Apple Hand Pies
Simple single-serving apple pies, perfect for picnics or just enjoying at home.
Equipment
- Baking Sheet
- Cooling Rack
- Silicone Baking Mat
- Mixing Bowls
- Knife
- Round Cookie Cutter
- Rolling Pin
- Pastry Cutter
- Plastic Wrap
Ingredients
For the Dough
- 3 Cups Flour
- 7 Tbsp Shortening Cold and Cubed
- 7 Tbsp Butter Cold and Cubed
- ½ Cup Ice Water
- 1 Tsp Pie Spice Mix See post for details
- ½ Tsp Salt
For the Filling
- 3 Medium Apples Diced small
- ¼ Cup Sugar
- 2 Tbsp Butter
- t Tsp Pie Spice Mix See post for details
- 1 Tsp Cinnamon
- 1 Egg
- 1 Tbsp Milk
Instructions
Make the Dough
- Combine the flour, salt, and pie spice in a mixing bowl.
- Using a pastry cutter, cut in the butter and shortening and mix until it starts to clump together into pea-sized chunks.
- Add in the ice water about 1-2 Tbsp at a time, mixing until the dough starts to come together but isn't sticky. Don't worry if you don't use all of the water.
- Divide the dough in half and wrap each half in plastic wrap. Chill them in the fridge fro 30-60 minutes.
Make the Apple Filling
- Melt the butter in a sauce pan or skillet. Add in the sugar, spices, and apples, and stir to coat.
- Cook on medium-high for 3-4 minutes, until the apples are starting to soften.
- Set this aside to cool fully. To chill it faster, put it in the fridge or on a tray of cold water.
Assemble the Pies
- Preheat your oven to 375°F.
- Using a rolling pin, on a floured surface, roll one of the dough balls out until it's about ⅛" thick. Keep the other dough in the fridge.
- Cut circles in the dough using your cookie cutter (or a cup or some other round implement.) Put these on a plate or baking sheet and put them in the fridge.
- With the scraps of the dough, roll it back up, roll it out, and cut more circles. Repeat until you're out of dough.
- Put your dough circles in the fridge and repeat the process on the other dough ball, aiming to make an equal number of circles. Why divide it in the first place? This way, more of your dough stays cooler at a time.
- Let your discs chill in the fridge for 15 minutes or so. In the meantime, mix together the egg and milk to make an egg wash.
- Assemble the pies by taking one dough disc and spooning a tablespoon of filling onto the center.
- Brush the egg wash around the outer edge of the dough disc. Then, press a second dough disc over the filling and press/pinch/crimp the edges all the way around to seal it.
- Brush the tops of your pies with egg wash, and sprinkle with cinnamon.
- Using your knife, cut two slits in the top, so steam can escape.
- Bake for 18 minutes, or until the top is slightly browned and the bottoms are no longer moist.
- Let cool for 5 or so minutes, and move to a cooling rack when you can. Eat as-is, or serve with ice cream and enjoy!