Pumpkin Hand Pies are warm and flaky, perfectly portioned pastry pockets filled with the delicious flavors of fall. Like a mini pumpkin pie, but they are so quick and easy to make because the filling comes from a can and is individually wrapped inside simple refrigerated pie crust–only 6 ingredients (plus water) create these toothsome mini turnovers that make eating on the go the best treat!
Perfectly Portioned Pumpkin Hand Pies
This Pumpkin Hand Pies recipe is a festive twist on the traditional holiday treat, with its adorably pumpkin-shaped presentation of an otherwise nondescript hand pie. They are kind of like mini, portable pumpkin pies, but these ones have an even flakier double crust that encases a rich, not-too-sweet, warmly-spiced pumpkin filling.
It is so quick and simple to make these mini pies because this recipe uses a store-bought dough and canned pumpkin that mixes with creamy Greek yogurt and spices–all you have to do is unroll and fill your cut-out crust, gloss it with an egg wash, and bake it into the best, single-serving size snack or grab-and-go treat.
We make it so easy for you to eat your favorite fall dessert anywhere!
Why We Love This Pumpkin Hand Pies Recipe
- Quick and easy to make using 6 simple ingredients (plus water).
- Bakes in less than half the time of a traditional pumpkin pie.
- Delicious creamy filling in a flaky double crust.
- Portable treats that are great for a breakfast or a snack on the go.
- Fun Halloween baking project to make with kids.
- Simple to customize using different cookie cutter shapes.
- Perfect for Thanksgiving, to pack in school lunches, to serves as personal after-dinner desserts, or to bring to a party.
Ingredients / Shopping List
- Eggs
- Water
- Pumpkin puree: To make this recipe even simpler, use pumpkin pie mix instead of the pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice.
- Granulated white sugar: If you prefer, you can use light brown sugar, or other types of sweetener instead.
- Plain Greek yogurt
- Pumpkin pie spice: If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice, you can use a mixture of cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cloves, and ginger.
- Refrigerated pie crust: Feel free to use a homemade pie crust if you prefer. You can also use puff pastry sheets, although they will lose most of their pumpkin shapes, but they are delicious as well.
Substitutions and Additions
- Tasty Toppings: Drizzle your hand pies with a powdered sugar glaze, a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar, or make them a la mode with a scoop of ice cream.
- Add-Ins: Feel free to add some chocolate chips, finely chopped nuts, raisins, or cranberries to the pumpkin mixture for extra flavor and crunch.
- Filling Flavors: For other flavorful fillings, try jam or anther flavored pie filling. Some of my favorite are blueberry, apple and blackberry. You can even put squares of chocolate inside the dough to make chocolate filled hand pies.
Recommended Tools to Make this Recipe
- 4-inch pumpkin cookie cutter: I used this one.
- Large sheet pans
- Mixing bowl and tools
- Measuring tools
- Pastry brush
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How to Make the Recipe
These Pumpkin Hand Pies are like eating a mini pumpkin pie, but super cute! Not only are they adorable, they are crazy easy to make!
- Create your egg wash by whisking together one egg and the water. Set bowl aside.
- Mix together the other egg, pumpkin puree, sugar, Greek yogurt, and pumpkin pie spice. Set bowl aside.
- Roll out the pie crusts and cut out pumpkin shapes with a cookie cutter.
- On half of the pumpkins, cut out faces to create Jack-O-Lanterns or draw three lines resemble the lines of a pumpkin. Set aside.
- Brush egg wash onto the edges of the remaining pumpkins.
Pro-Tip: Do not skip brushing the pie crust with egg wash! The egg wash both helps seal the pie dough and gives the crust a pretty golden sheen. - Spoon 1-2 Tablespoons of the pumpkin filling onto the center of each egg washed pumpkin cut out.
Pro-Tip: It’s important not to overfill your hand pies or the filling will seep out of the sides before you can seal them with the fork or they may leak during baking. Use a maximum of 2 Tablespoons if you are using a 4-inch cookie cutter. - Top each half with another pumpkin piece.
