Description
Delightful chai spice apple hand pies combine warm spices with flaky pastry for a comforting dessert. Compact and portable, these miniature treats bring Middle Eastern and Indian flavor influences to classic American pie-making. Bakers can easily enjoy their portable charm.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 large apples (or 5 small apples), peeled, cored, and diced
- 2 cups (480 ml) whole wheat pastry flour (or all-purpose flour)
- ½ cup (120 ml) plant-based butter, cold & cubed
- 3 tbsps (45 ml) coconut sugar (or white/raw cane sugar)
- 2 tbsps (30 ml) coconut sugar (or white/raw cane sugar)
- ¾ tsp (3.75 ml) ground cinnamon
- ¾ tsp (3.75 ml) salt
- ½ tsp (2.5 ml) ground cardamom
- ¼ tsp (1.25 ml) ground ginger
- 1/8 tsp (0.625 ml) ground cloves
- 1 pinch black pepper
- 1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract
- 1 squeeze fresh lemon juice
- 2–5 tbsps (30–75 ml) ice cold water
- 1 egg, beaten
- ⅓ cup (80 ml) powdered sugar
- ½ tsp (2.5 ml) ground cardamom
Instructions
- Dough Preparation: Pulse flour, coconut sugar, and salt in a food processor. Incorporate cold butter until mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs, then gradually add ice-cold water until dough coheres. Form into a flattened disc, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Apple Filling Creation: Combine diced apples with cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, cloves, and black pepper. Add vanilla extract, coconut sugar, and lemon juice. Simmer over medium-low heat until apples soften and caramelize, approximately 8-10 minutes. Cool completely.
- Pie Assembly: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll chilled dough to 1/8-inch thickness and cut into 3-inch circles. Place a spoonful of cooled apple filling in the center of each circle, fold into half-moon shapes, and seal edges with a fork.
- Baking Process: Brush hand pies with egg wash and arrange on prepared baking sheet. Bake for 15-18 minutes until pastry turns golden brown and crisp.
- Finishing Touch: Whisk powdered sugar with milk or cream to create a smooth glaze. Once pies cool to room temperature, drizzle glaze over the tops and allow to set briefly before serving.
Notes
- Chill Dough Thoroughly: Refrigerate pastry dough for at least 30 minutes to ensure flaky, tender texture and prevent shrinking during baking.
- Control Apple Moisture: Cook apple filling slowly to reduce excess liquid, preventing soggy hand pies and ensuring concentrated flavor development.
- Seal Edges Carefully: Press fork edges firmly to create a tight seal, preventing filling from leaking during baking and maintaining a clean, professional appearance.
- Glaze at Perfect Temperature: Allow hand pies to cool completely before adding glaze, ensuring it sets smoothly and doesn’t become runny or absorbed into the pastry.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Indian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 9
- Calories: 210
- Sugar: 9 g
- Sodium: 200 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 34 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg