Apple and Cranberry Pie for One – Small Batch Comfort

 

 

Sometimes you just want pie… but not a whole one. This Apple and Cranberry Pie for One is the perfect solution: a single-serving dessert that’s bursting with tender apples, tart cranberries, warm cinnamon, and a buttery, flaky crust. It’s cozy, festive, and just right when you’re craving something sweet without the fuss of baking a full pie.

This recipe is ideal for holiday evenings, quiet afternoons, or anytime you want a little taste of comfort. The combination of apples and cranberries gives a beautiful balance of sweet and tangy, while the spices make every bite feel like a hug. Best of all, it’s quick to make and doesn’t leave you with days of leftovers—just one perfect pie, made just for you.

 

This was the perfect size for one person to enjoy.  The filling was a lovely balance of sweet and tart and I loved that I did not have a lot of pie leftover to tempt me into eating more than I should do.

I enjoyed with a bit of heavy cream poured over top, but whipped cream would be nice as would custard or even a small scoop of vanilla ice cream.

You could easily adapt this recipe to make any kind of fruit pie. It may seem like a bit of an effort to make a delicious pie sized just for one person, but hey, we're worth it. Why should pie only be reserved for the larger family!

I know you can buy small single sized pies in the shops, but homemade is always so much better and you know exactly what has gone into it.  

 

INGREDIENTS NEEDED

TO MAKE

APPLE AND CRANBERRY PIE FOR ONE

There is nothing too complicated or out of the ordinary in this recipe. 

For the pastry:

• 1/3 cup (50g) of plain all-purpose flour
• 2 TBS (30g) cold butter, cut into bits
• pinch salt
• 1 tsp water

For the filling:

• 1 large cooking apple, peeled and chopped
• 2 dessertspoons fresh cranberries (about 1/4 cup)
• 2 1/2 TBS sugar
• 1/2 tsp apple pie spice (see notes)
• pinch salt
• butter for dotting

You will also need:

• milk for brushing
• demerara sugar for sprinkling (Turbinado sugar)
• Heavy cream to serve (Or ice cream) or warm custard

  

If measuring by cups, spoon the flour into the cup measure and level off with a straight edge. You will need additional flour to roll the crust out.

I used salted butter.

You can use any apple which is good for cooking. You want an apple that has plenty of flavor and that breaks down nicely when cooked. In the U.K. this would be a Bramley. Here in North America, I suggest a Northern Spy or MacIntosh. Any good cooking apple. A mixture is also nice.  You want tart, sweet and well flavored.

You can use fresh or frozen cranberries.

I have a recipe to make your own apple pie spice in the recipe notes.

Demerara sugar give a nice glitter and a crunch to the top of the pie.

 

HOW TO MAKE APPLE AND CRANBERRY PIE FOR ONE

This is a really simple recipe that goes together quickly and easily.

1. Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Have ready a large wide brimmed mug, large enough to hold your filling. Mine is about 4 inches in circumference. (It would hold a good 1 1/2 cups of tea or coffee.)
2. Sift the flour into a bowl with the salt. Drop in the cold butter. Rub the butter in with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. Add the water and toss together with a fork. Bring the mixture together into a ball, kneading lightly. (Alternately you can put the flour, salt and butter into a food processor and process until the mixture resembles fine dry crumbs.)
3. Remove about 1/3 of the ball and roll it into a long rope, long enough to measure around the circumference of your mug. Brush the edge of the mug with some milk and then press the rope around the edge to adhere. (This is what your top pastry will stick to.)
4. Toss the chopped apple and cranberries together with the sugar, spice and salt. Put into the mug. Dot with butter. (I like to make sure my apple pieces are roughly the same size as the berries.)
5. Roll out the remaining pastry, on a lightly floured surface, into a round large enough to cover the mug and then some. I used a floured 4 inch round fluted cutter to cut out an exact circle shape to fit on top. Brush the pastry edge of the mug lightly with some milk. (Brushing the edge of the pastry will help the lid to adhere properly.)
6. Place the round on top of the filling in the mug and press along the pastry edge to adhere. Flute gently if desired. Cut a few steam vents. (Steam vents are important.)
7. Brush with some milk and sprinkle with some demerara sugar. (If you have any pastry leftover, you can cut into shapes and put on top. I cut some leaves and a small apple. I added a dried clove for an apple stem.)
8. Place onto a baking tray and bake in the preheated oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown and the apples are cooked. (A knife should pierce them easily.)
9. Serve warm with or without pouring cream or custard. (A small scoop of vanilla ice-cream also works very well.)

