Pumpkin Hand Pies (VIDEO)

5 from 1 vote

With creamy pumpkin filling and a buttery, flaky crust, these adorable pumpkin hand pies are a fun and easy dessert to add to your Thanksgiving dinner table. A portable alternative to the traditional pumpkin pie served during October and November, you won't want to stop at just one of these addictive mini pumpkin shape pies!

Prep Time30

Cook Time30

Waiting Time2

Total Time3

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 342kcal

Author: Katalin Nagy

Equipment

Ingredients

Pie dough

250 g All purpose flour
½ teaspoon Salt
180 g Unsalted butter very cold
80 g Water very cold

Pumpkin filling

105 g Pumpkin puree
¼ teaspoon Pumpkin spice mix of cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg
35 g Brown sugar
35 g Granualated sugar
1 Egg yolk
75 g Condensed milk

Egg wash

1 Egg
Dash of milk

Metric - US Customary

Instructions

Start with Pie dough

In a large bowl whisk flour and salt until fully combined. Cut butter into small chunks.
Pop the butter chunks, the flour mixture, and water into the freezer for 10 minutes.
Once all ingredients are nicely chilled, add very cold butter chunks into flour and rub the mixture between your fingers until it becomes a sand like consistency. Leave some bigger butter chunks in the mixture, no need to fully incorporate the butter into the flour.
Add very cold water into the dough, a small amount at a time and stir with a spatula or wooden spoon after each addition.
Start working the dough with your hands. First it will look crumby but it should come together in the next minute or so. Remember, leave in some butter chunks, do not overwork the dough and do not use a mixer.
Form a disk, cover with plastic wrap and let it rest in the fridge for minimum 2 hours.

Continue with making the Pumpkin filling

Mix all ingredients in a bowl using a hand whisk.

Assembling and Baking

After 2 hours, take the pie dough disk out of the fridge and let it rest few minutes on the kitchen counter. The dough should stay cold but slightly warmed up to be able to roll it out without breaking it.
Transfer the disk to a lightly floured surface or Silicone baking mat and start rolling it out. Make sure you turn the dough with your hands after each rolling so it will become even. No need to add too much flour while rolling, the pie dough should be cold enough not to stick to the kitchen counter. If at any point the dough gets too warm, pop it back into the freezer for a minute and continue.
Roll the dough to 3mm thickness. Remember, do not force the dough, after rolling, it should stay smooth and cold, easy to work with.
With the help of a pumpkin shaped cookie cutter or pumpkin shaped paper template (about 7.5 cm / 3 inches in diameter) cut out the pumpkin shapes then refrigerate them for 15 minutes.
Then, place half of the dough on parchment paper or even better if using perforated "air" baking mat for even baking - these will be the bottom of the hand pies.
Apply egg wash all around the edges of the dough, then place about 1-2 tablespoons of filling in the center of each dough leaving a small border around the edge. Then, place the top crust over the filling. Press your finger around the edges to properly seal them then crimp with a fork.
Cut 4 slits on top of the pastry - carefully so you do not cut all the way down to the filling. Apply egg wash on top then dust with some sugar.
Place unbaked hand pies in the freezer for 15 minutes while pre-heating the oven to 190C / 374F (no fan).
Bake them for about 25 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the bottom is evenly baked.
Let hand pies slightly cool in the baking tray for 5 minutes then move them onto a cooling rack.
Serve them fresh. Any leftovers can be stored at room temperature in air-tight container for 2-3 days.

Video

Notes

For a deeper flavor use dark brown sugar. It has a little more molasses in it than light brown sugar.
Be as creative as you like by adding herbs and spices. This versatile filling is very easy to customize.
For the best taste and texture make sure that your pumpkin puree is not watery. Strain it on cheesecloth to get rid of some of the liquid if necessary, then measure it.
Work as quickly with the pastry as you can as over time, when the pastry warms, it will stick and would make it very difficult to handle
If the pastry warms up, place it into the fridge or freezer immediately, then continue after the dough is chilled and not sticky
Be mindful of the filling. You should fill the pastry with as much filling as you can, however, avoid placing too much filling on the dough as you should be able to "close" it with the top layer of dough. Avoid filling leaking to the edge of the pastry as you would find it difficult to seal it.
Check the bottom of the pastry - whether it is well baked - before removing the pastries from of the oven

Nutrition