Leaf Shaped Apple Hand Pies

We’re well into fall, and I’ve been enjoying all of the usual fall flavored desserts, including the classic apple pie. It’s my favorite dessert to make for Thanksgiving, but sometimes you want to enjoy apple pie without making a full pie, and that’s when you turn to hand pies! They’re simple, easy to make, and fun to give as gift. I’ve got a printable template to help you create these delicious Leaf Shaped Apple Hand Pies for an extra festive dessert!

These hand pies have a flaky, buttery crust, and a sweet, cinnamon-y filling. They’re super easy to make, but cutting them into leaves takes them to the next level.

You’ll first want to start by printing and cutting out the leaves from the leaf template. It’s best to print it on cardstock so it is sturdy enough to work with.

Marisa Bakes Leaves Template

Now you’re ready to make your dough. Combine the flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl before carefully blending in the butter until it is almost pea sized. Add ice cold water and stir together until it begins to form into a dough. Pat the dough into a disk, wrap it in plastic, and chill it for 15 minutes.

Next peel and dice the apple into small pieces. Place it in a small bowl, add the sugar and cinnamon, and stir. Your kitchen is going to start to smell amazing at this point.

Once your dough has chilled, carefully roll it out onto a lightly floured surface. Place the leaf templates over the dough and carefully cut around them using a sharp pairing knife. You’ll want to keep repeating this process, rerolling the dough as needed, until you have cut out four of both types of leaves for a total of four hand pies. Transfer each leaf to a parchment lined baking sheet and place it back into the fridge until ready to use.

While the leaves chill in the fridge, whisk together the egg and water. Take the cookie sheet back out of the fridge and carefully scoop a little bit of the apple filling into the center of two of each type of leaf.

Brush the egg wash around the rim of each leaf that you added apples to before carefully topping each with its matching top and gently pushing down to make sure they adhere. Use a sharp knife to cut off any excess dough. Coat each hand pie with egg wash and sprinkle with sugar. I like to use turbinado sugar for it’s crunchy, caramelized effect, but granulated sugar will work too!

Pop the hand pies into the oven and bake them for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Be sure to leave them on the cookie sheet for about 5-10 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack. Now you can top them with ice cream or whipped cream or enjoy them as is!

Leaf Shaped Apple Hand Pies

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

Sometimes you want to enjoy apple pie without making a full pie, and that’s when you turn to hand pies. They’re simple, easy to make, and fun to give as gift. I’ve got a printable template to help you create these delicious Leaf Shaped Apple Hand Pies for an extra festive dessert!

• Author: Marisa Guerra
• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 25 minutes
• Total Time: 55 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings
• Category: Dessert

Ingredients

Pie Dough

• 1 ¼ cups flour
• 1 ½ tsp sugar
• ¼ tsp salt
• ½ cup unsalted butter, cubed and chilled
• 2– 2 ¼ tbsp ice cold water

Apple Filling

• 1 pink lady or honeycrisp apple
• 1 tbsp sugar
• ¼ tsp cinnamon

Topping

• 1 egg
• 2 tsp water
• Turbinado sugar, for topping

Instructions

Apple Hand Pies

1. Preheat oven to 375º degrees.
2. As the oven preheats, download, print, and cut out the leaf template.
3. Whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl.
4. Blend the butter into the flour mixture with your hands or a pastry blender until the butter is about pea sized.
5. Pour the water over the flour and stir together until it begins to form into a dough.
6. Form the dough into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for 15 minutes.
7. While the dough chills, peel and dice the apple into small pieces and place them in a small bowl. Stir in the sugar and cinnamon and set aside.
8. Roll the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Place the leaf template over the dough and carefully cut around it using a sharp pairing knife. Transfer each leaf to a parchment lined baking sheet and place back into the fridge until ready to use.
9. Repeat this process, rerolling the dough as needed, until you have cut out four of both types of leaves for a total of four hand pies.
10. While the leaves chill in the fridge, whisk together the egg and water.
11. Carefully scoop a little bit of the apple filling into the center of two of each type of leaf.
12. Brush the egg wash around the rim of each leaf that you added apples to before carefully topping each with its matching top and gently pushing down to make sure they adhere. Use a sharp knife to cut off any excess dough.
13. Coat each hand pie with egg wash and sprinkle with sugar. Bake hand pies for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.
14. Enjoy!