This apple hand pie recipe makes mini pumpkin-shaped pies perfect for Halloween. Carve fun or spooky faces into the dough for extra charm. The pies are filled with a quick homemade apple filling seasoned with cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg.
The filling comes together in minutes. You can use the homemade pie crust provided in the recipe card below or swap in your favorite store-bought frozen crust for a faster shortcut.
Jump to Recipe
To make this recipe successfully the first time, consult the Table of Contents in the original post to find the sections most helpful for you.
If you want a Halloween treat that delights both kids and adults, these pumpkin-shaped apple hand pies are a great choice. Cut smiling or scary faces into the tops, or leave them plain—either way they’re festive and tasty.
Why you’ll love these mini apple hand pies
- Crowd-pleasing: Kids and adults enjoy them equally.
- Portable: Easy to bring to parties and potlucks.
- Flexible: Use homemade or store-bought crusts, swap apple varieties, and adjust spices to taste.
- Fun: Decorating with pumpkin faces makes them festive and playful.
Main ingredients & notes
Using some store-bought items or preparing components ahead can dramatically speed up the process. If you prefer convenience, frozen crusts and pre-mixed spices will shave time without sacrificing flavor.
See the recipe card at the bottom for exact ingredient amounts and full directions.
Homemade pie crust:
- All-purpose flour
- Unsalted butter (chilled)
- Sour cream (full-fat or light helps the dough handle easily)
- Apple cider vinegar
Apple pie filling:
- Apples — Braeburn, Honeycrisp, and Fuji hold up well when baked.
- Sugar — granulated or coconut sugar.
- Unsalted butter
- Spices — cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg (or use a premixed apple pie spice)
Best apples for homemade apple pie filling
Choose apples that hold their shape and stay juicy when baked. My top picks for baking are Braeburn, Honeycrisp, and Fuji. For a tarter filling, use Granny Smith. For extra complexity, mix two apple varieties.
Recommended equipment
The right tools make the recipe easier. Useful items include:
- Kitchen scales (helpful if making pastry from scratch)
- Food processor (for quick pastry)
- Whisk and small bowl (for mixing sour cream and vinegar)
- Rolling pin and paring knife
- Medium skillet (for cooking the filling)
- Pumpkin-shaped cookie cutters (about 3.75″ x 3.5″ for the size shown)
- Baking sheet and pastry brush
Tips to simplify and save time
- Use frozen pastry dough instead of making crust from scratch.
- Use a premixed apple pie spice rather than measuring individual spices.
- For a shortcut, canned apple pie filling can be used, though the texture will differ.
- Skip carving faces for a quicker assembly—pumpkin-shaped hand pies still look seasonal.
Preparation tips
- If making pastry at home, follow step-by-step pie crust instructions for best results.
- Thaw and roll out two frozen crusts when using store-bought dough.
- Cut out pumpkin faces only after the dough has chilled to prevent tearing.
- Test-fill one pie first to determine the right amount of filling for your cutter size.
Making this recipe at high altitude
- If the dough feels dry at altitude, add 1 teaspoon additional sour cream.
- Bake times may increase; at 7,100 feet these pies needed about 10 extra minutes.
Ideas for variations
- Add a pear to the filling for a different flavor.
- Try different spice blends or use apple pie spice.
- For a Thanksgiving twist, omit the faces and add dried cranberries to the filling.
- Boost the ginger flavor for a spicier profile by increasing ginger and adjusting other spices.
Best way to store apple hand pies
These hand pies can be prepared ahead and stored cold or frozen:
- Keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4–5 days.
- Freeze in a freezer-safe container for 2–3 months.
More apple treats for fall
- Apple Galette with Cranberries
- Fluffy Apple Cheddar Muffins
- Hot Buttered Rum Apple Pie with Cheddar Crust
- Double Crusted Apple Pie Galette
Homemade Apple Hand Pies Recipe for Halloween
20 mins
35 mins
20 mins
1 hr 15 mins
12 (with some dough left over)
Equipment
- Paring knife
- Medium skillet
- Kitchen scales (for homemade crust)
- Food processor (optional—for pastry)
- Whisk, small bowl, rolling pin
- Pumpkin-shaped cookie cutter
- Baking sheet and pastry brush
Ingredients
Homemade Pastry
- 13.5 ounces (3 cups) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (or 1/4 teaspoon sea salt)
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons ice water (or as needed)
Homemade Apple Pie Filling
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 1/2 cups peeled and diced apples (about 3 apples; Honeycrisp, Braeburn, or Fuji)
- 2 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar (or 3 tbsp coconut sugar)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt (or a pinch sea salt)
- 1 tablespoon turbinado sugar (optional, for topping)
Egg Wash
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon whole milk (or half & half)
Instructions
Apple Hand Pies
- Melt the butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the apple filling ingredients (but not the turbinado sugar). Gently simmer for about 10 minutes until the apple pieces soften. Cool to room temperature.
- Pro tip: The filling should be at room temperature before filling to prevent the crust butter from melting prematurely.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Make the homemade pie crust (below) or thaw two frozen pie crusts and roll them out. Cut the dough into pumpkin shapes with a cookie cutter.
- Spoon 1–2 tablespoons of filling into the center of a pumpkin cutout, leaving the edges bare. Top with another pumpkin cutout, press edges together, and crimp with a fork. Repeat. Chill for 20 minutes if you plan to cut faces; chilling helps prevent tearing.
- Arrange the pies on the baking sheet. Whisk the egg and milk for the egg wash and brush over the pies. If desired, carve jack-o-lantern faces with a paring knife after chilling. Sprinkle turbinado sugar on top if using.
- Bake 20–30 minutes until golden brown.
Homemade Pie Crust
- Weigh or measure the flour and salt, pulse a few times in a food processor, then add the butter. Pulse about 10 times until the butter pieces are about pea-sized. If large chunks remain, pulse a few more times.
- Whisk the sour cream and apple cider vinegar together and add to the flour mixture. Pulse until the dough holds together when pinched. Add ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, only if needed.
- Divide into two balls, flatten into discs, wrap, and chill 30 minutes before rolling. Roll out one disc at a time and cut pumpkin shapes. For detailed photos and the fraisage technique to improve flakiness, follow a pie crust tutorial.
Nutrition
Carbohydrates: 31.2 g |
Protein: 3.8 g |
Fat: 19.6 g