Caramel Apple Hand Pies

Steps

1. 1

   Make the pie crust

   • In a large bowl, whisk together 2½ cups (310 g) flour and ¾ teaspoon (4 g) kosher salt.
   • Add the 1 cup (227 g) cold, cubed unsalted butter.
   • Using a pastry cutter, two knives, or your fingertips, work the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs with some pea-sized pieces of butter remaining.
   • Add 6 tablespoons (90 ml) ice water, stirring gently with a fork until the dough just comes together.
   • Shape into a flat disk, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

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   Ready when: Dough holds together when squeezed and feels cold

   Tip: Keep everything as cold as possible. If butter starts to soften, chill the bowl for 5 minutes.

2. 2

   Make the caramel sauce

   • In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt 5 tablespoons (71 g) unsalted butter with ½ cup (110 g) brown sugar and ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar, stirring often.
   • Once the sugars dissolve and the mixture is smooth and bubbling, about 3–4 minutes, remove from heat.
   • Slowly add ½ cup (120 ml) room-temperature heavy cream, stirring constantly—the mixture will bubble up.
   • Once calm, stir in ½ teaspoon (3 g) fine sea salt.
   • Let cool for 10 minutes, then measure out ½ cup (120 ml) of caramel to use in the filling.
   • Reserve the remainder for serving.

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   Ready when: Caramel reaches a gentle boil and is smooth after cream is added

   Tip: Add cream slowly and stir constantly to avoid splattering. Don't skip the salt—it balances sweetness.

3. 3

   Cook the apple filling

   • Peel, core, and dice 4 medium (600 g) firm-sweet apples into ¼-inch pieces.
   • In a medium 10–12-inch skillet over medium-high heat, combine the diced apples with ½ teaspoon (1.2 g) ground cinnamon, 1/8 teaspoon (0.3 g) freshly grated nutmeg, and ½ tablespoon (7.5 ml) fresh lemon juice.
   • Cook, stirring often, for 4–5 minutes until the apples begin to soften and release their liquid.
   • Sprinkle 1½ teaspoons (5 g) cornstarch over the apples and stir to coat.
   • Cook for another 1 minute until the liquid thickens slightly.
   • Remove from heat and stir in the ½ cup (120 ml) cooled caramel.
   • Spread the filling on a small baking sheet to cool completely, about 10 minutes.

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   Ready when: Apples are tender and liquid is slightly thickened

   Tip: Dice apples just before cooking to prevent browning. Don't skip the cornstarch—it prevents a soggy pie.

4. 4

   Shape the pie dough

   • Remove the chilled dough from the fridge.
   • On a lightly floured surface, roll it out to ⅛-inch thickness, about 16×12 inches.
   • Using a 4-inch round pastry cutter or template, cut out 8 circles, re-rolling scraps as needed.
   • Transfer the circles to a parchment-lined baking sheet, keeping them in a single layer with about ½ inch between each.

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   Ready when: Eight 4-inch circles are cut and placed on the baking sheet

   Tip: Keep unused dough scraps cold. Warm dough tears more easily. You'll have enough dough to cut exactly 8 circles.

5. 5

   Fill and seal the pies

   • Place about 2 tablespoons (40 ml) of the cooled apple-caramel filling on one half of each dough circle, leaving a ½-inch border around the edge.
   • Fold each circle in half to enclose the filling, pressing the edges gently.
   • Using a fork, press around the sealed edge to crimp and seal it firmly.
   • Place the filled pies on the parchment-lined baking sheet.
   • If desired, brush the top of each pie with the beaten egg wash and sprinkle with coarse sanding sugar.

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   Ready when: All eight pies are sealed, crimped, and ready for baking

   Tip: Don't overfill—too much filling makes it hard to seal and can leak during baking. Crimp firmly so the edges don't separate.

6. 6

   Bake the hand piesOven 400°F / 205°C

   • Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) if not already done.
   • Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven and bake for 25–30 minutes, until the crust is deep golden brown and the edges are crisp.
   • The bottoms should sound hollow when tapped lightly.

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   Ready when: Crust is deep golden brown; bottom sounds hollow when tapped

   Tip: If the edges brown too quickly, loosely tent the pies with aluminum foil for the last 10 minutes.

7. 7

   Cool and serve

   • Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the hand pies cool on the sheet for 5 minutes so they set slightly.
   • Transfer to a wire rack or serving platter.
   • Serve warm or at room temperature with the reserved caramel sauce on the side for drizzling or dipping.

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   Ready when: Pies are cool enough to handle without burning

   Tip: Don't cut into a pie immediately or the filling will run out. Let them cool for at least 5 minutes.