Apple Hand Pies

I love pies, far more than cakes, but it's hard to commit to finishing one before it spoils.  The cranberry pie had a much longer shelf life than most because of the coconut milk and gelatin, but a week was pushing it.  I really wanted to open a jar of apple pie filling and went off in search of a hand pie recipe.

Turns out, you don't really need a recipe.  One post I found just had you opening a can of filling and a box of pie crust from the refrigerated section.  I'm using that for the basic oven temp and baking time instructions.

That recipe said it would go through a jar of pie filling in 16 hand pies.  I made 18, and had some left over.  I used it on a small batch of apple pie oatmeal.  Maybe it's just the way store-bought pie fillings are cut and packed.

I'll be honest, all my pies split open.  I don't think it was the recipe's fault.  Pretty sure it was user error.  It was at least one of the following issues, probably the first:

1. I've been having problems with this batch of pie crust shrinking.
2. Too much filling, and the goo prevented seals.
3. Letting the crust get too warm before baking.
4. The oven temperature for store-bought dough didn't work for homemade.

They still tasted great, cooked through, and were flaky as you would expect.  They just reminded me of Muppet oysters.

*Crust for a double-crust pie (homemade or store-bought)
flour for rolling
*1 21 oz can apple pie filling
milk or egg wash
sanding sugar or cinnamon sugar for dusting

1.  Preheat oven to 425º.  Line two baking sheets with parchment or a Silpat.

2.  Roll out crust dough or unroll packaged on a lightly floured surface.  Using a 3-1/2" cookie cutter or a large glass, cut out rounds and place them on the sheets.  Re-roll scraps once and cut out the rest.  Any more re-rolls will leave your dough tough.

3.  Place one full slice of filling in the middle of each circle.  Fold up into a half-moon shape and pinch all the edges shut.  Don't forget the fold corner.  Cut slits in the crust for venting, or they'll definitely explode.

4.  If desired, brush pies with milk or egg wash, then sprinkle with sanding or cinnamon sugar.

5.  Bake pies for 20 minutes, until golden brown and flakey.  Cool on a wire rack and serve.  These store at room temperature in a sealed container for 2 days, or can be frozen up to a month.

Difficulty rating  :)