Description
These apple hand pies feature a tender cinnamon-spiced apple filling wrapped in flaky pie crust, baked to golden perfection and finished with a simple vanilla glaze. The filling is precooked to soften the apples and ensure a thick, non-soggy filling that pairs beautifully with the crisp pastry for a classic American dessert.
Ingredients
For the Apple Filling
- 2 small Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and diced
- 1 medium Honeycrisp apple, peeled, cored, and diced
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 pinch kosher salt
For the Hand Pies
- 4 refrigerated pie crust rounds
- 1 large egg, beaten
For the Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1-2 tablespoons milk
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prepare the Apple Filling: Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add diced Granny Smith and Honeycrisp apples, granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, lemon juice, and kosher salt. Cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until apples soften slightly but retain their shape. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheet: Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Cut Pie Crust Circles: Unroll pie crusts and cut out 4-5 inch diameter circles using a round cutter or glass rim.
- Assemble Hand Pies: Place a spoonful of cooled apple filling in the center of half the dough circles, leaving borders clean for sealing. Top each filled circle with another dough circle. Press edges together and crimp firmly with a fork to seal.
- Egg Wash and Vent: Brush the tops with beaten egg and cut two small slits on each pie to allow steam to escape during baking.
- Bake the Pies: Transfer pies to the lined baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.
- Cool the Pies: Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack for about 10 minutes.
- Make the Glaze: Whisk powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon milk, and vanilla extract in a small bowl. Add more milk as needed to achieve a thick drizzling consistency.
- Glaze and Serve: Drizzle the glaze over cooled pies and allow it to set before serving.
Notes
- Dice apples about ¼ inch for even cooking and easy filling inside pies.
- Allow apple filling to cool completely before assembling to avoid soggy dough and difficulty sealing.
- Do not overfill pies; leave about ½ inch of dough border for pressing and crimping securely.
- Start glaze with 1 tablespoon milk and add more only as needed to keep the glaze thick enough to drizzle.
- Store cooled hand pies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days for best freshness.