Homemade Baked Apple Hand Pies Recipe (2024)

Home » Recipes » Desserts » » Homemade Baked Apple Hand Pies Recipe

posted by Amy Johnsonon September 7, 2022 14 comments »

This post may contain Amazon or other affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Jump to Recipe

These Homemade Baked Apple Hand Pies are a little hand-held version of the favorite classic apple pie and they are baked, not fried.

As soon as the temperature teases us with 70 degrees or below for any length of time, and the slightest tinge of color change in the leaves begins to show, it means fall is near. Woo hoo! And that means that our favorite autumnal desserts and treats made with apples and pumpkin, like Apple Pie, Apple Crisp, Pumpkin Pie and Pumpkin Bread, will start making regular appearances at gatherings everywhere. While I would never want to have to pick a favorite, regardless of what season it is, it’s hard to pass up a warm slice of homemade Apple Pie or a cute individual homemade apple turnover, aka a hand pie.

These Baked Apple Hand Pies, are the perfect twist on the full-sized classic. They are a portable version worthy of a seat on any hay ride or at any tailgating party. And you know what? These individual treats are easy as … well, you know, pie. (Sorry. I couldn’t help myself.) But, really. They are easy. And since they are baked and not fried, as with some hand pies, you don’t have a big mess to clean up afterwards either. Yay for less of a mess!

If wanting to prep ahead of time, the pie dough for theseBaked Apple Hand Piescan be portioned out, then rolled into balls, tightly wrapped in plastic wrap and refrigerated a day ahead. The apples can also be sliced and cooked then covered and refrigerated until ready to fill the individual pies. When ready to bake the pies, proceed with the recipe by rolling out each dough ball, portioning out the chilled apple filling, and sealing the pies.

So whether you’re cheering on your favorite football team, or headed out on a hay ride with your closest kin, whip up a batch of these delicious Apple Hand Pies, and pack them up while they are still warm right out of the oven to take along. They will double as hand warmers and sweet tooth satisfiers. They will be a multi-tasking treat that is hard to beat!

Ingredients for Apple Hand Pies

  • pie dough
  • apples (Granny Smith apples are my favorite for these hand pies)
  • salted butter
  • salt
  • brown sugar
  • ground cinnamon
  • ground ginger
  • egg
  • milk
  • granulated sugar

How to Make Apple Hand Pies

  1. Divide pie dough evenly into 6 pieces, then roll each into a ball. Cover and chill the dough balls while filling is prepared.
  2. To make the apple filling, peel and core apples, then slice them thin. Once sliced, cut slices in half. Next, in a skillet over medium heat, warm butter until golden brown. Whisk in the salt, brown sugar, cinnamon and ginger into the browned butter until combined. Add the sliced apples and stir until apples are coated. Bring to a low simmer, stirring occasionally, until apples have softened. Set apple mixture aside and allow to cool completely.
  3. When apple filling has cooled, arrange oven racks to bake on the bottom level. Preheat oven to 400-degrees F. Prepare a large baking sheet by lining it with baking parchment.
  4. On a floured surface, use a rolling pin to roll each dough ball into a circle about 5 inches in diameter. Place about 1/4 cup of apple filling in the center of each dough circle. Fold dough in half over filling, and use a fork to crimp edges together to seal up the hand pie. Place hand pies onto the prepared baking sheet.
  5. Whisk together the egg and milk in a small bowl. Brush the tops of the hand pies with the egg mixture and sprinkle each hand pie with a little granulated sugar. Use a paring knife or kitchen shears to cut a small “X” in the top of each pie to vent.
  6. Ready to bake! Bake the hand pies at 400-degrees F for 15 minutes, then lower the oven temperature to 350-degrees F and bake for another 10-15 minutes, until golden brown and bubbly. Allow to cool a little before serving.

More delicious apple recipes you will enjoy:

  • Toffee Caramel Apple Dip Recipe
  • Apple Pie Recipe
  • Apple Crisp Recipe

Homemade Baked Apple Hand Pies Recipe

Homemade Baked Apple Hand Pies Recipe (4)

Homemade Baked Apple Hand Pies Recipe

Yield: 6

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

These easy homemade baked Apple Hand Pies are the perfect portable version of the favorite full-sized classic apple pie.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound pie dough
  • 1 1/2 pounds Granny Smith apples
  • 3 tablespoons salted butter
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/3 cup brown sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1 egg
  • 2 teaspoons milk
  • 2 teaspoons granulated sugar

