To make dough for pie crust mix 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour and 1 teaspoon each salt and sugar in a medium-size bowl. Cut 2 sticks chilled unsalted butter into pieces. With a pastry blender, cut in butter, working until mixture resembles coarse meal. (Optionally: PULSE ingredients in a food processor with metal or plastic dough blade)

Add 4 tablespoons ice water; work with hands until dough comes together. If dough is still crumbly, add more ice water a tablespoon at a time (up to 4 more tablespoons). Do not overwork. (Optionally: PULSE water in gently until dough comes together)

Divide dough in half, and flatten halves into disks. Wrap disks separately in plastic; refrigerate at least 1 hour.

Roll the dough on a floured surface, use as necessary.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 24 mini-muffin tin with non-stick spray.

Roll out pie crust dough on flat surface. Use a 3" cookie or biscuit cutter and cut dough circles.

Gently press each circle of dough into bottom of mini-muffin tin cup. Leave a bit of extra dough around rim of the cup. Repeat as needed.

Gently prick each mini crust once with a fork. (Place in fridge if you like, or need time to make decorations.)

Fill each cup with a heaping tablespoon until almost full.

Decorate as desired with extra pie dough (lattice, cut shapes, mini-top crusts with slits cut in etc.)

Gently use a pastry brush to brush the tops of each pie with the whisked egg and water. Sprinkle lightly with white sugar if desired.

Bake for 25-30 minutes, rotate once half-way through.

Remove from oven and allow to cool about 15 minutes.

Gently remove from each pie from tin with a knife or thin metal spatula. Allow further cooling on a cooling rack.

Serve or store in refrigerator for 1-2 days.