These are individual-sized pies made in little glass jars that can go straight from your freezer to your oven to your mouth. SO cute. You can make these with store-bought crust and canned filling or jazz it up with homemade like we do. And just for added cuteness we teamed up with crafting expert Lolly for some personalized tags. These are just about the best little gift from the kitchen you could share with someone!
Pie in Jar
This is the type of jar you’ll need.
They’re half-pint jars, but short and squatty instead of tall and skinny (Ya know, like me as opposed to my mother. Why oh why did I have to get the other parent’s genes??!) Mine are made by Kerr (Here’s the link to buy them from Amazon). They’re stinking cute as is, don’t you think? Something about a short squatty jar makes me giddy with the thoughts of fun things I could put inside. Ya know, like PIE. (And also cupcakes.)
Step 1: Pie Dough
The first thing you’ll need is dough. You can use any pie dough you like. Here’s a great tutorial on making a basic crust. That particular recipe will make 4 jars. You can also use the all-butter crust from this post. Or if you’re really in a pinch, even a store bought crust will do.
Step 2: Make a topper and line the jar
Roll out a small handful of dough. This is just for the tops of your pies, so eyeball about that much. Grab the ring part of your jar and use that as your cookie cutter. Brilliant, right? Cut out the tops and set aside.
Use the rest of the dough to line the jars. (No, you do not need to grease them) The great part is that there’s no rolling required! Just take little pieces and press them in. Make sure it’s pressed all the way up to the top of the jar, or pretty close to it.
Step 3: Fill ‘er up
You’ll need about 1/2 C filling for each jar. You can use any filling your little pie-craving heart desires, even (gasp) canned! You can also use the same method shown in the galette post to use any fruit you happen to have around.
Here’s the basic recipe (for 4 pies)
2 C prepared fruit (pitted, diced, peeled, etc.)
2 T sugar- brown or white (use more or less depending on sweetness of fruit)
2 T flour- (again, more if your fruit is super juicy like cherries, less if it’s pretty dry)
1 T butter (divided between the pies)
Seasonings/flavorings- cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla and almond extract, citrus zest etc)
Play around with it and come up with something yummy! I made 2 different pies in my pictures: one, a cut-down version of Kate’s Apple Pie and one with fresh cherries and almond extract.
When your filling is all combined, divide it between the jars and dot a pat of butter on top (about 1/4 T)
Step 4: Top it off
Make sure your “lid” has a vent so steam can escape. You can use a knive to make a couple of slits or a tiny cookie cutter to make it decorative. I am in LOVE with these little Autumn Leaf Pie Crust Cutters that my sister gave to me last fall. Oooh, I just saw this year’s set has an acorn in it! I might have to get that one too–how cute is that little acorn??! My little maple leaf is pretty darn cute, too.
When your topper is ready, slip it onto the top of the pie. It will be large enough that the outside edge goes up the side of the dough-covered jar a bit, as show in the picture below. Then use your finger, or a fork (as seen above), to press the 2 pieces of dough together to seal. And nobody even think about mentioning the state of my fingernails.
Another option is to do a crumb topping. I put a basic crumb topping on my cherry pies and they were sooo yummy.
Crumb Topping (for 4-6 pies)
1/4C brown sugar
1/4 C flour
2 Tbs oats
1/4 tsp cinnamon
3 Tbs cold butter
Combine sugar, flour and cinnamon. Cut in butter. Add oats and stir to combine.
And I couldn’t help but try a mini lattice on one. Eeek! Dying of cuteness overload. (Click here for a how-to on a lattice pattern)
** Optional step here that I HIGHLY reccomend: Brush pie tops with butter and sprinkle with sugar at this point. Yumminess highly instensified!
Step 5: Freeze ‘em!
Ready for this? When your pies are all done and topped, place metal lids back on and seal them tight.
Then pop these little cuties in the freezer. There they will stay until you find yourself having an insatiable craving for home-baked goodness. You’ll be reaching for the crumbs at the bottom of the keebler box when suddenly your eyes will light up because you remember you have THESE sitting in your freezer.
Or when you have unexpected guests in need of impressing, or a friend needing to be cheered up, or it’s Thursday…I can think of a million reasons why one should have a constant supply of fresh pie in the freezer.
Step 6: Bake ‘em
Now first let me say that one of the biggest concerns from everyone is about the jars breaking in the oven. All I can say it that I’ve baked hundreds of these and never once has a jar broken. These are canning jars- they are designed to be boiled, pressure cooked, etc. So it’s different than putting any ol’ piece of glass in the oven. They bake just fine!But if you’re freaking out then my advice would be this: remove lids from jars and place jars on a baking sheet. Place baking sheet in a COLD oven. Then turn the oven to 375. That will give the jars a chance to warm up slowly as the oven preheats. If you’re really worried you can always let them sit at room temp for a bit first before putting them in a cold oven. Bake for about 50-60 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown and the middles are bubbly. If you’re baking them fresh and not frozen they take about 45 minutes.
Depending on your filling you can pop them right out of the jar and onto a plate like so:
Or just eat them right out of the jar. There’s something way more fun about eating it right out of the jar…
And if you have oozing cherry filling, that might be the only option!
Change out your cookie cutters on top for cute holiday versions
Lolly is the brain behind Lollychops. Some of you may remember last year when she designed these cute cute Christmas tags for us to put on our goodies. So of course, I instantly thought of her when I realized that I could not sleep at night knowing these mini-pies could be better dressed. They needed just a touch of Lolly. And she delivered like always with these adorable tags!
All of the directions are right on the tag and you can write a little To/From on it. Plus in true Lolly fashion there’s like, a million different versions to go with any flavor you could possibly imagine.
These little pies are perrrrrrfect for giving. So once you have these cuties made up, download Lolly’s tag set, and get your cute on. People will think you are amazing because not only did you come up with the brilliant idea to make a mini pie in a jar, you also made an adorable personalized tag. Talk about moving up a notch on the popularity ladder.
