Pumpkin Hand Pies
Spiced pumpkin pie filling is stuffed into circles of pie dough to make these adorable pumpkin hand pies. The pumpkin spice icing drizzled on top is the perfect finishing touch for this simple make-ahead dessert!
There are so many delicious ways to enjoy the flavors and textures of a classic pumpkin pie. Over the years I’ve perfected my recipes for mini pumpkin pies and pumpkin pie bars, and now I’m finally sharing how to transform everyone’s favorite Thanksgiving dessert into a handheld treat!
Just like my apple hand pies, this spiced pumpkin version is easy to assemble and can be made ahead of time. There’s no complicated crimping or decorating involved, and they’re easy to eat without a fork.
These hand pies would also be the perfect addition to your Thanksgiving or holiday dessert table. I guarantee everyone will be asking you for the recipe!
Watch The Full Recipe Video
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
Pie Crust
I highly recommend using homemade pie crust to make these. When I tested this recipe with store-bought pie crusts they didn’t brown nearly as well as the homemade version.
Pumpkin Puree
Check the ingredient label to make sure you’re buying pure pumpkin puree and not pre-sweetened pumpkin pie filling. If you have homemade pumpkin puree on hand, I suggest straining it through a cheesecloth to remove some of the extra moisture.
Pumpkin Pie Spice
This is the pumpkin pie spice I’ve been making at home for years. You’re welcome to use a store-bought variety, but I prefer making my own so I have a bunch to use in other treats (like my pumpkin snickerdoodles!).
How To Roll Out Your Pie Crust
Rolling out your own pie crust isn’t too difficult, but you do want to flour your surface pretty often so it doesn’t stick! You also want to make sure to roll it out nice and thin, about ⅛ inch thick. If it’s thicker than that your hand pies might pop open as they bake and the pumpkin pie filling will leak out.
Here’s how to do it:
- Lightly flour your work surface.
- Place your circle of pie dough onto the floured area, then sprinkle with a little more flour.
- Begin gently rolling out the pie dough, giving it a quarter turn every few rolls to make sure it spreads out evenly.
- Sprinkle both the work surface and dough with extra flour as needed throughout this process.
If you’re more of a visual learner, you can watch how I roll out pie crust in my pumpkin pie video (the video should automatically start at 50 seconds).
How To Assemble Your Hand Pies
- Cut the pie dough into circles. I used a 5-inch cookie cutter to do this (this is the set I have), but a bowl will work too. Just make sure not to go any smaller than 5 inches!
- Spoon the pumpkin pie filling into the center. I like to use a 1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop for this step. Don’t add more filing than that or else your hand pies may leak as they bake.
- Brush one edge with egg wash. This helps the crust stick together!
- Fold the dough over and press it together. I like to press it with my fingers first, then crimp it with a fork to seal it.
- Chill before baking. This gives the fat time to firm back up. When the cold fat melts in the oven, you end up with little air pockets, and flaky layers in your pie crust!
- Add the egg wash and cut slits into the tops. The egg wash helps the hand pies brown and makes them look prettier. The slits allow any steam to vent so the pie crust doesn’t crack or burst open. When I cut the slits in the top, I like to use a sharp knife and push each one apart some with the knife to make sure it’s a little wider. This keeps them from closing up while they’re baking.
- Crimp the edges again, if needed. Gently press the edges with the tines of a fork one more time to make sure the pies are sealed tightly. It may seem like too much, but trust me, you don’t want your hand pies to pop open!
Different Icing Options
For these hand pies I went with a simple vanilla icing and flavored it with some pumpkin pie spice. You could easily leave out the spices for a plain vanilla icing though.
If you want to try something different, the maple cinnamon glaze from my pumpkin scones would be delicious. A little homemade whipped cream or pumpkin spice whipped cream would be fun to serve them with too!
Can I Cut This Recipe In Half?
Yes! To measure a partial egg for the pumpkin pie filling, you can lightly beat a whole egg and then use just half.
