Pin Adorable, flaky hand pies shaped like mittens, filled with a cozy spiced apple mixture—perfect for winter gatherings or festive treats.
Ingredients
- Pastry 2 sheets (about 500 g) ready made puff pastry, thawed if frozen
- Pastry 1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)
- Apple Filling 2 medium apples, peeled, cored, and diced
- Apple Filling 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- Apple Filling 1 tbsp brown sugar
- Apple Filling 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- Apple Filling 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- Apple Filling 1 tsp lemon juice
- Apple Filling 1 tsp cornstarch
- Decoration (Optional) Pearl sugar or coarse sanding sugar
- Decoration (Optional) Icing (powdered sugar mixed with a little milk)
Instructions
- Step 1:
- Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Step 2:
- In a medium bowl, toss diced apples with both sugars, cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon juice, and cornstarch. Set aside.
- Step 3:
- Roll out puff pastry sheets on a lightly floured surface. Using a mitten shaped cookie cutter (or a paper template and sharp knife), cut out 16 mitten shapes.
- Step 4:
- Place 8 mitten shapes on the prepared baking sheet. Spoon a heaping tablespoon of apple filling onto the center of each, leaving a border around the edges.
- Step 5:
- Brush the edges of the pastry with beaten egg. Top each with a second mitten pastry cutout. Gently press the edges with a fork to seal.
- Step 6:
- Brush the tops with egg wash. If desired, sprinkle with pearl sugar or sanding sugar for crunch.
- Step 7:
- Use a knife to cut a small vent in the top of each pie.
- Step 8:
- Bake for 20 22 minutes, until golden and puffed.
- Step 9:
- Let cool slightly. If desired, drizzle with icing for decoration.
Pin 
Pin Recipe Questions
- → What kind of apples work best for the filling?
Firm, slightly tart apples like Granny Smith or Honeycrisp maintain texture and balance sweetness in the spiced filling.
- → Can I use fresh spices instead of ground ones?
Ground cinnamon and nutmeg blend smoothly into the filling, but freshly grated nutmeg adds extra aroma; just adjust quantities carefully.
- → How can I shape the pies without a mitten cutter?
Use a paper template to cut around with a sharp knife, ensuring consistent mitten shapes for an attractive presentation.
- → What’s the best way to seal the hand pies?
Brush edges with beaten egg and press them gently with a fork to create a firm seal and prevent filling from leaking.
- → Can these pastries be prepared in advance?
Yes, assemble the pies and refrigerate them before baking to maintain freshness and reduce prep time on serving day.