–> CLICK HERE <– to head over to the Lollychops blog and get all of the instructions and details on downloading and using the tag sets. And here is a direct link to the tags.
All of the rest of you- get baking and have a great week!
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Appetizers
Beef
Sandwiches and Burgers
Beverages
Breads
Breakfast and Brunch
Condiments
Desserts
Pizza and Pasta
Pork
Poultry
Salads and Dressings
Seafood
Side Dishes and Vegetables
Soups and Stews
PLEASE don't seal these and store at room temperature. They're OK to freeze, but even though fruit is high-acid, the pastry is low-acid and in an oxygen-free (or low) environment like a sealed jar, botulism can grow! Same thing for bread.
Also, the USPS does not recommend sending breakable containers or perishable food (you've got both here!) overseas due to rough handling and tropical temperatures.
This is way too cute! Although I know they don't suggest mailing glass containers and such, would you say that you just could ship these overnight? Maybe with tons of bubble wrap and a "FRAGILE" label? It's difficult already to mail a regular pie. This idea seems like a great way to share goodies with loved ones who just don't live close enough.
I had leftover chicken, mixed veggies and gravy one night andt hought what the heck. It was a hit…my family cant wait for leftover beefstew.
Love this idea! LOVE! Am making them tonight for a baby shower and have one question…how about the labels and ribbons? Do you think they would be ok in the freezer, or would you wait until you are about to give them and then label them?
Thanks for the wonderful idea!
Hey Eunice! ribbons and tags are usually fine in the fridge short term (like overnight or a few days) but otherwise it works best to pretty them up just before you give them. Enjoy!
My husband and I are going to a couples retreat and packing food to make it more affordable – what a perfect, romantic, packable dessert! Mine are in the oven right now!!!
These look sooooo cute! I want the jars, the cookie cutter and the tags. Thanks for sharing. I have a fear of pie, but these look super easy and would be great gifts.
I am Liz'(from the comment/quex above) mom, mother of the bride now! And yes I made 250 of these with the apple crunch type filling, in lieu of the wedding cake for her outdoor at the farm wedding! The tops were burlap & lace tied with raffia & we stacked them in tiers like wedding cake. We subbed gluten free flour & oats for some. They were a big hit. I made the 3 weeks before the Big Day, froze them in the boxes, & we baked them in 2 houses 3 days before, refrigerated them and tiered them the morning of the wedding! Wonderful joyful event!!!
I made blueberry pies this summer using this idea, and would now like to make some using pumpkin. Would it work to freeze them before baking? Pumpkin pie filling is quite different than a fruit filling, so I wasn't sure how that would turn out!
I still haven't tried pumpkin! But I really need to. Not sure how it would turn out.
what state are these in when you give them? frozen? pre freezer? baked? like say if i were to give them for gifts at the office?
Thanks!!
Carrie- it's totally up to you. Kind of depends on the situation. I think if you're giving them out at the office,I'd bake and cool them first and then wrap them up cute. If I'm say, taking dinner to someone or a treat to a friend who's sick, I'll take them frozen or pre-baked and pop them in their freezer for them.
Whoa, those are adorable and sooo cute!!! LOVE!
hi! these look wonderful wonderful! i have few questions however, i have an 8 month sister who eats baby food from jars, would i be able to use those jars? if so how long would they need to bake? these are very cute and my baby sister loves pie so im sure she would enjoy one thats portioned just for her :)
Kyrene- I probably wouldn't make them in baby food jars (although they'd be *adorable*!) just because I don't know how heat safe they are in the oven, ya know?
Great idea! If i pre-bake them the day before and refrigerate…what directions do I give for reheating? Thanks!
HELLLLLP, I'M AN ADDICT!! OMG you guys…. ever since I saw this cute idea I have completely cleaned out the ACE hardware of all their little jars and have been making everything that comes to mind in little jars. I'm a frozen meal in a jar psycho!! I have made the chicken pot pie, which was seriously the best thing EVER!! And now for Thanksgiving I have asked everyone what their favorite pie is and made it for them…. everyone gets their own pie!! However, I of course got carried away and made extra and several flavors for those who said "I don't care"….. I'm out of control!! I feel like I will soon look like the movie Baby Boom LOL. Thanks tons for the idea:)
PS. I made the pumpkin crumble in the jar…. I will let you know how it goes!! (I told you, I have the crazies)
Just a thought but has anyone tried to actually can these little treasures? I would be great to be able to just put them in the pantry for later use. Would that be possible do you think?
Terrri- I'm not a canning expert so I have no idea!
What would be the reheating instructions?
I plan on giving these as christmas presents already cooked but would like some direction for their reheating use! Thanks!!!!
This is a awesome website. Thanks
How many things can you cook in a jar and give as gifts before people start looking at you strangely :) My only fear is that nothing I make will be eaten, though they are all too polite to tell me so…I have a disastrous history in the kitchen….it usually ends with someone becoming violently ill…(I wouldn't eat anything that I gave to me either). I may have to design my own warning label/tag that points out that someone who CAN in fact cook without killing anyone provided the instructions for me.
Thanks for this rad idea. I am using your post to make these into beef-guiness-pot-pie-in-jars for my friends for Christmas.
Do you recommend that I give them frozen, or bake'em first and give'em baked? That's the one issue I haven't worked out in my head.
Monica- it's really up to you. For Christmas gifts, I personally like them either baked, or unbaked but fresh (not frozen.) Then I tell them they can either pop it in the oven some time in the next few days, or freeze for later.
Thank you for your quick reply! Another question – if I give it fresh-baked, any tips for reheating and still preserving the crust-goodness? Should I tell people to just pop it in the oven with some foil on top?
Monica- yup, oven with foil works great :)
Tried to read all the comments so sorry if this is a repeat, but has anyone tried a cheesecake in one of these jars????
