mini pie favors

When a fabulous customer, Evelyn, purchased a large order of wooden forks from fort & field and told me she was creating mini pie favors for her wedding with them, I told her I absolutely had to see photos once she got them completed. Not only did she send the juicy photos, but she also passed along the recipe and complete how-to!


SUPPLY LIST (Evelyn made about 90 pies so all supplies and ingredients are based on this amount)

- adhesive kraft paper
- a few sheets of scrapbook paper
- polka dot stamp
- stamp pad
- scalloped gift tag paper punch (for creating the shape of the polka dot tags that hang from the jars)
- heart hole punch (to punch a hole for hanging these same tags from the jar - much cuter than a regular old circle hole punch!)
- 2" scalloped hole punch (for the kraft labels on the top of the jar)
- 1/4 - 1/2 yard amount of 45" wide solid cotton (used underneath the lid) - the amount of fabric will depend on how many different colors you want to use
- 4" circle quilting template
- jute twine (Evelyn purchased 50 yards for about 90 jars)
- custom made stamps ("made by ________" stamp and personalized "thank you" stamp)

All supplies can be found at any major craft store like Michaels, except for the custom stamps which can be easily purchased from a number of sellers on etsy.

JAR DIRECTIONS

1. Stamp polka dots on scrapbook paper, punch scalloped tags out of this same paper, punch heart shaped holes at the top of each tag for threading the twine through, and lastly stamp "made by ________" using your custom stamp on the backside of each tag. Note: If you'd like a quicker method - polka dot scrapbook paper could be purchased instead of stamping your own eliminating one step, and/or custom printed and already cut out tags could be purchased from a seller on etsy or similar venue.

2. Using a manual paper cutter, cut 2 1/2" wide strips from adhesive kraft paper. Using your 2" scallop punch, cut stickers out of these strips. Stamp "thank you" onto each sticker using your personalized stamp. Note: To save some time on this step, pre-cut adhesive scalloped stickers could most likely be sought out instead of cutting your own.

3. Using the 4" circle quilting template and pinking sheers, cut circles from the cotton fabric you have chosen (the pinking sheers prevent fraying and also make a cute zig zag border). Cut a 12" length of twine for each circle you have cut (this was a good length to wrap around the jar lid twice and not struggle to tie a bow). Note: To save some time on this step, you may be able to find pre-cut fabric circles since this is one of the most time consuming parts of the project.



MINI PIE RECIPE

Ingredients:

- 1 package Pillsbury ready-made pie crust (There are 2 sheets per package and each sheet makes about 5 pies. Evelyn found Pillsbury to be the best brand, in terms of taste, but others could be substituted. Evelyn had 90 pies to make so she couldn't be bothered with making pie crust from scratch, but for a smaller event or just to give as gifts during the holidays you could make your own).
- 1 can pie filling (apple, cherry, etc.)
- 1 case 4 oz. quilted Ball jelly jars
- 4" circle cutter (or use a small sauce pan lid)
- mini shaped cookie cutter (heart, star, leaf, etc.)
- water (for sealing the pie crust edges)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

2. Cut the "pie bodies" from the pie crust using the 4" cutter. Gather the pie crust circle and fit it inside a washed and dried jelly jar (no need to butter). Use the pads of your fingers to smooth out the crust and really get it into the bottom of the jar.

3. Cut the pie tops using the screw top from the jelly jar. Next, press into the pie top using the mini cookie cutter (You can skip this step all together, but will need to cut some slits into the tops so that the vapor has a place to escape when the pies bake). Set aside.

4. Spoon 2-3 tablespoons of pie filling into the jar. Make sure the jar is filled at most 2/3 of the way, otherwise the pie filling will bubble out of the pie.

5. Take the pre-cut pie top, moisten the edge with water, and affix to the pie body. Press the two edges together. Leave uncovered.

6. When you've assembled all the mini pies. Place the jars on a cookie sheet and bake in the oven for approximately 18-22 minutes. Check periodically and remove the pies once they start to get lightly golden brown; which will also prevent the filling from spilling out of the hole/slits.

7. Let cool completely. Then, place the a 4" fabric circle on top of the jar, screw the jar lid on, and affix the personalized scalloped kraft sticker you already made to the fabric in the center of the lid.


Can I say....yummy! Not only to these make adorable favors, but they would also be very cute made in smaller batches to tuck in a child's lunch or in a basket for a picnic!

All photographs courtesy of Liesl and Randy, co-owners of PhotoPink out of Brooklyn, New York.