“Gifts in a jar” were a favorite creation my mom and I enjoyed making together every holiday season when I was growing up. The jar gift process is simple–all you have to do is mix the ingredients for the recipient and provide them with instructions on how to use it later.
We made everything in a jar–cookies, soups, soaps, and more. Now I’m sharing how to make apple pie in a jar.
Keep reading to learn how to make this easy and mouthwatering version of a classic American dessert. If you find traditional pies too intimidating to make or a whole pie too much to have around, then this apple pie in a jar recipe is for you!
A Twist on the Classic Dessert
In my family, pie is a staple, especially apple pie. When I learned about pie in a jar, I knew I had to create an apple pie in a jar.
Apple pie in a jar is not only the perfect gift for others, it’s also the perfect gift for yourself. If you live alone and want to make a pie without killing your diet by eating the whole pie by yourself, then you’re going to love these mini apple pies in a jar.
Bonus — they make your home smell amazing!
This recipe can be doubled, tripled, and quadrupled. You can pop them in your freezer and rebake them later to satisfy your apple pie cravings all year round, or you can give them away for Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Christmas, birthday, or just because.
For this recipe, I used four half-pint wide-mouth jars to make just the right amount of pie to satisfy that sweet tooth craving.
The Best Apples to Use
Any apples work for this recipe, but I prefer Honeycrisp. Granny Smith apples are also commonly used in apple pie in a jar recipes. You can also mix your favorite apples.
Making Apple Pie in a Jar
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Make the Pat-In Crust
This is one of the easiest crusts I’ve ever made. All you need is flour, sugar, milk, and oil, but you will need to double the recipe if you want the crust to go up along the edges of the jar.
Make the crust by mixing the flour, sugar, and salt in a medium-sized bowl. Add the vegetable oil and milk.
Mix well until the dough can be easily manipulated. If you feel the dough is too dry, add an extra ¼ teaspoon of oil.
Pat the dough into the bottom of each jar, then get ready to prepare the apples.
Make the Filling:
All you do is mix apples, sugar, and cinnamon, and voila: you have the easiest and yummiest apple pie filling.
Make the Topping:
You just mix sugar and flour, then add slices of cold butter and mix it all together before sprinkling it on top of the pie.
One mistake I made was taking the butter out of the refrigerator too early. Avoid taking the butter out of the refrigerator until you’re ready to use it. The harder and colder the butter is, the better it will stick to the sugar and flour mixture.
Bake Your Pie Jars
Bake your apple pie in a jar for 30 minutes on top of a baking pan. Because these jars can be quite slippery, you may want to use a roasting pan or bakeware with sides, but I used a cookie sheet for this recipe.
Switch from bake to broil during the last two minutes of cooking so the top of the pie is crispy.
Remove the Jars from the Oven
Take extra care when taking the tray out of the oven because these jars will slide easily on a baking tray. I almost dropped the entire tray on the ground. Talk about terrifying!
Serving Instructions
Serve apple pie in a jar, hot or cold, with a scoop of ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream.
Gifting Instructions
If you’re planning to gift apple pie in a jar, I recommend baking them the day of or a couple of days before and leaving them in the refrigerator, so your recipient(s) can decide if they want to freeze their gift or enjoy it fresh.
Remember to provide your recipient instructions about reheating and storing apple pie in a jar.
Reheating:
Place your frozen jar on a baking sheet and bake for 60 minutes at 350 degrees for crisp, delicious apple pie. Refrigerated apple pie in a jar only needs to be baked for 45 minutes. These treats also taste good cold.
Storage Instructions:
Store apple pie in a jar for up to two weeks in the refrigerator or up to six months in the freezer.
Alternative Fruits to Use:
Try substituting apples with one of these fruits:
Other DIY Food Gift Ideas to Try:
- Plum Jam
- Pomegranate Tea
- Guacamole and Mango Salsa
- Easy and Tasty Homemade Muffins
The Yummiest DIY Recipe in a Jar Gift!
Apple Pie in a Jar is my favorite DIY jar gift I’ve made to date. It’s the perfect gift for pie lovers everywhere. Don’t be surprised if it becomes your new obsession!
Learn more about all the wonderful things you can do with apples by visiting our Apple Trees page.
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- About the Author
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Nicole Kinkade considers herself blessed to have grown up with fresh garden vegetables and fruit readily available. Both sets of grandparents were avid gardeners, and she spent many hours helping them collect the fruits of their labor.
She is passionate about healthy living and loves learning and sharing about nutrition facts. She is also always experimenting in the kitchen and finds joy in writing about what she’s been cooking.
With a Bachelor’s in Business Administration and an Associate’s in Media Communication, she is a passionate writer who loves sharing her knowledge online.
Nicole can be reached at nicolek.author@gmail.com