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    Home » Baked Goods

    Apple Hand Pies - Air Fryer Recipe

    Published: Aug 25, 2021 by Shelby Law Ruttan · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

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    Gooey caramelized sugar, soft tart apples, and flaky buttery pie crust come together to create these delicious apple hand pies. Made in the air fryer, these warm, cinnamony miniature pies make the perfect fall or winter treat!
    A pile of apple hand pies on a white plate with one pie broken in half to see the apple filling inside and chopped green apples blurred to the right in the in the background and a blue and white hand towel blurred to the left in the background.
    Pinnable image of A pile of apple hand pies on a white plate with one pie broken in half to see the apple filling inside and 3 green apples blurred in the background

    Gooey caramelized sugar, soft tart apples, and flaky buttery pie crust come together to create these delectable Apple Hand Pies. Made in the air fryer, these warm, cinnamon flavored miniature pies make the perfect fall or winter treat!

    Air Fryer Dessert Recipe

    I love apple pie, but I don’t love the time and effort it takes to make a good apple pie from scratch; this is why I’ve created this super simple recipe for air fryer apple hand pies!

    These delicious individual-sized pies are as easy as whipping up a quick apple pie filling, stuffing it into some premade pie dough, and popping your pastries into your air fryer.

    ⏲️ Baking time

    In just 20 minutes, your home (and your mouth) will be filled with the wonderful flavors and smells of flaky, sweet apple pie. Top with a cold scoop of vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of caramel and enjoy this rich and decadent dessert!

    🥧 What is a Hand Pie?

    A hand pie is a calzone-shaped miniature pie similar to a turnover. These fun pastries have all the textures and flavors of a traditional pie rolled up into a tiny, handheld version.

    The first hand pies are thought to have originated in 19th-century England where they were called pasties and were commonly packed as an after-lunch treat for tin miners.

    Today, you can find hand pies sold all around the world. Although typically thought of as dessert, you can also find savory lunch or dinner hand pies. In the US, the most popular flavors are cherry, apple, pumpkin, and chicken pot pie.

    Overhead view of ingredients from left to right, top to bottom: four cinnamon sticks stacked on top of each other, diced granny smith apples with the skin on, a bowl of white sugar, a bowl of diced granny smith apples with the skin on, a section of pastry dough with cinnamon, vanilla extract, and brown sugar in the center.

    🥘 Ingredients

    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases from affiliate links.

    • Granny Smith Apples—Juicy, sweet, and sour, these green apples make the perfect apple filling! This particular variety of apple softens nicely when it cooks and the tart flavors pair really well with the sugary pie crust and filling.
    • Pie Crust—This recipe is excellent when made with a homemade oil pie crust; however, if you’re short on time, you can also use store bought pie crust.
    • White and Dark Brown Sugar—The soft sweetness of white sugar is combined with the rich caramel like flavors of dark brown sugar to create an oh-so-gooey pie filling.  
    • Ground Cinnamon—A small amount of ground cinnamon is used to add fun fall spice to every bite of these tiny hand held desserts.
    • Vanilla Extract—A splash of pure vanilla extract brings a depth of flavor to this recipe.
    A circle of pastry with a portion of apple pie filling in the center of the pastry.

    🍽 Equipment

    Rolling pin, to roll the pastry

    Pastry Mat, for rolling the pastry out.

    Biscuit cutter, to cut the pastry into circles

    Table fork to crimp the edges of the pie.

    Air Fryer, a basket air fryer or an air fryer with trays will both work. Cook time may need to be adjusted depending on the size of the air fryer.

    Three unbaked hand pies in the air fryer basket.

    🔪 Instructions

    1. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the apples, white sugar, dark brown sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla. Heat the apple mixture until it comes to a boil, then immediately remove it from the heat and allow it to cool.
    2. Using a biscuit or circle cutter, cut out six 4”-circles from the pie crust.
    3. Place a spoonful of the cooled apple pie filling in the center of each of the crust circles.
    4. Gently fold each crust circles in half, making sure to seal the edges of the semi-circle to enclose all of the filling.
    5. Place the hand pies into the basket of your air fryer, making sure not to let the pastries overlap.
    6. Air fry at 400°F for 12 minutes or until golden brown.
    Three golden brown baked hand pies in the air fryer basket with two green granny smith apples to the top left, and diced granny smith apples on a cutting board to the top right of the image.

