Description
These Apple Cranberry Hand Pies combine tart cranberries and sweet, cinnamon-spiced apples wrapped in flaky homemade pie crusts. Perfectly portioned as individual hand pies, they are ideal for dessert or a festive snack. The filling is cooked on the stovetop to a glossy, thick consistency, then baked until golden brown to create a delicious, portable treat with a tender crust and a luscious fruit filling.
Ingredients
Filling
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 large apples, peeled, cored & chopped into 1/2-inch chunks
- 3/4 cup cranberries (fresh or frozen)
- 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Pie Crust & Topping
- 2 homemade pie crusts
- 1 egg (for egg wash)
- 2 teaspoons water (for egg wash)
- Coarse or white granulated sugar (for topping, as needed)
Instructions
- Make apple cranberry filling: Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the chopped apples, cranberries, both sugars, salt, and 2 tablespoons of water. Stir well to combine, cover, and cook for 4–6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the fruit begins to soften.
- Thicken filling: In a small dish, mix the cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of water. Add this mixture to the pan while stirring, then continue cooking uncovered until the filling thickens and the fruit is coated in a glossy sauce. Stir in ground cinnamon and freshly grated nutmeg. Remove from heat and let cool completely to avoid soggy crust.
- Prepare egg wash: Beat the egg with 2 teaspoons of water using a fork in a small bowl.
- Prepare pie crust: Remove pie crusts from the fridge and let them sit for 15–30 minutes until softened slightly and easier to roll.
- Preheat oven: Set oven to 400°F (200°C) and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Shape pies (round): Roll out each pie dough to just under 1/8 inch thick. Use a 3½-inch round cutter to cut out circles. Gather and reroll scraps to cut more circles. If dough softens too much, refrigerate cut circles for 30 minutes before continuing.
- Fill and seal (round): Place about 1 heaped tablespoon of cooled filling in the center of each circle. Brush edges lightly with egg wash. Top with another dough circle and firmly crimp edges with a fork to seal tightly to prevent leaking.
- Shape pies (half-moon): Roll dough to just under 1/8 inch thick. Use a 4–5 inch round cutter, gather and reroll scraps to cut more circles. Chill if too soft.
- Fill and seal (half-moon): Place 1 to 2 tablespoons of filling in center of each circle. Brush edges with egg wash. Fold dough over to form half-moon and crimp edges firmly with a fork.
- Apply egg wash and sugar topping: Arrange hand pies about one inch apart on the prepared baking sheets. Brush tops with egg wash. For round pies, cut a cross on top for steam to escape; for half-moons, make three slits on top. Sprinkle lightly with coarse or granulated sugar.
- Bake pies: Bake round pies for 15–20 minutes and half-moons for 14–19 minutes at 400°F, or until tops are deep golden brown.
- Cool and serve: Remove pies from oven and let them cool on baking sheets before serving to ensure filling sets and crust remains crisp.
Notes
- Make the fruit filling ahead and refrigerate for up to 2 days to save time on baking day.
- Make sure the filling is completely cooled before filling to avoid soggy crust.
- Seal edges tightly to prevent juice leakage during baking.
- If dough becomes too soft while cutting, refrigerate shaped dough for about 30 minutes before filling.
- Customize pie shape: round with more filling or half-moon with more crust.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