Thank you so much for sharing this. What a cute idea..
Where are the ideas for the Christmas jars? I see the picture but when I click on the link it's the old one.
It's the same post, the Christmas part is just using a cute cookie cutter for the top and dressing it up in Christmas cuteness :)
I just delivered the last of the blackberry and cherry pies that I made for Christmas presents for fiends and they were a huge hit! To decorate the jars, I traced the lid of the jar onto a paper plate with a Christmas pattern, cut it out, and put that between the ring and the lid. Very festive and it should hold up in the freezer for as long as the pies are stored. Thanks for this cute idea!
I just stumbled upon this post yesterday afternoon and it inspired me to make pies for dessert that same day. I wrote a blog post of the results. Thanks for the inspiration.
http://zakkaobsession.blogspot.com/2011/01/apple-pie-is-best.html
How creative! I love this idea!! I accidently came across this site while looking up wedding stuff and I'm glad I did. This would be great gift for a variety of things! I think I might use these for my wedding shower instead of normal-boring cake! Thanks so much!!
You've found your way into my heart! Thank you for this.
Taylor
http://www.maryjanesandgaloshes.com
I love this sooo much I'm baking Pineapple ones for my wedding soon, and just want to know what size cookie cutters would work best? Similar to the maple leaf you used.
Do you think this will work with the chocolate chip cookie pie recipe you posted the other day?
I don't see why not!
This is such a great idea for individual chicken pot pies too! I've been trying to figure out how to make little pot pies for toddler lunches… Your site has such great ideas for quick easy lunches (and I get soooo bored eating the same things over and over and over – even though my little one doesn't)
THANK YOU!!
Could you do this with pumpkin pie? These are soo adorable and I can not wait to try some.Mini versions of anything are just so darned cute!!
These are so adorably cute. Perfect for a snack. OR I could make these and give them to my Mom who would never make a dessert just for herself, but would take one of these out of the freezer and bake for a treat! Thanks for the wonderful idea!
What an awesome way to do ahead chicken pot pies! A great way to deliver food to someone in need as well!
Thank you for such great instruction and beautiful photos! I was inspired to make some pie. I linked my blog post back to you for recipe reference :)
http://barkinghen.blogspot.com/2011/03/blackberry-pies-in-jars.html
Made these and they are awesome and delicious! Thanks! First time making my own pie crust and it was so much fun :)
Ok, so 100 comments? Fantastic. I just assembled my pies. I don’t know what temp to bake them at. I would assume 425 for pie. What about the lids? Do you bake with the lid on or off. HELP!!!
SO SUPER CUTE~ I so excited. We did Apple and Cherry. CHerry looks great with the hearts. Apple looks great with the weaving. Love it all so much. Can’t wait to taste!
I love this!!! I have added the link to my Polly, Julie and Julia facebook page…and as soon as I get through this wedding business will bake and probably like on my InTheKitchenWithPolly.com page. Great post, great photos, great info…LOVE IT (did I say that all ready?!)
So, my question is can you bake and then freeze, and do you know if these will stay good for shipping? I am trying to find one I can send to my husband in Afghanistan! Thank you, by the way first time here, I LOVE the site!
WOW, What a great Idea if you are going to a pot luck. Just pile the jars in a box and bake fresh when you get there. Add a scoop of good vanilla bean Ice Cream to serve. you’ll be the hit of the party.
Love these, they are so cute and compact!
Can you share a few tips on how to get the pie out of the jars, without them falling apart? I would really appreciate it, and I am looking forward to making these.
Thanks for sharing,
Bernadette
These are adorable. Absolutely love the idea.
This is such a great idea. I am on a no wheat diet and this is a great way to have pie in a single serving made with gluten free crust.
These are perfect for my daughter’s “baking” birthday party in a few weeks. The party is the day before Mother’s Day, so I’m going to have each of the little girls make one up for their mamas as gifts. I love pie and can’t wait to try these, thank you. Oh, and I love the tags from the other site, thank you. I’ll be using those too!
Greatest idea ever! I stumbled across this site and this idea a few weeks ago while trying to find the perfect departing gift for my colleagues. I was the one departing for another career venture and was always the colleague that brought in home baked goodies to shar, so this was perfect for me to do for them. They raved about it and loved it! I am so grateful to have found the perfect gift and will definitely be doing this again. I have also tried out a few recipes in the recipe section and so far am very impressed with the turn out. (I used the link for the apple pie and crust on this post also~delish!)
Thanks for creative and original ideas!
Emily from Virginia
If I made these with pumpkin filing, would i still put a top crust on? Thanks :)
can you freeze them after baking? and how long do they last after one bakes them?
Do you sell your pies and ship them? I thought I remember you all selling… please advise. thanks.
Just gave these out as teacher appreciation gifts and one of the teachers said she has NEVER seen anything like this and she’s seen a LOT! Thank you for this easy and genius little gem! This will probably be my go to now! I couldn’t get the labels to print for those first ones, but everything’s working now – Can’t wait for the end of the year!!
I dont know with you guys but when I made one awhile ago, my jar did not break, and my kids loved the pie in the jar. Thank you for this share.
These pies look amazing. What a nice idea and I agree they make perfect gifts. Loved.
the little jars idea is very lovely in my opinion. the only problem is washing them :)
Hello,
I don’t know how I found your website…but I just love it !! thanks !!!
Do you think you could seal the jars and ship these after being baked?? My husband is deployed & I’m looking for “Apple Pie in a Jar” to send him.
Val there are many comments asking this same thing. One thing people have found helpful is to put the lids on and screw on the rings immediately after they come out of the oven. Let them come to room temp with the lids on and that will form a seal on the jar. It does NOT mean they are sealed completely and therefor shelf-stable, but people do say it keeps them fresher longer than normal. Hope that helps!
