These sweet and flaky pumpkin hand pies take just 30 minutes to make! They are the ultimate hand-held fall dessert you can make in the oven or the air fryer.
Cinnamon and pumpkin fill a buttery crust in pies that are small enough to fit in your hands. These little individual pumpkin pies will disappear when you serve them to your family.
Table of Contents
Fall Pies
Forget about tasteless pop-tarts or complicated homemade pies - these mini pumpkin hand pies are what everyone will ask to eat this fall! The vanilla glaze is even better than the scrumptious pumpkin filling. Enjoy these unique pumpkin pies for breakfast or dessert.
Pumpkin really is the ultimate fall and winter flavor. Relish all things pumpkin and make some Crumbl pumpkin cookies, a chocolate pumpkin swiss roll, or a simple skillet pumpkin dump cake. Your kitchen will smell like pumpkin heaven.
What Are Hand Pies?
Hand pies are basically tiny little pies you can hold in your hand. Let's take this pumpkin hand pies recipe, for example.
Pumpkin pie filling is placed inside small round pieces of pie crust. The pie crust is then wrapped around the filling. Then, you bake it all. The result is a tray full of fun, delicious air fryer pumpkin hand pies!
Why You'll Love This Easy Pumpkin Hand Pies Recipe
These handheld pumpkin pies make portion control super-simple. Just eat one hand pie at a time. You'll love how much this tastes like your favorite pumpkin pie recipe. It's basically all the same ingredients - just shaped in an easy-to-hold hand pie design.
Ingredients
For the hand pies:
- Refrigerated Pie Crust
- Canned Pumpkin Puree
- Light Brown Sugar
- Eggs
- Pumpkin Pie Spice
- Vanilla Extract
- Granulated or Turbinado sugar
- Ground Cinnamon
For the vanilla glaze (optional):
- Powdered Sugar
- Vanilla Extract
- Milk or Cream
How to Make Pumpkin Hand Pies
- In a medium bowl, combine pumpkin puree, brown sugar, egg, pumpkin pie spice, and vanilla extract.
- Stir well and place in the refrigerator until ready to use.
- Using a 4-5” diameter glass or cookie cutter, cut out circles in room temperature pie dough.
- Reroll scraps and cut several more. I was able to get 5 per pie crust when done. Repeat with the remaining pie crust.
- Place a heaping tablespoon of pumpkin pie filling on each circle. I like to put the filling to one side of the center to make it easier to fold the dough in half.
- Fold the dough over the filling.
- Using fork tines or your fingers, seal the edges of the pie dough.
- Whisk an egg with a tablespoon of water and brush over the top of the hand pies.
- Mix cinnamon and sugar together and sprinkle over the top.
- Cut 3 slits in the dough to allow steam to escape as they bake.
- Bake handheld pumpkin pies for 15-20 minutes at 3400 degrees. Let cool then drizzle with vanilla glaze if desired.
Enjoy the taste of pumpkin pie that you can hold in your hand. They're a great treat for an after-school snack or a holiday party. Enjoy!
Recipe Substitutions
- Filling - Use pumpkin pie filling instead of making the filling with pumpkin puree, brown sugar, egg, pie spice, and vanilla.
- Crust - Use puff pastry instead of pastry pie crust. Thaw two puff pastry sheets as directed on the package. Roll the sheets out to 10 x 15-inches. Cut each into six 5-inch squares. Fill, top, and bake or air fry as directed.
Air Fryer Pumpkin Hand Pies Option
In lieu of baking hand pies, try your trusty air fryer!
Place a piece of parchment paper, cut to fit the air fryer, in the bottom of the air fryer basket.
Place formed hand pies into basket, without overcrowding them, it may take two batches. Air fry at 350 degrees for approximately 15 minutes or until golden brown on top.
Remove from the air fryer and let cool. Drizzle with vanilla glaze if desired.
Shape Variations
Mini Pumpkin Hand Pies
- Prepare the filling.
