Mini Apple Cinnamon Hand Pies

Recipe by Catherine Pla

Makes 7-8 hand pies

Mini Apple Cinnamon Hand Pies

A portable pie! Hand pies are a delicious way to have your pie and eat it too.

• 1 recipe rough puff pastry dough, or 1 package frozen puff pastry, thawed per package instructions (I like Trader Joe’s), or store-bought pie dough

• 2-3 small apples, peeled, cored, and chopped

• 2 T unsalted butter

• 1⁄2 t vanilla bean paste or extract

• 1⁄2 t cinnamon, or more if you like

• 2 T granulated sugar

• 2 t cornstarch

• 1 T water

• 1 egg beaten with 1 T water, for egg wash

• Demerara or sparkling sugar mixed with a little cinnamon

Line a sheet pan with parchment. Add apples, butter, vanilla, cinnamon, and sugar to a medium saucepan and cook over medium-low heat until apples are tender and have released their juices. Stir cornstarch and water together in a little cup. Add to apple mixture and stir. The juices will thicken. Pour mixture into a bowl and let cool.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly flour your work surface and roll pastry out to 1⁄8” thick. or use a decorative cookie cutter or a large drinking glass to cut into 4” diameter circles. Reroll scraps once to make 14-16 cut-outs. Place half of the cut-outs on the sheet pan. Cut 3 slits in top cut-outs to vent steam.

Place a scant 1 tablespoon apple filling onto the bottom half of the cut-outs (less is more, too much and it will ooze out). Using a pastry brush, moisten the edges of the pastry with a little egg wash, then place the top half over the bottom encasing the filling. Press the edges together, then use the tines of a fork to crimp a decorative edge. Repeat to make 7-8 hand pies.

Brush hand pies with egg wash and sprinkle liberally with sparkling cinnamon sugar. Bake for 12-15 minutes, until lightly browned and puffed (if using rough puff or puff pastry).