I think we can safely say it’s officially apple season! The apple orchards are in full bloom at all the neighboring fruit farms and every family in the area is gearing up to go apple picking – us included! And even though the weather has still been in the 80’s, it’s also officially fall today. To celebrate fall and apple season, I’m sharing our family’s favorite Caramel Apple Hand Pie recipe.
Living in apple country
This Caramel Apple Hand Pie recipe is one we’ve been making for years.I originally made it for my mom blog and I decided to bring it over here because it fits in perfectly with our farm life. Besides having a few young apple trees of our own, we live right off a cross street that’s named because of all the fruit farms here in Grand Rapids. In fact, some of the biggest apple suppliers in the country are right down the road from us.
I’m hoping that one day we will have a small orchard of our own right here at Sugar Maple. We’ve had our trees for two years now and we have a little bit of work to do to get them in better health. It would also help if the weather wouldn’t warm up so quickly in the spring and then take a dive one day, freezing off all our blooms.
Baking season is here again
I tend to bake on the weekends during the fall and winter. You can literally feel the outside work slowing down during this season as the weather starts to cool. Sometimes I think there are no slow seasons in hobby farming, but there are better paced seasons. Seasons when I don’t spend every waking minute outside trying to fix things. When morning work gives way to lazy afternoons, that’s when I know it’s time to bake again.
Bread (like thisNo-Knead Bread) and pie are actually my two favorite things to bake. This Caramel Apple Hand Pie recipe is just a fun spin on my traditional apple pie. I love the idea of pie you can take with you! I can literally walk around the farm with one of these in my right hand and a coffee cup in my left and be perfectly content.
When it comes to baking these little Caramel Apple Hand Pies, they’re actually pretty easy to make! They really are a perfect weekend afternoon treat. The apples are perfectly sweetened and flavorful, the dough was moist and flakey and the caramel pulled everything together ever so nicely. With the kids, Kevin and myself, we usually eat all of these within 24 hours.
Tips for making this Caramel Apple Hand Pie recipe
- As with any baked goods, the Caramel Apple Hand Pies are best when made and eaten the same day. If you make them in the morning but want them later in the day you can rewarm them in the microwave.
- If you MUST make this Caramel Apple Hand Pie recipe the day before for some reason.Let them cool and then store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Bring them out an hour before serving and warm them in the microwave for 10-15 seconds.
- Remember to take the butter out a few hours before making this so you can get it near room temperature.
- You do not have to use an egg wash, but it will help to brown the crust a little better. I like a really light egg wash so I often add more water to it in my recipe.
- I recommend using a wide mouth coffee mug to cut the circle for the hand pies. Super fancy, I know. But I like the size of these best. Anything smaller feels like not enough to me and anything larger is too much. You can also use a large biscuit cutter if you have one.
Equipment for making Caramel Apple Hand Pies
You don’t need a lot of equipment for making this Caramel Apple Hand Pie recipe. But you do need some old stand-bys that will get you through it. Here are some of the items recommend:
- Kitchen Aid Mixer with dough attachment – I have this one {HERE} in red and it has been invaluable to me during baking season. I bought it during Prime Days and it was on sale. So if the price isn’t something you can do right now, save this post as a reminder for the future.
- Hand mixer – This hand mixer {HERE} is a good alternative to having a stand mixer. It comes with dough hooks to mix with.
- These Wilton cookie sheets {HERE} are my favorites too.
- Lastly, if you don’t have a good work surface for rolling out dough, I recommend a marble slab like this one {HERE}. It helps to keep dough cool and its especially great if you’re making pastry like my homemade Puff Pastry {HERE}.
Thank you so much for joining me today, friends! I hope you love these Caramel Apple Hand Pies. You can find the full, printable recipe below.And if you’re looking for more apple recipes for the season, check out this delectable Apple Upside Down Cake {HERE} and my Apple Crumble Muffins {HERE}.
Caramel Apple Hand Pies
Ingredients
Hand pie crust
- 2 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 cup butter, softened and cubed
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
- Additional cup of flour for rolling dough
Filling
- 2-3 pink lady apples, diced
- 1/2 Tbsp. cinnamon
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 can lemon lime soda This will keep the apple from browning.
- 10 caramels, cubed
Instructions
- Mix together the dry ingredients for the handheld pie crust and whisk well to ensure they're fully combined. You can also use a sifter.
- Mix in the eggs, vanilla, sour cream and butter and mix with a hand mixer or stand mixer.
- Once everything is combined and well and the dough has started to form, use your hands to work it into a ball. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for one hour.
- While the dough is chilling, dice the apples and add them to a bowl with the lemon lime soda. Let soak for about 5 minutes.
- Stain the apples from the soda and mix apple with sugar and cinnamon. Chill for 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 425.
- Once the dough is done chilling, roll it out on the counter to about 1/4 inch thick.Make sure your surface and rolling pin are well floured. The dough will still be sticky. Continuously flour as needed.
- Using a wide-mouth coffee cup or large biscuit cutter, cut 6 circles from the dough.
- Add a spoonful or two of apple to the center of the circles. Add a few cubes of caramels to each center too.
- Roll out the dough again and cut 6 more circles from it.
- Stretch the circles of dough so they fit over the apples and then seal that piece to the bottom piece of dough by crimping with a fork. If the pieces are not sealing, you can use little water on your finger to help. Then crimp with a fork.
- Vent the top of the hand pies and then brush each top with egg wash. Top with an additional sprinkle of cinnamon and sugar.
- Bake in the oven for 15 minutes. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.
- Repeat process if you have additional dough.
Great recipes but could you add a way to search for a specific recipe? i.e” White Bean Crostini Appetizer. I can’t find ”
These apple pies look delicious. I can’t wait to try them.