Hand Pies Three Ways
Recipe by Nicole Thom-Arens
Makes 11 4 1/2-inch circular pies
My Grandma Mary made amazing pies. I’ve been chasing her pie skills for years. This pie crust recipe is the closest I’ve come to hers while elevating it with some better-for-you ingredients.
These hand pies are perfect for a crowd with differing tastes. My favorite is the apple and lingonberry, but the pumpkin butter is a close second. While they are fussy, they are a bit of a showstopper, so take your time and make them pretty.
Ingredients:
The Crust1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour1 cup whole wheat flour2 teaspoons kosher salt1 tablespoon sugar1/2 cup butter, cubed and chilled1/2 cup coconut oil at room temperature4 to 8 tablespoons ice water
Egg Wash1 large egg1 tablespoon water
Apple Lingonberry Filling2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and diced very small (about a 1/4 inch)1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon1 teaspoon cardamom1 tablespoon brown sugar1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons lingonberry preserves
Apple Filling2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and diced very small (about a 1/4 inch)1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon1 teaspoon cardamom 2 tablespoons brown sugar2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Pumpkin Butter Filling (from Half Baked Harvest)2 cans pumpkin 1/3 cup apple cider1/2 cup maple syrup1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste1 tablespoon pumpkin spice (I like to make my own by combining 3 tablespoons cinnamon with 2 teaspoons ground ginger, 2 teaspoons ground nutmeg, 1 1/2 teaspoons allspice, and 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves.)1 teaspoon cinnamon1 teaspoon kosher salt (Reduce to 1/2 teaspoon if not using Diamond.)1/4 cup pecans
Instructions:
The Crust1. Add the flours, salt, and sugar to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse to combine. 2. Add the cubed butter and coconut oil. 3. Pulse the fat with the flour until fine crumbs appear. 4. Add 4 tablespoons of ice water to the mixture. Pulse until a dough forms. Add additional water 1 tablespoon at a time until the dough ball forms in the bowl of the processor. 5. Remove the dough onto a sheet of plastic wrap. Kneed to combine. (Work quickly so the dough doesn’t heat up too much.)6. Cut the dough in 2 pieces. 7. Form each piece into a disk and wrap separately in plastic wrap. 8. Chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours. 9. When you’re ready to make the pies, remove the crust from the fridge and allow it to soften a bit—5 to 10 minutes. 10. Prepare the egg wash by whisking together the egg and water. 11. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 12. Roll the dough very thin—between an 1/8 and 1/4 inches. (The thickens of the dough will impact the quantity and baking time.)13. Cut rounds with your cutter—I use the top of a mini springform pan. (Remember that 2 circles are needed to make one pie.)14. Each pie bakes at 375 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes.
Apple Lingonberry Filling
1. Combine the apples with the cinnamon, cardamom, and brown sugar. Set aside. 2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.3. Place one round of pie dough on the baking sheet. 4. Place 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons of seasoned apples on top of the crust, keeping 1/4-inch border around the edge of the dough. 5. Add 1 heaping teaspoon of lingonberry preserves to the apple mixture, spreading it around the surface of the apples. 6. Place a second round of pie dough on top of the apple mixture.7. Crimp the edges of the pie with a fork to seal.8. Brush the top of each pie with an egg wash.9. Cut a small x in the center for venting. 10. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes until golden on the top and bottom.
Apple Filling
1. Heat a sauté pan on the stovetop over medium heat.2. Add the butter.3. Once the butter has melted, add the apples, cinnamon, cardamom, and brown sugar. 4. Cook the apple mixture until the sugar has melted. 5. Cool completely. 6. Place one round of pie dough on the baking sheet. 7. Place 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons of the cooled apples on top of the crust, keeping 1/4-inch border around the edge of the dough. 8. Place a second round of pie dough on top of the apple mixture.9. Crimp the edges of the pie with a fork to seal. 10. Brush the top of each pie with an egg wash.11. Cut a small x in the center for venting. 12. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes until golden on the top and bottom.
Pumpkin Butter Filling
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 2. Place the pecans on a small baking sheet. 3. Bake at 350 degrees for 5 minutes. 4. Meanwhile, combine the pumpkin, cider, maple syrup, vanilla bean paste, pumpkin spice, cinnamon, and salt in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat until reduced and thickened—about 20 to 30 minutes. 5. Remove from the heat and cool completely. 6. Place one round of pie dough on the baking sheet. 7. Place 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons of the cooled pumpkin butter on top of the crust, keeping 1/4-inch border around the edge of the dough. 8. Sprinkle cooled pecans on top. 9. Place a second round of pie dough on top of the pumpkin butter and pecans.10. Crimp the edges of the pie with a fork to seal. 11. Brush the top of each pie with an egg wash.12. Cut a small x in the center for venting. 13. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes until golden on the top and bottom.