- Use a 2 ½-inch biscuit cutter to cut the dough into rounds.
- If folding over for a half-circle shape, use 1 or 2 teaspoons of filling for each.
- For a circle shape, place 1 tablespoon of filling on a round and cover it with another round. Press the edges together and crimp with a fork.
- Brush with egg wash and sprinkle cinnamon sugar on top.
- Bake at 400°F for 12 minutes or until golden brown. Air fry at 350°F for 8 minutes or until golden brown.
Pumpkin Shaped Hand Pies
- Prepare the filling.
- Use a large pumpkin-shaped cookie cutter to cut the dough.
- Place 1 tablespoon of filling on a cutout and cover it with another cutout. Press the edges together and crimp with a fork.
- Brush with egg wash and sprinkle cinnamon sugar on top.
- Bake or air fry per the recipe instructions.
Make Ahead
Prepare the hand pies except for cooking them. Store the uncooked hand pies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 days.
Or to make further in advance, place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Freeze for a few hours or until frozen. Transfer them to a freezer-safe container or plastic freezer bag and freeze them for up to 2 months.
If frozen, thaw them in the refrigerator overnight.
When ready to cook, bake or air fry as directed.
How to Store, Freeze, and Reheat
Cool the hand pies to room temperature. Place them in an airtight container. Store them in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
To Freeze: Place the hand pies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Leave space between them. Freeze then transfer the frozen hand pies to a freezer-safe container or plastic freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
To Reheat: Bake at 350°F for 5 to 8 minutes or air fry at 350°F for 3 minutes.
More Pumpkin Dessert Recipes
- Crumbl Pumpkin Cookies with cream cheese frosting.
- No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake with chocolate crust.
- Pumpkin Cheesecake Brownies are rich and fudgy.
- Pumpkin Mousse with Candied Pecans from Fearless Dining
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars are like pumpkin blondie brownies with chocolate chips.
Find lots of easy recipes for fall desserts here on 2CM!
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Pumpkin Hand Pies
Ingredients
- 2 refrigerated pie crusts one package
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- ⅜ cup light brown sugar
- 2 eggs divided use
- 1 teaspoon Pumpkin pie spice
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 Tablespoon water
- 1 Tablespoon granulated or turbinado sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Vanilla Glaze
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1-2 Tablespoons milk or cream
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine pumpkin puree, brown sugar, 1 egg, pumpkin pie spice, and extract.
- Stir well then refrigerate until ready to use.
- Let pie crusts come to room temperature for easier handling. Roll out pie crusts to ¼” thick.
- Using a 4-5” diameter glass or cookie cutter, cut out circles in dough. I was able to get 3 prior to rolling out dough again. I had 5 per pie crust when done. Repeat with remaining pie crust.
- Lay circle of dough on a table and fill with a heaping tablespoon of pumpkin filling.
- Fold dough over into half circle and use a fork’s tines to press the edges together.
- Make an egg wash by whisking 1 egg with 1 tablespoon of water.
- Brush the top of the hand pies with egg wash.
- Mix cinnamon and granulated sugar together and sprinkle on top of the prepared pies.
- Using a sharp knife, cut 3 small slits in the top of the dough to let steam escape.
Oven Baked Method
- For baking in oven, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place finished hand pies on a parchment lined baking sheet.
- Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until they are golden brown.
- Remove from oven and let cool slightly. Drizzle with vanilla glaze if desired.
Air Fryer Method
- Place a piece of parchment in the bottom of the air fryer basket.
- Place hand pies into basket, the number depends on the size of your air fryer. I was able to get 4 and then 5 in my basket.
- Air fry at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes or until golden brown on top.
- Remove and let cool. Drizzle with vanilla glaze if desired.
Vanilla Glaze
- While hand pies are cooking, whisk all the ingredients for the glaze in a small bowl. Start with adding 1 tablespoon of cream and add more, a little at a time, until the glaze is pourable. Set aside.
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