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Dessert Recipes

Insanely Good Apple Berry Hand Pies

Forget the plates and forks, hand pies are the best way to enjoy pie. A pie press makes this Apple Berry Hand Pies recipe simple and quick.

Insanely Good Apple Berry Hand Pies
Insanely Good Apple Berry Hand Pies

Forget the plates and forks, hand pies are the best way to enjoy pie.  Refrigerated crust and a pie press make these APPLE BERRY HAND PIES simple and quick.

Apple Berry Hand Pies on a plate

I have to admit… I like cake, but I love pie! Having a whole pie in the house is dangerous, which is why I’m extra excited about today’s recipe, Apple Berry Hand Pies. They’re everything you love about pie, only better, because you don’t even need a fork.

This recipe comes from my friend Lori’s Recipe Girl Cookbook, and it’s the perfect excuse to put my hand pie press to good use. Instead of making homemade crust, I kept things simple with refrigerated pie crust, and it worked beautifully for these sweet little pies.

Here’s Why I Love These Apple Hand Pies

  • All the flavor of a traditional pie, in a perfectly portioned handheld size.
  • Simple shortcut: use refrigerated pie crust for quick prep.
  • That pie press seals everything up nice and neat.
  • Great for parties, bake sales, or anytime you need a fun grab-and-go dessert.
Hand Pie Press at Cetcu

Trust me—once you try these, you’ll see why I think handheld pie just might be the best kind of pie.

How To Use A Hand Pie Press

  1. Cut dough circles with the back of the press.
  2. Place a circle in the press and gently press the center.
  3. Add filling slightly off-center.
  4. Close the press to crimp and seal.
  5. Open the press and remove pie.
  6. Place on a lined baking sheet, brush with egg wash, and bake 23–25 minutes.
  7. Makes 6 pies from 2 refrigerated crusts.

Kitchen Tip

Don’t roll the pie crust dough too thin or the pies may tear.

Apple Berry Hand Pie Ingredients You’ll Need

For specific amounts, please refer to the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.

  • Refrigerated pie crusts (or your favorite pie crust recipe)
  • Gala apples, diced and peeled
  • dried mixed berries
  • lemon juice
  • packed light brown sugar
  • flour
  • ground cinnamon
  • salt
  • large egg white, beaten and mixed with water
  • Sparkling or granulated white sugar
Apple Berry Hand Pies Recipe at Cetcu

How To Make Apple Berry Hand Pies

When you are making this recipe, you’ll want to use the full recipe at the bottom of the page.

  1. Heat oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet.
  2. Mix fruit with lemon juice, then stir in sugar, flour, cinnamon, and salt.
  3. Cut dough into 5-inch rounds. Add filling, fold, and seal edges.
  4. Place on sheet pan, slit tops, brush with egg wash, and sprinkle with sugar.
  5. Bake until golden; cool before serving.

FAQs

To Freeze Hand Pies Before Baking

Assemble pies but skip the egg wash and sugar. Freeze on a baking sheet until firm, then transfer to a freezer bag or container for up to 3 months.

Can You Bake Hand Pies From Frozen

Yes! There’s no need to thaw the frozen hand pies. Simply brush with egg wash, sprinkle with sugar if desired, and bake straight from frozen, adding a few extra minutes to the bake time.

If you love homemade hand pies, you’ll enjoy these festive Holiday Cherry Hand Pies—shaped like Christmas trees and filled with sweet cherry pie filling.

Holiday Tree Cherry Hand Pies on a counter with a red and white towel

Make sure you check out The Recipe Girl Cookbook and RecipeGirl.com – with thousands of family-friendly recipes that are easy to follow. Along with 20 themed party menus that will help make your dinner parties delicious and fun! The recipes are unique enough for skilled home cooks, but easy enough for the beginner to follow and I love that most of the recipes feature a ‘Change It Up’ idea and tips. There are so many recipes I have earmarked in my copy!  Congrats Lori!

Recipe Girl Cookbook at Cetcu
RecipeGirl Cookbook Cover
Apple Berry Hand Pies

Apple Berry Hand Pies

Yield: 6 hand pies
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes

Forget the plates and forks, hand pies are the best way to enjoy pie.  Refrigerated crust and a pie press make this APPLE BERRY HAND PIES simple and quick.

Ingredients

  • 2 refrigerated pie crusts (or your favorite pie crust recipe)
  • 2 cups Gala apples, diced and peeled (2 large)
  • 1/2 cup dried mixed berries
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1-½ teaspoon flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • dash of salt
  • 1 large egg white, beaten and mixed with 1 tablespoon water
  • Sparkling or granulated white sugar

Instructions

  1. Heat oven to 375°
  2. Prepare filling in large bowl. Toss the apples and dried berries with lemon juice. In a small bowl, mix the sugar, flour, cinnamon and salt.
  3. Add the sugar mixture to the fruit and toss to combine.
  4. To assemble hand pies, line a large baking sheet with parchment or a silicone mat, or spray with nonstick spray.
  5. Remove pie crust from refrigerator, lay out on a floured surface and roll just a bit to 1/4 inch thick. Cut the dough using 5-inch round cutter (or pie press), gently re-rolling dough scraps as needed.
  6. Scoop 2-3 tablespoons of the filling mixture onto one side of each round, then fold the round over so the edges meet and use a fork to seal the edges (if using pie press, fold over and press).
  7. Transfer the hand pie to the baking sheet, leaving 1½ inches between each pie.
  8. Use a knife to cut three slits into the top of each pie to allow steam to escape and brush with the egg white wash and sprinkle with sugar.
  9. Bake pies for 30-35 minutes, or until they are golden brown throughout.
  10. Let the pies cool for 10 minutes on the baking sheet and then transfer them to wire rack to cool completely.
  11. The pies may be made up to 1 day ahead.

Notes

TIP: Substitute frozen berries instead of dried. You can also use just cranberries or raisins. No 5-inch round cutter? Check out your plastic bowls and find one with a 5-inch diameter. Use the top of the bowl to cut your hand pies.

Refrigerated pie crust and a pie press makes this Apple Berry Hand Pies recipe simple and quick

Originally posted in April 2013. UPDATED August 16, 2025. We spiffed up this post with more information. No changes were made to the recipe

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