    💭 Top Tips

    • The homemade apple pie filling can easily be replaced with a store-bought filling. Just chop the apples up in the filling into diced size pieces first.
    • Brushing the hand pies with melted butter or egg wash before air frying. This should allow the dough to get nice and golden brown in the air fryer.
    • For a wider range of fall flavors, try using apple pie spice instead!
    • Imitation vanilla work in place of pure vanilla.

    Alternative Cooking Methods

    Skillet method:

    Heat cooking oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, gently place the apple hand pies into the pan. Fry until golden brown, flipping each pastry frequently to ensure an even cook. Allow to cool before serving!

    Oven Method

    Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the apple hand pies on the baking sheet. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 25 minutes, or until golden brown.

    Overhead image of 3 apple hand pies on a white serving tray with diced granny smith apples sprinkled around the pies and cinnamon sticks scattered around the plate.

    📖 Variations

    • If you prefer more natural sweeteners, substitute coconut sugar in place of the white and brown sugars.
    • Substitute Honeycrisp or Fuji apples in place of Granny Smith.
    • Garnish the warm pies with a drizzle of caramel and a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

    More Pie Recipes

    • Classic Rhubarb Custard Pie
    • Maple Pumpkin Pie with Cinnamon Whip Topping
    • Pumpkin Hand Pies
    • Pineapple Pie
    A pile of apple hand pies on a white plate with one pie broken in half to see the apple filling inside and chopped green apples blurred to the right in the in the background and a blue and white hand towel blurred to the left in the background.

    Apple Hand Pies Recipe

    Shelby Law Ruttan
    Gooey caramelized sugar, soft tart apples, and flaky buttery pie crust come together to create these delicious apple hand pies. Made in the air fryer, these warm, cinnamony miniature pies make the perfect fall or winter treat!
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Go to Collections
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 12 mins
    Total Time 22 mins
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Servings 6
    Calories 428 kcal

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Ingredients
      

    • ½ cup granulated sugar
    • ½ cup dark brown sugar
    • ½ tablespoon ground cinnamon
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 2 granny smith apples , diced but not peeled
    • 2 pre-made pie crusts

    Instructions
     

    • Place your white sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, vanilla extract, and diced apples into a small saucepan.
    • Heat the apple mixture until bubbling, then allow to cool. This is important to help prevent the mixture from leaking out of the hand pie.
    • Using a 4-inch biscuit cutter or small bowl, cut out 6 circles from your two pie crusts.
    • Place a spoonful of apple pie filling onto the center of each pie crust circle.
    • Fold the pie crust in half to form a calzone shape and use a fork to seal the edges
    • Place three hand pies in your air fryer basket and cook at 400°F for 12 minutes, or until golden brown.
    • Serve your hand pies warm and garnish with caramel drizzle, a sprinkle of powdered sugar, or ice cream.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 428kcalCarbohydrates: 71gProtein: 4gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gSodium: 238mgPotassium: 148mgFiber: 3gSugar: 41gVitamin A: 35IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 37mgIron: 2mg
    Keyword Apple Hand Pies, Apple Hand Pies Recipe
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    About Shelby Law Ruttan

    Honeybunch Hunts is a website dedicated to sharing canning and dehydrating recipes, wild game recipes, fish, seafood, plant based recipes, and some DIY scattered in between. Written by Shelby Law Ruttan, is also author and owner of Grumpy’s Honeybunch, and The Best Vegetarian Recipes. Shelby has also authored two cookbooks, The One Pot Paleo Cookbook and The Pescatarian Keto Cookbook.

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    Welcome! I'm Shelby, author of Honeybunch Hunts. I grew up with self sustaining parents and enjoyed the fruits of their harvest. This website is dedicated to recipes to preserve that harvest, and how to be self sustainable along....

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