These Apple Hand Pies are the perfect handheld treat — portable, mess-free, and no need to slice a whole apple pie. They're filled with a delicious cinnamon apple filling and wrapped in a flaky homemade pie crust. Bake in the oven or air fry!
Apple hand pies are the perfect way to use up fresh fall apples. Made with my buttery, flaky homemade butter pie crust and delicious apple pie filling, they’re even better than regular pies—with the perfect crust-to-filling ratio!
Hand pies are a small, mini, portable, single-serving version of pie and can be made with any fruit filling. They're ideal for entertaining and make a beautiful individual dessert for Thanksgiving or the holidays. You will also love this apple galette - a lazy apple pie!
Jump to:
Ingredients you'll need more mini apple pies
Scroll down to the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and amounts.
- Pie crust - I like using my favorite homemade pie crust using butter for an unparalleled buttery flavor. It is sturdy enough to hold the juicy apple filling. If using store-bought pie crust, then you will need one package of two sheets of crust.
- Apples - As with all apple recipes, it’s best to use fresh apples that hold it's shape when cooked without turning mushy. I recommend using Pink Lady, Honeycrisp, Jazz, Fuji or Gala varieties.
- Butter - Just a dab of butter, for cooking the apples, which adds richness.
- Sugar - I typically use white sugar so the apple and cinnamon flavors shine. But, brown sugar also works fine, and makes a slightly more caramelly-tasting filling.
- Cinnamon - Ground cinnamon is a classic pairing with apples and gives fall vibes. You can also a combination of cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg.
- Cornstarch - This thickens the apple juices so it doesn’t soak the base of the pie crust.
👩🍳 Cool your filling completely; otherwise, it will soften or begin to melt the butter in the pie crust when you fill it. Therefore, I prefer to make the filling ahead and store it in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Alternate shapes
Hand pies can be made in a variety of shapes, especially fun for Holidays or creative presentations, like my Halloween pop tarts shaped like ghosts. What ever shape you choose to use, I don’t suggest anything smaller than 3 inches because you can’t fit enough filling in a pie that small. Here are some common shapes you can make with hand pies:
- Half moon: This is one of the most traditional shapes for hand pies, like used in this apple hand pies recipe. The filling is placed on one half of the circle, and then the other half is folded over to create a half-moon shape.
- Rectangle: Using a ruler, cut into 3×4-inch rectangles, add filling to one rectangle and place another rectangle sheet on top.
- Circle: Circular hand pies are created by placing the filling in the center of a circular piece of pie crust and topping it with another circle.
- Heart: For valentines day, you can shape hand pies like hearts by using a heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut the pastry.
- Star: Star-shaped hand pies are made by using a star-shaped cookie cutter, making them especially perfect for the 4th of July.
- Animal or Character Shapes: For a playful touch, use cookie cutters or stencils to create hand pies in the shapes of animals or different characters.
Apple Hand Pies
Equipment
Ingredients
Apple Pie Filling
- 1 ½ tablespoons butter
- 2 medium apples peel, core and chop
- ¼ cup white sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- ½ teaspooon ground cinnamon
Additional ingredients
- 2 Homemade pie crusts click link for recipe
- 1 egg
- coarse sugar for sprinkling, optional
Instructions
Make apple pie filling
- Melt butter over medium heat. Stir in chopped apples, sugar, 2 tablespoons water and salt. Cover and cook stirring occasionally for 4-6 minutes or until very slightly softened.
- In a small dish combine cornstarch, cinnamon and 1 tablespoon water. Add to the pan while stirring and continue to cook until apples are soft and not mushy, and the filling is thickened.
- Let the apple filling cool completely before using it — if it's warm, it can make the pie crust soggy. I recommend making the filling ahead of time and storing it in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Shape hand pies
- Make egg wash by combining the egg along with 2 teaspoons of water in a small bowl.
- Roll out pie dough to ⅛-inch thick and using a 4 or 5 inch circle cutter, cut out 10 circles. Add 1 ½ to 2 tablespoons of the apple pie filling to each circle.
- Brush egg wash around the edges and fold over the dough making a half circle. Use a fork to crimp the edges firmly together. Brush the tops with egg wash. Make three slits on the top of the pie. Sprinkle coarse sugar on top.
Bake in oven
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Place prepared hand pies in a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 13 to 17 minutes or until the tops are deep golden in color. Allow to cool on the baking sheet before serving.
Air fry
- Preheat your air fryer to 360°F. When hot, place 4 hand pies into the basket and cook for 13 to 16 minutes, or until the tops are deep golden in color.
- Repeat the process until you have air fried all the prepared hand pies. Tip: Store the shaped pies in the fridge until cooking each batch.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information, based on third-party calculations, should be seen as estimates, not guarantees, as various factors like product types, brands, processing methods, and more can alter the nutritional content in recipes.
Tips for Success
- Serve warm or room temperature: The longer the pie crust hand pies cool, the more the filling firms up and the crust sets. I recommend letting them cool for at least 15 minutes before serving.
- Packaged Pie crust: If using store-bought pie crust, then you will need one package of two sheets for this apple hand pie recipe.
- Let the filling cool: The homemade apple pie filling can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
- Keep them cold: Store the shaped half moon pies in the fridge until cooking each batch.
- Serving suggestion: Enjoy them with vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of salted caramel sauce. A dollop of whipped cream would be excellent here, too!
How to make apple pie filling?
You can find full printable recipe below, but here is a quick overview of the procedure along with step-by-step photos.
1.Melt butter over medium heat. Stir in chopped apples, sugar & 2 tablespoons water.
