Buttery, flakey homemade pie crust filled with warm apple pie filling and topped with a sweet maple glaze, these Apple Hand Pies are a delicious take on traditional apple pie!
Apple Hand Pies with Maple Glaze are going to make an appearance on my Thanksgiving table this year. You heard it first. Not only are they delicious, but they’re adorable. Sure, a slice of apple pie is great, but getting a mini, pie all to yourself? Yes, please.
These apple hand pies are very similar to traditional apple pie – flakey pie crust filled with sugary spiced apples and baked to perfection – but I’ve taken some small liberties to make them extra special. Maple syrup goes into the apple filling, along with butter, brown sugar, and warm spices, giving the apples a deeper flavor. And unlike traditional apple pie, I topped these with a sweet maple glaze, which I honestly love. From the sweet glaze, to the buttery pie crust, to the warm apple filling- the layers of texture and flavor packed into these little apple hand pies is just so good.
This recipe uses a homemade pie dough that’s buttery, flakey, and all-around to die for. If you’re new to working with homemade pie dough, be sure to check out the section in this post titled “Tips on making and rolling out pie dough”. While making and working with pie dough isn’t necessarily hard, it’s nice to know what you’re looking for and have a few tricks up your sleeve!
One more thing! While this is not a difficult recipe, it does have multiple components and requires a bit of patience and time. If you’re short on time and don’t have the ability to make this recipe start-to-finish in one go, this recipe can easily be broken up into chunks and adapted to fit your timeline. See my recipe notes for make ahead options!
Okay, that’s it! I hope you try these cute little apple hand pies out and love them as much as I do. I promise, you don’t have to retire your traditional apple pie, but it is nice to switch it up every once in a while, right? One bite into these warm, buttery, mini apple pies, and I think you’ll understand.
Happy baking!
What you’ll need to make apple hand pies:
For the pie dough:
Flour: For structure. Be sure to measure your flour correctly, either by weight or by using the spoon and level method.
Kosher salt + ground cinnamon: A tiny bit of salt and ground cinnamon add flavor to the pastry.
Shortening + butter: For the best flavor and flakiness, I prefer to use a combination of butter and shortening! For best results, your butter should be cold! Cold butter is integral to creating flakey pie dough.
Water: Water is what brings the dough together. Make sure that you’re using ice water so as not to soften or melt the cold butter that you’ve incorporated into the dough. Again, cold ingredients = flakey pastry!
Plus one large egg mixed with 1 tablespoon water for the egg wash and turbinado sugar for sprinkling on top of the pies.
For the apple filling:
Apples: You’ll need 3 medium-sized apples for this recipe. Be sure to use tart and firm baking apples like Granny Smith, Honeycrisp or Pink Lady.
Brown sugar + maple syrup: A combination of brown sugar and maple syrup creates a sweet, delicious syrup for the filling.
Butter: For flavor.
Cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice: Because you can’t have apple pie without warm spices!
Kosher salt: For balance.
Cornstarch: A little cornstarch helps the apple filling thicken a bit, which helps prevent leakage during the baking process.
For the maple glaze: Powdered sugar, cinnamon, maple syrup, and milk.
Tips on making and rolling out pie dough:
The dough used for this recipe is a traditional pie dough. It’s flakey, it’s buttery, it’s everything you want wrapped around apple pie filling. I use mostly butter with a little bit of shortening, which ends up giving you the best of both worlds – flavor and flakiness.
While making pie dough is a simple process, it’s helpful to know what you’re looking for and to have a few tricks up your sleeve when working with it. That being said, if you’re new to making homemade pie dough, I’ve listed some tips and tricks below that will hopefully come in handy! I recommend reading through these before you get started.
Relax! Making homemade pie dough should be fun and certainly doesn’t have to be perfect.
Keep things cold. When making the dough, use ice water and cold butter, which will result in a super flakey crust. Chilling the pies prior to baking is also key to getting that buttery, flakey crust. If the butter in the pie dough is room temperature before hitting the oven, it’s likely to melt and “leak” out of the crust. When cold butter hits the hot oven, not only does it not leak out, but it also creates steam, which in turn creates pockets of air and flakey layers!
Add water gradually. I usually end up adding between 9 to 11 tablespoons of ice water, but every batch is different. You’ll know you’ve added enough water when the dry ingredients are moistened (not wet) and the dough holds together when pressed (see below).
