Apple Hand Pies

I have to be honest with you right off the bat: I think hand pies are actually superior to a traditional slice of pie. There, I said it. Don’t get me wrong, a beautiful lattice apple pie is a showstopper, but there is something satisfying about the geometry of a hand pie. You get that perfect crust-to-filling ratio in every single bite, and more importantly, you don’t have to share it. It’s yours.

These apple hand pies are everything you want in a dessert. They are flaky, buttery, and filled with tender, cinnamon-spiced apples that taste like pure comfort. Whether you are an experienced baker or this is your first time handling dough, I’m going to walk you through this. By the time we’re done, your kitchen is going to smell amazing, and you’ll have a batch of golden treats that look like they came from a bakery.

This recipe is special to me because it’s forgiving. It doesn’t demand perfection; it celebrates the “rustic” look. If a little juice bubbles over or the crimping isn’t perfectly uniform, it just makes them look more homemade and inviting.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• No Slicing Required: Forget the anxiety of the first slice falling apart. These are grab-and-go.
• Texture Heaven: Because they are smaller, the apples cook faster and don’t get mushy, and the crust stays incredibly crisp.
• Freezer Friendly: You can make a big batch, freeze them unbaked, and pop one in the oven whenever you need a sweet pick-me-up.
• Versatile: I’ll show you how to tweak the filling, but the base recipe is a crowd-pleaser that isn’t overly sweet.

Tools You’ll Need

You don’t need a professional pastry kitchen for this. Here is what you should grab:

• Baking Sheet: A standard half-sheet pan works best.
• Parchment Paper: Essential for preventing sticking and making cleanup easy.
• Rolling Pin: To get that dough to the perfect thickness.
• Round Cutter or Small Bowl: You need something about 4 to 5 inches (10-12 cm) in diameter. I often just use the rim of a cereal bowl and a sharp knife to trace it.
• Pastry Brush: For applying the egg wash that gives us that golden shine.
• Fork: For crimping the edges and sealing the goodness inside.

The Ingredients

I’ve included both US cups and Metric measurements so you can use whatever you are comfortable with.

For the Filling:

• 2 large apples: I highly recommend a mix of Granny Smith (tart/firm) and Honeycrisp (sweet/crisp).
• 2 tbsp (30g) unsalted butter: For sautéing the apples.
• ¼ cup (50g) brown sugar: Packed tight. This gives a caramel-like depth.
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon: You can’t have apple pie without it.
• ¼ tsp nutmeg: Freshly grated if you have it!
• 1 tbsp (8g) flour or cornstarch: This thickens the juices so your pies don’t get soggy.
• 1 tsp lemon juice: Brightens the flavor and keeps apples from browning.
• Pinch of salt: Balances the sugar.

For the Crust:

• 2 rounds of Pie Dough: You can use a double-crust homemade recipe or a box of refrigerated store-bought pie crusts (usually comes with two rolls). Note: If making homemade, you’ll need about 2.5 cups (315g) of flour and 1 cup (225g) of cold butter.

The Finish:

• 1 egg + 1 tbsp water: Whisked together for the egg wash.
• Coarse sugar (Turbinado or Demerara): For that professional sparkly crunch on top.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Let’s get baking. I’ll be right here with you.

1. Prep the Apples First, peel, core, and dice your apples. You want small cubes here—about ¼ inch (0.5 cm). Since these are small pies, big chunks of apple won’t cook through properly and make the pies hard to close.

2. Cook the Filling (The Secret Step) Here is a tip I learned the hard way: raw apples shrink when they bake, leaving a hollow air gap inside your hand pie. We are going to fix that. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Toss in the apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Cook for about 5–7 minutes until the apples are just tender. Stir in the flour/cornstarch and lemon juice and cook for 1 more minute until the liquid thickens into a glorious goo. Crucial: Transfer this mixture to a bowl and let it cool completely. If you put hot apples on cold dough, the butter in the crust will melt, and you’ll lose your flakes.

3. Cut the Dough Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Roll out your pie dough on a lightly floured surface. Using your cutter or bowl, cut out circles. You should get about 3 or 4 from each sheet of dough. Gather the scraps, re-roll them gently (don’t overwork it!), and cut more. You want about 8 to 10 circles total.

4. Fill and Fold Place your dough circles on your parchment-lined baking sheet. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the cooled apple filling into the center of each circle. Leave a border around the edge! Note: It will be tempting to overfill them. Resist the urge. If you overfill, they will explode in the oven.

5. Seal the Deal Brush a tiny bit of your egg wash along the edge of half the circle. Fold the dough over the filling to create a half-moon shape. Use your fork to press down along the curved edge to crimp and seal it. I like to flour the fork slightly so it doesn’t stick to the dough.

6. The Final Touches Cut two or three small slits in the top of each pie. This isn’t just for looks—it lets steam escape so the pies don’t burst. Brush the tops generously with the remaining egg wash and sprinkle heavily with coarse sugar. That sugar crunch is my favorite part.

7. Bake Pop the tray into the oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes. You are looking for a deep golden brown color. If they look pale, leave them in another minute or two.

8. Cool Let them cool on the baking sheet for at least 10 minutes. The filling is essentially molten lava right now, so give them a moment to settle.

Serving Ideas & Variations

While I usually eat these straight from the baking sheet (carefully!), you can dress them up:

• A la Mode: Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream.
• Caramel Drizzle: A zigzag of salted caramel sauce takes these to the next level.
• Cheese: It sounds weird if you haven’t tried it, but a slice of sharp cheddar cheese melted on top is a classic New England tradition.

Customize it:

• Pear & Cardamom: Swap apples for pears and cinnamon for cardamom.
• Berry Mix: Add a handful of blueberries to the apple mixture.

Storage and Make-Ahead Tips

Storage: Keep these in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the fridge for 5 days.

• Reheating: Do not use the microwave! It makes the crust soggy. Pop them in a toaster oven or regular oven at 350°F (175°C) for 5–10 minutes to crisp them back up.

Freezing (The Best Part): You can assemble the pies completely (up to step 5), place them on a baking sheet to freeze solid, and then transfer them to a freezer bag. They keep for 3 months. When you want one, bake it straight from frozen—just add 3 to 5 minutes to the baking time.

Pro Tips & Mistakes to Avoid

I want your batch to be perfect, so here are the secrets I use:

• Don’t skip the vent holes: I once forgot to cut slits in the top, and the steam blew the side seals open. It was delicious, but messy.
• Keep the dough cold: If your kitchen is hot and the dough starts feeling sticky or limp, put the whole tray in the fridge for 10 minutes before baking. Cold fat hitting a hot oven equals flaky layers.
• The Egg Wash Rule: Don’t let the egg wash pool in the crimped edges or drip down the sides onto the pan. It acts like glue and can make the pie stick to the paper.

The Details

• Yield: 8 to 10 hand pies
• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 25 minutes
• Total Time: 55 minutes
• Calories: ~280-320 kcal per pie

I really hope you give these a try this week. There is something so therapeutic about crimping the edges of the dough, knowing you are about to create something delicious. If you make them, I’d love to hear how they turned out—did you stick to classic apple, or did you get adventurous with the spices?