What a fantastic idea! I’m looking forward to trying this one.
I made these a week ago with canned pie filling (Cherry & Blueberry) and store bought pie crust. They came out super cute. Everyone I gave them to as gift’s were impressed. I thought the taste was just okay. Next batch will do homemade filling.
Anyone ever try making pot pies the same way? I bought a whole case of jars. I’m thinking 6 of each! :)
I love these, these make perfect gifts.
Once baked how long will these stay good? could i bake it then seal it to send over seas?
Tiff, a lot of people put the lids on right out of the oven so the heal “seals” them. It doesn’t make them shelf stable, but it should keep them fresh longer than normal. I don’t know exactly how long they’ll last but I do know that a lot of people send them overseas.
ok Thanks
Thanks so much for sharing this recipe! I’m attempting to make a few and send them to overseas to Afghanistan.
However, I was unable to locate the shorter wider half pint jars but have found the taller half pint jars from Ball… is it possible in anyway to use these instead? maybe bake it for longer? and not fill it up all the way?
thank you!
Ya, that will work too, they’re just a little harder to work with. You’ll just have to eyeball the baking time!
and it’d be done when the crust is a golden color, correct? again.. thanks so much!
I can’t wait to try these yummy pies. My neice has been buying oodles of these “pre-made jars” with various fillings ect.. I got to thinking, why not make them yourself? And your web site has the perfect ideas! I also think this is a great idea for this fall when I make my parents their batch of sugar free apple pies… how great that they can just bake up a serving instead of eating a whole pie… much better for those pesky sugar levels! THANKS SO MUCH!
I am planning on making these for Father’s Day. I went through all of the comments and I never saw my question asked, so here goes. How many can you bake at one time? Thanks. I cannot wait to present these at my in-laws!!
I baked 16 on a cookie sheet and they were fine….
LOVE THIS!!!
I just learned about these yesterday at my military LINKS class and these were suggested to send to our overseas troops. I would love to send one to my husband over there, but what is the process for that since it can’t be frozen on the way there and can’t be frozen when it arrives. how do i properly “can” it? Thank you so much!!!
We made these for all the fathers in our ward. Huge hit. We baked them that morning so that they were still warm when we passed them out. Thank you for the great idea!!
I just made cake in a jar last week and today I was like, I wonder if you can do the same with pie?..I love yours above :)..How long do these last if they are cooked immediately?
Just found this adorable pie recipe. My daughter is thinking of giving these as wedding favors at her wedding next year. How far ahead of time can these be baked and set out as favors? Also can we use strawberries?
My daughter is doing the same thing. We are thinking of baking and freezing them and then thaw and warm on her wedding day. We are going to do testers to see how this works. We are making crisps instead of pies and the initial results have been delicious.
Um.. Can you make these using pumpkin pie filling??
This idea is so amazing! I love it! What a great party idea, I am going to do it for our fall company party. Thank you
I made these for my pokeno group..A big hit
I have made these several times after ..
Everyone loves them. I have only made apple..
I am at a loss for words…..all I can say is awesome! Love these!
How do I print your Pie in a Jar without all the side print?
Thank you
How lovely the pies look. Love the crumb and the cute cutter.
Those look soooooooooooooooooo yummmmmmmmmmmy!! TFS!!!!
Making these today….I have some blueberries that need a tasty home. Yum!
P.S. LOVE the tags!
You can get those jars direct from the Ball/Kerr manufacturer for 9.99. It’s a bargain.
http://www.freshpreservingstore.com/detail/TCL+00500
Making these for a 40th birthday BBQ– Just the ticket for helping me work ahead and still have my cuteness factor in tact! Thanks for the darling idea!
OH, WOW, I am also on “cuteness overload”! Thanks so much for the great idea!! Since I try not to eat sweets anymore, I am wondering about making Quiche pies in a jar ~ any thoughts on this idea?
OMGoodness! Those are the cutest things ever! I cannot wait to make them. Not certain they will last for gifts though. We may eat them all up first. :D
this is the most amazing creation ever they would make great gifts for the holidays,,, this was very helpful!
This is some thing I will be using Thank You for this Idea,I love easy ways to make some thing and this is a perfect one.
i have made the cake in a jar, i wonder if you could put these in the oven and “can” them like you do with the cakes? i do the cakes once a year and i will open them for just a small taste. i use the wide mouth pints, ooooo that is so much more of my serving size lololol. i did not see the answer to the pumpkin pie, did you figure out if that will work?
i was reading SharonDoveChocolatier post and for some reason my mind transposed the words which came up with a great idea lol, how about using these as a thank you. or to pass out to people like the mail man, or newspaper boy people like that. what a wonderful way to say Thank you
Pumpkin definitely works!
These are too cute! I would love to give them out as holiday gifts but i simply do not have the time to bake them myself. Can these be ordered? Do you know of a company that makes them and ships them? Thanks
I’m sorry, but we don’t sell these pies.
how would you go about shipping these overseas to the troops? would you do it the same as the cake in the jar.
I’ve never done it but most people put lids on the jars while hot to help “seal” them. They are not shelf stable indefinitely, but I’ve heard it does keep them fresher longer.
How many mini pies would a regular sized pie make?
Usually about four mini pies.
Super cute! I was wondering how did you get the pie on the plate without the jar? Did it pop right out after turning it upside down?
When i first saw the pies, i was amazed. It just make me wanna make some of my own…..great idea, cant wait to try it out myself….
Today I came across your blog and I am completely in love with it:) I will be ordering your cookbook on Friday. This is the cutest gift idea. :)
I found the jars on the hardware store website. They are available at ACE, and they will ship them for free to your local store. No stress!
As per the comment from a year ago January about doing these as wedding favors, we did. And they were a hit! We had people come by to our room the next morning asking if we had any left, even. I didn’t have the heart to tell them it was just dough mix and filling from the local bulk store. We came up with a quick way to put the shell in too, but it requires rolling (roll out, cut long strips as wide as the jar is tall, and put those in, then use the lid to cut two circles, one for the bottom and one for the top).
