Prepare pie crust recipe through step 4. Instead of cutting the dough in half, form dough into one big disc, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 3 days.

Preheat oven to 375°F

In a large bowl, stir the pears, lemon juice, flour, cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, black pepper, sugar, and vanilla extract together until thoroughly combined. Set aside for 20 minutes to allow the mixture to macerate.

Next, evenly divide the pear filling mixture among the 3.5" mini cast iron skillets.

Roll out chilled pie dough disc on a lightly floured work surface until dough is about ⅛” thick. Using a mini cast iron skillet as a guide, lightly place the skillet upside down on the dough and cut around it with a paring knife so that each dough circle is about ½ inch larger than the mini skillet. Repeat until you have 5 dough discs.

Carefully lay the dough over the filling, tuck the ½ inch of dough under itself, creating a clean edge flush with the top of the mini cast iron skillet and crimp edges. Cut slits in the top of the crust to form steam vents.

Place the pies in the freezer for about 15 minutes before baking. This will help ensure that your crust holds its shape in the oven.

Take the pies out of the freezer, brush with egg wash and sprinkle lightly with sugar. Place skillets onto a cookie sheet for baking and into the oven for 35-40 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and the filling bubbles.

Allow the pies to cool for 3 hours at room temperature before serving. This time allows the filling to thicken up. Cover pie leftovers tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.