Apple Hand Pies

4.8
(173)

These homemade apple hand pies have a sweet and tender apple and cinnamon filling. The bake up golden and crisp for a fantastic fall dessert!

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closeup of a beautiful golden brown turnover with three steam vents on a white plate with gray stripes on the rim
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Prep Time:
25 mins
Cook Time:
35 mins
Additional Time:
15 mins
Total Time:
1 hr 15 mins
Servings:
4
Yield:
4 hand pies
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Ingredients

Original recipe (1X) yields 4 servings

  • 2 tablespoons butter

  • 2 large green apples - peeled, cored, and cut into chunks

  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar

  • ¼ cup white sugar

  • ¼ teaspoon salt

  • 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon, or to taste

  • 1 teaspoon water, or more if needed (Optional)

  • 1 pound prepared pie dough, cut into 4 pieces

  • 1 egg

  • 2 teaspoons milk

  • 1 teaspoon white sugar, or as needed

Directions

  1. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat; let butter brown to a light golden color and smell toasted, about 1 minute. Stir apples into hot butter; sprinkle with 1/4 cup white sugar, brown sugar, and salt. Cook and stir apple mixture until apples are softened, about 5 minutes. Mix in cinnamon and water; continue cooking until apples are soft and sticky, 1 to 2 more minutes. Spread apple filling onto a plate to cool.

    Apples cooking in a skillet of butter, sugar, salt, water and cinnamon until softened.

    Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

  2. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper.

  3. Form a dough piece into a ball, place on a floured work surface, and roll into a circle about 8 inches in diameter.

    Dough rolled into a circle, about an 8-inch diameter.

    Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

  4. Spoon 1/3 to 1/2 cup apple filling in the center.

    a top down view of apple filling being placed into the middle of dough circles on a lightly floured surface.

    Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

  5. Fold dough over filling, leaving about 1 inch of dough on the bottom side visible below the top side. Gently press dough closed around filling, using your fingertips.

    Dough folded over apple filling.

    Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

  6. Fold the overhanging bottom part of dough up over the top edge, working your way around the crust, and pinch the overhang tightly to the top part of the crust.

    Overhanging bottom part of dough folded over the top edge, pinching tightly.

    Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

  7. Crimp the edge tightly closed, pinching a little bit of dough with the thumb and forefinger of one hand and using your index finger on the other hand to push a small notch into the pinched dough. Continue pinching and notching all the way around until crust is tightly crimped together. Repeat with remaining dough and filling. Transfer pies onto prepared baking sheet.

    Edges crimped closed until crust is tightly crimped together.

    Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

  8. Whisk egg with milk in a small bowl until thoroughly combined. Brush top of each hand pie with egg mixture and sprinkle with about 1/4 teaspoon white sugar. Cut 3 small vent holes in the top of each pie.

    Dough transferred to baking sheet, cut to vent, and brushed with egg mixture and topped with sugar.

    Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

  9. Bake in the preheated oven until pies are golden brown and filling is bubbling, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool for at least 15 minutes before serving.

    looking down at a plate full of golden brown apple hand pies

    DOTDASH MEREDITH FOOD STUDIOS 

Chef's Tips

This will work with any of your favorite pie fillings, both sweet and savory. Here's my recipe for buttercrust pastry dough that would work perfectly for these hand pies.

To make in an air fryer: Prepare the recipe as directed through Step 8, except preheat the air fryer to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Coat both sides of pies with cooking spray. Working in batches if needed, arrange pies in an even layer in the air fryer basket and cook until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbling, about 10 minutes. Let cool for about 10 minutes before serving.

Editor's Note:

Please note the difference in baking time when using the magazine version of this recipe.

415 home cooks made it!

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

728 Calories
42g Fat
82g Carbs
9g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 4
Calories 728
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 42g 54%
Saturated Fat 13g 64%
Cholesterol 62mg 21%
Sodium 754mg 33%
Total Carbohydrate 82g 30%
Dietary Fiber 6g 23%
Total Sugars 31g
Protein 9g 17%
Vitamin C 5mg 6%
Calcium 38mg 3%
Iron 4mg 19%
Potassium 215mg 5%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.