Here they are on the favor table at our wedding:
http://wedo.ca/Ericaandsunil/content/ESW1803_large.html
We ‘sealed’ them while warm, and I kept the extras in the fridge. I ate them 1 month, 2-3 months, and 6 months afterward, and they all still tasted wonderful after a zap in the microwave (no lid, which had to be pried off b/c of the seal).
I’m just making them again now, yum yum.
CUTE CUTE CUTE CUTE! i found you on pinterest – SO CUTE – making these today.
I have been giving all homemade Christmas gifts for several years, so I am always looking for new fantastic ideas. I found this AWESOME post last year and marked it in my list of gift ideas. I bought myself a case of the little jars and had a pie-making day. I made some mini chicken pot pies (using your Fauxtisserie Chicken!) and some caramel apple pies (literally the best pie recipe I’ve ever tasted…find it here: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Caramel-Apple-Pie-II/Detail.aspx). I also made my famous (in my family, that is) sweet bread rolls, which I always freeze in bags of 2 or 4 rolls. So several people on my list received homemade delicious frozen dinners: chicken pot pie and rolls with caramel apple pie for dessert. This was especially welcomed by people like my grandmother-in-law who lives alone and a few family members who are frequently too busy to cook. And as the pies were eaten, I started receiving empty jars returned to me with pleading family members asking me to repeat the whole thing this year. I’m happy to do it! It was a lot of work all at once, but I could make it all in advance. And I felt great about giving people I love homemade good food to eat. This might be my most popular homemade Christmas gift yet. Thank you so much for generously sharing all your recipes, tips, and real-life banter. Your hard work is definitely appreciated!
I’m not sure why that link isn’t working, but the caramel apple pie recipe is on allrecipes.com and is called Caramel Apple Pie II by Emtmom. That’s some serious caramel goodness.
Have you tried this with cheesecake? Would it work? Maybe with a nut crust just on the bottom? Or would you have to bake it first then cool them then put a topping on then freeze? What about a chocolate cream pie filling? Would you just bake the pie crust then fill the jar and put the lid on and freeze? Could that work?
I’d be interested to know if you think this would work.
Thanks,
Debbie
I am excited to share that mine are in the oven right now! My daughter (Audrey, 20 months old) and I are meeting our Mom’s group tomorrow and I cannot wait to surprise the ladies with these cute little pies. I am really enjoying so much of what you share… dressing them pretty seems to be where I get stumbled. There is never enough time in the day to do it all. Giggling… I’d love to share a photo of what I did tonight… how do I add to a photo to a “post comment” or is that not an option?
Thanks so much!
~Amy
Can’t wait to try this!! Just came across you Facebook page today thanks to Tidymom!! I just LOVE IT!! I’m hosting our Bunco Club’s October Bunco and I think I just found my dessert!!
I use a Linzer cookie cutter for the top crust–perfect size and comes with about 6 center tiny cutouts for venting–heart, circle, star, etc. I’ve done apple, cherry, pecan, and Tollhouse cookie pie. Would like to hear more details about pumpkin successes with these jars.
I’ve never even made a “real” pie before, but these were so fun and looked great when I put them in the freezer. I have a question about the tags, though. I figured they would be the same size as the jar lid and fit under the ring, but they’re smaller than that. They’re the perfect size for the next smaller jar. Have people been gluing them on?
I loved these. We made some adjustments is our second and third batches.
My favorite recipe for pie crust is from my mother. Since you are so willing to share your recipes. I’ll share hers with you.
3 c flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp sugar
1 c crisco
Cut into each other.
Mix: 1 egg
1/3 c ice cold water
1 Tbsp vinegar
Add to other mixtures. Make into ball.
We also put craisins in with our apples, and added almond extract.
Each Thanksgiving and Christmas we make about 20+ pies. We use a food processor for the dough and it’s fantastic.
Anyway. Thanks for all your recipes. My four daughters and I share our favorites back and forth.
I am trying these out for the first time right now! I found this page a little over a year ago now and hadn’t been able to make them until now. So excited!!
I’m actually opening a pie shop in California soon featuring pies in jars and was so excited to find this post! These are very pretty and the pictures and step-by-step instructions are great. I have a couple of questions/comments based on my experience doing these and wonder if you would mind weighing in. Do you find that pressing the dough into the the jar makes it tough at all? The biggest issue I have when making these is trying not to over-handle the dough. I roll mine out, then cut a large circle with a round cutter (small plate works fine too), cut a couple of triangle shaped pieces out of two opposite sides of the circle (looks like an hourglass shape when I’m done), and then put the circle of dough in the jar, wetting the edges slightly with water so that I can gently press and seal them together. This works nicely if you want to use a store bought dough too since it’s already rolled-out.
As for freezing, we had planned to offer our unbaked frozen pies in the jars initially but had so much trouble with cracking that we had to shift away from it until we could find a solution. Not every jar cracks, so if you’re just doing a few of them at home your results will probably be just fine, but taking them from freezer straight to hot oven has not worked for us. To solve the freezing problem, you can line the jar with plastic wrap before putting the dough in, freeze the pie in the jar and then lift the whole thing out once it’s frozen, wrap tightly and store frozen pie without the jar. Just pop them back into a room temp jar before baking. This also frees up your jar to make more pies!!
Thanks!
Wow! These are SO cute! I am going to make them for all of my friends as a Christmas present this year. I can’t wait to start ‘practicing’ ;D
Can you give a recipe for doing Chicken pot pie in them-I really am a beginning cook? I love this idea. I just started making pie crust. My daughter’s friend taught me how-crazy huh? I love your site.
I just stumbled on this and it’s adorable,can’t wait to make them
I’m looking forward to trying PUMPKIN for this holiday coming up! YUMMM!!!! Thank you!!
