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Easy Mini Pumpkin Hand Pies: Perfect Halloween Treat

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These mini pumpkin hand pies are flaky, golden pockets of spiced pumpkin filling that taste exactly like a memory. They are light, flaky, and packed with just the right amount of cozy pumpkin spice, perfect for Halloween parties or a cozy night in.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 ½ cups (315g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, cold and cut into small cubes
  • ¼ cup (50g) vegetable shortening, cold
  • 6–8 tablespoons (90-120ml) ice water
  • 1 teaspoon (5g) salt
  • 1 tablespoon (12g) granulated sugar
  • 1 cup (245g) pumpkin puree (100% pure pumpkin)
  • ½ cup (100g) brown sugar, packed
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 2 tablespoons (30ml) heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon (5ml) vanilla extract
  • 1 ½ teaspoons (3g) pumpkin pie spice
  • ½ teaspoon (1g) cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon (1g) salt
  • 1 large egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon water (for egg wash)
  • Turbinado sugar, for sprinkling

Instructions

  1. Make the pastry dough. In a food processor, pulse together the flour, salt, and sugar until combined. Add the cold butter cubes and shortening, then pulse about 8-10 times until the mixture looks like coarse meal with some pea-sized butter pieces remaining. Do not overprocess.
  2. Add the ice water. Sprinkle 6 tablespoons of ice water over the flour mixture and pulse 3-4 times. The dough should just hold together when squeezed between your fingers. If it is too dry, add the remaining water one tablespoon at a time. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface, divide in half, flatten into disks, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
  3. Prepare the pumpkin filling. In a medium bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, brown sugar, egg yolk, heavy cream, vanilla extract, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and salt until smooth. The mixture should be thick but spreadable. If it looks runny, stir in an extra tablespoon of flour. Cover and refrigerate while the dough chills.
  4. Roll out the dough. On a lightly floured surface, roll one disk of dough to about ⅛-inch (3mm) thickness. Use a 3-inch round cutter to cut out circles, rerolling scraps once. You should get about 12-14 circles per disk.
  5. Assemble the hand pies. Place half of the circles on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Spoon about 1 tablespoon of pumpkin filling into the center of each, leaving a ½-inch border around the edges. Place another circle on top and press the edges to seal.
  6. Crimp and vent. Use a fork to crimp the edges all around. Cut 2-3 small slits on top of each pie for steam to escape.
  7. Chill again. Place the assembled pies in the freezer for 15 minutes while you preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
  8. Bake. Brush the tops of the chilled pies with egg wash and sprinkle generously with turbinado sugar. Bake for 18-22 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through, until the pies are golden brown and the filling is bubbling slightly through the vents. Let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.
  9. Cool completely. Let them cool for at least 15 minutes before serving.

Notes

Keep everything cold for flaky pastry. Do not overwork the dough. Freeze assembled pies before baking for extra flakiness. For gluten-free, use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. For vegan, use cold vegan butter and coconut oil, and replace egg yolk with cornstarch slurry.

Nutrition

Keywords: mini pumpkin hand pies, pumpkin hand pies, Halloween dessert, fall baking, pumpkin pie, hand pies, easy pumpkin recipe

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