Name: THE BEST EASY APPLE HAND PIES
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 60 min
Ingredients: 500 g vegan shortcrust pastry; 3 apples (330g) (peeled and diced into small pieces); 1 tbsp lemon juice; ½ tsp vanilla bean paste (or 1 tsp vanilla extract); 2 tbsp coconut sugar (or caster sugar plus more or sprinkling); ¼ tsp ground cloves; ¼ tsp ground nutmeg; 2 cinnamon sticks; 3 whole star anise; 3 tbsp water; 3 tbsp almond milk; 2 tbsp maple syrup

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These easy apple hand pies are a great way of serving an apple pie as an individual portion – no cutlery & no mess! They are a perfect ‘grab and go’ snack that can be eaten hot or cold. It’s a great recipe to make with children too. They can be made in advance and stored in the freezer, ready for the upcoming holiday season. Vegan, no refined sugar.

Top down view of apple hand pies on a plate

We have a few big apple trees outside of my office (it’s set right in the middle of the beautiful and lusciously green New Forest), so I brought a big bag full of apples home the other day & was wondering what on earth I will be making with them! A few hours later, my daughter & I were making these super easy apple hand pies and we had so much fun doing it together! For quickness, I used ready-made shortcrust pastry, which is a great time saver and makes this recipe ready in no time at all.

WHY SHOULD I MAKE APPLE HAND PIES?

Individual serving = no cutlery & no mess!
Perfect ‘grab and go’ snack
Super easy to make
Great for making ahead and storing in your freezer – super handy for being on top of the game for the upcoming holiday season!
If you have little helpers in the house, it’s a good recipe to get them involved in
The aroma of cooking apples and pies will make your house smell like a bakery!

Top down view of red apples on a plate with cinnamon sticks, star anise, nutmeg, coconut sugar.

WHICH APPLES TO USE?

You can you any apples of your choice (combining different types of apples works great too). I personally prefer using a sweeter variety like Braeburn, Gala or Pink Lady. If you’re using cooking apples or a sour variety like Granny Smith, you’ll want to add more sugar to the filling to balance out the sour taste.

APPLE PIE SHAPES

Although I’ve used apple cookie cutter, you can use any cookie cutters of your choice. Use a glass to cut out round circles if you haven’t got a cookie cutter to hand.

Top down view of pastry with cut out apple shapes & a rolling pin

BAKING TIPS

Be careful not to overfill your pies with too much filling, otherwise you’ll have trouble with the pastry slices sticking to each other.
Make your apple chunks roughly the same size – it will ensure the pies cook evenly. The smaller you cut your apples, the more you can fit into each pie.
Making a little hole or slit in the pie will allow the steam to escape, which will keep the pastry crisp.
To give your pies a nice glaze, brush them with a little maple syrup/agave nectar whilst they’re still warm.

Top down view of a black saucepan with apple pie filling

THE BEST VEGAN ‘EGG WASH’

Now let’s park here for a second. So many vegan recipes call for just dairy free milk for egg wash replacement. NOT TRUE!! I’ve used every type of plant milk you can think of and nothing has ever given me that seductive golden-brown look the pastry should have. The trick? Mixing the plant milk with maple syrup! I don’t know the science behind it but from personal experience, this is the best vegan egg wash replacement I’ve found so far. If you know if any other ones, I’d love to hear them!

Top down view of apple pastry shapes with apple pie filling on a baking tray

HOW TO STORE

Store the pies in the fridge in an air tight container – they will keep for 3-4 days. Although you can eat them cold, they taste the best when warm. To reheat the pie, microwave it for a few seconds on full power or stick it in the hot oven for a few minutes.

CAN I FREEZE APPLE HAND PIES?

Yes! These hand pies are a perfect freezer-friendly recipe (extra bonus points for the upcoming holiday season!). I’d recommend freezing them uncooked. Once you’ve shaped your pies, put them on a tray and place in the freezer for a couple of hours until they’re firm. You can then transfer them into a zip-lock bag and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. To cook from frozen, place the frozen pies on a baking tray lined with parchment paper, brush with the ‘egg wash’ and bake in the hot oven (*you’ll need to allow extra cooking time than stated on the recipe card).

Looking for more dessert inspiration? Check out:

Close up view of apple hand pies on a plate

As always, if you recreate this recipe, I’d be delighted to read your comments and hear your feedback. Be sure to drop a comment here on the blog, tag me in your photos on Instagram @Fit Foodie Nutter, Facebook or Pinterest so I don’t miss them.

See you next week.

Healthfully yours,

Tania x