tray or plate. Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, if desired.