Hand Held Pumpkin Pies

Origin: American? Kind of. It is suspected that the early European settlers made a type of pumpkin pie in Southern New England.

Hand pumpkin pies are pretty amazing.

Being able to carry around a nice flaky crust that encases a sweet and spicy pumpkin filling that makes you wish Fall was an all year log season.

Makes about: 10-12 pies

Takes about: 2.5 hours

Difficulty: 2 out of 5

Prep:

Have parchment paper and a cookie sheet ready.

Ingredients:

Dough

2 1/2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup unsalted butter

1/2 cup ice cold water

Filling

1 cup 100% pumpkin puree

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon plus a small pinch

1/4 teaspoon cloves plus a small pinch

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ginger

1/4 cup water - for wetting the pie dough

1 egg - whisked

Glaze

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 tablespoon whole milk

1/8 teaspoon cinnamon plus and a pinch

1/8 teaspoon clove plus a pinch

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon ginger

Instructions:

Dough

- Step 1 - Mix the Dry Ingredients for the Dough

In a medium bowl mix together 2 1/2 of cups flour and a 1/2 teaspoon of salt.

- Step 2 - Cut in the Butter

Cut the 1 cup unsalted butter into small squares.

You want the butter to be very cold, so I placed mine in the freezer for an extra 10 minutes before cutting into my flour.

Once the butter is cold place it into the flour and salt mixture.

The easiest way to do this is using a food processor until the butter is well mixed, but only blend for a about 15-30 seconds. There still should be some butter small butter clumps.

I cut my butter using a fork and pressing the fork and flour together.

The mixture should still be clumpy from the butter, but you should not have large clumps throughout your flour and your should not let your butter melt or become soft.

- Step 3 - Add in Water

Add the 1/2 cup of ice cold water slowly into the butter, flour, and salt mixture. You don't want sticky dough, you want a solid dough.

Tip: It is always easier to add water, so add the water slowly. If the dough still feels dry then add a little more water, but only a teaspoon at a time.

- Step 4 - Mix Until the Batter Becomes a Sold

Again, you don't want your batter to be wet and you want it to form a nice solid, non sticky batter

Tip: Don't over work the dough. You don't want the dough to be tough, you want it to just be mixed.

- Step 5 - Wrap in Plastic Wrap and Chill for an Hour

Split the dough into two balls and flatten them slightly. Wrap them individually in plastic wrap and place in the fridge for an hour.

Filling

- Step 6 - Mix the Filing in a Large Bowl

In a large bowl add 1 cup of 100% pumpkin puree, 1/4 cup of brown sugar, 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar, 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon plus a small pinch, 1/4 teaspoon of cloves plus a small pinch, 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg, and 1/4 teaspoon ginger.

Mix all the ingredients very well, the spices should be well combined.

Set the filling aside until needed.

- Step 7 - Roll Out Dough

Take one patty of dough out of the fridge. It make be a little tough, but just work it until it can be rolled out with a rolling pin.

I made my dough very thin because I wanted to make sure the filling was the focus with this pie.

- Step 8 - Cut the Dough into 6 inch Circles

After the dough has been rolled out, cut a circle out of the dough that is about 6 inches in diameter.

I used a bowl because it was the only thing I had that was a perfect circle - it worked perfectly.

Reuse the dough any extra dough.

- Step 9 - Place About 3 Tablespoons of Filling on Circle

Place about 3 tablespoons of filling onto one side of the circle and also about 1/2 inch away from the side.

Be careful not to place too much filling into the middle of the circle because you don't want it to leak out as the pie bakes. You also want to be able to pinch the pie closed without any of the filling gushing out.

- Step 10 - Wet the Outside of the Circle

Using a 1/4 cup of water dab your figure into the water and wet the edge of the circle, about 1/4 inch in.

- Step 11 - Fold the Circle in Half

Fold the empty side of the dough over the top the filling side and pinch the open edge closed.

- Step 12 - Use a Folk to Pinch the Outside

Use a fork to pinch/decorate the open side of the pie closed.

This has 2 purposes: 1. sealing the open side nicely shut and 2. create a beautiful pattern on the outside of the dough.

Tip: I put my forth fork prong in the last hole I made every time so that the gaps were the same all the way around.

- Step 13 - Cut 3 Slits Into the Top of the Pie

Take an extremely sharp knife and cut three holes into the top of the pie.

- Step 14 - Whisk 1 Egg

Whisk the one egg into a small bowl until the egg white and yolk are well combined.

- Step 15 - Bush Egg On Top of Hand Pies

Brush the whisked egg all around the tops and sides of the pie. You want everything that is showing covered with the egg, so after it bakes the pie is a nice golden brown all around.

- Step 16 - Bake

You can place these pies close together onto the parchment paper because they do not grow.

Once they all have been covered in egg place them into the oven for 25-30 minutes.

- Step 17 - Cool

The tops and bottoms of these pies should be crisp and golden brown.

Once they are crisp and have a lovely color place them on a cooling rack while the glaze is being mixed.

Glaze

- Step 18 - Make the Glaze

In a small bowl mix together 1/2 cup of powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon of whole milk, 1/8 teaspoon of cinnamon plus and a pinch, 1/8 teaspoon of clove plus a pinch, 1/8 teaspoon of nutmeg, and 1/8 teaspoon of ginger until you have the desired flavor.

- Step 19 - Drizzle Glaze on Top of Pies

Drizzle the glaze onto the pies.

Use more or less, whatever your heart desires.

- Step 20 - Enjoy These Take Away Pies

After the pies have been glazed plan to eat all of these in one sitting.

Found these pies on "Chew Out Loud." I used my own pie dough recipe and added a little more spice to the filling and to the glaze.