Description
Delight in these flaky, golden Pumpkin Hand Pies made with a buttery pie dough and a spiced pumpkin filling. Perfectly portioned for a cozy autumn treat, these hand pies are topped with a luscious maple glaze that adds just the right amount of sweetness.
Ingredients
Scale
Pie Dough
- All-Butter Pie Dough or Homemade Pie Dough (enough for 2 discs)
Egg Wash
- 1 large egg beaten with 1 Tablespoon milk
Pumpkin Filling
- 1 and 1/4 cups (282g) pumpkin puree
- 1 large egg
- 6 Tablespoons (72g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (store-bought or homemade)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Maple Icing
- 1 cup (120g) confectioners’ sugar
- 3 Tablespoons (45ml) pure maple syrup
- 1 Tablespoon (15ml) milk
- 1/2 teaspoon maple extract or vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Make the crust ahead: Prepare your pie dough using the all-butter pie dough recipe or a homemade pie dough recipe. Chill the dough for at least 2 hours or up to 5 days in the refrigerator to ensure it is well set and easier to handle for rolling.
- Roll out the pie dough: On a lightly floured surface, take one chilled dough disc and roll it out to about 1/8–1/4-inch thickness. Rotate the dough after every few rolls and add flour underneath if it sticks. Using a 5-inch diameter bowl as a guide, cut circles out of the dough with a sharp knife. Place these dough circles on a plate or baking sheet and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes to keep cold. Repeat with the second disc. You should have about 12–16 circles in total.
- Preheat the oven and prepare baking sheets: Preheat your oven to 400°F (204°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats to prevent sticking and for easy cleanup.
- Make the pumpkin filling: In a medium bowl, whisk together pumpkin puree, egg, brown sugar, all-purpose flour, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt until the mixture is smooth and fully combined. This will yield approximately 1 and 1/2 cups of filling.
- Assemble the hand pies: Spoon about 1.5 to 2 tablespoons of the pumpkin filling onto one half of each dough circle. Leave a 1/4-inch border around the edges. Fold the empty half over the filling to create a half-moon shape. Seal the edges by pressing with fingers, then crimp the edges with a fork to ensure no filling leaks out. Place assembled hand pies on prepared baking sheets. Lightly brush the tops with the egg wash and cut 2–3 slits on each top to vent steam during baking. If the pies are not cool, refrigerate them for 15 minutes to 1 hour before baking to help them hold their shape.
- Bake the hand pies: Bake the pies for 22 to 25 minutes or until golden brown on top and around the edges. Halfway through baking, rotate the baking sheets between top and bottom racks to ensure even cooking. Once baked, let the pies cool on the sheets for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Prepare the icing: In a medium bowl, whisk confectioners’ sugar with maple syrup, milk, maple or vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt until smooth and pourable.
- Glaze the hand pies: When the pies are cool enough to handle, dip the tops into the icing. If crust flakes stick to the icing, drizzle the glaze on top instead. Place iced hand pies on a cooling rack over parchment or a baking sheet to catch drips. Allow the icing to set for about 1 hour or enjoy immediately.
- Storage: Store any leftover hand pies covered at room temperature for up to 1 day or refrigerate for up to 5 days to keep them fresh.
Notes
- Chilling the dough and assembled pies helps maintain the shape and prevents leaking during baking.
- If the pumpkin filling leaks slightly before baking, blot it gently with a paper towel to avoid sogginess.
- Use fresh pumpkin puree for the best flavor; canned pumpkin can work but choose pure pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling.
- You can customize the spice blend in the filling to your liking by adjusting the pumpkin pie spice.
- The icing sets better if pies are completely cooled before glazing but can be enjoyed warm with a drizzle if preferred.
- Frozen leftover hand pies can be reheated in a low oven to restore crispness.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes (plus at least 2 hours chilling time for dough)
- Cook Time: 22-25 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: pumpkin hand pies, fall desserts, pumpkin pie spice, hand pies recipe, maple glaze, autumn treats, homemade pie dough, handheld dessert
