Easy Apple Hand Pies
I LOVE pie! I once heard someone say that their favorite pie was a round pie. I’d have to say I agree, but when you can have a pie and it is portable, what more could you ask for?
My parents grew up in Western Oregon, where blackberries grow wild. They are so wild, that the locals actually consider them a weed. But, I’m telling you, driving through Salem on south, you could look out your window and see giant, unruly, bushes of blackberries and those blackberries are some of the most flavorful I’ve ever tasted.
Every summer, growing up, we’d trek to Oregon to visit family and I would get my fill of fresh off the bush, or tree fruit. The climate in Western Oregon is perfect for amazing fruit. My grandpa had an orchard and grew cherries and apples, and my other grandpa was a vegetable farmer. It’s no wonder I love fresh fruits and vegetables.
Making pies from scratch can be time-consuming and complicated in order to achieve the perfect pie crust. Especially when you are baking pies for a holiday dinner, any shortcut is welcome. These easy apple hand pies are exactly the ticket.
Easy Apple Hand Pies
Equipment
- potato masher
- silicone pad/parchment paper
Ingredients
- ¾ lb granny smith apples
- ¾ lb golden delicious apples
- ¼ cup water
- 3 Tbsp sugar
- 1 large lemon
- 16 oz puff pastry thawed
- 1 large egg beaten
- ⅓ cup sugar in the raw
- powdered sugar for garnish
Instructions
Filling
- Peel, core, and cut the apples into 1-inch pieces (about 4
cups). Put the apples in a medium saucepan, and add the water, sugar, and lemon juice. Bring to a boil, over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves. Cover, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the apples are very tender, stirring frequently about 12 minutes. - Position 1 rack in the top third of the oven, and 1 rack in the bottom third, and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
Pastry
- Stack the 2 pastry sheets together, and then roll them out on a lightly floured surface to a 15-inch square. Cut the pastry into 9 (5-inch) squares. Put 1 generous tablespoon of filling in the center of each of 8 squares, reserve the remaining square for another use). Lightly brush
the edges of each square with beaten egg. Fold half of the pastry square over the filling, forming triangles. Press and pinch the pastry edges with fingertips to seal tightly. Lightly brush the pastry triangles with beaten egg, and sprinkle lightly with sugar in the raw, if desired. Using a thin, sharp knife, make a small slit on top of each triangle to allow the steam to escape. Put the triangles on the prepared baking sheets. - Refrigerate until firm, about 15 minutes. Bake the turnovers until they are beginning to color, about 15 minutes. Reverse the baking sheets from top to bottom. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F, and continue baking until the turnovers are firm and golden, 10 to 15 minutes longer. Cool at least 15 minutes before serving. Serve warm or at room temperature with and top with desired topping, vanilla ice cream, caramel sauce, powdered sugar, etc.
Nutrition
I make these easy apple hand pies for holidays or just an average Monday. The leftovers are also extremely yummy as a breakfast pastry.
Hope y’all are having an amazing week.
