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Easy Salted Caramel Apple Hand Pies

Salted Caramel Apple Hand Pies - featured image
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These Easy Salted Caramel Apple Hand Pies are the perfect handheld dessert, featuring a flaky crust filled with cinnamon-spiced apples and gooey salted caramel. Ready in about 45 minutes, they’re ideal for gatherings and always a crowd-pleaser.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and diced small (about 1/4-inch cubes)
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1/2 cup store-bought caramel sauce (thick, not runny)
  • 1/2 teaspoon flaky sea salt, plus more for finishing
  • 1 package (14.1 ounces) refrigerated pie crusts
  • 1 tablespoon heavy cream or milk, for brushing
  • 1 tablespoon turbinado sugar or coarse sanding sugar, for sprinkling

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside.
  2. Make the apple filling: In a medium skillet, melt the 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add the diced apples, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Cook for about 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the apples have softened slightly but still have some bite. Sprinkle the flour over the apples and stir to combine. Cook for another minute until the mixture thickens slightly. Remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice. Let the filling cool for at least 10 minutes.
  3. Prepare the caramel: While the filling cools, stir the flaky sea salt into the caramel sauce. Set it aside.
  4. Roll out the crusts: Unroll the pie crusts onto a lightly floured surface. Use your rolling pin to gently roll them out, just to smooth out the creases and thin them slightly to about 1/8-inch thick.
  5. Cut the dough: Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut each crust into 4 equal squares or rectangles. You should have 8 pieces total.
  6. Assemble the pies: Place 4 of the dough pieces on your prepared baking sheet. Spoon about 1 1/2 tablespoons of the cooled apple filling onto the center of each piece, leaving a 1/2-inch border around the edges. Drizzle about 1 teaspoon of the salted caramel over the apples.
  7. Seal the pies: Place the remaining 4 dough pieces on top of the filled pieces. Gently press the edges together to seal. Use a fork to crimp the edges all the way around. Cut 2 or 3 small slits in the top of each pie to allow steam to escape.
  8. Brush and sprinkle: Brush the tops of the pies with the heavy cream or milk. Sprinkle generously with the turbinado sugar.
  9. Bake: Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven and bake for 18-22 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbly.
  10. Cool and finish: Remove the pies from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. Then transfer them to a cooling rack. While they’re still warm, drizzle a little more salted caramel over the tops and sprinkle with an extra pinch of flaky sea salt. Let them cool for at least 10 more minutes before serving.

Notes

Don’t skip cooling the filling to prevent a soggy crust. Seal edges well to avoid filling explosions. Vent the tops with slits to release steam. For best results, use a thick caramel sauce. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerate for up to 4 days. Reheat in a 350°F oven for 5-7 minutes to restore crispness.

Nutrition

Keywords: apple hand pies, salted caramel, hand pies, easy dessert, apple dessert, handheld pies, fall dessert

Find it online: https://spoonmira.com/easy-salted-caramel-apple-hand-pies/