Ingredients
Equipment
Method
Chill and make dough
- Make pie dough with flour, sugar, salt, cold butter, and ice water, then shape into a disk. Refrigerate for 30 minutes so it firms up for easier rolling.
Mix filling
- Mix pumpkin puree, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, ginger, cornstarch, and vanilla until smooth. Stir until no cornstarch lumps remain and the mixture looks evenly combined.
Assemble hand pies
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and line baking sheets. Have the baking sheets ready so the pies can go in right after assembling.
- Roll the chilled dough to 1/8-inch thickness, then cut into 4x6 inch ovals or rectangles. Keep scraps covered so the dough stays cool.
- Place filling on half of each oval, then fold over the other half to form a pocket. Press around the edges so the seam stays closed.
- Crimp the edges with a fork to seal completely. Aim for a tight, ridged seal to prevent filling leaks.
- Brush the tops with beaten egg wash, then cut small vents in each hand pie. The vents let steam escape during baking.
- Sprinkle cinnamon sugar evenly over the tops. Use a light, even coating so the crust browns nicely.
Bake
- Bake for 20–22 minutes at 375°F until deeply golden. Let them cool briefly on the baking sheet before serving.
Notes
For flakier hand pies, keep the dough cold: refrigerate before rolling if it softens, and don’t overwork the scraps. Store baked pies in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 days; rewarm at 325°F for 6–8 minutes. Freeze baked pies up to 2 months (wrap well); thaw overnight in the fridge and rewarm. For a dairy-free swap, use a cold plant-based butter substitute that bakes like butter.
