Apple Pie on a Stick

Cake pops have been all the rage for awhile - why not pie? A small local bakery we used to have at the farmers' market - Sugar Pie Bakery - baked up an array of wee pies on sticks that were wonderful - she inspired me to do the same at home. Pie pops can be filled with all sorts of fillings - they sold chocolate, lemon, pumpkin and apple among other seasonal offerings. Similar to pop tarts but with real pastry and pie like fillings, pie pops are perfect for parties and other special occasions. To package them individually, snip a hole in the bottom of a flat waxed paper bag (use a hole punch if you want it perfect) and slide the pop in so that the stick goes through the hole and the bag protects the pie. Fold closed and seal with tape or a sticker.

By the way, pie pops are also pretty fun to get in your lunch box.

Crust:
• 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 cup butter, chilled and cut into pieces
• 1/4 cup shortening, chilled and cut into pieces
• 2-4 Tbsp. ice-cold water

Filling:
• 1/4 cup butter
• 3 lb tart apples (such as Granny Smith) peeled and roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup sugar
• pinch salt

• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• popsicle or lollipop sticks
• coarse sugar, for sprinkling
1. Make the pastry: in a large bowl or the bowl of a food processor, stir together the flour, sugar and salt. Add the butter and shortening and use a fork, pastry blender, wire whisk or the "pulse" motion of the food processor to blend the mixture until it resembles coarse meal, with lumps of fat no bigger than a pea.

2. Drizzle the minimum amount of water over the mixture and stir until the dough comes together, adding a little more a bit at a time if you need it. Gather the dough into a ball, flatten it into a disc, wrap it in plastic and chill for at least half an hour.

3. Meanwhile in a large, heavy skillet, heat the butter over medium-high heat. When the foaming subsides, add the apples and cook until they start releasing their juices. Sprinkle the sugar and salt overtop. Cook for about 10 more minutes, stirring often, until the moisture evaporates and the syrup thickens, and the apples start to turn golden. Remove from the heat and transfer to a bowl to cool.

4. Preheat the oven to 375F.

5. On a lightly floured surface, roll the pastry out 1/4″ thick. Cut into 2″-3″ rounds with a cookie cutter or glass rim, and brush the edge with beaten egg. Place a lollipop stick on the edge, overlapping the pastry by about 1/2″, and place a spoonful of the apple mixture in the middle of the pastry circle. Top with a second circle and press the edges with a fork to seal. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet, brush with a little more beaten egg and sprinkle with coarse sugar. Repeat with the remaining pastry and filling.

6. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden. Let cool for at least 10 minutes before serving. Makes about a dozen pie pops.

For more delicious dessert-on-a-stick recipes, visit Babble

13 freakishly cute Halloween cake pops
Seeya, Starbucks: 10 uncanny pumpkin spice latte copycat recipes
25 all-time greatest Halloween treats
10 frightful Halloween cupcakes
21 pumpkin recipes for fall

Get updated on all the best recipes. Follow Family Kitchen on Facebook and Twitter.