Apple Hand Pies

1. Using a flaky pie crust - The quality of the pie crust makes the biggest difference in the taste. You can make a perfect flaky crust by following my step-by-step instructions and tips!
2. Types of apples for the apple filling - The apple filling tastes very different depending on what type of apple you use. I love mixing Granny Smith and Golden Delicious to create a not-too-mushy yet melty texture with well-balanced tartness and sweetness. But I totally understand that apple pies are a taste of home!🏠 - If you have your favorite apples for apple pies, go ahead and use them instead.
3. Press the edges of the pie dough well to seal the apple filling - When assembling the hand pies, be sure to seal the edges of the dough really well. Otherwise, too much of the filling starts to come out while it's baked in the oven!
4. Don't forget to make slits on the surface of the assembled pies - The steam from the apple filling can get out from the cuts. The filling comes out from very random places in the oven when you forget to make the slits. (Yap, I did that many times.😭)
5. Chill the assembled pies in the fridge before baking - By doing it, pies don't spread too much in the oven and can hold shapes better.
6. Bake enough! - Baking the pies until dark golden brown is a key to making a crispy, buttery crust. When you are not sure if it's baked enough, I would say always add more time from my experience.

• All-purpose flour: Chilling it in the fridge in advance helps to keep butter cold to make a flaky crust.
• Granulated sugar: It is not a must, but a small amount is added today to add a slight sweetness.
• Salt: I used regular table salt.
• Unsalted butter: Use very cold butter to prevent it from getting too soft while combining the ingredients.
• Water (icy cold!): The cold water helps to keep the butter cold.
• Oil: I used olive oil today. You can also use regular oils, such as canola and vegetable oil.

• Apple (peeled, cored, and cut): I recommend using Granny Smith apples and Golden Delicious apples with a 2:1 ratio. It is my personal favorite and I'd like you to try it as well!
• Lemon juice: Add more or less amount, depending on how tart your apples are.
• Granulated sugar: Use white sugar, such as granulated sugar and caster sugar. You can also alternate some of them with brown sugar.
• Salt: It adds depth in flavor.
• All-purpose flour: It helps to thicken the filling.
• Corn starch: Corn starch also thickens the filling. All-purpose flour gives a slightly chunkier texture while cornstarch gives a gel texture like a jam.
• Cinnamon: It's the magic spice for apple pies! - The sweet and warm aroma goes perfectly with cooked apples. 
• Nutmeg (optional): It's often added to pies for the warm and spicy aroma.
• Lemon zest (optional): It adds a refreshing flavor. It makes a very noticeable difference. I highly recommend adding it if you can get a lemon!

• Butter (cut into small pieces): It adds a rich flavor.
• Egg white (for egg wash): Use only egg whites to prevent the surface of the pies from getting too dark in the oven.
• Cinnamon sugar: You can make it easily by mixing granulated sugar and cinnamon.

Make one batch of my pie dough. Follow the same steps and tips in the post.

1. Cut apples into small pieces and toss them with lemon juice. Set it aside. 
2. Whisk the dry ingredients and set it aside. 

1. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pie dough very thinly into 2 mm (0.07 inch). Check out the pie dough tutorial to get all the tips for rolling it successfully. 
2. Cut circles using a 12 cm (4.7-inch) cookie cutter. You'll get about 20 - 22 circles, which are enough to make 10 - 11 hand pies. You can adjust the size as you like! 
3. Cut out pieces for mini apples with leftover pie dough for decoration.(optional) If you don't have an apple cookie cutter, use a mini heart cookie cutter instead and cut off the bottom to make an apple shape.🍎

1. Dust flour on a working surface and place the bottom layers of the pie dough. 
2. Combine the apples and dry ingredients for the apple filling. Divide it on the center of the pie dough.

Scrape off any juice left in a bowl.

3. Place pieces of butter on top of the filling.
4. Brush egg whites on the edges of the pie dough as glue.

5. Place the second layer of the dough on top, pressing down the edge tightly to seal the filling. Warm the 2nd dough by hand if it's too firm to bend.
6. Fold the edges of the dough and press them with the tines of a fork to ensure the filling does not come out in the oven.

7. Adjust a shape by hand. Dust more bread flour on the working surface to move them more easily.
8. Apply eggwash all over the surface of each pie. Attach the cut-out mini apple on top of each pie and apply more egg wash on top of them. 

9. Mix sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar all over the surface of each pie. 
10. Make 4 - 5 small slits on top of each hand pie.

1. Use a dough scraper to transfer the assembled hand pies to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Chill the assembled pies in the fridge before baking them (30 - 60 minutes). 
2. Bake at 375ºF (190ºC) for about 35 minutes until the surface gets dark golden brown evenly and the filling starts to bubble out from the slits. Adjust the bake time accordingly, depending on the size of the hand pies.

If you see caramelized filling around the crust, trim it while it is still hot. Or cut it with a scissor after it's cooled down.

Now, that is it. Bon Appetit!🙌🏻🥧 

Enjoy them while they are warm for the best taste. This apple hand pie recipe can be used to make other types of hand pies, such as blueberry, strawberry & rhubarb, and cherry hand pies!
Make it in many different shapes, squares, rectangles, triangles... as you wish!