Ingredients:

  • 2 ½ cups (320g) All-Purpose Flour
  • 1 teaspoon Fine Sea Salt
  • 1 tablespoon Granulated Sugar
  • 1 cup (226g or 2 sticks) Unsalted Butter, very cold and cubed
  • ½ to ¾ cup Ice-Cold Water
  • 2 pounds (about 4 medium) Firm, Tart Apples (Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, or Braeburn)
  • ½ cup (100g) Light Brown Sugar, packed
  • ¼ cup (50g) Granulated Sugar
  • 1 tablespoon Lemon Juice, freshly squeezed
  • 2 tablespoons All-Purpose Flour
  • 1 ½ teaspoons Ground Cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
  • Pinch of Ground Cloves (optional)
  • 2 tablespoons Unsalted Butter, cut into small pieces
  • 1 large Egg
  • 1 tablespoon Water or Milk
  • 2 tablespoons Turbinado Sugar (or coarse sugar)

Instructions:

  1. Whisk together flour, salt, and sugar in a large bowl. Cut in cold butter using a pastry blender (or knives/fingertips) until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Gradually add ice water, mixing gently until the dough just comes together. Form into a ball, divide in half, flatten into disks, wrap in plastic, and chill for at least 1 hour (or up to 2 days).
  2. Peel, core, and dice apples into small cubes. Toss apples with lemon juice. Add brown sugar, granulated sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves (if using) to the apples; mix well. (Optional) Pre-cook the filling: Melt butter in a saucepan, add the apple mixture, and cook until apples soften slightly and juices thicken. Cool completely.
  3. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll out one disk of chilled dough on a lightly floured surface. Cut out circles using a cookie cutter (or glass). Re-roll scraps once. Place half the circles on baking sheets. Spoon apple filling onto the center of each circle, leaving a border. Whisk together egg and water (or milk) for the egg wash. Brush edges of the filled circles with egg wash. Top with remaining dough circles. Press down around the filling to remove air. Crimp edges with a fork to seal. Cut slits in the top of each hand pie. Brush the entire top surface with egg wash and sprinkle with turbinado sugar.
  4. Chill assembled hand pies in the refrigerator or freezer for 15-20 minutes.
  5. Transfer to the preheated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown and filling is bubbling.
  6. Let cool on baking sheets for 5-10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy warm or at room temperature.