These hand pies are perfect for a crowd with differing tastes. My favorite is the apple and lingonberry, but the pumpkin butter is a close second. While they are fussy, they are a bit of a showstopper, so take your time and make them pretty.
Ingredients:
The Crust1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour1 cup whole wheat flour2 teaspoons kosher salt1 tablespoon sugar1/2 cup butter, cubed and chilled1/2 cup coconut oil at room temperature4 to 8 tablespoons ice water
Egg Wash1 large egg1 tablespoon water
Apple Lingonberry Filling2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and diced very small (about a 1/4 inch)1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon1 teaspoon cardamom1 tablespoon brown sugar1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons lingonberry preserves
Apple Filling2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and diced very small (about a 1/4 inch)1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon1 teaspoon cardamom 2 tablespoons brown sugar2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Pumpkin Butter Filling (from Half Baked Harvest)2 cans pumpkin 1/3 cup apple cider1/2 cup maple syrup1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste1 tablespoon pumpkin spice (I like to make my own by combining 3 tablespoons cinnamon with 2 teaspoons ground ginger, 2 teaspoons ground nutmeg, 1 1/2 teaspoons allspice, and 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves.)1 teaspoon cinnamon1 teaspoon kosher salt (Reduce to 1/2 teaspoon if not using Diamond.)1/4 cup pecans
Instructions:
The Crust1. Add the flours, salt, and sugar to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse to combine. 2. Add the cubed butter and coconut oil. 3. Pulse the fat with the flour until fine crumbs appear. 4. Add 4 tablespoons of ice water to the mixture. Pulse until a dough forms. Add additional water 1 tablespoon at a time until the dough ball forms in the bowl of the processor. 5. Remove the dough onto a sheet of plastic wrap. Kneed to combine. (Work quickly so the dough doesn’t heat up too much.)6. Cut the dough in 2 pieces. 7. Form each piece into a disk and wrap separately in plastic wrap. 8. Chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours. 9. When you’re ready to make the pies, remove the crust from the fridge and allow it to soften a bit—5 to 10 minutes. 10. Prepare the egg wash by whisking together the egg and water. 11. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 12. Roll the dough very thin—between an 1/8 and 1/4 inches. (The thickens of the dough will impact the quantity and baking time.)13. Cut rounds with your cutter—I use the top of a mini springform pan. (Remember that 2 circles are needed to make one pie.)14. Each pie bakes at 375 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes.
Apple Lingonberry Filling
1. Combine the apples with the cinnamon, cardamom, and brown sugar. Set aside. 2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.3. Place one round of pie dough on the baking sheet. 4. Place 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons of seasoned apples on top of the crust, keeping 1/4-inch border around the edge of the dough. 5. Add 1 heaping teaspoon of lingonberry preserves to the apple mixture, spreading it around the surface of the apples. 6. Place a second round of pie dough on top of the apple mixture.7. Crimp the edges of the pie with a fork to seal.8. Brush the top of each pie with an egg wash.9. Cut a small x in the center for venting. 10. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes until golden on the top and bottom.
Apple Filling
1. Heat a sauté pan on the stovetop over medium heat.2. Add the butter.3. Once the butter has melted, add the apples, cinnamon, cardamom, and brown sugar. 4. Cook the apple mixture until the sugar has melted. 5. Cool completely. 6. Place one round of pie dough on the baking sheet. 7. Place 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons of the cooled apples on top of the crust, keeping 1/4-inch border around the edge of the dough. 8. Place a second round of pie dough on top of the apple mixture.9. Crimp the edges of the pie with a fork to seal. 10. Brush the top of each pie with an egg wash.11. Cut a small x in the center for venting. 12. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes until golden on the top and bottom.
Pumpkin Butter Filling
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 2. Place the pecans on a small baking sheet. 3. Bake at 350 degrees for 5 minutes. 4. Meanwhile, combine the pumpkin, cider, maple syrup, vanilla bean paste, pumpkin spice, cinnamon, and salt in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat until reduced and thickened—about 20 to 30 minutes. 5. Remove from the heat and cool completely. 6. Place one round of pie dough on the baking sheet. 7. Place 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons of the cooled pumpkin butter on top of the crust, keeping 1/4-inch border around the edge of the dough. 8. Sprinkle cooled pecans on top. 9. Place a second round of pie dough on top of the pumpkin butter and pecans.10. Crimp the edges of the pie with a fork to seal. 11. Brush the top of each pie with an egg wash.12. Cut a small x in the center for venting. 13. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes until golden on the top and bottom.