- Seal the pumpkin pieces together.
Pro Tip: Press a fork along the edge of the cut outs to seal them. - Brush the top of each hand pie with egg wash and sprinkle with sugar.
- Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 12-15 minutes.
- Plate and serve warm. Enjoy!
Tips
- I like to cut the extra dough into rectangles using a pizza cutter–it makes it extremely easy and quick; it’s a perfect method for when I rerolled the scraps.
- Do not skip brushing the pie crust with egg wash! The egg wash both helps seal the pie dough and gives the crust a pretty golden sheen.
- It’s important not to overfill your hand pies or the filling will seep out of the sides before you can seal them with the fork or they may leak during baking. Use a maximum of 2 Tablespoons if you are using a 4-inch cookie cutter.
Storage Tips
- To Store: Though these mini pies are best served right away, you can store leftovers in an air-tight container kept in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
- To Reheat: To reheat, wrap your pastry in a damp paper towel and heat in the microwave for about 20 seconds.
Frequently Asked Questions
Hand pies are made with a pie dough-type pastry with either a sweet or savory filling. They are made by placing a dollop of filling onto a piece of dough and then folding it over and crimping it shut.
Although making these pies into pumpkin shapes is adorable and fun, you don’t have to do that in order to enjoy these hand pies. I also like rectangular or square hand pies because then I don’t waste any of the yummy pie crust. If you don’t have a pumpkin-shaped cookie cutter, you can use a round cookie cutter for these as well.
Yes, you can absolutely make your own pie crust! This recipe uses a canned version for ease and simplicity.
Other Easy Fall Recipes
- Pumpkin Streusel Bars
- Chicken Pot Pie Hand Pies
- Pumpkin Blondies
- S’mores Hand Pies
- Oatmeal Cream Pie
- Pumpkin Pie Rice Krispie Treats
Pumpkin Hand Pies
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs divided
- 1½ tbsp water
- ½ cup pumpkin puree
- ¼ cup granulated white sugar plus more for sprinkling
- 2 tbsp plain Greek yogurt
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 2 refrigerated pie crust
Instructions
- Prepare two sheet pans by lining them with parchment paper and then preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Whisk together one of the large eggs and the water in a small bowl, to create an egg wash. Set aside.
- Mix the other egg, pumpkin puree, granulated white sugar, plain Greek yogurt, and ¾ teaspoon of divided pumpkin pie spice together in a medium bowl and set aside.
- Roll out the pie crusts. Use a pumpkin shaped cookie cutter to cut out pumpkin shapes.
- Take half of the pumpkin cut outs and use a small paring knife to cut out faces to create Jack-O-Lanterns or draw three lines to make it look like the lines of a pumpkin. Set aside.
- Grab the other half of the pumpkin cut outs and use a pastry brush to brush some of the egg wash onto the edges.
- Spoon 1-2 Tablespoons of the pumpkin puree filling onto the center of each of the egg washed pumpkin cut outs.
- Top each half with a cut out pumpkin piece. Press a fork along the edge of the cut outs together to seal the pumpkin hand pies.
- Brush the tops with more egg wash and then sprinkle with additional granulated white sugar.
- Bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes or until the tops start to turn golden brown. Plate and serve warm.
Jenn’s Notes
- To Store: Though these mini pies are best served right away, you can store leftovers in an air-tight container kept in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
- To Reheat: To reheat, wrap your pastry in a damp paper towel and heat in the microwave for about 20 seconds.
- I like to cut the extra dough into rectangles using a pizza cutter–it makes it extremely easy and quick; it’s a perfect method for when I rerolled the scraps.
- Do not skip brushing the pie crust with egg wash! The egg wash both helps seal the pie dough and gives the crust a pretty golden sheen.
- It’s important not to overfill your hand pies or the filling will seep out of the sides before you can seal them with the fork or they may leak during baking. Use a maximum of 2 Tablespoons if you are using a 4-inch cookie cutter.
