Pumpkin Hand Pies

Spiced homemade pumpkin butter, made in the slow cooker, is used to fill these buttery, flaky pumpkin hand pies!

This post was originally published on October 30, 2014, and has been updated with new pictures. Hamilton Beach sponsored these pumpkin butter hand pies. You can view the original post on their blog, Everyday Good Thinking.

Hey there, and welcome back, friends.

You are in for a fall treat!

Pumpkin Butter Hand Pies

Hand pies have been the husband’s constant request since this summer. He wanted blueberry hand pies instead of a blueberry pie when I had a large haul. Sadly, he didn’t get what he wanted until a few weeks ago when I decided to make these easy pumpkin hand pies!!

They were really inspired by pumpkin butter instead of his constant nagging (which I’ve become so used to ignoring). I had a great bottle of pumpkin butter I purchased at a winery and when I went through the jar, I knew I needed more pumpkin butter in my life.

So I did what every home cook would do and made my own.

Surprisingly making pumpkin butter is extremely easy. I used my new slow cooker to whip up this spiced pumpkin butter.

Just whisk some pumpkin puree with your spices, brown sugar, and apple cider in your slow cooker and cook on low for several hours.

The result is yummy pumpkin butter you can store for weeks to make pumpkin season last longer.

Of course, you can use some of your pumpkin butter as pie filling as I did in these pumpkin pie hand pies. This lighter pie-filling alternative is a perfect combination with a buttery flaky crust.

Pumpkin Hand Pie Ingredients

• a can of pumpkin puree
• apple cider (or apple juice)
• light brown sugar
• ground ginger
• ground nutmeg
• ground cinnamon
• pinch ground cloves
• ice cold water
• all-purpose flour
• salt
• sugar
• unsalted butter
• an egg
• milk for egg wash
• turbinado sugar for sprinkling

How to Make Pumpkin Hand Pies

Pumpkin Hand Pie Filling

Set your slow cooker to low.

Combine all the ingredients in your slow cooker and stir thoroughly to combine.

Cook for 5 hours, occasionally stirring until pumpkin butter is thick.

Transfer the pumpkin butter to a mason jar and let cool. Store in refrigerator.

For the Hand Pies

Prepare ½ cup of ice-cold water and keep it in the fridge.

In a food processor, pulse flour, sugar, and salt. Add in half of the butter and pulse for 30 seconds. Add in the rest of the butter and pulse until the mixture looks like a coarse meal.

Sprinkle about six tablespoons of cold water over the mixture and pulse until the dough comes together in clumps. If dry, add a little bit more water (1 teaspoon at a time) until the dough comes together.

Remove dough from the processor and pat into a disk. Wrap in plastic wrap.

Chill for at least an hour or overnight. The dough can be made up to 3 days ahead. Keep chilled. Let stand at room temperature for a few minutes before rolling out.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set them aside. Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to a large circle. Using a 2 or 3-inch round biscuit cutter, cut out at least 24 circles. You will need to roll the extra dough to cut out more circles.

Place 6 dough circles on each prepared baking sheet. Add about a tablespoon of pumpkin butter to the center of each circle. Place another dough circle on top, and using your fingers, press together to seal. Use a fork to crimp the edges.

Whisk together an egg and one tablespoon of milk in a small bowl. Brush the top of the dough with egg wash. Sprinkle with cinnamon and turbinado sugar.

Bake for 20-22 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a serving platter.

How to Store Pumpkin Hand Pies

You can store these hand pies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days or in your fridge for up to 7 days. These hand pies also freeze great and will last 3 months in the freezer. Unthaw the frozen hand pies on a plate at room temperature.

More Fall Pie Recipes

• Maple Cream Apple Pie
• Pear Apple Pie
• Pear Almond Galette
• Classic Pumpkin Pie Recipe
• Mini Pumpkin Pies

What do you think of this amazing pumpkin hand pie recipe? What would you serve with these hand pies? Let me know in the comment section below. 

If you share across social media, make sure to tag #aclassictwist, so I can see your beautiful creation come to life!

Happy fall baking, friends!

Pumpkin Hand Pie Recipe