I’m sharing Easy Apple Hand Pies With Pie Crust that tuck spiced, caramelized apples into flaky, buttery pockets and can be made with either homemade or store bought crusts.

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Whenever I want something portable and a little bit rebellious, I make my Amazing Apple Hand Pies. There is a thrill in biting into flaky pockets stuffed with Granny Smith or Honeycrisp apples, rolled into refrigerated pie crusts or homemade pie dough.

I kept experimenting with folds and fillings, some attempts were disasters, others felt like cheating. This version surprised me, it’s bright, a little tangy and somehow perfect for snatching on the go.

If you’ve flipped through Hand Pie Recipes or bookmarked Mini Apple Pies, give this one a try, you might not go back.

Ingredients

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Apples: good source of fiber, natural sweetness, tart when using Granny Smith, keeps filling juicy.
Pie crust: gives buttery flakiness, mainly carbs, adds rich texture and golden browning.
Granulated sugar: sweetens filling, increases caramelization, mostly simple carbs and calories.
Brown sugar: adds molasses flavor, makes filling deeper tasting and a bit sticky.
Cinnamon: warm spice, small amounts add aroma and cozy sweetness to apples.
Cornstarch: thickens juices so pies don’t leak, it’s mostly starch carbs not protein.
Butter: adds richness and helps browning, delivers fat that makes crust tender.

Ingredient Quantities

1 package (2 sheets) refrigerated pie crusts or about 1 lb homemade pie dough

3 medium apples (about 1 1/2 lb), peeled, cored and diced, Granny Smith or Honeycrisp work great

1/3 cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons packed brown sugar

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

1 large egg

1 tablespoon milk or water

1 tablespoon coarse or turbinado sugar for sprinkling (optional)

How to Make this

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1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and if using refrigerated crusts let them sit 10 minutes at room temp so they roll easier.

2. Make the filling: in a medium bowl toss 3 peeled, cored and diced apples with 1/3 cup granulated sugar, 2 tbsp packed brown sugar, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tbsp cornstarch, 1 tsp vanilla, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/8 tsp nutmeg and 1/8 tsp salt until everything is coated.

3. Cook the filling briefly: melt 1 tbsp unsalted butter in a skillet over medium heat, add the apple mix and cook 4 to 6 minutes until apples soften slightly and liquid thickens. Turn off heat and let cool to room temp before filling so dough wont get soggy.

4. Prep the dough: roll out each pie crust or your homemade dough on a lightly floured surface to about 1/8 inch thick. Use a 3 to 4 inch round cutter or a glass to cut circles. Re-roll scraps once if needed.

5. Fill and seal: place about 1 to 2 tablespoons of cooled apple filling in the center of half your circles leaving a 1/4 inch border. Brush the edge with a little beaten egg wash (1 large egg beaten with 1 tbsp milk or water) then top with another circle. Press edges with a fork to seal and poke a couple small vents in top so steam escapes.

6. Egg wash and finish: brush the tops with more egg wash, sprinkle with 1 tbsp coarse or turbinado sugar if you like crunch, and for extra flaky results chill the formed pies on the baking sheet in the fridge 10 to 15 minutes before baking.

7. Bake: place the sheet in the preheated oven and bake 18 to 22 minutes or until golden brown and bubbling. Rotate the pan once halfway if your oven runs hot.

8. Cool: remove from oven and let cool on the sheet 10 minutes before transferring to a rack. The filling is very hot so dont bite right away.

9. Tips and fixes: if filling seems too runny next time add another 1/2 tsp cornstarch, for crisper bottoms bake on a preheated baking steel or place the sheet on a lower oven rack, freeze assembled pies for 10 minutes before baking to keep shape, and store leftovers in an airtight container for 2 days or refrigerate up to 4 days.

Equipment Needed

1. Oven (preheat to 375°F)
2. Baking sheet and parchment paper
3. Skillet or frying pan (for cooking the apples)
4. Medium mixing bowl (for tossing the filling)
5. Measuring cups and spoons
6. Rolling pin (or bottle if you gotta improvise)
7. 3 to 4 inch round cutter or a wide glass
8. Pastry brush and a fork (egg wash and seal)
9. Knife and cutting board (peel, core and dice the apples)
10. Cooling rack (let pies rest so they dont get soggy)

FAQ

Q: Can I prep the filling ahead of time? A: Yes, you can make the apple filling a day or two ahead. Let it cool completely, store in the fridge, then assemble when ready. Cooling helps keep the crust from getting soggy.

Q: Do I need to cook the apples first or can I use them raw? A: Either works. Raw apples are fine if diced small and mixed with the cornstarch, that will thicken as it bakes. If you want less juice and firmer texture, sauté the apples 3 to 5 minutes with the sugars and spices to evaporate excess liquid, then cool before filling.

Q: How do I stop the pies from leaking? A: Don’t overfill, brush the edges with a little water or beaten egg, and press firmly with a fork to seal. Chill the assembled pies 10 to 15 minutes before baking so the dough firms up, that really helps.

Q: Can I freeze these and how do I bake from frozen? A: Yes, freeze on a baking sheet until solid, then transfer to a bag for up to 2 months. Bake straight from frozen, add about 5 to 10 minutes to the bake time and watch for a golden color. No need to thaw.

