Making homemade pie crust elevates the quality of a pie or dish. But making pie crusts from scratch does take time, effort, and practice to perfect, which few of us have.
Thus, there’s no shame in turning to high-quality ready-made pie crusts! When used right, they can be as good as homemade, except they’re more convenient and easier to use.
Pillsbury is one of the most popular and excellent quality refrigerated pie crust brands! They share easy recipes you can make with their products, which include other treats besides pies.
1. Mini Apple Pies
Mini apple pies are the most adorable treats you can have. Even though they’re light and small, they ooze great fall flavors you would enjoy.
To make these mini pies, you’d need a large cookie cutter to cut out circles from the Pillsbury pie crusts and fit those into muffin tin cups. Meanwhile, the filling is a mix of apples, sugar, flour, cinnamon, and vanilla.
There’s no need for top crusts; plop them all into an oven until the mini pie crusts are golden brown. These pies go well with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream!
2. Baby Elephant Ears
No, you won’t be munching on an actual baby elephant’s ear – that would be horrible. Instead, this is a classic dessert usually made from excess pie crust dough and looks slightly like cinnamon rolls.
They’re effortless, as you only need pie crusts, sugar, ground cinnamon, and melted butter. Roll out a Pillsbury pie crust and brush with butter before sprinkling with a mixture of sugar and ground cinnamon.
Cover with another pie crust, brush with butter and sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon again. Roll the pie crusts together, slice, and bake until golden brown and crispy.
3. Chocolate-Peanut Butter-Bacon Tartlets
Chocolate and peanut butter is a classic flavor combination, but adding bacon to this mix? You’ll find out how good it is when you make and eat these chocolate-peanut butter-bacon tartlets.
These have pie crust cups filled with chocolate, topped with peanut butter frosting, and chopped bacon. You’ll need pie crusts, precooked bacon, creamy peanut butter, sugar, butter, cream cheese, and chocolate fudge frosting.
Bacon in a sweet treat may seem unusual, but some out-of-the-box recipes turn out the best – and maybe this one will. So, why don’t you give it a try?
4. Air Fryer Mini Chicken Pot Pies
Chicken pot pies are among the most savory and creamy meat pie dishes. With this recipe, you can make them into quick and easy hand pies.
This dish is even more convenient because it uses an air fryer, needs only four common ingredients, and prep plus cooking time is 75 minutes. Plus, it’s a way to reuse your leftover rotisserie chicken!
To make, roll out a crust, and fill with a mix of vegetables, chicken, and cream of chicken soup. Fold, seal the edges, and then cook in the air fryer for up to 18 minutes.
5. Tomato and Cheddar Galette
Are you looking for a simple yet unique breakfast idea? Make this delicious tomato and cheddar galette with incredible textures and savory flavors.
The recipe only needs cherry or grape tomatoes, pie crust, white cheddar cheese, and fresh chives. Roll out a pie crust and cover with grated cheese before placing the drained cherries.
Drain the cherry juices using parchment paper before placing them on the crust to keep the dish from being too moist. Fold and pleat crust edges, place on a baking sheet, bake, and then serve with chives.
6. Strawberry and Key Lime Pie
Key lime pie is a classic pie flavor – it’s the perfect combination of tartness, sweetness, and creaminess. Elevate this well-loved dessert to the next level by bringing in fresh and sweet strawberry flavors.
The ingredients list includes pie crusts, sweetened condensed milk, egg yolks, key lime juice, strawberries, strawberry jam, and whipped topping. This dessert has four elements: the pie crust, cream filling, whipped topping, and strawberry mixture.
Only the pie crust and cream filling need baking in this recipe. Add the whipped topping and strawberry mixture after baking the crust and filling.
7. Black-Bottom Spumoni Layer Pie
Craving for a dessert pie that’s not like any other? This black-bottom spumoni layer pie satisfies your sweet desires while providing unique flavors.
It’s based on spumoni, an Italian gelato dessert with delicious layers. Like the spumoni, this pie has three layers: fudge, cherry cream cheese, and pudding. There’s also a topping of Cool Whip, pistachios, and cherries.
You’ll need chocolate chips, whipping cream, and butter for the fudge and instant pudding with cold milk for the pudding. Meanwhile, the cherry cream cheese needs cream cheese, powdered sugar, cherry juice, cherries, and Cool Whip.
8. Mini Cream Cheese-Jam Flower Tarts
Make the prettiest sweet treats kids will surely adore and crave! These mini cream cheese-jam flower tarts are simple and perfect for many celebrations.
Besides the pie crusts, you’ll need powdered sugar, softened butter, cream cheese, vanilla, and jam or preserves. Fill the tarts with different fruit flavors, like strawberry, raspberry, apricot, and mango.
To achieve the flower-shaped tartlets, you need a flower-shaped cookie cutter. After you’ve cut out the dough, press them carefully into each muffin tin cup to preserve the look. Dust with powdered sugar and fill with cream cheese-jam mixture after baking the tartlets.
9. Fourth of July Mini Pie Bites
Are you tired of the same old desserts every Fourth of July? Surprise your loved ones by bringing these scrumptious Fourth of July mini pie bites!
Make these customizable, sweet treats your new contribution to the annual Fourth of July barbecue. They take less than two hours to cook and less than an hour to prep – so it’s quick and easy.
You’ll need crusts, cherry and blueberry fillings, decorating sugar, whipped topping, and sprinkles. Have fun decorating these mini pie bites. Use star sprinkles, circles, colors, and other candies to brighten these sweets.
10. Baked Fruit Turnovers
These baked fruit turnovers are one of the best and easiest fruit desserts you could make. If you like making lunches for your loved ones, these turnovers are some of the best additions.
You’ll have around six fresh fruit turnovers within an hour or less and use only four ingredients. While the suggested fillings are cherry, apple, and peach, feel free to customize.
Combining apple filling with pecans is an excellent idea for more flavor and texture. You can try mixed berries, too! The recipe also recommends chopping big fruit slices for easier assembly.
11. Grilled Cherry-Berry Skillet Pie
Ever had a grilled pie? We usually think of pies as baked treats, but you can also enjoy one fresh off the grill instead of fresh out of the oven.
Try this grilled cherry-berry skillet pie! It’s simple, uses an iron skillet instead of a pie plate, and needs only three ingredients: pie crusts, cherry pie filling, and fresh blueberries.
Assemble this pie in the usual way – bottom crust, cherry and blueberry filling, then top crust. Cut slits on the top crust before baking until golden brown. Serve with vanilla ice cream!
11 Creative Pillsbury Pie Crust Recipes
Transform your simple Pillsbury pie crusts into awesome desserts and dishes!
Ingredients
Mini Apple Pies
Baby Elephant Ears
Chocolate-Peanut Butter-Bacon Tartlets
Air Fryer Mini Chicken Pot Pies
Tomato and Cheddar Galette
Strawberry and Key Lime Pie
Black-Bottom Spumoni Layer Pie
Mini Cream Cheese-Jam Flower Tarts
Fourth of July Mini Pie Bites
Baked Fruit Turnovers
Grilled Cherry-Berry Skillet Pie
Directions
- Select your favorite recipe.
- Organize all the required ingredients.
- Prep a Pillsbury pie crust in 30 minutes or less!