Has anybody tried doing this for pot pies? I’m a college student that loves to cook, and this would be perfect. Thanks for sharing!
What a wonderful recipe! I just wrote an article about little pies in a jar to make with kids, and i have featured your blog, this is the link: http://www.piccolocuoco.com/2011/10/19-tortine-di-mele-per-bambini-in_14.html, hope you’ll like it ( it’s in Italian ). Thank you for sharing, Best, Ivy
I just wanted to let you know I included this in my 2011 Ultimate DIY Gift Guide (101 Tutorials/Recipes) :) http://danimariedesigns.blogspot.com/2011/10/2011-ultimate-diy-gift-guide.html
great pie pop and pie in a jar ideas! I am soooooooooo excited! Thank you!
I LOVVVVEEE these. I think every one will be getting these for every occasion from now on. Especially for my uncle who always asks me to bake him a pie as a gift. It is just too perfect!
I love the new creative gifts and especially with goodies it is twice as nice. I have a question though. My husband is a soldier and is currently deployed overseas, and shipping usually takes about two weeks sometimes a bit less. How long after baked with lid secure are pies good for? I would love to send him his fav of pecan pie :)
I know this is an old post but I just had to comment. These little pies are awesome! We made them at our church lady activity and your idea made 32 women very happy! They all took a little pie home and LOVED it. Then I told my parents about them and they loved it too. My dad is the only lover of mince meat. Now he’s got a freezer full of itty bitty pies just for him instead of one whole big pie to deal with all by himself. Thanks so much for sharing this creative idea!
Oh good. I left a comment at the bottom asking if anyone had tried these. Glad to know they worked out for you. Now I feel a little more confident about trying them myself!
I just want to thank you for the note at the end. My husband is overseas and I’m always sending the same things to him. I had heard of the cake in a jar but have never tried it. But with Thanksgiving and the holidays coming I thought I might send him a pumpkin pie in a jar. As I was reading through your page, I kept wondering what about mailing……then at the bottom you answered my question! Thank you!
Amanda
what a wonderful ideal,i make a sweet potato pie like no other how would i make that, it has only one crust on the bottom,please give me an answer.
these would be great for thanksgiving! can you put in pumpkin pie filling as well?
I wonder if it would work to seal these in the jars, then process them like canning jam or something like that. Maybe after baking, so the inside is still warm, just like you’re supposed to can jams and things while they’re still warm from cooking. Dunno if the crust would interfere with having the correct acid balance – I know you can can pie fillings (in the end, they’re awfully similar to jams), but that crust is a question. Hm.
Having that option would be helpful for giving them as gifts, and allow for them to be mailed as well.
I made lemon “meringue” pie in a jar and canned it with good results. No regular crust in there though. The bottom was a layer of crushed graham cracker crust, then lemon curd, more graham cracker toward the middle (it was a tall jar), more lemon curd, then a layer of marshmallow. Worked beautifully.
Oh my goodness!!!! this is the most incredible idea ever!!! It is just so darn cute and so inovative and just right when you have that random craving ahd i just have to have something sweet!!! thanks a whole lot for the idea <3
I just ran across these somehow. I LOVE this idea. I am going to test it out this weekend. Has anyone else done these? How did it go? Also, I hope you don’t mind, but I pinned your site to Pinterest. If you DO mind, I’m in a lot of trouble. Lol.
What a great idea! I’ll be sending some to my grandson in college. He & his room-mates will love them!
where did you get the jars?
There is a link at the start of the post, you can buy them on Amazon for $16 for 12!
Love this idea! So fun, and something the kids can help with! Sharing this!
Ingenious.
Is there any reason you couldn’t line the jar with tinfoil before putting in the crust for easy removal?
Heya i am for the primary time here. I found this board and I to find It really helpful & it helped me out a lot. I hope to provide something back and help others like you helped me.
I am obsessed with the jar idea. I want to make everything and anything in a jar now! I am making the pie in a jar for thanksgiving this year! I went to the William Sonoma site and bought the pie crust cutters, but they just came in and are so big!! It seems like yours are mini ones. Are they, or do I just have smaller mouthed jars than you? My crust cutters are about the same size as the opening of my jars. Tear! I HAVE to do the leaf cut out. So adorable!!
This is such a cute idea. Great explanation & great pictures! I think this would be a super idea for party favors at a holiday party. Thank you!
I love this idea. My husband probably thinks I’m insane because I just started squealing about baby pies! I just found your site and I am in love. While reading your bio’s, I kept laughing. My husband’s an engineer from Seattle and served his mission in Curtiba, Brazil. I’m from Boise, and love to bake! So many similarities :)
I made these cute little apple pies for my son who could not be home for Thanksgiving. He loved it! Now I have a way to send Mom’s homemade goodness to my son in college for Christmas too! Thank you!
So I am going to be making these with about 14 7th and 8th graders for my Home Ec class :) I am soo excited :) !!!
I just bought the jars. I’m so excited to make these as gifts for Xmas! Thanks for sharing.
Question! I’m wanting to do some of these litle pies in a jar as Christmas goodies, and I was wanting to do some other kinds of pies. I’m doing an apple pie which is covered in this post, but I also want to do a pecan pie and a chocolate cobbler. How should I go about determining the oven temp and bake times for these? I would have just gone with what their respective recipes called for, but I noticed that your temps and times for this apple pie in a jar vs the original apple pie recipes are different. Can you please give me some advice on this? These will likely be baked after being frozen. Thanks!
Hi I love these pies! I want to gift them for christmas this year, but I have a few questions.
Should I freeze them and just give them as gifts?
Can you bake them and then give them?
If so, how long should they cook them to just warm them up?
I have no idea what to do, please let me know!!!
Hello! These are great! I was wondering if you can do pot pies the same way, have you tried them?