Q: What if I don’t eat eggs or ran out, what’s the egg wash substitute? A: Brush with milk, plant milk, or water for a light sheen. Milk gives more color than water. You can also skip the wash and sprinkle turbinado sugar for crunch.

Q: Best baking temp and how long should they bake? A: Bake on a parchment lined sheet at 375°F (190°C) for about 20 to 25 minutes, until tops are golden and filling is bubbling. If you pre-cooked filling or your pies are small, check earlier so they don’t overbrown.

Amazing Apple Hand Pies Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Pie crust: swap in thawed puff pastry for extra flaky layers, or use biscuit dough for a more rustic, biscuit like pocket; for gluten free pick a store bought GF pie crust or make a simple almond flour dough.
Apples: use firm pears like Bosc or Anjou for a softer, sweeter filling, or mix apples with peeled peaches in summer; if you use softer fruit cut bigger pieces and shorten the cook time.
Cornstarch: replace 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 1 tablespoon arrowroot or tapioca starch for the same thickening, or use 2 tablespoons all purpose flour if thats what you have.
Egg (wash): brush with milk or non dairy milk for a lighter color, use heavy cream for richer browning, or just beaten egg white for extra shine if you want less yolk flavor.

Pro Tips

– Use two kinds of apples, one tart (Granny Smith) and one sweet (Honeycrisp or Fuji) and cut them into even 1/2 inch dice so they cook the same. If pieces are too big they stay underdone, too small and they turn mushy.

– Cook the filling until the juices start to thicken, then cool it completely before filling. Transfer the apples with a slotted spoon so you dont add extra syrup to the dough, and if the filling still seems loose next time, add another 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch.

– Dont overfill the circles; 1 to 2 tablespoons is plenty. Seal edges well with egg wash and a fork, poke vents on top, and chill the formed pies 10 to 15 minutes (or freeze 10 minutes) before baking so they hold their shape.

– For a crisp bottom bake on a preheated baking sheet or place the rack lower in the oven, rotate the pan halfway if needed, and if the tops brown too fast tent loosely with foil. Let pies rest 10 minutes after baking so the filling firms up before you bite.

Amazing Apple Hand Pies Recipe

Recipe by Toni Baldesera

0.0 from 0 votes

I’m sharing Easy Apple Hand Pies With Pie Crust that tuck spiced, caramelized apples into flaky, buttery pockets and can be made with either homemade or store bought crusts.

Servings

servings

Calories

348

kcal

Equipment: 1. Oven (preheat to 375°F)
2. Baking sheet and parchment paper
3. Skillet or frying pan (for cooking the apples)
4. Medium mixing bowl (for tossing the filling)
5. Measuring cups and spoons
6. Rolling pin (or bottle if you gotta improvise)
7. 3 to 4 inch round cutter or a wide glass
8. Pastry brush and a fork (egg wash and seal)
9. Knife and cutting board (peel, core and dice the apples)
10. Cooling rack (let pies rest so they dont get soggy)

Ingredients

1 package (2 sheets) refrigerated pie crusts or about 1 lb homemade pie dough
3 medium apples (about 1 1/2 lb), peeled, cored and diced, Granny Smith or Honeycrisp work great
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 large egg
1 tablespoon milk or water
1 tablespoon coarse or turbinado sugar for sprinkling (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and if using refrigerated crusts let them sit 10 minutes at room temp so they roll easier.
Make the filling: in a medium bowl toss 3 peeled, cored and diced apples with 1/3 cup granulated sugar, 2 tbsp packed brown sugar, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tbsp cornstarch, 1 tsp vanilla, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/8 tsp nutmeg and 1/8 tsp salt until everything is coated.
Cook the filling briefly: melt 1 tbsp unsalted butter in a skillet over medium heat, add the apple mix and cook 4 to 6 minutes until apples soften slightly and liquid thickens. Turn off heat and let cool to room temp before filling so dough wont get soggy.
Prep the dough: roll out each pie crust or your homemade dough on a lightly floured surface to about 1/8 inch thick. Use a 3 to 4 inch round cutter or a glass to cut circles. Re-roll scraps once if needed.
Fill and seal: place about 1 to 2 tablespoons of cooled apple filling in the center of half your circles leaving a 1/4 inch border. Brush the edge with a little beaten egg wash (1 large egg beaten with 1 tbsp milk or water) then top with another circle. Press edges with a fork to seal and poke a couple small vents in top so steam escapes.
Egg wash and finish: brush the tops with more egg wash, sprinkle with 1 tbsp coarse or turbinado sugar if you like crunch, and for extra flaky results chill the formed pies on the baking sheet in the fridge 10 to 15 minutes before baking.
Bake: place the sheet in the preheated oven and bake 18 to 22 minutes or until golden brown and bubbling. Rotate the pan once halfway if your oven runs hot.
Cool: remove from oven and let cool on the sheet 10 minutes before transferring to a rack. The filling is very hot so dont bite right away.
Tips and fixes: if filling seems too runny next time add another 1/2 tsp cornstarch, for crisper bottoms bake on a preheated baking steel or place the sheet on a lower oven rack, freeze assembled pies for 10 minutes before baking to keep shape, and store leftovers in an airtight container for 2 days or refrigerate up to 4 days.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.