These Apple Hand Pies are buttery, flaky, and filled with tender cinnamon spiced apples. Each little pie is perfectly portioned for snacking, dessert tables, or cozy fall baking.

The apple filling cooks quickly on the stovetop, while refrigerated pie crust keeps the pastry simple and convenient. A sprinkle of coarse sugar gives the tops a crisp finish, and salted caramel makes an easy optional drizzle.

Why You’ll Want to Make These Apple Hand Pies

• Easy pastry: Refrigerated pie crust keeps the prep simple without sacrificing a flaky texture.
• Quick apple filling: Diced apples soften in just 8-10 minutes with warm spices and a touch of lemon.
• Perfect portions: Individual hand pies are easy to serve, store, and enjoy without slicing a whole pie.
• Make ahead friendly: The assembled pies can be chilled briefly before baking to help the pastry hold its shape.
• Simple ingredients: Apples, pantry spices, pie crust, and a few baking staples create the entire dessert.
• Great for beginners: The straightforward assembly makes these pies approachable even if you’re new to homemade pastries.

Ingredient Insights and Smart Choices

1. Apples: Finely diced apples cook quickly and create a tender filling. Choose firm apples that hold their shape well during cooking.
2. Warm spices: Cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice give the filling its classic apple-pie flavor without overpowering the fruit.
3. Lemon juice: A small amount adds brightness and balances the sweetness of the apple filling.
4. Cornstarch: This thickens the cooked apples so the filling stays inside the pastry rather than becoming too loose.
5. Pie crust: Homemade or refrigerated store-bought crust both work well. Roll it to about ⅛-inch thick for manageable hand pies.
6. Egg wash and coarse sugar: The egg-and-milk mixture helps the pastry brown, while coarse sugar adds a lightly crisp topping.

Apple Hand Pies Recipe

These Apple Hand Pies are buttery, flaky, and filled with tender cinnamon-spiced apples. Each little pie is perfectly portioned for snacking, dessert tables, or cozy fall baking, with a golden crust and sweet apple filling in every bite.

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Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 28 minutes mins

Total Time 58 minutes mins

Servings: 10

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Calories: 285

Ingredients Equipment Method

Ingredients

  

Apple Filling

• 3 medium apples peeled, cored, and finely diced
• ⅓ cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch

Pastry

• 2 refrigerated pie crusts homemade or store-bought
• 1 large egg
• 1 tablespoon milk
• 2 tablespoons coarse sugar

Optional Topping

• Salted caramel sauce for drizzling

Equipment

• Large baking sheets
• Parchment paper
• Medium saucepan
• Rolling pin
• 3½-inch round cookie cutter
• Pastry brush
• Fork
• Cooling rack

Method

 

1. Add the diced apples, sugar, butter, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, lemon juice, and cornstarch to a saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the apples are tender and the mixture is thickened. Let cool completely.
   
2. Preheat the oven to 375°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Lightly flour your work surface and roll the chilled pie crusts until they are about ⅛-inch thick.
   
3. Cut the dough into 3½-inch circles, re-rolling the scraps as needed. Arrange half of the circles on the prepared baking sheets and refrigerate the remaining circles while you assemble the pies.
   
4. Spoon about 1½ tablespoons of cooled apple filling into the center of each dough circle, leaving a border around the edges. Cut a few small vents in the remaining dough circles, then place them over the filling.
   
5. Press the edges together with your fingers, then crimp around each hand pie with a fork to seal. Whisk the egg with milk and lightly brush the tops with the egg wash.
   
6. Sprinkle the hand pies with coarse sugar. If the pastry has become soft, refrigerate or freeze the assembled pies for 10–15 minutes before baking to help them hold their shape.
   
7. Bake for 26–30 minutes, rotating the baking sheets halfway through, until the pastry is puffed and golden brown. Cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature with optional salted caramel.
   

Nutrition Information

Get the Best Results Every Time

• Using warm filling: Allow the cooked apple mixture to cool completely before filling the pastry.
• Overfilling the pies: Keep the filling around 1½ tablespoons per circle so the edges can seal properly.
• Skipping the vents: Small vents give steam an escape route and help prevent the tops from splitting.
• Leaving a soft pastry: Chill or briefly freeze assembled pies if the dough becomes difficult to handle.
• Under-sealing the edges: Press the pastry together before crimping with a fork to create a secure seal.
• Overbaking: Start checking around the 26 minute mark and remove the pies once the pastry is puffed and golden.

Customize This Recipe Your Way

• Apple cranberry: Add finely chopped dried cranberries to the cooled apple filling.
• Extra cinnamon: Increase the cinnamon slightly for a more pronounced warm-spice flavor.
• Maple apple: Replace part of the granulated sugar with maple syrup for a deeper sweetness.
• Pecan apple: Add finely chopped pecans to the cooled filling for extra texture.
• Caramel apple: Finish the baked hand pies with a generous drizzle of salted caramel sauce.
• Glazed tops: Replace the coarse sugar topping with a simple powdered sugar glaze after cooling.
• Spiced pastry: Add a small pinch of cinnamon to the pastry dough for extra warmth.

More Apple Desserts to Try

1. Fresh Apple Cake
2. Sweet Potato Pecan Pie
3. Peanut Butter Cups
4. Homemade Chocolate Brownies
5. Cinnamon Sugar Biscuit Bites

How to Store Apple Hand Pies

1. Cool completely: Let the hand pies cool on a wire rack before storing them to prevent excess moisture from softening the pastry.
2. Room temperature: Store cooled pies in an airtight container for short-term storage.
3. Refrigerator: Keep them refrigerated when you want to extend their freshness beyond a couple of days.
4. Freezer: Wrap individual cooled hand pies securely and place them in a freezer-safe container or bag.
5. Maintain crispness: Keep the pies covered but avoid trapping excess steam, which can make the crust less crisp.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What apples work well for apple hand pies?
   Firm apples that maintain some texture when cooked work well. A combination of sweet and tart apples can also create a balanced filling.
2. Why does my apple filling need to be cooled before assembly?
   Hot filling can soften the pastry and make it harder to seal. Cooling also gives the cornstarch time to fully thicken the mixture.
3. Do I need to peel the apples?
   Yes, peeling is recommended for this recipe because the filling uses finely diced apples and is meant to have a smooth, tender texture.
4. What does the cornstarch do in the filling?
   Cornstarch helps absorb excess moisture released by the apples, creating a thicker filling that is easier to contain inside the pastry.
5. Why should I rotate the baking sheets?
   Rotating the sheets halfway through baking helps the hand pies brown more evenly, especially when using two baking sheets at once.
6. Can I make different shapes with the pastry?
   Yes. You can use other cookie cutters as long as the pieces are large enough to hold the filling and provide enough border for sealing.

Anjali Arora

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