Thanks,
Sabrina
Loveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hi!
I just wanted to let you know that we’d included a link to this adorable idea in our Stuff those Stockings Collection in Artizen Magazine. Here’s the link that opens directly to the article: http://publications.catstonepress.com/issue/50117/24 (You can view more pages by just clicking the page edges or in the toolbar.) I hope you’ll get several click throughs to your website from the magazine!
Have a wonderful Holiday season! Feel free to get in touch if you have any questions about the magazine.
Cindy Marks
Publisher, Artizen Magazine
cindy@artizenmagazine.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Artizen-Magazine/105057472871588
Twitter: http://twitter.com/ArtizenMagazine
I can’t wait to make these! But I have a question, I’m going to be making them as gifts, and I would like to bake them before I give them. They will be cold before they will be eaten, so can they be microwaved to reheat them?
I’m new to the site, just found it Wednesday. I wanted to make the single serving pie but could only find the tall 1/2 pint jars. Made one to “test” before fixing as gifts. The tall jars, though not as cute, work fine. I tell everyone that this is my new, most favorite place to hang out, when I’m not using your wonderful ideas. Thank you so much for blessing us with your talents.
Making these for teacher Christmas gifts this week!! (and one for me too of course! Have to be sure they’re okay to give away!) :)
OK this is just about the cutest most amazing idea ever! Not only will these make great gifts and satisfy emergency pie cravings, but I could also send
pot pie/shepherd’s pie/pizza pie etc in my husband’s lunches!
Thank you SO much!
I love this idea! We are making them as Christmas gifts. If we prebake them before giving them out, what would be the directions for reheating?? Maybe I just missed it…
Oh, whatever. Pop in a warm oven (350) till it’s warmed through, maybe 10 mins or so? Or even in the microwave. Just make sure to remove lids!
I recieved on as a christmas persent from a student and it was wonderful. I just had to figure out how to make some myself.
My neighbor gave me a mixed berry one and it was delicious. What a great neighborly Christmas gift.
Made these around Thanksgiving time and they were a HIT! People Loved them and they were sooo cute :)
My sis-in-law is pregnant and we’re planning a July picnic baby shower. These pies will make a great dessert for the festivities!!
THIS IS THE CUTEST THING I HAVE EVER SEEN!!! OMGoodness I LOVE IT!
This would be so easy to adapt into a miniature apple dumpling… and those tiny apples that come in bags would be well-suited. They would HAVE to be eaten inside the jar, but stuffing raisins and all that into a hollowed apple is one of those joys our modern moms have all but lost. The jar would even help keep the pie crust layer from falling down the sides of the apple. I hope I remember this idea some five years or so from now, when my kids aren’t ankle-biter height anymore! THANK YOU!
such a cute idea i will have to make these.
My boyfriends mother was always bringing him baked goodies, she is in hospital. These little minis are so cute, and he has the jars from when I canned the salmon.
This is an adorable idea! I love it :) I don’t eat pie but I know a lot of people that would love this gift idea :) So glad I came across this post from a list of ideas for V-Day goodies > http://www.skinnyscoop.com/list/hungrygoddess/deliver-love-diy-food-gifts-for-valentines-day
I just saw these listed on this site and I think they are adorable, practical, easy to personalize and easy to ship. Love it! Great site!
http://thehungrygoddess.com/2012/02/hgeats-edibles-fave-tweets-valentines-day-ideas-from-deliver-love/#comment-114
These are the best gift to cook and send to Afghanastan! You never have to worry about shelf life because as soon as my Son gets them he has a crowd of his “peeps” surronding him to see what kind of goodies he has. They know I always send extra to share! If you send them just make sure you cook them fully and they seal. Priority mail, they will get there in about 7 days and they are always great! Enjoy!!
Wow, these are a nifty idea! They were easy to make and delicious…and I love that you can freeze them for emergency desserts!
I did them one better-made a savory filling for dinner…I mixed cut up leftover meat (chicken/turkey/pork tenderloin) with veggies (peas, carrots, parsnips, onions, celery, etc.) and a bit of stock with flour to thicken…instant (and healthy) pot-pies…also freeze well and can be reheated in a pinch.
Thanks for the creative cooking ideas!
Such a sweet idea! Definitely saving this one for my besties!
Thank you for sharing!
I saw a similar demonstration of these little pies in jars on Martha Stewart. Martha reassured the viewers that her management had checked with Kerr Canning Jars regarding safety, and were reassured that if these jars can withstand a boiling water bath or pressure cooker, they can withstand oven heat. In fact, Kerr had never thought of marketing the jars with this option and were thrilled to know that people had found another creative way to use them.
Perfect solution for my husband who is always asking if there is a dessert….and I don’t need to eat it!
This is absolutely the cutest idea I have ever seen! I am going to try it this weekend. Thank you for such a wonderful site.
we are making mini apple crisp for my daughters wedding this fall. What an absolutely wonderful idea!!
Well my blackberry little lattice cuties are in the oven now! SOOOOOOO much fun! Can’t wait to taste!
ok,now you have me looking for excuses to give gifts out, volunteering to do party favors, accepting dinner invitation, etc. just to give a pie-in-the-jar to someone.
Does anyone have a calorie count on any of these. I love them! Our school had a Bake Sale and one of he gals made dozens of these and they all sold. I bought 2 and LOVED them both. Just wondering how much damage they will do to the waisteline. lol She offered, Apple, Strawberry (sooo good) mixed berry and Blueberry.
My daughter wants me to make these for her Fall Bridal Shower, can you tell me how long these will freeze? How nice would that be to make these ahead of time then take them out and bake them fresh right before guest arrive giving the house an awesome country fresh smell. Yummy!
I’m really not positive, but certainly up to a month.