Don’t freak out if your dough seems dry. Once you turn the dough out, it’s okay if it seems a bit crumbly. Divide the dough into 2 mounds and begin shaping, pressing, and kneading a few times to bring the dough together. If you have trouble bringing it together, simply drizzle 1 to 2 teaspoons ice water over each mound to help it come together.
Rest is best. After you’ve made the pie dough, wrap it in plastic wrap and let it rest in the fridge for at least 1 hour, up to 3 days. This allows the gluten to relax, making a more tender pie crust. Plus, allowing the pie dough to chill makes it more pliable, less sticky, and therefore easier to work with.
Tips on rolling out. To roll the dough in an even thickness, roll from the center out, applying even pressure with each roll. Stop just short of the edges, being careful not to roll over the edges. If the dough gets sticky, simply dust a little extra flour onto your work surface and/or dough.
Helpful tips before you bake:
Dice apples into small, bite-sized pieces. ¼ to 1/8-inch is best. Any larger, and you won’t be able to fit as much apple filling into each hand pie.
Allow the apple filling to cool before filling pies. If the apple filling is warm when it touches the pie dough, it will cause the butter in the pie dough to melt, and you won’t get lovely that flakey crust!
Use a 3 ½ to 4-inch round cutter when cutting the dough into circles. I initially tried this recipe with a 3-inch cutter and wasn’t able to fit much apple filling into each pie. When I tested with a larger cutter, I had much better results- more apple filling, which meant a better filling to pie crust ratio!
Chill the hand pies before baking. Placing the assembled pies in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before baking ensures a buttery, flakey pie crust. When butter in the pie dough gets really cold before hitting the hot oven, this creates a flakey layers and keeps the butter from leaking out!
FAQs:
Why is this recipe primarily listed in grams? I develop my recipes in grams because weighing your ingredients is the best, most accurate way to bake. Baking is a science and precision is key to success! Measuring cups are not standardized, and what’s more, the way each baker uses them varies drastically, which ultimately gives you inconsistent (and sometimes negative) results. For instance, did you know that scooping flour out of a cannister can give you 50% more flour than what’s called for in the recipe? By weighing your ingredients rather than using measuring cups, you can confidently know that you are using the correct amount of each ingredient, giving you greater success & delicious results. I highly recommend using a kitchen scale, like this one when you bake. Plus, it makes clean up a lot easier!
Make ahead options: If you’re short on time and don’t have the ability to make this recipe start-to-finish in one go, this recipe can easily be broken up into chunks and adapted to fit your timeline. See my recipe notes for make ahead options!
What kind of apples should I use: Tart and firm baking apples such as Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, or Pink Lady apples are best for this recipe. I used a combination of Granny Smith and Honeycrisp apples.
What to do with leftover apple filling: Store any leftover apple pie filling tightly covered in the fridge. Gently rewarm in the microwave and serve over vanilla ice cream!
Serving and storing apple hand pies:
Serving instructions: Apple hand pies are best enjoyed still warm from the oven! I like to glaze these while they’re still a bit warm and serve them right after. If you have leftovers, warm them in the microwave for a few seconds before serving.
Storing instructions: Keep leftover apple hand pies in an airtight container at room temperature.
Apple Hand Pies with Maple Glaze
- Prep Time: 55 minutes
- Chilling time: 1 hour, 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours, 5 minutes
- Yield: 12 hand pies 1x
- Category: Pastries
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Dessert
Description
Buttery, flakey homemade pie crust filled with warm apple pie filling and topped with a sweet maple glaze, these Apple Hand Pies are a delicious take on traditional apple pie!
Ingredients
For the pie crust:
- 312 gm (2 1/2 cups, spoon and leveled) all-purpose flour
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 48 gm (1/4 cup) vegetable shortening, cut into pats
- 170 gm (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, cold and cut into pats
- 8 to 11 tablespoons ice water
- Egg wash: 1 large egg mixed with 1 tablespoon water
- Turbinado sugar, for sprinkling
For the apple filling:
- 3 medium apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/4” pieces*
- 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup**
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
For the maple glaze:
- 120 gm (1 cup) powdered sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup**
- 2 tablespoons milk, plus more as needed
Instructions
To make the pie crust:
- Before starting, be sure to read my tips and tricks listed above for making and working with homemade pie dough!
