Pumpkin Hand Pies
These Pumpkin Hand Pies are easy pumpkin dessert pastries made with a flaky, buttery crust and a sweet, warmly spiced pumpkin filling. It’s a handheld pie that is filled with creamy pumpkin pie filling, baked until golden, and finished with a sprinkle of raw cane sugar.
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Perfect for fall breakfasts, afternoon snacks, or a simple dessert. They’re also a fun treat for Thanksgiving, fall gatherings, or cozy family weekends. They’re easy to serve and enjoy without needing plates or forks.
If you love hand pies, this Mini Apple Hand Pies with Sweet Glaze is worth to try!
How to Make Pumpkin Hand Pies
Ingredients you’ll need for the Crust
Ingredients you’ll need for the Pumpkin Filling
Ingredients you’ll need for the Egg Wash
Ingredients you’ll need for the Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice
Step-by-Step Guide
1. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and salt. Stir until evenly mixed.
2. Add the grated frozen butter. Using your fingertips, gently rub the butter into the flour mixture, leaving some small pieces of butter throughout. Be careful not to overwork the dough or let the butter melt.
3. Add the cold cream and water. Use a knife to cut the liquid into the flour mixture until a shaggy dough forms. If the dough seems too dry, add cold water 1 teaspoon at a time. The dough should mostly hold together while still having a few dry spots.
4. Bring the dough together and divide it into two rounds. Wrap each one in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
6. In a bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, brown sugar, heavy cream, egg, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla, and salt until smooth.
7. Transfer the mixture to a small pot and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, for about 5–7 minutes. The filling should become darker and thick enough to mostly hold its shape on a spoon.
8. Remove from the heat and let the filling cool completely before assembling the pies.
9. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk the remaining egg with 2 teaspoons of water to make the egg wash.
10. Work with one portion of dough at a time. Roll the dough between two pieces of lightly floured parchment until it is about ¼-inch (6mm) thick.
11. Cut the dough into 2 ½- to 3-inch (8–9cm) rounds. You can use a fluted cutter if you want decorative edges. Try to get as many rounds as possible from the first roll. You can re-roll the scraps, but keep in mind that the dough can become tough and lose some of its flakiness if it is worked too many times.
12. Place half of the dough rounds on the prepared baking sheets. Spoon about 2 tablespoons (30g) of pumpkin filling into the center of each round.
13. Brush the edges around the filling with a little egg wash. Place another dough round over the top and gently press around the edges to seal. Press out any trapped air and make sure there are no gaps where the filling can leak.
14. For an extra seal, press around the edges with the tines of a fork.
15. Brush the tops with egg wash and sprinkle with raw cane sugar. Use a sharp knife to cut 2–3 small vents in the top of each pie.
16. Chill the assembled pies in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
17. About 10 minutes before baking, preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
18. Bake the hand pies for 25–30 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown.
19. Remove from the oven and let them cool completely before serving.
Serve & Enjoy!
Important Recipe Notes
- Keep the butter and cream cold. Cold ingredients are important for creating a flaky, buttery crust. If the butter starts to soften while you work, place the dough back in the refrigerator.
- Do not overwork the dough. Mix it just until it comes together. Overworking can make the crust tough instead of flaky.
- Let the pumpkin filling cool completely. Warm filling can soften the pastry and make the hand pies harder to seal.
- Seal the edges well. Press the edges gently after adding the filling, then use a fork to crimp them for an extra secure seal.
- Don’t overfill the pies. Too much filling can make the pies difficult to close and may cause the filling to leak while baking.
- Cut vents in the tops. The small vents allow steam to escape while the pies bake.
- Chill before baking. Refrigerating the assembled hand pies for 15 minutes helps the pastry stay flaky and hold its shape.
- Watch the dough scraps. Reroll them only once if possible. The more you work the dough, the less flaky it will become.
- Freeze unbaked pies for later. Unbaked hand pies can be frozen for up to 1 month and baked straight from frozen. Add 5–10 minutes to the baking time.
- Store baked hand pies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Serve at room temperature or warm them gently in the oven.
Pumpkin Hand Pies
Ingredients
For the Crust
- 2 ½ cups 300g all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons 13g granulated sugar
- ½ cup 115g unsalted butter, frozen and grated
- ¼ teaspoon 2g salt
- 4 tablespoons 60ml cold heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons 30ml cold water
For the Pumpkin Filling
- ¾ cup 195g pumpkin puree
- ½ cup 100g light brown sugar
- 4 tablespoons 60ml heavy cream
- 1 large egg
- 1 ½ teaspoons 3g pumpkin pie spice blend
- 1 teaspoon 5ml vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon 2g salt
For the Egg Wash
- 1 egg beaten
- 2 tablespoons 25g raw cane sugar, for sprinkling
Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice
- 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ginger
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon cloves
- ½ teaspoon cardamom optional
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and salt. Stir until evenly mixed.
- Add the grated frozen butter. Using your fingertips, gently rub the butter into the flour mixture, leaving some small pieces of butter throughout. Be careful not to overwork the dough or let the butter melt.
- Add the cold cream and water. Use a knife to cut the liquid into the flour mixture until a shaggy dough forms. If the dough seems too dry, add cold water 1 teaspoon at a time. The dough should mostly hold together while still having a few dry spots.
- Bring the dough together and divide it into two rounds. Wrap each one in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
- In a bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, brown sugar, heavy cream, egg, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla, and salt until smooth.
- Transfer the mixture to a small pot and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, for about 5–7 minutes. The filling should become darker and thick enough to mostly hold its shape on a spoon.
- Remove from the heat and let the filling cool completely before assembling the pies.
- Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk the remaining egg with 2 teaspoons of water to make the egg wash.
- Work with one portion of dough at a time. Roll the dough between two pieces of lightly floured parchment until it is about ¼-inch (6mm) thick.
- Cut the dough into 2 ½- to 3-inch (8–9cm) rounds. You can use a fluted cutter if you want decorative edges. Try to get as many rounds as possible from the first roll. You can reroll the scraps, but keep in mind that the dough can become tough and lose some of its flakiness if it is worked too many times.
- Place half of the dough rounds on the prepared baking sheets. Spoon about 2 tablespoons (30g) of pumpkin filling into the center of each round.
- Brush the edges around the filling with a little egg wash. Place another dough round over the top and gently press around the edges to seal. Press out any trapped air and make sure there are no gaps where the filling can leak.
- For an extra seal, press around the edges with the tines of a fork.
- Brush the tops with egg wash and sprinkle with raw cane sugar. Use a sharp knife to cut 2–3 small vents in the top of each pie.
- Chill the assembled pies in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
- About 10 minutes before baking, preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Bake the hand pies for 25–30 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and let them cool completely before serving.