Hi! I’m new in this home-based baking biz and was trying to find some great ideas to have some variety to offer when I came across this page and your website (even though it has been like 3 years or so ….)Your idea of pie-in-a-jar in fantastic!! Thank you for the interesting info and for sharing it. Can’t wait to start this project. Now to find that jar in this side of the world :D Roz
1 word ” amazing “
I love your pies and brownies in the jar and have made them for me and given them as gifts. I love love love key lime pie and was wondering how easy (or difficult, but hopefully easy) it would be to make a key lime pie in a jar. mmmmmm
Thanks,
Carly
Simply lovely – my guy would love to find these in the freezer! Plus, I think they’d make great co-worker gifts. :)
Would this trick work with say…Pumpkin Pie? Or Pecan? or even a merangue(SP)? I’m also wondering if I can do this with Chicken Pot Pies, or Shepard’s pie….Hmmmm….THoughts?
You can bake pretty much anything in a jar :)
I made these pies for my son’s rehersal dinner “favors”. Everyone LOVED them. I wanted to show you some picutes but don’t know how…
I made them in the short squatty jars and it looked like a mini-pie!
These are just ALmost too cute to eat!!! It reminds me of the applesauce-cake-in-a-jar recipe, which incidentally is theoretically shelf-stable for up to a year (for those asking about shipping a jarred dessert.) Personally, I’ve never successfully kept one in the cupboard for more than a week. Anyhow, if anyone’s interested, here’s a web addy: http://www.food.com/recipe/applesauce-cake-in-a-jar-469603
Thanks so much for the great idea! I actually used it for a preschool lesson as we talked about the letter A. We made apple cobblers in a jar (since cobbler is a little simpler than pie) and it was a big success! I linked back to your blog and you are welcome to check it out if you want. Thanks again!
http://chipmanscornerpreschool.blogspot.com/2012/08/mini-apple-cobbler.html#
this is really cute! will need to go and buy some jars =)
My fiance’ sent me this idea! I’ve decided to use them as wedding favors for my southern/country themed wedding! :D I’m so excited! Thank you!
I have used white cake mix on top, about 2tbs, then a pat of butter, bake as usual.
I was already geared up to make pies today, but I happend to see this and I tryed one, and OMG it is so neet. Great lunch packer for the kids.
Hi there! LOVE your blog! Super cute idea for the apple pie in a jar! Thanks for posting it! You have a new follower!!
You have a new fan….Fab site!
So i came across this recipe about 2 months ago, and even though I didn’t have the jars, i book marked the website but then forgot about it. Yesterday I was at whole foods and I happened to see a pack of the jars and i was like “omg now i can make the jar pies!” so i bought them and i was so glad I had saved the recipe.
I just finished making these for the first time and am waiting for them to come out of the oven. I made the pie crust with no problem and since i didn’t have that cool wire tool to cut up the butter, i used a fork. I used the apple pie filling with a little tweaking since i love basically any dessert made with apples. Even without the baking and decorations, these look totally adorable, and if these turn out to be yummy as i made them, i’ll focus more on the decoration next time and ask for a friend’s opinion.
thanks so much for posting this great idea! I found all the pictures really helpful to give me an idea of what to do.
This is perfect for me , I Think you are a genius!!!!!!
I love these and have made them several times with fruit pies and the chicken pot pie recipe. Is there any difference in cook time for making a pumpkin pie version? I think a regular pumpkin pie take a little longer to cook than the fruit variety and didn’t know if the 45 mins should be drawn out a little longer.
I found the jars with clip at a reasonable price at Williams=Sonoma
Thanks for a great idea well presented. I’m going to try chicken/turkey pot (jar?) pies to take to work for lunches. I like how your crusts are rather thin and yet the pies seem quite intact after baking (except the cherry!)
After 3 years, I am finally making these! I’ve been calling my last baby “pie” since she was a few months old so it is only fitting that she has a “pie” themed 1st birthday party. I am giving these away as party favors and I was wondering if they took a full hour to bake if the guests are only baking one in their oven?
Could you make pumkin pie using the recipe? I am not a cooking but I am trying to learn.
Can you bake these then seal them and send them in a care package overseas? Will the sealing keep them fresh? I don’t want to poison my husband! lol
Regarding extending shelf life:
Could you cook the pies and then do the regular canning process of putting the cans in boiling water in a canning pot? How would that impact the consistency of the pie?
I think these are super cute and fun. I was wondering how long they last once they are baked? My intent is to make, bake and ship to soldiers in Afghanistan. It takes about 1-2 weeks to get there. Would the pies still be good?
These look like fun! Where do I find the other recipes for the pies in a jar that were in the picture in the magazine? I would like to try them too. It looked like pumpkin possibly and maybe banana creme.
I have a question, I’m going to a holiday reunion and I thought this would be a cute idea with some Christmas toppers, now I have to drive about 5 hours leaving in the morning. And the reunion party isn’t until the next day in the evening. If I bake these early in the morning before I leave do you think they would be fine the next day.? I won’t have a fridge to put them in.
<3 this idea! I'm hosting Thanksgiving for the first time this year & I think these will really make an impression (and I love that I can make them way in advance!!)
I also adore the labels – perfect for Thanksgiving!!
I want to print the recipe, but I don't see a "printer friendly" button. Is there a way to avoid the ads along the side (it's 26 pages with them!)?
Thank you all for sharing your amazing talents!!
What a great idea!!! I am going to make these mini pies for my family and friends. I usually give cookies, but I am due for a change. Thank you for such a creative and fun way to package love!
My husband is deploying to Afghanistan and will be missing the holidays, is there a way to send them to him without them going bad? Do they need to be refrigerated?
Great pie’s am goingto make Graham Cracker pie’s and Lemon pie with
Meringue Topping’s.
You could you tell me the exact amounts of the “seasoning” going into the filling? I’m not the best judge of how much to use!! Thanks!
I have a question, actually. Would you recommend gifting these adorable pies pre baking (frozen) or post baking?