 

HINTS AND TIPS FOR SUCCESS

• Read through the recipe thoroughly before beginning to help familiarize yourself with any equipment or ingredients needed.
• Assemble all of the ingredients you need to make this dessert before beginning. This simple act can serve to prevent you from leaving anything important out.
• Make sure your butter for the pastry is really cold.
• Make sure that the mug you use is large enough to hold your filling and that it is heat proof and will not shatter in the oven.
• Place the filled and topped mug on a small baking tray to protect your oven in case of any spill-over.

 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

DO I HAVE TO USE A MUG?

Not at all, you can use any type of oven-safe dish that will hold the filling and bake up beautifully.

CAN THIS BE MADE WITH A DOUBLE CRUST?

Sure, simply double all of the crust ingredients. Put together as per the recipe and then divide in half. Half to be used as a base and the other half for the topping. Bake in a small pie dish. It may take slightly longer to bake.

CAN THIS BE DOUBLED?

Absolutely you can double this recipe and bake it in two oven-proof mugs.

HOW FAR AHEAD CAN YOU MAKE THIS?

You can make this up to 24 hours ahead of time and it will still be very delicious. Put together and then refrigerate until you are ready to bake it.  Bring to room temperature prior to baking to help prevent your mug from cracking.

CAN I USE DRY CRANBERRIES INSTEAD OF FRESH?

Absolutely, but I would plump them up first in some warm orange juice. Just place in a bowl and pour warm orange juice over top to cover. Leave to sit for 15 minutes, then drain well before proceeding.

 

A FEW SMALLER BATCH

BAKING DELIGHTS FOR YOU TO ENJOY

As a singleton I am a huge fan of small-batch baking. Here are a few other favorites of mine that you might also enjoy!

SMALL BATCH BRAN MUFFINS - Low in sugar and fat, but HUGE in flavor, this small batch recipe makes exactly six delicious muffins that are every bit as tasty as their full batch counterpart. I highly recommend if you are looking for a delicious breakfast muffin that you can feel good about eating.

SMALL BATCH BAKEWELL BLONDIES - A thick and gooey blondie bar with plenty of almond flavor. Filled with white chocolate chips and layered with jam and flaked almonds, this recipe makes six perfect squares. Delicious and ready to enjoy with a nice hot cuppa.

 

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Yield: Serves one

Author: Marie Rayner

Apple and Cranberry Pie For One

Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 25 MinTotal time: 40 Min

A simple and delicious pie baked in an oven-proof mug, sized perfectly for one person to enjoy, and why not!

Ingredients

For the pastry:

• 1/3 cup (50g) of plain all-purpose flour
• 2 TBS (30g) cold butter, cut into bits
• pinch salt
• 1 tsp water

For the filling:

• 1 large cooking apple, peeled and chopped
• 2 dessertspoons fresh cranberries (about 1/4 cup)
• 2 1/2 TBS sugar
• 1/2 tsp apple pie spice (see notes)
• pinch salt
• butter for dotting

You will also need:

• milk for brushing
• demerara sugar for sprinkling (Turbinado sugar)
• Heavy cream to serve (Or ice cream) or warm custard

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Have ready a large wide brimmed mug, large enough to hold your filling. Mine is about 4 inches in circumference.
2. Sift the flour into a bowl with the salt. Drop in the cold butter. Rub the butter in with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. Add the water and toss together with a fork. Bring the mixture together into a ball, kneading lightly.
3. Remove about 1/3 of the ball and roll it into a long rope, long enough to measure around the circumference of your mug. Brush the edge of the mug with some milk and then press the rope around the edge to adhere. This is what your top pastry will stick to.
4. Toss the chopped apple and cranberries together with the sugar, spice and salt. Put into the mug. Dot with butter.
5. Roll out the remaining pastry, on a lightly floured surface, into a round large enough to cover the mug and then some. I used a floured 4 inch round fluted cutter to cut out an exact circle shape to fit on top. Brush the pastry edge of the mug lightly with some milk.
6. Place the round on top of the filling in the mug and press along the pastry edge to adhere. Flute gently if desired. Cut a few steam vents.
7. Brush with some milk and sprinkle with some demerara sugar. If you have any pastry leftover you can cut into shapes and put on top. I cut some leaves and a small apple. I added a dried clove for an apple stem.
8. Place onto a baking tray and bake in the preheated oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown and the apples are cooked.
9. Serve warm with or without pouring cream or custard.

Notes

Make Your Own Apple Pie Spice: Mix together 1/4 cup ground cinnamon, 1 TBS ground allspice, 2 tsp ground nutmeg, 2 tsp ground ginger, 1/2 tsp ground cardamom. Store in an airtight container out of the light for up to 6 months.  

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