• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Flouring Kitchen
  • Recipes
  • Contact
  • Subscribe
  • About
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Snapchat
    • Twitter
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Contact
  • Subscribe
  • About
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • Contact
    • Subscribe
    • About
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×
    Flouring Kitchen » Pies and Pastries

    Apple Hand Pies

    Published: Sep 26, 2024 by Mary · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

    60 shares
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Email
    Jump to Recipe

    These apple hand pies have a flaky all butter pie crust, a gooey spiced caramel apple filling, and a sweet glaze. I made them in the shape of apples to make them extra fun. These are much easier to make than apple pie and are the perfect handheld sweet treats. You can also omit the glaze and stick with a classic coarse sugar topping.

    If caramel and spiced apples are one of your favorite combinations, you're going to love my salted caramel apple cheesecake bars.

    apple shaped apple hand pies
    Jump to:
    • 🍎 Why you'll LOVE this recipe
    • 📝 Key ingredients
    • 👩‍🍳 How to make apple hand pies
    • ✔️ Expert hand pie tips
    • 🥄 Make ahead and storage
    • 📖 Recipe FAQs
    • 🥧 More related recipes
    • 📖 Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    🍎 Why you'll LOVE this recipe

    • Easier than making a whole pie: I love making hand pies because they're so much more approachable and easier to make than a whole pie. Plus they're a lot faster to make.
    • Caramel apple: A soft caramel in each hand pie adds an ooey gooey caramel element that is just so delicious.
    • Homemade or store-bought crust: Use my recipe for a flaky and buttery pie crust, or take a shortcut with store-bought pie crust.
    • Spiced apples: The apple filling is spiced with a gorgeous mix of cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, and allspice. Leave them in for all the spiced fall feels, or leave them out for a more basic caramel apple flavor.
    bitten apple hand pie shaped like an apple

    📝 Key ingredients

    Read through for all the tips you will need for success!
    Full steps and ingredients in recipe card below.

    apple hand pie ingredients in bowls

    Apples: The best apples for baking with are tart, crunchy varieties like granny smith or pie apples. These will give you the most flavor and hold their shape so that they don't turn into a mushy mess inside the apple hand pies.

    Dark brown sugar: Adds beautiful molasses notes into the apple filling.

    Cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, and allspice: These add beautiful spice and fragrance in the apple filling. If you don't have allspice, you can substitute it with cloves which have a similar flavor profile. If you don't like spiced apples you can of course leave out the spices.

    Soft caramels: The caramel melts down into the filling adding flavor and stretching when biting into it. You can omit the caramels but I highly recommend them

    Butter: The key to flaky buttery pie crust is butter... You can use unsalted butter or if you prefer a salty crust - go with salted butter! The better quality the butter is, the more delicious the crust will be.

    Vinegar: I love adding vinegar into my pie crusts. I find that the acidity helps balance out the richness of the butter and adds depth of flavor into the crust.

    Lemon juice: A touch of lemon juice in the apple filling gives it a balanced flavor that isn't just "sweet."

    All purpose flour: Weigh the flour to get the most accurate results. If you don’t have a scale, measure properly by stirring the bag and spooning gently into a measuring cup. Scrape the excess off the top with the flat edge off a knife without packing it into the cup.

    👩‍🍳 How to make apple hand pies

    The full recipe in the recipe card (scroll down to the bottom) has instructions on how to make your own all butter pie crust. You can use store-bought pie crust or even butter puff pastry for a shortcut.

    Apple hand pie filling step by step

    stirring together spiced apple pie filling

    Step 1: Combine apples, sugar, spices, flour, lemon juice, and butter in a medium pan or saucepan. Cook on low heat until it thickens and the apples soften. This will take about 8 minutes.

    stirring cooked apple pie filling

    Step 2: Set the filling aside to cool for 10minutes. I like to roll out my pie crust in the meantime.

