Apple Hand Pies
These apple hand pies bring together everything you love about fall baking. They’re sweet, flaky, and full of warm apple flavor. Serve them at parties, holidays, or even just on a cozy night at home.
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Getting ready for fall get-togethers? The first thing that will probably come to mind is making lots of hearty mains and indulgent desserts.
That’s a great idea, but you can also explore simple sweets that are delicious enough to impress everyone. Try these hand pies! They’re like the portable cousins of regular pies.
Instead of baking one big pie in a dish, you wrap the filling in pastry dough, fold it over, and bake (or sometimes fry) until golden and flaky.
You can get creative with the presentation, but beyond that, you don’t even need forks or plates to serve them!
Bake these easy apple hand pies and fill your kitchen with the sweetest aroma.🤤
How to Make Homemade Apple Hand Pies
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Cool Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Serves: 12 hand pies
Equipment
- Medium saucepan
- Wooden spoon or spatula
- Knife and cutting board
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Rolling pin
- Cookie cutter or glass (4 to 5 inches in diameter)
- Fork
- Small bowl
- Pastry brush
Ingredients
For the Filling:
- 2 small Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and diced
- 1 Honeycrisp apple, peeled, cored, and diced
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon butter
For the Assembly:
- 2 sheets store-bought pie crust
- 1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)
For the Glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 to 2 tablespoons milk
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Step 1: In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the diced apples, granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, and lemon juice.
Cook for about 5 to 7 minutes, until the apples have softened slightly. Remove from heat and let the filling cool.
Step 2: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Step 3: Roll out the store-bought pie crust and cut out circles about 4 to 5 inches in diameter using a cookie cutter or the rim of a glass.
Step 4: Place a spoonful of apple filling in the center of one dough circle. Top with a second dough circle, pressing around the edges to seal.
Step 5: Crimp the edges with a fork, brush the tops with the beaten egg, and cut two small slits on top of each pie to let steam escape.
Step 6: Place the assembled hand pies on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and let them cool slightly.
Step 7: Prepare the glaze. In a small bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth.
Step 8: Drizzle the glaze over the cooled hand pies and allow it to set for a few minutes before serving.
What to Serve with Apple Hand Pies
- Warm drinks: Pair these hand pies with a cup of hot chocolate, coffee, chai tea, or apple cider. The warm flavors in these drinks complement the sweet apple filling perfectly.
- Fall dessert board: Arrange these treats alongside upside down apple tarts, gingersnap cookies and pumpkin cinnamon rolls.
- After a hearty meal: These hand pies are sweet enough to satisfy your dessert cravings. Enjoy them after air fryer BBQ chicken, a New York chopped cheese sandwich, or any of your favorite fall seafood dinners.
Tips for Making This Easy Apple Hand Pie Recipe
- Preventing leaks: Don’t overfill your hand pies, even if you’re tempted to add more apples. Just a spoonful is enough, and it helps keep the filling from leaking out as the pies bake.
- Use different apple varieties: Mixing tart apples with sweeter ones creates a more balanced flavor. Try combining Granny Smith with Gala or Fuji for extra depth.
- Add a sugar sprinkle: Sprinkle coarse sugar over the egg wash before baking for a little crunch.
- Try different shapes: Circles are classic, but you can also cut squares or rectangles for a fun twist. Just make sure all pieces are roughly the same size so they bake evenly.
How to Store Your Delicious Apple Hand Pies
Store your leftover apple hand pies in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They’ll stay fresh for up to four days and can be enjoyed cold or reheated.
Thinking of making some ahead and freezing them? They’ll keep well for up to three months. Just wrap each pie individually in plastic wrap and then foil before freezing.
Once you’re ready to enjoy them again, warm them in the oven at 350°F for about 10 minutes, and they’ll taste just like they were freshly baked.
Helpful Extras for Preparing and Serving the Best Apple Hand Pies
- A cooling rack helps air circulate around your pies so the bottoms don’t get soggy while they cool. The glaze also sets more evenly when the pies rest on the rack.
- A simple decorative serving platter can elevate your presentation, especially if you’re hosting friends or family.
- Planning to share your apple hand pies? Check out these mini dessert boxes. They make it easy to package up a few pies as gifts or party favors. Guests will love leaving with a little box of homemade treats.
FAQs about Making Apple Hand Pies for Fall Parties
How to keep hand pies from getting soggy?
Let the apple filling cool before adding it to the crust, and don’t overfill the pies. Baking them on parchment paper or a cooling rack also helps keep the bottoms crisp.
Can hand pies be frozen before baking?
Yes! You can assemble the hand pies and freeze them unbaked on a tray, then transfer them to a freezer bag once firm. When you’re ready, bake them straight from frozen—just add a few extra minutes to the baking time.
How to give apple pie more flavor?
To boost the flavor of hand pies and even classic apple pies, try mixing different apple varieties or adding a pinch of nutmeg, ginger, or cardamom. A drizzle of caramel or a sprinkle of coarse sugar on top can also take them to the next level.
This apple hand pie recipe is one of the easiest projects you can try as a beginner baker. Wondering how you can improve the presentation?
Hand pies are naturally rustic, so making them look exciting can feel tricky. Why not wrap each pie in a strip of parchment and tie it with twine?
You can also arrange them on a spread with a few apple slices, cinnamon sticks, or even mini pumpkins for a fun fall touch.
Looking for more recipes? These options are bound to be family favorites:
- Apple Crisp with Vanilla Ice Cream
- Chocolate Walnut Brownies
- No-Churn Vegan Mango Sorbet
- Instant Pot Apple Cinnamon Cheesecake
- Sweet Potato Bites
Apple Hand Pies
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 12 hand pies 1x
Description
These apple hand pies bring together everything you love about fall baking. They’re sweet, flaky, and full of warm apple flavor. Serve them at parties, holidays, or even just on a cozy night at home.
Ingredients
For the Filling:
- 2 small Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and diced
- 1 Honeycrisp apple, peeled, cored, and diced
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon butter
For the Assembly:
- 2 sheets store-bought pie crust
- 1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)
For the Glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 to 2 tablespoons milk
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the diced apples, granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, and lemon juice. Cook for about 5 to 7 minutes, until the apples have softened slightly. Remove from heat and let the filling cool.
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Roll out the store-bought pie crust and cut out circles about 4 to 5 inches in diameter using a cookie cutter or the rim of a glass.
- Place a spoonful of apple filling in the center of one dough circle. Top with a second dough circle, pressing around the edges to seal.
- Crimp the edges with a fork, brush the tops with the beaten egg, and cut two small slits on top of each pie to let steam escape.
- Place the assembled hand pies on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and let them cool slightly.
- Prepare the glaze. In a small bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Drizzle the glaze over the cooled hand pies and allow it to set for a few minutes before serving.
