Pumpkin Filled Hand Pies
If you are dreaming up a Christmas baking wonderland right now, you might be thinking of cookies and custards and cakes. Those are always top of mind for me. But if you live in the South, then you must know that pumpkin pie remains the star of the holiday show well past Thanksgiving and right into Christmas. As a Jew from Florida with a deep love for the Christmas spirit and a dabble in the bakery and catering world, there was always a head tilt from my end when I got asked about pumpkin pie rather than chocolate peppermint cookies or coconut cake. But eventually I shrugged my shoulders and started knocking out pumpkin pies. Give the people what they want, right?
So here we are. The holiday season upon us, and we already have an incredible Pumpkin Spice Latte Pie on the site. You can make that if you’re looking for something fancy and show-offy. Or, if you’re having a small gathering to keep us all safe (hello Covid times), these festive babies are a great option. A socially distant holiday gathering requires some planning and adjusting, and these hand pies are the perfect way to share a sweet treat without sharing your germs.
For me, I’ll be baking these up and dropping them off at my friends doors for strict instruction to eat for breakfast with a cup of coffee while watching Mariah Carey’s Magical Christmas Special.
You know where to find me…
Pumpkin Filled Hand Pies
Ingredients
Hand Pies
Pumpkin butter filling (recipe here)
Pie dough (recipe here)
1/2 cup finely chopped chocolate
1 egg + 1 tablespoon water, whisked together
1/4 cup Turbinado sugar
Cinnamon Sugar Topping
6 tablespoons salted butter, melted and slightly cooled
1/2 cup white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
Chocolate Drizzle Topping
1/2 cup finely chopped chocolate
Flaky sea salt
Process
Yields about 14 hand pies.
Preheat oven to 400F.
The pie dough should be taken out of the fridge about 30 minutes prior to using (an hour if its in the freezer) and rolled out thin, to 1/8- to 1/4-inch. Using a biscuit or cookie cutter (anything between 2-3 inches in diameter works), cut out as many circles as you can. I used a 3-inch biscuit cutter and got 14 very beautiful hand pies, so 28 circles. To keep the pie flaky and sturdy, do not roll out more than twice.
Lay the circles out on parchment lined baking sheets (I needed two), with about 1-2 inches in between each one.
Once circles are lined up, brush half of them with egg wash and add 1-2 tablespoons of filling to the egg-washed pie circles, making sure that there is enough room to seal the top of the hand pie to the bottom. If you’re adding chocolate to them, add less filling and sprinkle a teaspoon or two of chopped chocolate on top of the filling.
Gently place the unfilled/non-brushed circles on top of the filled ones, pressing lightly around the edges to fully fuse them together. Using a fork, gingerly press the prongs around the edges of each one until you get a sundial-like visual. With a paring knife, score the center of the pie with three lines in a radial pattern to allow air to escape the pies. Brush each one with egg wash and top with a generous sprinkle of Turbinado sugar until sparkly and beautiful!
Bake at 400F for 10-15 minutes, or until edges are golden brown. Let cool completely before serving or decorating.
If decorating with cinnamon sugar: In a small bowl, combine cinnamon and sugar until homogenous. Brush top and bottom of pie in butter and roll in cinnamon sugar mixture. Let butter and sugars set for about 30 minutes.
If decorating with chocolate: Melt the remaining chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl for 15-30 seconds at a time until smooth and shiny. Using a spoon or adding to a piping bag with a small, round tip (Wilton #301 will work), drizzle over the top and sprinkle with flaky salt. Let the chocolate set for about 30 minutes.
Serve and enjoy!