    Assembling apple hand pies step by step

    whisking egg wash with a mini wire whisk

    Step 1: Crack one egg into a small bowl. Add the cream and whisk together well. Set it aside while you roll out the crust.

    rolling out butter pie crust

    Step 2: Dust a clean, dry surface with flour. Unwrap one piece of pie crust and place on top. Sprinkle with more flour. Roll out the pie crust to about ⅛" thick.

    cutting out apple shapes from pie crust

    Step 3: Cut out eight apples or circles, about 4 inches in diameter. Set them aside on a parchment lined baking sheet. Do the same with the second piece of crust.

    spooning apple pie filling into apple hand pies

    Step 4: Unwrap and flatten a caramel with your fingers slightly and place it into one of the eight crusts. Spoon 1 heaping tablespoon of filling over the caramel.

    rubbing eggwash over pie pastry to seal in hand pie maker

    Step 5: Brush the edges of the pie crust with the eggwash you made previously. Using a finger to do this makes it easier.

    covering apple hand pie with more pie crust and pressing it down in hand pie maker

    Step 6: Place an unfilled piece of pie crust on top of the filled crust and use a fork to crimp the edges. You can also use a pie maker to crimp the edges like I did. Repeat with the rest of the pie crusts, carefully transferring them onto a parchment lined baking sheet when they're ready.

    Place the assembled pies into the freezer for 15 minutes. In the meantime, preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).

    brushing eggwash over apple shaped apple hand pies

    Step 7: Brush the tops of the pies with eggwash and sprinkle coarse sugar on top. If you plan on adding glaze on top I'd omit the coarse sugar on top so that they're not too sweet. You can cut out leaves from excess pastry to attach on top. Poke holes with a fork into the top layer of crust if there aren't any holes.

    baked apple hand pies of parchment lined baking sheet

    Step 8: Bake the pies for 18-20 minutes, until the pastry is golden. Be careful not to overbake them or else the filling will ooze out completely.

    Let the pies cool before glazing them.

    Glaze step by step

    coating apple hand pie with glaze with a spoon

    Step 1: Combine powdered sugar and milk in a medium bowl. Whisk to form a glaze. Add more milk as needed to make a pourable glazed consistency.

    Optionally, set aside a tablespoon of the glaze and color it green. Color the rest of the glaze red.

    glazed apple hand pie on parchment paper

    Step 2: Use a spoon to spoon and paint the glaze over the pies. Place the glazed pies on a parchment lined baking sheet.

    Let the glazed pies set for 15 minutes then they're ready to enjoy! It will take about 1 hour for the glaze to set completely but you can dig in earlier. The pies are best served warm or at room temperature.

    ✔️ Expert hand pie tips

    1. Don't add too much liquid into the pie crust: Too much liquid will make a soggy pie dough that won't be as tender and flaky.
    2. Cook the apples down before baking: Since these are hand pies and don't need a lot of baking or they'll burn, you need to cook the filling down to ensure that the apples become soft and stay juicy.
    3. Chill the pies before baking them: This helps the pie crust bake up beautifully and hold its shape in the oven.

    🥄 Make ahead and storage

    The apple hand pies are best served the day they are baked. Store any leftovers in an airtight container the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months. Heat up any leftovers in the oven to make them taste as if they were freshly baked.

    apple shaped hand pies on baking sheet

    📖 Recipe FAQs

    What are the best apples to use for pie?

    The best apples are firm, tart varieties. I love using granny smith apples because they're easily found at the grocery store. If you can find pie apples, those are typically great as well! I will occasionally use honeycrisp apples if I can't find other varieties.

    Can I use premade crust?

    Yes you can! If you can find one that's a butter crust that would be perfect. Premade pie crust is typically found in the freezer section. You can also use a butter puff pastry.

    Why should I cut out holes in the top of hand pies?

    It's important to cut out vents in your pie to allow steam to escape from. If there aren't any holes, the steam will escape from the sides and the pie will burst, spilling the filling out.

    Can I add a hard caramel into the pie filling?

    I don't recommend adding hard caramels into the pie filling as the filling may get stuck in your teeth after it's baked. It's best to use soft caramels or to omit the caramel altogether.

    red apple shaped apple hand pies on table

    🥧 More related recipes

    • Bitten pumpkin hand pie
      Pumpkin Hand Pies
    • mini apple pie on plate with bite taken out
      Mini Honey Apple Pies
    • sliced apple cider bundt cake on a plate
      Apple Cider Bundt Cake
    • apple pie bar on its side with layers of sliced apples
      Salted Caramel Apple Pie Bars

    Did you make this recipe? I would love for you to rate this recipe and hear what you think in the comments below! Share your creation on Instagram and tag @flouringkitchen. Follow me on Pinterest to save and for more recipe ideas.