- Add the flour, kosher salt and ground cinnamon to a large bowl and whisk to combine. Add the pats of vegetable shortening to the bowl. Using your fingers, work the shortening into the butter until no more pieces of shortening are present and the flour mixture resembles sand.
- Next, add the cold pats of butter to the bowl. Using a pastry cutter, cut the butter into the flour until the butter is mostly pea-sized with some walnut-sized pieces throughout.
- Drizzle 4 tablespoons ice water over the flour/ butter mixture. Use your fingertips to gently work the water into the ingredients. From this point, add more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until a cohesive dough begins to form. The dough will still look crumbly and slightly dry, but you’ll know you’ve added enough water when the ingredients feel evenly moistened and it holds together when pressed (see image above for reference).
- Turn the dough out onto a clean work surface and divide into 2 equal mounds. Gently press each mound into a flat disc, kneading a few times by hand to bring it together. If the dough is still too dry and won’t come together, drizzle a little bit more ice water, an additional 1 to 2 teaspoons, over each mound of dough and continue to shape until it comes together (be careful not to work the dough- be gentle!). Smooth out any large cracks with your fingertip. Wrap each disc tightly in plastic wrap and place in the fridge to chill for at least 30 minutes, up to 3 days.
To make the apple filling:
- Melt the butter in a large skillet set over medium-high heat. Add the apples, brown sugar, maple syrup, ground spices and kosher salt and stir to coat. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, then continue to cook for another 4 to 5 minutes, until the apples are just beginning to soften. Stir in the cornstarch and continue to cook for an additional 30 seconds to 1 minute, until the sauce is slightly thickened. Pour the apple filling into a medium-sized heatproof bowl and place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, up to 3 days (NOTE: if storing the apples in the fridge for longer than 1-2 hours, be sure to cover the bowl).
Assembly:
- Roll out the dough and cut into circles. Remove one portion of dough from the fridge. On a floured work surface, roll the dough into 1/8″ thickness. Use a 3.5″ to 4″ circular cutter to cut the dough into circles, rerolling scraps and cutting into more circles until you’ve used up most of the dough. If the dough begins to get sticky, simply dust more flour onto your work surface and/or dough. Place the cutouts in the fridge to chill.
- Remove the second portion of dough from the fridge and repeat the process of rolling out and cutting into circles, just as you did with the first batch. Place the second batch of cutouts in the fridge along with the first batch and chill for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, line two large baking sheets with parchment paper and make the egg wash.
- Assemble the hand pies. Arrange half of the chilled cutouts on the prepared baking sheet, spacing about 2 inches apart. Brush the cutouts with egg wash, making sure to cover the dough all the way to the edges. Spoon 1 heaping tablespoon of the apple filling into the center of each circle (TIP: save leftover apple filling and serve with ice cream!). Place the remaining cutouts on top, then use your fingers to press around the filling and out to the edges of each circle, sealing the two pieces of dough together. Use a fork to crimp the edges.
- Brush the top of each hand pie with egg wash and sprinkle with turbinado sugar. Use a small knife to cut little slits in the top of each pie to create a vent. Place the pies back in the fridge to chill for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Bake the chilled pies for 25 to 30 minutes, until golden brown. Set aside to cool slightly while you prepare the glaze.
Glazing the hand pies:
- Add the powdered sugar, cinnamon, maple syrup, and 2 tablespoons milk to a small bowl and whisk to combine. Add more milk if necessary, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the glaze reaches a thick drizzling consistency. Drizzle or spoon the glaze over the warm apple pies. Serve warm and enjoy!
Notes
*What kind of apples to use: Tart and firm baking apples such as Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, or Pink Lady apples are best for this recipe. I used a combination of Granny Smith and Honeycrisp apples.
**Be sure to use 100% pure maple syrup, not artificially flavored syrups for pancakes and waffles.
Make ahead options:
- Pie dough that has been made, shaped into discs and wrapped tightly in plastic wrap can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days. For longer chill times, allow the dough to rest at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes before rolling out.
- To freeze pie dough, wrap discs in a layer of plastic wrap, a layer of aluminum foil, and place in a freezer-safe zip-top bag. Dough may be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. Allow to thaw overnight in the refrigerator before using.
- Apple filling can be stored tightly covered in the fridge for up to 3 days before using.
Serving and storage:Apple hand pies are best enjoyed still warm from the oven! I like to glaze these while they’re still a bit warm and serve them right after. If you have leftovers, warm them in the microwave for a few seconds before serving. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature.
