The Easiest Caramel Apple Hand Pies (with Pie Crust!)

Are you craving the warm, cozy, and unbelievably delicious flavor of a homemade apple pie, but don’t have the time or the energy to bake a whole one from scratch? These incredible, shortcut Caramel Apple Hand Pies are your new go-to fall treat! They are the perfect, handheld slice of pie, with a flaky, golden-brown crust, a tender, sweet-tart apple slice, and a surprise pocket of gooey, melted caramel in the very center.

This isn’t just a recipe; it’s your guide to the ultimate easy dessert hack. We’ll show you how a simple package of store-bought pie crust can be transformed into a stunning and delicious individual dessert that is perfect for after-school snacks, holiday gatherings, or a fun weekend baking project with the kids. Get ready to fall in love with the easiest apple pie you will ever make.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Recipe Overview: The Easiest Apple Pie You’ll Ever Make

What makes these Caramel Apple Hand Pies so brilliant is their incredible simplicity and their fun, individual format. The recipe uses a few smart shortcuts, like store-bought refrigerated pie crusts and soft caramel candies, to create a stunning, from-scratch-tasting result with just a few minutes of active prep time. Each hand pie encases a whole, tender apple ring and a molten caramel center in a perfectly flaky, buttery crust. They are a guaranteed hit with both kids and adults.

Metric	Time / Level
Total Time	50 minutes
Active Prep Time	15 minutes
Difficulty Level	Easy
Servings	8 hand pies

The Essential Ingredients for These Easy Hand Pies

This recipe uses a handful of simple pantry staples and smart shortcuts to create a spectacular result.

• Refrigerated Pie Crusts: This is the ultimate shortcut and the key to how easy this recipe is! One box of store-bought, refrigerated pie crusts (which typically contains two rolled crusts) gives you a perfect, flaky, and buttery base without any of the work of making dough from scratch.
• The Apples: The tender and tart star of our hand pies. For the best result, you want to use a firm, crisp baking apple that will hold its shape during baking and not turn to mush. Excellent choices include Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Braeburn, or Gala.
• The Brown Sugar Coating: A simple mixture of melted butter, packed light brown sugar, and ground cinnamon creates a delicious, caramelized coating for the apple slices.
• The Gooey Caramel Center: The secret surprise! A simple, soft caramel candy placed in the center of each apple ring will melt in the oven into a wonderful, gooey pocket of caramel sauce.
• The Finishing Touches (Egg Wash & Sugar): A simple egg wash (one egg beaten with a little water) is the secret to a beautiful, shiny, deep golden-brown finish. A final sprinkle of granulated sugar adds a lovely sparkle and a delightful, crunchy texture to the crust.

Step-by-Step to the Perfect Apple Hand Pies

This recipe is wonderfully simple. It’s a fun and easy assembly project for bakers of all ages!

Step 1: Prepare the Apples and the Brown Sugar Coating

First, preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a medium, microwave-safe bowl, combine the 3 tablespoons of unsalted butter, the 1/4 cup of packed light brown sugar, and the 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon. Microwave for about 1 minute, until the butter is melted, and then stir until the mixture is smooth.

Now, prepare your apples. Slice the 2 apples, crosswise (through the “equator,” not through the stem), into thick, 1/4- to 1/2-inch slices. You are looking for the 4 best, full-sized slices from the center of each apple, for a total of 8 slices.

Use a small round cookie cutter or an apple corer to remove the cores from the center of each of the 8 apple slices to create perfect rings.

Add the apple rings to the bowl with the melted butter mixture and turn them to coat them well, being careful not to break the slices.

Step 2: Cut the Pie Dough and Assemble Your Hand Pies

Step 1: On a lightly floured surface, unroll your two pie crusts. Use a 4-inch round cutter to cut 8 rounds from each piece of dough, for a total of 16 rounds. You may need to gather the scraps and re-roll the dough.

Step 2: Arrange 8 of the dough rounds on your prepared baking sheets. In a small bowl, beat the 1 large egg with 1 tablespoon of water to create an egg wash. Brush the entire surface of the 8 dough rounds with the egg wash.

Step 3: Center one of your coated apple slices on each of the 8 dough rounds. Spoon any of the extra juices from the bowl into the center of each apple slice.

Step 4: Place one soft caramel piece in the cored-out center of each apple slice.

Step 5: Lay the remaining 8 dough rounds over each of the apple slices. Gently press the edges of the top and bottom dough rounds together to seal them. Use the tines of a fork to firmly crimp and seal the edges all the way around.

Step 6: Use a small, sharp knife to cut a few small slits in the top of each hand pie to allow steam to escape while they bake. Brush the tops of all the hand pies with the remaining beaten egg wash and then sprinkle them generously with granulated sugar.

Step 3: Bake to Golden, Crispy Perfection

Bake the hand pies, rotating the trays from the top to the bottom rack about halfway through the baking time, until the crust is a beautiful deep golden brown and crisp. This will take about 18 to 20 minutes.

Let the finished hand pies cool on the baking sheet for at least 15 minutes before serving. They are fantastic served warm or at room temperature.

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Storage and Make-Ahead Tips

These Caramel Apple Hand Pies are a fantastic treat to make ahead of time.

• Make-Ahead (Best Method!): These hand pies are perfect for freezing! You can fully assemble the unbaked hand pies on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Place the entire sheet in the freezer until the pies are frozen solid. Once they are frozen, you can transfer them to a freezer-safe, resealable bag. They will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.
• Baking from Frozen: When you are ready for a treat, you can bake the hand pies directly from frozen! Simply place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet, brush them with the egg wash and sugar, and bake as directed, adding about 5 to 10 extra minutes to the total baking time.
• Storage: Store any leftover baked hand pies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

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Creative Recipe Variations

1. Add a Simple Glaze: For a classic, sweet finish, you can skip the sugar sprinkle on top. Instead, after the hand pies have cooled slightly, you can drizzle them with a simple glaze made by whisking together 1 cup of powdered sugar with 2 to 3 tablespoons of milk or apple cider.
2. Make it a “Savory” Apple & Cheddar Version: For a delicious sweet and savory combination, you can omit the caramel candy from the center. Instead, place a small, thin slice of sharp cheddar cheese in the center of the apple ring before you top it with the second crust.
3. Use a Different Fall Fruit: This same easy hand pie method is also absolutely wonderful with a thick, 1/2-inch slice of a firm, crisp pear instead of an apple.

Enjoy The Easiest Apple Pie Ever!

You’ve just discovered a wonderfully fun, creative, and incredibly easy way to enjoy all the classic flavors of a homemade apple pie. These Caramel Apple Hand Pies are a perfect harmony of a flaky crust, a tender apple filling, and a surprise gooey caramel center. It’s a rewarding and deeply satisfying recipe that is sure to become a new family favorite.

We hope you enjoy every last, warm, and delicious bite!

If you enjoyed making this recipe, please leave a comment below or share it with a friend who loves an easy and impressive dessert!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)