Instructions

  1. Evenly divide pie dough into 6 pieces; roll each into a ball. Cover and chill in refrigerator while filling is prepared.
  2. To make filling, peel and core apples; slice thin, then cut slices in half. Heat butter in a skillet over medium heat until golden brown. Whisk in salt, brown sugar, cinnamon and ginger until combined. Add apples and stir to coat. Cook at a low simmer, stirring occasionally, until apples have softened. Set aside and allow to cool.
  3. When apple filling has cooled, arrange oven racks to bake on the bottom level. Preheat oven to 400-degrees F and line a large baking sheet with baking parchment.
  4. On a floured surface, use a rolling pin to roll each chilled dough ball into a circle about 5 inches in diameter. Place equal amounts of apple filling in center of each dough circle (about 1/4 cup per circle). Fold dough circle in half over filling. Use a fork to crimp edges together to seal hand pie. Place hand pies onto prepared parchment lined baking sheet.
  5. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and milk. Brush tops of each hand pie with egg mixture and sprinkle tops evenly with granulated sugar. Cut a small “x” in the top of each pie to vent.
  6. Bake at 400-degrees F for 15 minutes, then lower oven temperature to 350-degrees F and bake for another 10-15 minutes, until golden brown and bubbly. Let cool slightly before serving.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Facebook

Originally published October 14, 2016.

Related Posts:

Caramel Apple Cream Cheese Spread Recipe
Peach Slab Pie Recipe
Easy Strawberry Upside Down Cake Recipe

Desserts

published on September 7, 2022

14 commentsLeave a comment »

« Previous PostGlazed Baby Back Ribs Recipe

Next Post »Caramel Apple Cream Cheese Spread Recipe

Homemade Baked Apple Hand Pies Recipe (9)

ABOUT AMY

What began as a place for me to explore and share about my random hobbies and interests, has morphed into mostly sharing recipes — essentially a living, breathing, growing cookbook that is my absolute pleasure to share with you. The recipes here are simple, easy to prepare and nourishing for body and soul. Read more...

Get the Latest!

subscribe now and get new posts delivered via email:

Leave a Reply

14 comments on “Homemade Baked Apple Hand Pies Recipe”

  1. Susie MandelReply

    I just love apple pie, and these are the perfect size!

  2. TeriReply

    Oh my goodness these look amazing! I’m totally making these!! Thanks for posting the recipe!!

  3. nattoReply

    I dont buy ready made doughs and prefer to make them at home. Is there a recipe you could share for making pie dough myself. Sorry for the inconvenience but I love to be original in my cooking. Hope you will help.

    • Amy Johnson

      There are many homemade pie dough recipes online. I’d recommend checking out this pie crust recipe from my friend, Robyn at addapinch.com: http://addapinch.com/pie-crust-recipe/

  4. Carmela NovelloReply

    Can the handpies be frozen before baking? Thank you.

    • Amy Johnson

      I would think so, but I have yet to try it with this recipe.

  5. MarjaReply

    Hi Amy,
    I was just about to do the shopping for something alike! I’ll make Apple turnovers with puff pastry and pre-cooked apples with Cinnamon in unsalted butter and put them together and bake them in my wafflemaker! It’s a very quick to make recipe and the taste awesome, just like yours will be! But i’ll try yours too, i put them on my to bake list! I only know them with puff pastry and have never tasted them with piedough. So i’ll have to try yours too! They look great though and yummie too.
    Thanks for the recipe and till next time.
    Have a wonderfull day and greetingss to you,
    Marja

  6. Healthy Kitchen 101Reply

    They look so delicious! It’s the first time I heard of Granny Smith apples so I did google it and found it interesting 🙂
    – Natalie Ellis

  7. sonnyReply

    hi! how far in advance can these be made…using already made crust. thanks

  8. JLReply

    Is a recipe for (1) standard pie crust equivalent to “a pound” as called for in your recipe? Or would you recommend doubling the normal pie crust (1) recipe to make these hand pies? Thanks. Apple pie is my son’s most favorite thing. 🙂

    • Amy Johnson

      You will need approximately the equivalent to 2 pie crust bottoms/shells.

  9. Amy StansberryReply

    When you say “pie dough”, do you mean pie crust dough? I looked for ready made pie dough and was unsuccessful.

    • Amy Johnson

      Yes, pie crust dough.

  10. SabrinaReply

    love these, great serving size and its apple season, yay, thank you!

Leave a comment »

Homemade Baked Apple Hand Pies Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What are the three best apples for apple pie? ›

The best apples for making apple pie
  • Braeburn. This apple is a descendant of Granny Smith, but slightly sweeter. ...
  • Cortland. ...
  • Crispin (Mutsu). ...
  • Golden Delicious. ...
  • Granny Smith. ...
  • Honeycrisp. ...
  • Jonagold or Jonathan. ...
  • Northern Spy.
Oct 8, 2021

Do hand pies need to be refrigerated? ›

If a pie contains eggs or dairy products, it should be stored in the refrigerator and not left out at room temperature for more than two hours. Pies that do not contain dairy products, such as fruit pies can be stored, loosely covered at room temperature for up to two days.