Can I Use A Different Shape To Cut Them?
Technically, yes. I will say that I tried making pumpkin-shaped pies, but they were pretty difficult to crimp together. The pumpkin filling also oozed out in the oven and made a mess.
That being said, a large round cookie cutter will make things so much easier and your hand pies will taste just as good!
Let me know if you end up making these pumpkin hand pies! The pumpkin spiced icing on top pairs so nicely with the pumpkin pie filling, and I love that each bite is surrounded by flaky pie crust. Enjoy!
Pumpkin Hand Pie Recipe
Ingredients
Pie Crust
Pumpkin Pie Filling
- 1 cup pumpkin puree (250 grams)
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup packed light or dark brown sugar (100 grams)
- 1 ½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
Egg Wash
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon milk (15 ml)
Pumpkin Spice Icing
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar (180 grams)
- 2 to 3 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats and set aside.
- To prepare the pie crusts: On a lightly floured surface, roll the pie crusts to ⅛” thickness. (Make sure not to roll them any thicker than ⅛”, if they’re too thick they won’t seal as easily and can pop open while baking.)2 homemade pie crusts
- Using a 5-inch cookie cutter, cut out 16 circles from the pie crusts, rerolling any scrap pieces of dough as needed. Place the cut-out pie crust circles on the baking sheets and transfer to the refrigerator to chill while you make the filling.
- To make the pumpkin pie filling: Add the pumpkin puree, egg, brown sugar, and pumpkin pie spice to a large mixing bowl and whisk until fully combined.1 cup pumpkin puree,1 large egg,½ cup packed light or dark brown sugar,1 ½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- To assemble and bake the hand pies: Remove the baking sheets with the pie crust circles from the refrigerator. Spoon 1 ½ tablespoons of pumpkin pie filling into the center of one of the pie crusts (I like to use a 1 ½ tablespoon cookie scoop to make this easier). Use a pastry brush (or your finger) to brush some of the egg wash around the edge of one half of the pie crust circle, fold the dough over, press it together with your fingers, then crimp the edges of the pie crust with a fork. Continue filling all of the pie crust circles, folding, and sealing them.
- Once all of the pies are assembled, transfer the baking sheets back to the fridge and chill for 10 to 15 minutes.
- To make the egg wash: Add the egg and milk to a separate small mixing bowl and lightly whisk or beat with a fork until fully combined.1 large egg,1 tablespoon milk
- Remove the baking sheets with the pies from the fridge. Using a pastry brush, brush the top of each pie with the egg wash, then cut 3 slits in the top of each one. If needed, re-crimp the edges of each one with a fork to make sure they’re fully sealed.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the pies are golden brown on top (I prefer to bake mine closer to 25 minutes). Remove from the oven and set aside to cool slightly, about 15 minutes.
- To make the pumpkin spice icing: Add the powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons of milk, pumpkin pie spice, and vanilla extract to a large mixing bowl and whisk until well combined and no lumps remain. If the icing is too thick, add ½ teaspoon of milk at a time as needed (I typically add an additional 2 teaspoons of milk). You want the icing to be thin enough to dip the pies into, but thick enough to stay on the pies.1 ½ cups powdered sugar,2 to 3 tablespoons milk,1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice,½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Dip the top of each pie into the icing and transfer back to the baking sheets to allow the icing to harden. If you have any icing leftover, you can dip the top of each pie in it again.
These little hand pies look delicious! Can they be frozen before baking? If so, can they be baked from frozen or should I let them thaw in the fridge first? Thanks!
Thank you, Jewel! I haven’t personally tried it, so I’m not 100% sure. I’m afraid that the filling would leak out if you tried to thaw them out or that they may burn if you try to bake them from frozen. You can bake them, let them cool, then freeze them though!
OMGoodness!! I can’t wait to try these! I make these hand pies with other fillings but never tried the pumpkin. Thank you so much for your expertise! I absolutely LOVE your recipes.
Thank you, Nancy! Hope you enjoy the recipe!