Have you ever been relaxing on your couch or in bed and get a call that “surprise” you are going to have a visitor for dinner? Or maybe your in-laws decide to drop in for a little visit? This time of year those unexpected visits come a lot more frequently than they do any other. While I always love a chance to visit with friends and family, it can be a little stressful to throw something together on short notice when my to do list is already full of other “get ready for the holidays” tasks. So, I turn to a few go to ingredients that I keep on hand at all times to be able to make something quick but delicious, like caramel apple pie shooters, for everyone to enjoy…even on short notice. They are #ThankfullySweet and perfect for those unexpected visitors or even if you have plenty of time to plan but want to take a few shortcuts. #CollectiveBias

These are totally in the semi-homemade realm because they use pre-made ingredients to make the perfect little dessert. I was in Walmart recently and got a call that a good friend wanted to stop by for a visit. I, of course, wanted to see her but I wasn’t prepared at all. I started trolling the aisles for ideas of what to have. I grabbed a Mrs. Smith’s pie, some Cool Whip and caramel ice cream topping. The store makes it so easy because all of the items are right there on one aisle. Caramel and apple together are two of my favorite flavors so I knew they would be great in what ever I decided to make.

When I got home, I knew I didn’t just want to serve plain pie with whipped cream though. Afterall, my friends have learned to expect a lot more from me after I’ve given them things like pumpkin cheesecake bites and eggnog and pumpkin mousse cups. So, I set to deconstructing the pie and turning them into these cute little mini desserts.

Ingredients for Caramel Apple Pie Shooters:

1 Mrs. Smith’s Dutch Apple Pie
1 tub Cool Whip
1 jar caramel ice cream topping

Let’s Make It:

1) Bake pie according to package directions.

2) Spoon just the apple portion of the pie into small bowls or shot glasses. Add a dollop of Cool Whip and then drizzle with caramel sauce. Crumble the streusel topping from the pie on top of the caramel sauce and serve.

This was the perfect little dessert! It was so easy to make and tasted amazing. You can easily bake the pie and spoon it into the little cups ahead of time and then just add the topping right before serving. It would make a dinner party dessert quick and easy allowing you to spend more time with friends versus in the kitchen.

Right now, you can save $1.00 on Mrs. Smith’s Pie with the purchase of Cool Whip. They go to together so perfectly that it only makes sense to buy them together. In addition to searching #ThankfullySweet and #CollectiveBias to find other great recipes using these two great products, you can check out the Cooking Up Good website. The have recipes, sweepstakes, loyalty programs, coupons and more.