Why did my apples turn to applesauce in my pie? ›

For example, sweeter apples tend to break down easier than their acidic partners. This means that apples like Red Delicious break down quickly, turning your pie into more of an applesauce than a delectable dessert.

How to seal hand pies? ›

Place filling on one-half of the dough circles, leaving a half-inch edge. Dip a fingertip into the egg wash (1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water) and coat the edges of the circles with filling. Top with the remaining circles and press the edges to seal.

Can you mix different apples for apple pie? ›

The key word is “mix.” Instead of selecting one variety of apple, it's best to opt for a few, which will give the filling a more balanced and nuanced flavor. You'll want some sweet and some tart, and most should be firm enough to hold their shape when baked. No one wants a mushy pie!

How many apples for one pie? ›

It's hard to know exactly how many apples you'll need for an apple pie, but for one 9-inch pie, you probably won't need more than 10 apples. If your apples are smaller, you'll probably need 10; if they're really big apples, you'll use fewer of them.

Can I leave apple pie out overnight? ›

The pie will be just fine on the counter, but only for a day or two, at which point it needs to go into the fridge. The sugar and acid in apple pie will slow down bacteria growth in that 1-2 day period, but all bets are off after that.

Why do stores not refrigerate pies? ›

According to the Food and Drug Administration, homemade pies containing eggs should be refrigerated. 2 However, you've probably noticed that a lot of grocery stores and restaurants serve and store them at room temperature. This is because, quite simply, they taste better that way.

Can you reheat hand pies? ›

Reheating Hand Pies

Place hand pies on a lined baking sheet and heat for 6-8 minutes or until just warmed through. Salted Honey and Pecan Pies are good on your counter for 3 days, then refrigerate or freeze.

What apples should not be used for apple pie? ›

There are a few apples that don't make the cut. While great for snacking, Gala, Fuji and Red Delicious are the most common apples that won't hold up in the oven and will give you a watery-mushy pie, tart or cake.

Should you precook apples for apple pie? ›

Precooking the apples solved the shrinking problem, helping them hold their shape in the oven while also eliminating any excess liquid, and thereby protecting the bottom crust.

How do I stop my hand pies from leaking? ›

Sealing the edges of these hand pies with a fork keeps the filling from leaking out the side, but also squashes the top crust into the bottom, preventing either from rising as high as they might.

What kind of dough are hand pies made of? ›

A hand pie is a tiny version of a full-sized pie so we want to use a similar pie crust. I'm using Pâte Brisée which is a very simple, not-too-sweet but delicious crust. It's very similar to pie dough but the texture is finer and stronger than traditional pie dough. Perfect for making hand pies.

How do you store leftover hand pies? ›

The pies are best eaten within a day of baking them, but they can be stored in airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. They can also be wrapped with plastic wrap and placed in a freezer storage bag and frozen for up to 2 months.

What are the top 3 best apples? ›

10 Most Popular Apple Types—and Which Ones Are Best for Baking and Snacking
  • 01 of 10. Granny Smith. undefined undefined / GETTY IMAGES. ...
  • 02 of 10. Golden Delicious. liaminou / GETTY IMAGES. ...
  • 03 of 10. Red Delicious. LiveFree / GETTY IMAGES. ...
  • 04 of 10. McIntosh. ...
  • 05 of 10. Honeycrisp. ...
  • 06 of 10. Gala. ...
  • 07 of 10. Pink Lady. ...
  • 08 of 10. Fuji.
Oct 6, 2023

What 4 apples are best used for baking? ›

Which apples bake best? For the best pies, crisps, and other baked treats, apples need to be firm enough to hold their own during the cooking process. We call these apples “baking apples” and to namedrop, they include Braeburn, Cortland, Honey Gold, Jonathan, Fuji, Gala, Granny Smith, Haralson, and Newtown Pippin.

What kind of apples does mcdonalds use for their pies? ›

A-Plus Apples

Instead, Mickey D's makes their pies with six different types of apples — Jonagold, Fuji, Golden Delicious, Gala, Rome, and Ida Red, all of which are homegrown in the U.S. And the apples are sliced instead of diced, so you'll notice big chunks of apple in every bite.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Nicola Considine CPA

Last Updated:

Views: 6317

Rating: 4.9 / 5 (49 voted)

Reviews: 80% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Nicola Considine CPA

Birthday: 1993-02-26

Address: 3809 Clinton Inlet, East Aleisha, UT 46318-2392

Phone: +2681424145499

Job: Government Technician

Hobby: Calligraphy, Lego building, Worldbuilding, Shooting, Bird watching, Shopping, Cooking

Introduction: My name is Nicola Considine CPA, I am a determined, witty, powerful, brainy, open, smiling, proud person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.