A Quick Pie Pop Tutorial

A few people have been asking for a tutorial for my pie pops! While my cookbook, Easy As Pie Pops, has amazing step-by-step instructions with photos for my pie pops, I figured, why not set up an impromptu D.I.Y. post before it releases too? I want people to see just how easy making pops can be and just how fun too! Making pie pops are really pretty simple, but there are a few more steps than say, making cupcakes. The trick is to not let the steps hang you up! Since I’m more of a visual person myself, I’m including some photos of the Cranberry-Walnut Crisp Pie Pops I recently made for an order this past week! Remember, have fun!

Step One: Start with fresh ingredients for best results. I was so excited to learn that cranberries were finally in season, that I rushed out to buy some just to have around (and also for this recipe of course). Once you bake the pie filling, let it cool a bit, then mix up the pie with a fork, so it is easier to spoon into the pops. {TIP} See the exclusive, Easy As Pie Pops recipe for Cranberry-Walnut Crisp Pie Pops located at the end of this blog post.

Step Two: Use a 3-4 inch round cookie cutter to stamp out 24 pastry rounds from two 9″ diameter pie crusts. If you’re making 12 pops, you’ll need 24 rounds (12 top and 12 bottom crusts). {TIP} You can make your own dough (double the recipe), or if you’re a newbie to pie pops, you can buy refrigerated, ready-to-bake pie crusts at your local grocery store. They are typically found near the cookie dough and butter. The store-bought crusts come in boxes with (2) 9-inch crusts included. They are not frozen.

Step Three: Grease and flour your baking sheet well (pops that stick are the absolute worst). Lay out your 12 “bottom” pastry rounds along the top and bottom of your baking sheet and brush with egg whites. Press a single 8-inch parchment stick in the center of each bottom crust so that they hold firmly. {TIP} You can buy these 8-inch “cookie sticks” at your local craft store in the baking section. Try Michaels, Tall Mouse or Hobby Lobby.

Step Four: Spoon your pie filling in the center of each bottom crust and be sure to leave at least a 1/4-1/2″ edge around the filling to be able to seal your top and bottom crusts together.

Step Five: Lay your top crust on top of your filling, carefully aligning the top and bottom crust. Firmly press your top crusts using your fingers around the diameter of the pop, creating a nice flat surface to crimp the edges.

Step Six: Crimp your pie pop edges with a fork, a decorative crimper, or a “cookie stick dowel.” You can make a dowel by simply cutting a 1-inch piece off of one of your cookie sticks. {TIP} Be sure to crimp firmly on both sides of the cookie stick of the pie pop as shown in the left picture. This will ensure the cookie stick is secure and the pie wont fall off once baked.

Step Seven: Once your pops are sealed and crimped, brush the top crusts with egg whites and sprinkle with your topping. For this recipe, we’re using an oat-crisp mixture (included in the recipe at the end of the blog post).

Step Eight: Bake your pops at 375 degrees for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Then, remove from your baking sheet and place on a cooling rack. Take a moment to relax and enjoy the sweet aroma filling your home! Ahhh, isn’t that the best? {TIP} I like using a metal spatula to remove the pops. Plastic typically isn’t firm enough to scoop up the pop in one swift movement.

Step Nine: My advice would be, if you can…manage to bake a pop just for you, so you can “taste test” one while still warm. {TIP} Enjoy with a cup of coffee or even a glass of wine. I guess some people wouldn’t consider this a step… but I sure do!

Step Ten: If you’re baking these pie pops for an event or a party, consider wrapping them in a clear 3×4 cellophane bag and tie with a colorful ribbon! This helps contain the toppings and keeps the pops fresh until they are ready to be eaten. {TIP} Make sure the pops have cooled completely before wrapping them or they may become soggy.

Well, there you have it! Pretty simple and fun, right? Don’t be afraid to make these little buggers. Even if it takes you a couple of tries to get them just right… I promise you’ll have plenty of people willing to eat the “mistakes.” Here’s the recipe for Cranberry Walnut Pie Pops as promised. Happy Baking!

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Cranberry-Walnut Crisp

Adding tart cranberries to cinnamon-spiced walnuts definitely reminds me of the holidays, but these flavor profiles are popular enough to be enjoyed year-round as well. I’ve had people who don’t even care for cranberries crave these delectable pops.

YIELD: 2 DOZEN PIE POPS

INGREDIENTS:

1 recipe Homemade Pie Pop Crust (page 13), or 4 unbaked store-bought or homemade 9″ (23 cm)-diameter pie crusts

CRANBERRY-WALNUT FILLING

2 C (12 g) fresh or frozen cranberries

1 C (116 g) chopped walnuts

¼ C (201 g) brown sugar

1 large egg

½ C (95 g) granulated sugar

⅓ C (76 g) butter, melted and cooled

½ C (49 g) all-purpose flour

CRISP TOPPING

1 C (201 g) brown sugar

¾ C (74 g) all-purpose flour

¾ C (80 g) old-fashioned or quick rolled oats (not instant)

½ tsp ground cinnamon

¼ tsp salt

½ C (114 g) cold butter

1 large egg white, beaten, for brushing

Preheat the oven to 325°F (162°C). Grease a 9-inch (23 cm)-diameter pie dish, and grease and flour a large baking sheet.

To prepare the filling: Wash and drain the cranberries. In a large bowl, mix together the cranberries, walnuts and brown sugar. Spread in the prepared pie dish and pat down.

In another bowl, combine the egg, granulated sugar, melted butter and flour; beat well. Spread the egg mixture on top of the mixture in the pie dish.

Bake for 40 to 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool to room temperature. Increase the oven temperature to 375°F (190°C).

To prepare the topping: In a large mixing bowl, combine all the topping ingredients, except the butter. Using a pastry blender or a fork, cut the butter into the mixture until it resembles coarse bread crumbs.

To assemble the pie pops: Flour both sides of the two pie crusts, then roll flat with a rolling pin. Using a 3-inch (7.6 cm) round cookie cutter, cut twenty-four rounds from the dough, twelve for the bottom crust and twelve for the top crust.

Lay out the twelve bottom crusts on the prepared baking sheet. Brush each bottom crust with egg white, using a silicone basting brush. Press an 8-inch (20 cm)-long cookie stick firmly on top of the center of each bottom crust.

Dispense a 1 ½-inch (about 4 cm) dollop of cranberry filling in the center of each bottom crust. Place a top crust over each bottom crust and press firmly around the sides only, sealing the filling inside.

Create a cookie stick dowel by cutting a 1-inch (2.5 cm)-long piece off the end of an 8-inch (20 cm)-long cookie stick. Use this dowel to crimp the sealed edges of the pie pop by pressing firmly on each side of the stick first, then move counterclockwise around the edges. This will keep the stick from moving around once the pie pop is baked.

After each pop is sealed and pressed, brush more egg white on each top crust. Finally, sprinkle the top crusts with the crisp topping.

Bake the sheet on the center rack of the oven for 15 to 18 minutes, until the crust is nice and golden. Then place the individual pops on a cooling rack. Allow to dry completely before handling and let cool for at least 15 minutes before serving.