APPLE HAND PIES

Prep Time: 30 mins | Cook Time: 25 mins | Total Time: 55 mins | Servings: 8 hand pies

These are my favourite handheld Fall treat. Apple hand pies are a wonderful and impressive addition to packed lunches for a special touch o enjoy with a scoop of ice cream after a meal.

Ingredients

Pie Crust:

1 ½ c. all-purpose flour (200 grams)

2 rounded tablespoon granulated sugar (31 grams)

¼ rounded teaspoon kosher salt (2 grams)

5 oz. unsalted butter (cold & cubed, 141 grams)

3 tbsp cold water

Extra flour for rolling

Apple Pie Filling:

2 apples (263 grams peeled & diced)

1 tbsp lemon juice (15 grams)

¼ c. brown sugar (46 grams, lightly packed)

½ tsp apple pie spice

A pinch of kosher salt

1 tbsp unsalted butter (½ ounce, 14 grams)

1 tbsp cornstarch (7 grams)

1 tbsp water

Egg wash:

1 large Egg

1 tbsp of milk

1 tbsp turbinado sugar

¼ tsp apple pie spice (optional)

How to make Apple Hand Pies

Apple Pie Filling:

Step 1: In a mixing bowl, toss the diced apple, lemon juice, brown sugar, apple pie spice, and salt.

Step 2: In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Once the butter has melted, add the apple mixture to the saucepan and cook for about 5 minutes until the sugar has been dissolved and the pieces of apple are beginning to soften.

Step 3: With cold water, mix the cornstarch to make the slurry. Add this into the saucepan, stirring for about a minute until the pie filling has thickened. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.

Pie dough:

Step 1: In a food processor, add the flour, sugar, and salt. To mix, pulse several times before adding in the cubed cold butter. Process until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs and the butter is around pea-size. A tbsp at a time, add the cold water and pulse until a dough forms.

Step 2: Onto a lightly floured board, dump the dough, and form it into a disk. With plastic wrap, wrap the dough and place it in the fridge for at least an hour.

Step 3: After an hour, take the pie dough out of the fridge. Roll it out on a lightly floured surface to between 1/8 to 1/4-inch thickness. Then, divide into circles with a 4.5-inches cookie cutter, re-rolling the scraps and cutting them into circles. On a parchment-lined baking sheet, transfer the circles and place them in the fridge until ready to use.

Step 4: If there are any scraps, re-roll them and cut them into cute shapes using a pie crust stamp. Then, transfer the shapes on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Store in the fridge or freeze until ready to use.

To assemble the hand pies:

Step 1: To make the egg wash, beat an egg with a tbsp milk.

Step 2: Remove a piece of dough circle from the fridge. Let the rest stay in the fridge and just work for one dough circle at a time. Now, roll the top half of the dough circle with a small rolling pin to enlarge it a little.

Step 3: Around the bottom edge of the circle, brush the egg wash. On top, add one heaping tbsp of the cool apple pie filling, folding the top half over the filling and pressing the edges. Use a fork to seal. Do this for the rest of the circles.

Step 4: With the egg wash, brush the back of the decorations and adhere it to the top of the pie.

Step 5: On a parchment-lined baking sheet, place the hand pies and in the fridge or freezer for at least 15 to 30 minutes.

Step 6: Prepare the oven. Preheat it to 425 degrees F.

Step 7: Generously brush the entire surface of the pies with egg wash including the decorations just before baking. On top of the hand pies, make steam vents by poking holes using the tip of a paring knife.

Step 8: If desired, combine turbinado sugar with apple pie spice, then generously sprinkle this on top.

Step 9: Place inside the preheated oven and bake for about 18 to 19 minutes until golden brown, covered.

Step 10: Take the hand pies out of the oven and onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes:

For this recipe, use your favourite apple variety. You can even use a mixture of sweet and tart apples.

Or use a combination of apples and pears. If desired, you can opt for just pears.

You can also work with store-bought pie dough.

Feel free to skip the cornstarch and simply cook the apple mixture a bit longer to reduce the juice down some more if you prefer a juicier apple pie filling. And for a stronger flavour, add more apple pie spice to the apple pie filling.

In place of the pie filling, you can use apple butter.

I would suggest freezing the pies before baking especially if you have decorations as it will help keep their shape. Or just sit the pie in the fridge.

Nutrition Fact:

Serving: 106g | Calories: 299kcal