Nothing says fall like good ‘ole apple pie! And what’s even better about a hand pie? More CRUST. I like pie, a lot. But I really like pie crust. You know what I’m talking about that flaky, buttery, melt in your mouth deliciousness. The crust is really just an edible spoon for the fruit filling.
Real life – I used store-bought pie dough and store-bought caramels. Gasp, I know but when you are making the entire Friendsgiving meal from scratch, I think it’s ok to cut a few corners. At least I didn’t store buy the entire pie.
Ingredients
1 box of 2 refrigerated pie crust (I like good ole Pillsbury)
2 cups apples peeled and diced small see pix below (Honey Crisp are my go-to apple)
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup sugar (white or brown sugar will work or a combination)
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
8 store-bought soft caramels, chopped
Toppings:
Egg wash (1 egg lightly whisked with 1 Tablespoon water)
Large flake sea salt
Crystal sanding sugar (optional)
Caramel Sauce (optional)
Vanilla Bean Ice Cream (optional)
How to make it:
Preheat the oven to 425ºF.
In a deep sauce pan over med/low heat add the diced apple, lemon juice, cinnamon, sugar and flour, stirring until well combined. Continue to cook on low heat for approximately 5 minutes. Apples do not need to be completely cooked. They will continue to cook in the oven while baking.
Remove the dough from the refrigerator and unfold it onto a well-floured surface. Begin rolling it out, being careful not to go too thin towards the edges of the dough.
Using a 3-inch circular cookie cutter or cup, cut out as many circles as possible. Re roll the scraps and keep cutting out circles until you run out of dough and have an even number of circles.
Place 6 to 8 dough circles on a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet. Using a slotted spoon (you don’t want the juice) place a small portion of the apple filling into the center of each circle, leaving a small empty border around the filling. Top the apple filling with a few pieces of chopped caramels and a pinch of sea salt. Place a second dough circle on top each filled circle then use a fork to press and crimp the edges together, sealing each pie.
Brush each pie with the egg wash, and using a sharp knife, cut two or three vents on the top of each pie. Sprinkle the pies with crystal sugar (optional).
Bake for about 15 minutes, or until they’re golden brown and puffed up.
Remove the pies from the oven and allow them to rest for 10 minutes before serving. Serve in a low bowl with ice cream and (optional) caramel sauce. If you’re eating on the go, just grab a napkin and eat the pie right out of your hand.
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