Apple Hand Pies
These apple hand pies have all the delicious flavors of our classic apple pie but in a convenient, individual size—perfect for parties and gatherings. Made with a buttery, flaky homemade pie crust and a sweet cinnamon apple filling, they're as easy to make as they are to enjoy!
Our apple hand pies are like mini versions of our classic easy apple pie—adorable, bite-sized, and even quicker to make! These hand pies are made with an easy-to-make homemade pie crust; if you're a sourdough baker, you can use your sourdough discard to make it extra special using our sourdough pie crust recipe.
They are the ultimate dessert for any occasion, whether it’s a holiday party or a big family dinner. Each guest gets their very own apple pie—how fun is that?
Serve them warm for that fresh-out-of-the-oven nostalgia, at room temp at parties, or even chilled- they're that good!
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Pie Crust: For this recipe, you'll need one store-bought or homemade 9-inch pie crust. If you're using the sourdough pie crust, there's no need to double it. Alternatively, the all-butter pie crust recipe works, too, but it makes two 9-inch crusts, so you'll only need half. You can either double the filling to make 12 hand pies or freeze the other pie dough for later! (We show two pie dough discs in the picture, but you only need one if you are not doubling the recipe.)
- Apple Pie Filling: Granny Smith apples offer the perfect balance of sweet and tart in apple pie. The apple pie filling combines a touch of butter for richness, warm spices like cinnamon and nutmeg, light brown sugar for sweetness, a bit of flour to thicken, and a pinch of salt to bring all the flavors together.
- Cinnamon Sugar Topping: A classic blend of granulated sugar and cinnamon that adds the perfect sweet, spiced crunch on top. Simple but so good!
How to make Sourdough Apple Hand Pies
Step 1
- Prepare either the sourdough pie crust recipe or the all-butter pie crust recipe. Allow the dough to chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
Step 2
Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat.
Add diced apples, granulated sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt. Cook until the apples are tender, for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the flour, stir, and cook for 30-60 seconds or until the filling thickens.
Take the pan off the heat and transfer the mixture to a bowl. Let it cool completely, or place the bowl in the fridge to speed up the process.
Step 3
Lightly dust your surface with flour.
Lay out the pie dough and use a rolling pin to roll out the dough to ⅛" inch.
Lay the rolled-out dough on the parchment-lined baking sheet and refrigerate it for 10 minutes.
Step 4
Use a 3.5" inch cookie cutter to cut out 12 circles.
Roll out the scraps to cut out more circles if necessary.
Step 5
Place the cut circles on the baking sheet and refrigerate for at least 10 minutes to keep them cold and firm.
Step 6
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Arrange half of the circles about 3 inches apart on the baking sheet; these are the bottom crusts.
Two tablespoons of the filling should be placed in the center of each circle, leaving a small border around the edge.
Beat the egg and brush the border of each filled circle with the egg wash.
Step 7
Using a sharp knife, cut three slits into the remaining circles; these are the top crusts.
The slits act as vents so that steam can escape as the pies bake.
Step 8
Place the vented circles on the filled circles and gently press down on the edges to seal the pies shut.
Then, crimp the edges of the pie with a fork and brush the surface of each pie with the egg wash.
Step 9
In a small bowl, mix the cinnamon and sugar. Generously sprinkle the top of each pie with the cinnamon-sugar mixture.
Step 10
Bake for 15-20 minutes on the center rack. Allow the pies to cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.
Step 11
Serve on their own or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Carmyn's Tips
When adding the apple pie filling to each round, drain most of the liquid first. This prevents the filling from spilling onto the edges, helping the hand pies seal properly and reducing the chance of leaks during baking.
How to Store
Room Temperature: Place the hand pies in an airtight container and keep them in a cool, dry spot for up to 2 days.
Fridge: If you need them to last longer, store the pies in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They’ll stay fresh and delicious for up to 5 days.
Freezer: For even longer storage, let the pies cool completely, then wrap them individually in plastic wrap or foil and pop them into a freezer-safe bag or container. They'll stay fresh for up to 3 months.
When you’re ready to enjoy them, thaw them at room temperature or reheat them in the oven at 350°F until warmed through.
more desserts made with sourdough discard
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Apple Hand Pies
EQUIPMENT
- large baking sheet
- Parchment Paper
INGREDIENTS
- 1 9-inch pie crust (homemade or store-bought)
Pie Filling
- 2 small Granny Smith apples (peeled and diced, see notes)
- 2 tablespoons butter
- ⅓ cup light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon flour
- juice of half a lemon
- pinch of salt
Cinnamon Sugar Topping
- 1 egg (for the egg wash)
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
INSTRUCTIONS
- Prepare the pie crust recipe. Chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
- Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the diced apples, granulated sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt and cook until the apples are tender, stirring occasionally, about 8-10 minutes. Add the flour, stir, and cook for 30 seconds or until the filling thickens. Transfer the filling to a bowl and allow it to cool completely. See notes.
- Take the pie dough out of the fridge and let it sit at room temperature for 15-20 minutes to soften slightly. This will make it easier to roll out.
- Lightly dust your surface with flour. Lay out the pie dough and use a rolling pin to roll it out to ⅛" inch thick. Transfer the rolled-out dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and stick it in the fridge to chill for about 10 minutes. The colder the dough, the easier it is to work with.
- Use a 3.5" inch cookie cutter to cut out 12 circles. Roll out the scraps to cut out more circles if necessary. Place the cut circles onto the parchment-lined baking sheet and place it in the refrigerator to chill the dough so that it is firm.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F and make sure the oven rack is in the center position.
- Arrange 6 circles about 3 inches apart on the baking sheet; these are the bottom crusts. Fill the center of each circle with two tablespoons of the cooled apple pie filling, leaving a small border around the edge. Beat the egg and brush the border of each filled circle with the egg wash.
- Using a sharp knife, cut three slits into the remaining 6 circles; these are the top crusts. The slits act as vents so that steam can escape as the pies bake.
- Place the vented circles on the filled circles and gently press down on the edges to seal the pies shut. Then, crimp the edges with a fork and brush the surface of each pie with the egg wash.
- In a small bowl, mix together the cinnamon and sugar. Generously sprinkle the top of each pie with the cinnamon-sugar mixture.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes on the center rack. Allow the pies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.
Yum yum yum!! These turned out just like the photos! And they weren't as sweet as I had expected, which is a good thing. It was pretty easy to make and I even had my younger sisters help me. Additionally, each batch made about 10 instead of just 6, so that was kind of nice.
Thank you, Charlotte 😊
I have not seen a cherry hand pie recipe yet, but I really would love you input on one. My sons favorite dessert! Thanks
These are delicious! I wish you could print the recipe with printing all the pictures. Instead of the recipe being printed in 1-2 pages, it wastes another 3 pieces of paper plus all of the ink. Can you fix this?
Hi Robin! After you click on print, you will see an option at the top to uncheck the instruction images. You can also uncheck the recipe image, nutrition info, notes, equipment, etc. Unchecking what you don't need will use less paper! I hope this helps 🙂
I love sweet's!!
Wonderful Delicious Hand Made Apple Pies. Thank you for the recipe.