The best season is upon us and I couldn’t be more excited! Fall is my absolute favorite, and I’ve got so many cozy, delicious recipes planned. While pumpkin usually takes the spotlight, I’m on a mission to let the real hero of fall—apples—shine this year. These Brown Butter Apple Hand Pies are the perfect sweet treat.
Time is flying by, and I can’t believe we’re already back at the most wonderful time of year: fall and the holiday season. I can’t wait to share all the amazing recipes I have in store!
Starting with these delicious Brown Butter Apple Hand Pies. They’re such a fun fall treat. If you love apple pie you’re going to love these. Tender, spiced granny smith apples stuffed in a puff pastry that’s topped with cinnamon sugar baked until golden. Y’all these apple hand pies are a dream, literally. Inspired by my crawfish hand pies and my Boozy apple crisp. I thought why not make an easy handheld treat that captures the essence of the season.
When I think about fall, I think about warm, cozy flavors and what’s not to love about apple cinnamon and nutmeg. And you can’t forget to serve it up with some ice cream. I served it with Blue Bell’s Ooey Gooey Butter Cake Ice cream. And BABY let me tell you something…. deliciousness in EVERY BITE. If you’re hosting this fall or holiday season, these Brown Butter Apple Hand Pies are a must! Okay… enough of the chatting, let’s get into the recipe.
Why you’ll love these Brown Butter Apple Hand Pies:
Here are three reasons you’ll love these Brown Butter Apple Hand Pies:
- Oozing with Spiced Apple Goodness: Each pie is filled with tender, spiced apples that burst with fall flavors.
- Great for Hosting: These hand pies make a perfect personal dessert for guests—easy to serve and even easier to enjoy.
- Effortlessly Impressive: Flaky puff pastry and a warm, spiced filling make these pies a standout treat for any occasion.
Ingredients for these Brown Butter Apple Hand Pies
- unsalted butter: when browned butter releases a rich nutty flavor that compliments the warm vibe of this dessert.
- apples: I prefer the tartness of granny smith apples. But feel free to use your favorite type of apple.
- sugar: both brown sugar and granulated sugar.
- lemon: this helps balance out the sweetness and adds the perfect citrus note to the apples.
- spices: I used a mixture of cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and you can also add allspice/whole cloves if desired. You can also just pick up this delicious Apple Pie Spice.
- Puff pastry: I love the light and flaky texture of puff pastry. This worked perfectly in this recipe. Alternatively, you can also use pie crust.
- Egg + water: for egg wash to brush the outside of the puff pastry.
- Cinnamon sugar: I used this cinnamon sugar. But you can also make your own by combining cinnamon and granulated sugar.
Tips & Tricks
- My favorite apples to use, is Granny smith, Honey crisp, Fuji, or Gala. They all work great as an apple topping. You can also mix and match the apples to give the ultimate apple mix.
- Add egg wash. It will help the puff pastry become a beautiful golden brown
- Press the edges well to seal them well so the filling doesn’t seep out as it bakes.
- You want the filling to be a thick consistency so it doesn’t run. Make sure to allow it to fully cool before adding it to the puff pastry.
More Cozy Recipes To Try
Black Eyed Peas
Chicken Rasta Pasta
Million Dollar Stuffed Shells
The BEST Roasted Tomato Soup
If you try these Brown Butter Apple Hand Pies, please be sure to leave a comment, and or tag me on Instagram @cookwithci. I would love to see you
Brown Butter Apple Hand pies
Ingredients
- 2 large granny smith apples
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp nutmeg
- vanilla extract measure with your heart
- ½ lemon juice
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter browned
- 2 tbsp water
- 1 tsp cornstarch + 2 tbsp water
- 1 egg + water
- Cinnamon sugar on top
- 1 sheet Puff pastry cut into 4's
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees
- Peel and dice granny smith apples. In a saucepan, add unsalted butter and begin to brown over medium heat. Stirring constantly until the butter foams and turns golden brown. Make sure you only brown the butter lightly. As soon as the butter starts to turn brown and smell nutty, add in the apples and give them a stir.
- Next, add brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, lemon juice, a pinch of salt, and 2 tablespoons of water. Stir everything together and let the apples simmer until they soften.
- Once the apples are soft, pour in cornstarch slurry to allow the sauce to thicken into a syruppy consistency. You want it to be thick enough to where it doesn't run on the puff pastry. Allow the apples to cool before adding them to the puff pastry.
- Gently, roll out the puff pastry and cut into 4 squares. Add a spoonful to the center of the puff pastry. Then bring both pointed corners together, to create a triangle. Using a fork, crimp the edges. Brush the top of the puff pastry with egg wash, then sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.
- Using a sharp knife, score the dough by making 3-4 slits on top. Be sure not to cut too deep. This will allow steam to release as the hand pies bake.
- Place in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the hand pies are golden and noticeably puffy.
- Allow to cool for 5 minutes. Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and enjoy.
Notes
Did you make it?
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