    📖 Recipe

    apple shaped apple hand pies

    Apple Hand Pies

    Mary
    These apple hand pies have a flaky all butter pie crust, a gooey spiced caramel apple filling, and a sweet glaze. I made them in the shape of apples to make them extra fun. These are much easier to make than apple pie and are the perfect handheld sweet treats. You can also omit the glaze and stick with a classic coarse sugar topping.
    No ratings yet
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Shop Ingredients
    Prep Time 20 minutes mins
    Cook Time 20 minutes mins
    30 minutes mins
    Total Time 40 minutes mins
    Course Baking, Breakfast, Dessert, mini desserts
    Cuisine American
    Servings 8 pies
    Calories 528 kcal

    Equipment

    • parchment paper
    • Cookie sheet

    Ingredients
     
     

    Pie Crust (alternatively use premade double pie crust)

    • 1 cup unsalted butter cold
    • 1 tablespoon vinegar apple cider, white, or lemon juice
    • 1 cup ice water
    • 2 ½ cups all purpose flour 300g
    • ¼ teaspoon sea salt

    Caramel Apple Filling

    • 2 large apples about 2 cups, peeled and diced finely, 225g
    • 3 tablespoons dark brown sugar
    • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
    • ¼ teaspoon cardamom
    • ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
    • ¼ teaspoon allspice
    • 1 tablespoon butter
    • 2 tablespoons lemon juice freshly squeezed
    • 2 teaspoons all purpose flour
    • 8 soft caramels I used Werther's original soft caramels

    Eggwash

    • 1 large egg
    • 1 tablespoon heavy cream
    • 2 tablespoons coarse sugar

    Glaze

    • 1 cup powdered sugar
    • 2 tablespoons milk or cream
    • green and red food coloring optional
    Shop Ingredients on Jupiter

    Instructions
     

    Pie Crust (alternatively use premade double pie crust)

    • 10 minutes before making the crust, cut the butter into small cubes (¼"). Spread on a plate in a single layer and freeze. Add vinegar to ice water and stir.
      1 cup unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon vinegar, 1 cup ice water
    • Mix together flour and salt with a whisk to break up lumps. Add frozen butter and cut with a knife or pastry cutter (or food processor) until mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs with larger pea size pieces.
      2 ½ cups all purpose flour, ¼ teaspoon sea salt
    • Add vinegar water a couple of tablespoons at a time, mixing well in between. Stop adding when the mixture forms clumps and starts to come together. Don’t add too much or the crust will be tough.
    • Working quickly, press dough into a disk, fold in half, press, and fold in half again. Cut in half and press each half into a disk. Wrap each disk and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

    Caramel Apple Filling

    • Combine apples, sugar, spices, flour, lemon juice, and butter in a medium pan or saucepan. Cook on low heat until it thickens and the apples soften. This will take about 8 minutes.
      2 large apples, 3 tablespoons dark brown sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon cardamom, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon allspice, 1 tablespoon butter, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 2 teaspoons all purpose flour
    • Set the filling aside to cool for 10 minutes. I like to roll out my pie crust in the meantime.

    Eggwash and Assembly

    • Crack one egg into a small bowl. Add the cream and whisk together well. Set it aside while you roll out the crust.
      1 large egg, 1 tablespoon heavy cream
    • Dust a clean, dry surface with flour. Unwrap one piece of pie crust and place on top. Sprinkle with more flour.
    • Roll out the pie crust to ⅛" thick. Cut out eight apples or circles, about 4 inches in diameter. Set them aside on a parchment lined baking sheet. Do the same with the second piece of crust.
    • Flatten a caramel with your fingers slightly and place it into one of the eight crusts. Spoon 1 heaping tablespoon of filling over the caramel.
      8 soft caramels
    • Brush the edges of the pie crust with the eggwash you made previously. Using a finger to do this makes it easier.
    • Place an unfilled piece of pie crust on top of the filled crust and use a fork to crimp the edges. You can also use a pie maker to crimp the edges like I did. Repeat with the rest of the pie crusts, carefully transferring them onto a parchment lined baking sheet when they're ready.
    • Place the assembled pies into the freezer for 15 minutes. In the meantime, preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
    • Brush the tops of the pies with eggwash and sprinkle coarse sugar on top. If you plan on adding glaze on top I'd omit the coarse sugar on top so that they're not too sweet. You can cut out leaves from excess pastry to attach on top. Poke holes with a fork into the top layer of crust if there aren't any holes.
      2 tablespoons coarse sugar
    • Bake the pies for 18-20 minutes, until the pastry is golden. Be careful not to overbake them or else the filling will ooze out completely.
    • Let the pies cool before glazing them.

