Jack-O-Lantern Hand Pies
Jack-o-lantern hand pies are the perfect spooky Halloween dessert. They come together so easily and it’s a fun and family-friendly baking project. I used blackberry and apple pie fillings (my favorite), but feel free to swap in yours!
How to make Jack-O-Lantern Hand Pies
Jack-o-lantern hand pies are so easy and so fun to make, you just need a handful of tools and ingredients!
Tools Needed
Ingredients you’ll need
- Pie crust. You can follow the recipe below to make your own pie crust or use store-bought.
- Pie Filling. I’ve provided recipes for a bourbon apple-pie filling and roasted blackberry filling, but you can use your favorite or even use canned pie filling.
- Turbinado sugar. Turbinado, or raw sugar, sprinkled on top of the pies before baking gives them the best texture!
- Egg. I always brush my pies with an egg wash before baking to create a shiny, golden-brown crust.
How to prepare Jack-o-lantern Hand Pies
- Make your pie crust. I love this crust recipe because you can make it in the stand mixer so easily. You can also use store-bought pie crust.
- Prep your fillings. I decided to make my own fillings but you can use canned pie filling as well. Make your fillings and then let them cool completely to room temperature before using.
- Roll out your crust. After the crust has chilled a bit, lightly dust a work surface with flour. Roll the pie crust out to 1/8″ thickness and cut out as many pumpkins as possible using a 4″ pumpkin cookie cutter. Place them on a baking sheet and into the fridge for 10 minutes.
- Cut out your jack-o-lantern faces. On half of the pumpkins, cut out some cute jack-o-lantern faces! You can use a knife or a combination of small cookie cutter shapes. Have fun with it!
- Assemble. Place the non-face pumpkin shapes on a baking sheet and place about a tablespoon and a half of pie filling in the middle. Brush the edges around the filling with egg wash and then gently place one of the pumpkin faces on top. Seal the edges with a fork.
- Bake. Brush the top of the pies with egg wash and sprinkle with turbinado sugar. Bake at 375 degrees F for 25 minutes, until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack before serving.
More Baking Recipes to Try
-
Salted Caramel Pumpkin Pie Bars
-
Pumpkin Bread with Streusel Topping
-
Salted Chocolate Pecan Pie
-
Gingerbread Sandwich Cookies
This pie dough recipe is from Michelle at Hummingbird High!
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Jack-O-Lantern Hand Pies
These cute little hand pies are the perfect little dessert for your Halloween party!
Prep Time: 40 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Makes: 12 hand pies
Ingredients
Pie Dough
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 sticks 8oz unsalted butter, diced and very cold
- 6-9 tablespoons ice water
- 1 egg for egg wash
- 1/4 cup raw or turbinado sugar for sprinkling
Bourbon Apple Filling
- 2 large honey crisp apples peeled and diced small
- 3 tablespoons salted butter
- 2 tablespoons bourbon whiskey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2/3 cup brown sugar
Roasted Blackberry Filling
- 18 oz fresh blackberries
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- To make the crust: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the flour, sugar, and salt. Mix on low for 15 seconds. Add the cold butter all at once and beat on low until the mixture resembles coarse sand with pea-sized pieces of butter. With the mixer on low, add 6 tablespoons of liquid from the ice water mixture. Beat on low for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the dough clumps around the paddle and/or the sides of the bowl. If the dough seems too dry, add more liquid from the ice water mixture 1 teaspoon at a time.
- Tip the dough out onto a lightly floured counter with the spatula. Quickly knead the dough into a rough ball. Divide the dough in half and shape each half into a rough ball. Wrap each portion tightly in plastic wrap and flatten it into a small disc. Refrigerate at least one hour, up to overnight.
- To make the apple filling: Heat butter in a stainless steel saute pan until just barely golden brown. Add the apples and cook for 2 minutes. Then, add the bourbon and cook for another minute. Add the vanilla, cinnamon, and sugar and toss to combine. Cook for 5-7 minutes until the liquid is reduced to a syrupy consistency. Cool to room temperature.
- To make blackberry filling: Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place the blackberries on the baking sheet and roast for 30 minutes. Transfer blackberries to a stainless steel pot with sugar and vanilla. Simmer over medium heat for 10 minutes, until thick. Cool to room temperature.
- Prep the pie dough: Remove the pie dough from the refrigerator. Lightly dust a work surface with flour. Roll the dough out to 1/8th inch thick. Using a 4" pumpkin cookie cutter, cut as many pieces out as possible. Place the pumpkin pieces on a parchment-lined baking sheet and refrigerate for 20 minutes. Using a sharp knife, cut out jack-o-lantern faces on half of the pumpkin cutouts.
- To assemble: Preheat an oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Lightly beat an egg in a small bowl. Place the pumpkin cutouts with no faces on the tray. Place 1 1/2 tablespoons of either filling in the center. Brush the edges around the filling with the egg. Place a pumpkin cut out with a face on top and line up the edges. Using a fork, press the edges together, sealing in the filling. Brush the top of the hand pie with egg and sprinkle with turbinado sugar, if desired. Repeat with remaining hand pies. Bake for 25 minutes, until dark golden brown. Cool on a baking rack.
Notes
You can absolutely substitute store bought pie dough!
Rate & Review This Recipe
i am obsessed. THANK YOU for trying my pie crust recipe!!! xo