These oven-baked fresh apple hand pies are the perfect desserts for fall! With a flaky pie dough crust, and a sweet, cinnamon-spiced filling of granny smith apples, they're impossible to resist! No finicky puff pastry here - the pie dough crust holds it's shape well.
Y'all. I love pies. Especially in the fall. Pumpkin pie, sweet potato pie, and my new fav - boozy bourbon bacon pecan pie. And what is more fall, more Southern and classic, more holiday-like than apple pie?!
We are putting all the classic flavors of apple pie into a bite-size version that you can hold with your hands. Apple hand pies are everything you love about traditional apple pie but in a bite-size version. It all starts with a flaky homemade pie crust cut into large circles, stuffed with a simple diced cinnamon apple filling, folded over, and oven-baked 350 for 35-40 minutes until the crust is nice and golden brown. This is like a mini calzone - but with apple pie filling! Perfect for a hand-held dessert for all your holiday parties!
⭐️ PRO TIP ⭐️ To start the filling, you will need to peel and finely dice the apples. After testing different rounds of this, and since these are going to be basically mini pies, the apples need to be diced quite small. Otherwise, you won't be able to fit big chunks of apple filling into the delicate and small pie crust circles.
🍏Why use Granny Smith apples? 🍏 Any time my mom baked with apples growing up, she always used Granny Smith. It is because they hold up when baking. They do not become mush or disintegrate into whatever dish you're making but hold their shape, and taste, and their distinct tart flavor stands out and complements any sweet dessert. I recommend using only Granny Smith apples in this recipe.
Pie Crust Circle prep
Before we begin - a word about homemade pie crust. I highly recommend making your own here. The extra effort and time is worth it IMO. BUT - if you are under time constraints OR just don't want to make your own then the store-bought crust will be just fine. You will need to get the sheets and not the crust in the pie shell. That kind won't work.
That's it! But do you want to know the best part about this recipe?! Although they do require a little bit more prep work at the beginning - apple hand pies freeze beautifully and can be made ahead of time! Just in time for all of that holiday party hosting and making prep even easier!
Recipe
Baked Apple-Cinnamon Hand Pies (made with Pie Dough)
- Total Time: 80 minutes
- Yield: 20-24 1x
Description
We are turning a fall classic into a mini version with these Apple Hand Pies! All the flavors you love packed into a bite-size pie you can happily hold!
Ingredients
Pie Crust
Apple Filling
- 3-4 Granny Smith Apples - peeled and finely diced into small pieces
- 2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
- 2 Tablespoon Sugar + more for topping
- 1 Teaspoon Cinnamon
- Egg & White Sugar - for egg wash and sprinkling
Instructions
Apple Filling
- Peel and finely dice apples, making sure to dice as small as possible. Add to a bowl.
- Add in sugars and cinnamon. Mix to combine.
- Let sit while prepping the pie crust.
Pie Crust
- Make according to the recipe directions.
- Roll out with a rolling pin until about ¼ - ⅛ inch thick.
- Cut out circles with a large cookie cutter. You will want the circles to be about 4" in diameter -roll out the circles a little more if needed to get to that size.
To Assemble
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Place a spoonful (about a tablespoon) of the apples into the center of the pie crust circle.
- Fold the circle over, creating a half-moon shape.
- Using a fork, crimp the edges to seal them shut and place them on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Repeat until the apple mixture is all gone.
- Crack an egg in a bowl, add a splash of water, and whisk. Using a pastry brush, brush the tops of the apple hand pies and sprinkle the tops with a little white sugar.
- Place in the preheated oven and bake for 35-40 minutes, until the tops are golden brown and the pastry has cooked all the way through to the bottom.
- Remove from the oven and enjoy!
Notes
- Store-bought pie crust can be used as well if preferred. Buy the sheets of pie crust - not the kind already in a pie plate.
How to Make Ahead and Freeze
- Follow the recipe above and stop before brushing with egg wash and baking.
- Place all of the finished pies on a baking sheet and place them in the freezer. Freeze for about 30 minutes until they are all frozen and solid.
- Remove off the baking sheet and place in a freezer-safe zip-top bag and store in the freezer for up to 6 months.
- To bake, remove from the freezer and place on a baking sheet. Brush with the eggs wash and sugar and bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes or until lightly golden brown.
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Pies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 pie
- Calories: 115
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 98 mg
- Fat: 6.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 14 g
- Fiber: 1.1 g
- Protein: 1.2 g
- Cholesterol: 10.7 mg
I love this recipe and idea. Being Hispanic I've made many an empanada, so why I didn't think about this sooner blows my mind ?. Although I really suck at pie crust. For some unfathomable reason I continue to torment myself by continuing to try. I hope that I will get it one day if I keep persistently trying ?. For now, I am going to make these pies at 11 pm because my craving for apple pie is that intense and no store around me has anything that can hold a candles light to the deliciousness of freshly made apple pie (even if my crust is less than perfect ?)
Haha! I love hearing this! Thanks for reading. There is no shame in store-bought pie crust! But you totally got this and can do it! I believe in you! Now you're making me want some Apple Pie! 🙂