    Glaze

    • Combine powdered sugar and milk in a medium bowl. Whisk to form a glaze. Add more milk as needed to make a pourable glazed consistency.
      1 cup powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons milk
    • Optionally, set aside a tablespoon of the glaze and color it green. Color the rest of the glaze red.
      green and red food coloring
    • Use a spoon to spoon and paint the glaze over the pies. Place the glazed pies on a parchment lined baking sheet.
    • Let the glazed pies set for 15 minutes then they're ready to enjoy! It will take about 1 hour for the glaze to set completely but you can dig in earlier. The pies are best served warm or at room temperature.

    Notes

    Storage: The hand pies are best served the day they are baked. Store any leftovers in an airtight container the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months. Heat up any leftovers in the oven to make them taste as if they were freshly baked.
    Tips for success:
    1. Don't add too much liquid into the pie crust, only enough to moisten it
    2. Cook the apples down before baking
    3. Chill the pies before baking them to help the pies hold their shape and bake up beautifully

    Nutrition

    Calories: 528kcalCarbohydrates: 67gProtein: 6gFat: 27gSaturated Fat: 16gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 88mgSodium: 126mgPotassium: 148mgFiber: 2gSugar: 34gVitamin A: 846IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 47mgIron: 2mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
    « Raspberry Pistachio Cake Roll
    Apple Fritter Cake »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    No Comments

    Did you make this recipe? Let me know! Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Girl holding whisk

    Hi, I'm Mary! This is where I share all of my baked treats. I use my massive sweet tooth and background in food science to make decadent, foolproof recipes.

    More about me →

    Summer Dessert Recipes

    • stacked pavlova cake with lemon passion fruit curd and berries
      Passion Fruit Lemon Curd Stacked Pavlova Cake
    • scoop of lemon mousse with lemon curd, olive oil, and basil leaf
      Lemon Mousse with Lemon Curd
    • lemon raspberry cheesecake with raspberry curd topping sliced
      Lemon Raspberry Cheesecake
    • lemon posset in lemon rind
      Lemon Posset
    • slices of lemon zucchini bread stacked on top of eachother
      Lemon Zucchini Bread
    • slice of creamy lemon tiramisu on white plate topped with lemon curd
      Lemon Tiramisu with Lemon Curd

    Popular Recipes

    • black forest cheesecake with cherries, whipped cream, and ganache
      Black Forest Cheesecake
    • rhubarb cheesecake sliced on a large plate
      Rhubarb Cheesecake
    • slices of moist lemon pound cake on a large plate
      The Best Moist Lemon Pound Cake Recipe
    • slices of lemon poppy seed cheesecake with whipped cream and lemon curd
      Lemon Poppy Seed Cheesecake
    • holding round cookie box filled with cookies
      Christmas Cookie Box 2024
    • molded and glazed squirrel and pinecone shaped gingerbread cookies
      Thick Gingerbread Molded Cookies with Jam Filling

    Footer

    Info

    • Recipe Archive
    • About
    • Contact
    • Work with me
    • Privacy Policy

    Newsletter

    Subscribe to get recipes and baking tips right to your inbox:

    You can unsubscribe anytime.

    Yaaaay!

    You have successfully joined our subscriber list.

    .

    More

    • Essential kitchen gift guide
    • Free fall recipe ebook
    • Free holiday recipe ebook

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you. This helps to support this blog so I can keep creating free recipes for you to enjoy.

    Copyright © 2025 Flouring Kitchen

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required