Apple Hand Pies

Golden brown, flakey, and filled with delicious gooey apple pie filling, these Apple Hand Pies are so yummy and easy to make. It’s like having your own personal size apple pie made just for you in under 40 minutes! Complete with instructions for both the oven and the Air Fryer!

The Best Apple Hand Pie Recipe

Who doesn’t love apple pie!?! And with my Classic Apple Pie recipe being such a hit, I thought I’d take my love of apple pie and create a recipe that is perfect for when you just don’t have the time to make a full pie or you just want something a little different. And these hand held apple pies are just that!

The simple recipe is perfect for the most novice baker, which makes them a great choice to make with the kids. In just a few easy steps, you can quickly have piping hot mini pies in no time. I like to think of them as quick and easy apple pie heaven in a hand held pie!

• Pie Crusts – You can use store-bought or homemade pie crusts for this recipe, and you will need 2 of them. Keep in mind that a better quality crust will produce flakier apple hand pies.
• Apple Pie Filling – I used my favorite canned apple pie filling but you can make your own using my recipe here.
• Eggs – You will need 1 large egg to make an egg wash that helps to both adhere the brown sugar to the pies and bake up golden brown.
• Brown Sugar – You’ll need a bit of brown sugar to sprinkle over the pies for a little extra crunch and sweetness, completely optional.
• Caramel Sauce – This is completely optional but caramel and apple pies are a great match, so if you want to make these hand pies extra sinful, add a bit of caramel sauce to each pie.

Oven Instructions

1. Preheat the oven and line your pan: Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and then line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
2. Roll and cut the dough: Roll the pie dough out and then cut both pie crusts into 3-3.5-inch rounds using a cookie cutter. Then take all the leftover bits of the pie crusts and re-roll it out to cut more rounds. Repeat this process until you’ve used up all the crusts and cut as many rounds as possible. Then place half of the cut pie rounds on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2″ apart.
3. Fill the hand pies: Top the pie rounds on the baking sheet with about 2 tablespoons of the apple pie filling. If adding caramel sauce, add about a teaspoon or two over the apple filling. Then brush the edges of each round with the beaten egg and place the other cut rounds on top. Now, press the edges together to seal in the filling, and then use a fork to crimp the edges of the pie rounds.
4. Cut pie vents: Cut 2 slits on the top of each mini apple pie in a criss-cross pattern using a sharp knife or pair of scissors. Brush each hand pie with egg wash and top each pie with a sprinkle with brown sugar. Cutting the vents helps the steam to escape when baking.
5. Bake the apple hand pies: Transfer the baking sheet with the hand pies in the oven to bake at 375°F (190°C) for 25 to 28 minutes or until they are golden brown in color.
6. Cool and serve: Carefully transfer the apple hand pies to a cooling rack and cool for a few minutes. They’re great warm or cold. Serve with vanilla ice cream or extra caramel sauce.

Air Fryer Instructions

1. Prep the Air Fryer: Get your air fryer ready by preheating it to 380°F.
2. Bake the apple hand pies: Place the hand pies to the air fryer basket, as many as you can fit, but leaving about 1-inch in between them. Air fry for 5 minutes or until golden brown.

Can I Make Homemade Pie Crust?

Yes, of course you can! I have the perfect easy pie crust recipe to help you out. And once you try my recipe, you’ll never want to buy store-bought again!

Can I Used Any Canned Fruit Pie Filling?

Yes! Any type of canned fruit pie filling will work perfectly or you can make your own using my recipe.

Can I Make The Hand Pies Gluten-Free Or Vegan?

Yes! All you have to do is substitute your favorite gluten-free or vegan pie crust and follow the recipe as written.

Make Ahead Apple Hand Pies

It’s totally possible to make these hand pies ahead of time. All you have to do is prepare the recipe up to the point in which you have sealed the pies and vented them, but not brushed them with the egg wash or sprinkled them with sugar. Then just cover the pies with plastic wrap and decide if you want to put your pies in the fridge to bake the next day or put them in the freezer for baking up to 6 weeks away.

Refrigerator Make Ahead

When you are ready to bake the pies just remove them from the fridge, brush them with the egg wash, sprinkle with sugar, and follow the baking instructions.

Freezer Make Ahead

For baking frozen apple hand pies, you have 2 choices. The night before you want to bake the pies, you can place them in the fridge still wrapped in plastic to thaw out overnight. Then egg wash them, top with sugar, and bake according to the recipe instructions. Or, you can place the pies, still frozen, in the oven to bake at 375°F (190°C) for about 35 to 40 minutes. Make sure to check the pies at 30 minutes as all ovens are different. And you will still need to egg wash and top the frozen apple hand pies with sugar!

How To Store Leftovers

Baked apple hand pies will keep at room temperature for up to 3 days when covered loosely with plastic wrap or foil. You can also store them in the fridge for up to an additional 2 to 3 days.

To freeze, wrap each baked hand pie in plastic wrap and store in an airtight container or sealed freezer bag for up to 4 months. Then when ready to eat, thaw the apple hand pies out in the fridge overnight and then reheat them in the oven at 350°F (175°C) for about 10 minutes or until warm.

Other Delicious Desserts To Try

• Canadian Butter Tarts
• Air Fryer Apple Pie Bombs
• Chocolate Pecan Pie
• Perfect Peach Pie
• Homemade Cherry Pie
• Best Ever Pecan Pie Bars
• Strawberry Rhubarb Bars
• Dutch Apple Pie
• Apple Galette