Indulge in the delightful flavors of fall with these mouthwatering homemade Apple Hand Pies. With a flaky crust and a perfectly spiced apple filling, these hand pies are the ultimate seasonal treat!
We love apples around here, whether it's a crisp apple paired with sharp cheese, tender biscuits covered in homemade apple butter, or just a bowl of applesauce as a mid-day snack.
So when I had the opportunity to add apples to a flakey pie crust in a hand-held version, I jumped at the chance! We love having these available for a quick breakfast on the go, for an easy dessert after a pot roast dinner, or well, any time!
3 Secrets to Making the Best Apple Hand Pies
While this apple hand pie recipe might seem like just putting some apples into a pie crust and baking, there are a few tips that will make these apple hand pies the best you've ever had!
- Perfectly Chilled Dough: Ensure the pie dough is properly chilled before assembling the hand pies. Cold dough prevents the butter from melting too quickly, resulting in a flaky and tender crust.
- Picking the Best Apples: For apple hand pies with the best flavor and texture, choose a mix of tart and sweet apple varieties. Combining apples like Granny Smith (tart) and Honeycrisp (sweet) creates a balanced filling with a delightful contrast of flavors.
- Filling Thickness: Avoid overstuffing the hand pies to prevent the apples from falling out during eating (a little bit sticking over the edge is fine, but just not too much!). The amount you add to your dough will vary based on how large the circles are.
Ingredients
Don't be overwhelmed by this ingredient list! While it might seem like a lot, remember that you are looking at the ingredients for the crust, the filling, and the glaze. Take note of any ingredients that you might need to substitute and read their descriptions for my recommendations. A full printable recipe with measurements is available at the end of the post.
- All-Purpose Flour: We use einkorn flour, however, you can also use whatever all-purpose wheat you'd like. Or even a 1:1 gluten-free flour instead. This is used for the pie crust and in the filling, but cornstarch in the filling would also be fine.
- Butter: Provides richness and flakiness to the crust. Use cold and cubed butter.
- Salt: Enhances the overall flavor of the crust, don't skip!
- Baking Apples: Use large baking apples like Granny Smith or Honeycrisp for the best texture and taste.
- Granulated Sugar: Adds sweetness to the apple filling.
- Light Brown Sugar: Provides a rich caramel-like flavor to complement the apples.
- Apple Pie Spice: A blend of warm spices perfect for apple desserts. If you don't have this on hand, just using cinnamon (or cinnamon and nutmeg) will also yield a tasty treat!
- Vanilla Extract: We love our homemade vanilla extract, but whatever type you prefer is fine. This adds a depth of flavor to the filling, don't skip it!
- Egg: Used for the egg wash to give the hand pies a beautiful golden color. A milk wash can also be used, but the results will not be the same.
- Powdered Sugar: You can use powdered cane sugar or powdered maple sugar with a splash of milk and vanilla to create a simple drizzle for the top of the hand pies.
- Sparkling Sugar (optional): Adds a touch of sweetness and sparkle to the finished hand pies.
TIP: If you already have canned apples for baking on hand, you can use those instead. Just thicken the liquid with a little flour, add some cinnamon and vanilla, and you're good to go!
Instructions
Take a look at the overview of the process here, and you'll see just how simple it is to make your own apple hand pies at home! If you need to skip the homemade pie crust, you can, but I highly recommend taking the extra time to create the crust from scratch.
- Prepare: Add flour and cubed butter to a food processor. Pulse until pea-sized balls form in the dough.
- Chill: Refrigerate the dough for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 days before assembling the pies.
- Create: Toss diced apples with granulated sugar, light brown sugar, apple pie spice, vanilla, and flour to make the delicious filling.
- Roll: Roll the dough to about 1/4 in thick and cut it into circles using a 5-inch cookie cutter. Re-roll the dough until you have about 8-10 circles.
- Assemble: Add filling and fold the dough to form hand pies. Crimp the edges if desired, and cut vent slits in the top.
- Top: Whisk together egg and water. Brush the tops of the hand pies with the egg wash. Optionally, add sparkling sugar.
- Bake: Place the hand pies in a preheated oven at 400°F for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.
- Glaze: Allow the pies to cool for about 15 minutes while you make the glaze. Mix all the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla together with a whisk until very smooth.
- Serve: Drizzle the glaze over each apple hand pie and enjoy alone or with vanilla ice cream.
Common Questions
Yes, you can assemble the hand pies and freeze them before baking. When you're ready to enjoy them, simply bake from frozen, adding 2 extra minutes to the baking time.
Absolutely! Experiment with various apple varieties like Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, or Fuji to find your favorite flavor combination.
Of course! You can use a smaller cookie cutter to create bite-sized hand pies. Just adjust the filling amount accordingly. You may also have to chop the apple more finely to allow them to fit into a smaller space.
Yes, you can store leftover hand pies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. Reheat them briefly in the oven to restore their flakiness.
Yes, you can use a plant-based milk, like almond or soy milk, as a substitute for the egg wash. Brush it lightly over the hand pies before baking. Please note, that it will not brown in the same way as the egg wash.
Even More Seasonal Desserts
If you love the flavors of fall as much as I do, here are a few of my fall favorite desserts to try next!
Easy Apple Hand Pies
Ingredients
For Crust
- 2 1/4 Cups Einkorn Flour 270g
- 1 Cup COLD Butter cubed
- 1/4 Cup COLD water
- dash of salt
For the Filling
- 2 large baking apples peeled, cored, and diced
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons apple pie spice
- 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour we use einkorn flour
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For Topping
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon water
- sparkling sugar optional
For Glaze
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Add flour and cubed butter to a food processor. Pulse until pea-sized balls form in the dough.
- Refrigerate the dough for at least 30 minutes before assembling the pies.
- Toss diced apples with granulated sugar, light brown sugar, apple pie spice, vanilla, and flour to make the delicious filling.
- Roll the dough to about 1/4 in thick and cut it into circles using a 5-inch cookie cutter. Re-roll the dough until you have about 8-10 circles.
- Add filling and fold the dough to form hand pies. Crimp the edges if desired, and cut vent slits in the top.
- Whisk together egg and water. Brush the tops of the hand pies with the egg wash. Optionally, add sparkling sugar.
- Place the hand pies in a preheated oven at 400°F for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.
- Allow the pies to cool for about 15 minutes while you make the glaze. Mix all the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla together with a whisk until very smooth.
- Drizzle the glaze over each apple hand pie and enjoy alone or with vanilla ice cream.
Notes
Nutrition
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