These mini dutch apple pies are a fantastic way to enjoy Pi day. Arrange them in the shape of the Pi symbol and celebrate the most amazing mathematical constant ever discovered! The crust on these mini pies is firm and sweet, making for perfect crusts that don't collapse or get too soft to manage with your hands, even after being sealed in an air-tight container. The filling is the perfect blend of sweetness and tartness.

Step 1: Supplies

1 cup + 2 Tbsp flour
1/2 cup + 1/3 cup brown sugar (light or dark)
6 Tbsp butter or margarine, melted
1/4 cup quick cook oatmeal
pinch of salt
2 medium Granny Smith apples
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1/2 teas cinnamon
pinch of nutmeg
1/4 teas cardamom (optional)
spray oil
mini muffin tin(s) totaling 24 muffin sections
mini tart shaper (optional: it's a wooden tool used to press crust shapes in mini muffin tins--mine came from Pampered Chef)

Step 2: Crust

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Spray your muffin tin(s) with spray oil.

In a medium bowl, combine:

I cup flour
1/2 brown sugar
1/4 cup oats
pinch of salt

Pour melted butter over this mixture and combine until the dough is uniformly moist (it will be crumbly). Use your hands to work the butter into the flour mixture.

Set aside 1/3 cup of this mixture.

Place approximately 1 Tbsp dough into as many mini muffin tins as you can. It should fill 18-20 muffin tins.

TIP: if you find you have enough crust to fill each muffin tin, consider leaving one tin empty. This makes it easier to get your muffin tin out of the oven.

Press your tart maker into each dough-filled section to form a mini crust. If you don't have a tart maker, use your thumbs. The crust should be a uniform thickness and come up to the top edge of the tin.

Step 3: Filling

In a small bowl, combine:

1/3 cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp flour
1/2 teas cinnamon
pinch nutmeg
1/4 teas caramom

Peel and grate the apples into a medium bowl. Toss with lemon juice. Add the sugar mixture and stir to coat.

Step 4: Baking and Finishing

Fill each mini crust to the top.

Sprinkle the excess crust mix on the top of the mini pies.

Bake 15 minutes. If the tops of your crust are not as brown and crisp as you'd like, place them under the broiler (not the top rack but one rack down from it) for a minute or two until the desired color.

Cool and use 17 make the shape of the symbol pi, as shown.

OPTIONAL: make a small batch of royal icing and pipe the pie symbol onto each one.

Royal Icing:
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 Tbsp meringue powder
2 teas warm water

Combine in a medium bowl. Beat until mixture becomes light and fluffy, about 4-5 minutes. Place in piping bag with small round tip or in a small zip top bag and cut off a tiny corner. Pipe the Pi symbol onto each mini pie.