This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
These apple hand pies come together with frozen puff pastry and a warm spiced apple filling. Flaky, golden, and finished with a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar, they’re the perfect quick dessert for cozy nights or last-minute get-togethers. Just bake, cool, and enjoy that first sweet bite of fall.
If you love apple desserts, try my Easy Apple Tart.
Ingredients Breakdown
- Frozen puff pastry – The shortcut hero. It bakes up buttery, flaky, and golden brown with zero stress.
- Apples – Pick firm apples like Honeycrisp or Granny Smith so they hold their shape and give that tart-sweet balance. I like to do a combination of the two.
- Melted butter – Helps bind the filling and adds richness.
- Brown sugar – Gives deep molasses sweetness that pairs beautifully with apples.
- Pumpkin pie spice – Brings cozy fall flavor in one step.
- Cinnamon & granulated sugar – Used as a topping for that classic, crunchy pie finish.
- Vanilla extract – Adds warmth and rounds out the filling.
- Egg wash – Seals the pastry and gives that shiny, golden top.
Helpful Tips for making Apple Hand Pies
Yes, assemble and freeze them raw. When ready to bake, add a few extra minutes to the cook time (no need to thaw).
Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, or Fuji all work great. You want apples that stay firm and don’t turn mushy after baking.
Pumpkin pie spice is just a mix of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger. I would suggest to use only cinnamon or cinnamon and a little nutmeg if you have!
Let them cool completely, then store in an airtight container at room temp for 1–2 days or in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in the oven to keep the pastry crisp.
Apple Hand Pies
Ingredients
- 2 Frozen puff pastry sheets, thawed, 2 come in a box
- 3 medium sized apples , peeled, cored and diced
- 3 tbsp butter , unsalted, melted
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 ½ tsp pumpkin pie spice, can use 1tsp cinnamon and 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp granulated sugar
- Egg wash: 1 large egg beaten with 1 tbsp water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking sheet.
- Roll out the puff pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface. Cut across horizontally three times, then twice vertically. There should be 12 even cut out rectangles for each sheet. Place the bottoms on the prepared baking sheet.
- In a small bowl combine the apples, butter, brown sugar and pumpkin pie spice. Give this a good mix.
- Mix together the cinnamon and granulated sugar in a small ramekin.
- Spoon a couple of tablespoons of the apple mixture onto half of the puff pastry rectangles, leaving a little bit of space on the borders.
- Place the remaining rectangles on top and close by crimping with a fork to seal the edges.
- Cut two small slits on the top of each hand pie and brush the top with the egg wash.
- Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar on top of each hand pie. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes.
- Let cool, eat and enjoy.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I prefer a little bit of sauce with apple pies. If you’ve ever had McDonald’s pie then you know the drip in referring to. How do I make that?
I’ve never had McDonald’s apple pies with a dip, so I’m not sure.
Can I freeze these? It would be nice to have a pie every week
Yes, assemble and freeze them raw. When ready to bake, add a few extra minutes to the cook time (no need to thaw).
Easy and oh so good! Better than the place with the big yellow “M”!!