2. Cover and cook stirring occasionally for 4-6 minutes or until very slightly softened.
3 & 4. In a small dish combine cornstarch, cinnamon and 1 tablespoon water. Add to the pan while stirring and continue to cook until apples are soft and not mushy, and the filling is thickened. Cool completely.
When done, the apple chunks should be tender and offer no resistance when you pierce them with a knife. However, you don’t want them mushy.
The ingredients in the filling are my go-to choices for most apple recipes including my apple cinnamon muffins or apple waffles.
Shape and Bake Apple Hand Pies
5. Roll out pie dough to ⅛-inch thick and using a 4 or 5 inch circle cutter, cut out 10 circles.
Want To Save This Recipe?
Enter your email below, and we’ll send the link straight to your inbox. Plus, you'll get more creative recipe ideas every Sunday!
Pro tip: Once I've cut the dough into circles, I stack them on a plate and refrigerate them for atleast 15 minutes. Working with colder pie dough is much easier.
6. Add 1 ½ to 2 tablespoons of the apple pie filling to each circle.
7. Brush egg wash around the edges and fold over the dough making a half circle.
8. Use a fork to crimp the edges firmly together, like in the sweet potato pie recipe.
9. Brush the tops with egg wash, which imparts a golden shine to the crust. Make three slits on the top of the pie. Sprinkle coarse sugar on top!
To bake the apple pocket pie in the oven, place prepared mini pies in a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake at 400°F for 13 to 17 minutes or until the tops are deep golden in color.
How to bake apple hand pie in the air fryer?
- Preheat your air fryer to 360°F.
- When hot, place 4 hand pies into the basket and cook for 13 to 16 minutes, or until the tops are deep golden in color.
- Repeat the process until you have air fried all the prepared hand pies.
Tip: Store the shaped apple hand pies in the fridge until cooking each batch.
Do you like air fryer desserts? You'll like this air fryer banana cake or air fryer chocolate chip cookies or find a full collection of air fryer Thanksgiving recipes.
Storage instructions
Before storing, allow the individual apple pies to cool to room temperature to prevent condensation so your pie dough will stay crisp.
- Fridge: Store the mini pies in the refrigerator if you intend to eat them within a few days. They can stay fresh for about 3-4 days.
- Freezer: Apple hand pies are great to be stored in the freezer. Place them airtight container or zip lock bag and store them for up to 2 months. Leave them at room temperature for a few hours to thaw.
- Reheat: If you like to serve them warm, then when you're ready to enjoy your leftover hand pies, reheat them in a preheated 325-degree oven or a 300-degree air fryer until they are warmed through. This will help restore their original texture and flavor.
Frequently Asked Questions
Firmer apples that maintain their structure after cooking are ideal for mini apple pies. Avoid soft, mealy, and mushy apples. For a more complex flavor, consider mixing a combination of tart and sweet apples. The best options include Gala, Honeycrisp, Jonagold, Braeburn, or Fuji.
It's a matter of personal preference! Peeling the apples creates a smoother, softer pie filling, as the apples tend to break down more during baking. This results in a filling with a uniform color, offering a traditional and consistent appearance.
On the other hand, keeping the skin on the apples adds a contrasting texture and additional specks of color. The skin can contribute to a subtle chewiness and also saves time.
1. Roll out the pie crust to an even thickness. If it's too thin in some areas and too thick in others, it's more likely to tear or allow filling to escape.
2. Don't overfill! Overfilling is one of the most common causes for leakage. Also, leave some room around the edges for sealing.
3. Seal the edges. Using a fork or your fingers along with an egg wash,
press the edges together firmly to create a tight seal, ensuring no gaps or openings for the filling to escape.
4. Create small slits in the top to allow steam to escape during baking or air frying. This helps prevent pressure from building up inside and potentially pushing out the filling.
5.Brushing the top with egg wash before baking can help seal the edges and create a protective barrier to reduce the risk of leaks.
6. Keep your shaped apple hand pies in the fridge until cooking time to ensure the pastry is firm, reducing the risk of leakage.
More Thanksgiving Pie Recipes
Looking for the perfect Thanksgiving dessert recipes to wow your guests? From classic pies to creative twists, these crowd-pleasing treats are guaranteed to end your holiday meal on a sweet note.
- This pecan pie without corn syrup is an easy homemade pie recipe! It’s baked in a buttery, flaky homemade pie crust and filled with a creamy, not-too-sweet brown sugar filling loaded with toasted pecans.
- Sweet potato pie features a buttery, flaky crust filled with an ultra-creamy, smooth sweet potato filling and topped with clouds of brown sugar whipped cream.
- These mini pecan pie cheesecakes are the ultimate dessert mashup! Nestled in a pecan graham cracker crust, each creamy cheesecake cup bites are generously topped with a luscious, gooey caramel pecan sauce that’s simply irresistible.
- Butternut squash pie is rich, smooth, custard-like, and perfectly spiced. Made with roasted butternut squash, it’s a delicious twist on pumpkin pie and will become a favorite Thanksgiving dessert!
I hope you love this delicious and easy recipe – be sure to give it a review below! Also don’t forget to follow Kitchen at Hoskins on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube!
Lynn
I made these pies and baked them and used your pie crust recipe but my homemade pie filling. They were outstanding the crust was flaky and buttery I will use this recipe for hand and no one else's! Thank you so much for this recipe!!!❤️❤️❤️
Maria Doss
That’s so great to hear, so glad you loved it - Maria ♡
Jess
Made this today and your crust recipe. Turned out great. My wife said it's the best apple pie she's ever had.
Maria Doss
That’s so great to hear, so glad you loved it - Maria ♡