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Pumpkin Hand Pies

Pumpkin hand pies with buttery, flaky pastry pockets and a smooth spiced pumpkin filling. Baked at 375°F with cinnamon sugar on top for a deeply golden, crimped-edge finish.
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 22 minutes
chilling 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 22 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 420

Ingredients
  

pie dough
  • 2.5 cup flour
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 1 cup cold butter
  • 8 tbsp ice water Use 6–8 tbsp as needed to bring dough together.
pumpkin filling
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree
  • 0.333 cup brown sugar
  • 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 0.25 tsp ginger
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch
  • 1 tsp vanilla
finishing
  • 1 egg beaten for egg wash
  • 2 tbsp sugar for cinnamon sugar topping
  • 1 tsp cinnamon for cinnamon sugar topping

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Chill and make dough
  1. 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
  1. 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
  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F and line baking sheets. Have the baking sheets ready so the pies can go in right after assembling.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. Crimp the edges with a fork to seal completely. Aim for a tight, ridged seal to prevent filling leaks.
  5. Brush the tops with beaten egg wash, then cut small vents in each hand pie. The vents let steam escape during baking.
  6. Sprinkle cinnamon sugar evenly over the tops. Use a light, even coating so the crust browns nicely.
Bake
  1. 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.