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I was inspired to make these braided apple hand pies from Dunkin’ Donuts after my friend raved about these pastries.
This was an actual menu item back in 2015. I thought the individual portions were fun and so, I got experimenting.
I made a from-scratch pie crust and used store-bought apple filling. Today, I just pull a quart jar filled with my homemade pie filling that I like to can for easy cobblers, pies, and bars. My husband loves it in homemade yogurt, too!
Obviously you can use store bought pie crust and pie filling from the store, (which I’ll tell you how), but from-scratch snacks are so much better and made with lots of love.
What better way to spend time to make these with you child. I actually, gave my 6-year old the scraps from this pie crust and she had so much fun filling it herself.
These apple pie treats are great! They have the perfect amount of filling for a pick me up snack and the braided look is so different from the normal hand pies.
Much more appealing if you ask me! They are more than an apple hand pie. The flaky and buttery crust gets sprinkled with cinnamon sugar adding so much crunch and flavor.
And if the time allows proper chilling makes this a quick dessert as you can prep it the night before and bake later. This also = better texture.
It doesn’t really take up that much more time than crimping and rolling a pie crust. Give it a try and let me know what you think of these apple hand pies!
Mise en PlaceEverything you need! :
Equipment
- Sheet pan
- Mixing Bowl
- Can opener
- Box grater
- Set of measuring cups and spoons
Braided Apple Hand Pies (Ingredients & Substitutes):
- Pie Crust- one single pie crust from the store can be substituted to make these apple hand pies. It’s really not that hard to make your own and if you’re doubting the amount of butter, simply use palm fruit shortening or half and half.
- Apple Pie Filling- can be bought in the baking aisle of most grocery stores. I think Dollar stores even carry these tin, cans of goodness. I’ve been making my own canned apple pie filling (so good and easy)! And if you didn’t know pear pie filling is just as good!
- Cinnamon Sugar Topping- adds so much crunch! It’s like a crunchy crust to the soft and flaky pie crust that just tops everything off! I think it adds so much good flavor and texture!
How To Make Apple Hand Pies With the Best Cinnamon Sugar Topping:
Let’s walk through how to make a flaky pie crust and these apple filled hand pies. Watch my reel on Instagram to see snippets of my creations there.
Make the Pie Crust
Measure out the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl. Be sure to use a measuring cup made for dry ingredients (NOT a pyrex liquid measuring cup). Then, measure the flour by scooping it into a measuring cup and leveling it with a butter knife.
Using a box grater, shred the cold butter into the flour and cut the butter into the flour using a pastry cutter, or your hands until it resembles a coarse meal.
Next, add ice-cold water to the flour. To do this I throw a handful of ice cubes into a measuring cup and add cold water (enough to barely cover the ice). Do not add ice cubes to the flour we just want cold water. It’s to not overwork the dough or soften the butter (we want those flaky layers).
Cover and refrigerate the dough overnight or let it chill in the fridge for a couple hours. I often break this rule and start rolling out the pie crust with a pastry roller and that often works, too.
Prep ingredients for the filling and topping:
Braid the Apple Hand Pie
After the dough has chilled, remove it from the fridge to form an 8×4″ rectangle. Cut the rectangle into three equal pieces (each about 2 1/2″ wide).
Next, roll out each piece into a 9″ by 9″ square, working with one piece at a time.
Very lightly mark the square into three even lines going down (each strip should be about 3″ apart. Do not cut through we are just scoring the dough with a knife or bench scraper to appoint the braids.
After scoring the center of the dough cut chevron marks down the sides of the dough. Remove the four outer corners (as pictured) from the square dough.
Top the center with apple pie filling. Then fold in the top and start overlapping the chevron flaps on the sides to make a braid. Pinch down the corners to seal the hand pie.
Whatever trimmings are left I usually add to the next piece of dough. Place the braided apple pies onto a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. You can refrigerate 2 hours before baking for extra flaky pies.
Finishing Touches
Or if you’re like me and can’t wait then start making the egg wash and cinnamon sugar topping.
After the dough has slightly chilled, preheat oven to 400 °F. Beat 1 egg and 2 tsp of water in a small dish to make the egg wash. Brush the braids with egg wash.
Combine 1/4 cup of granulated sugar and 1/2 tsp of ground cinnamon in a small bowl. Sprinkle over braids that have been brushed with the egg wash. Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven until golden brown.
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Braided Apple Hand Pies
Equipment
- 1 sheet-pan
Ingredients
Pie Crust Dough:
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, (1 1/2 sticks)
- 3/4 cup ice-cold water
Filling & Cinnamon Topping:
- 21 oz can of apple pie filling
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
Egg wash:
- 1 egg
- 2 tsp water
Instructions
- In a large bowl combine 1 3/4 cup of flour and 1/2 tsp salt. Grate 1 1/2 sticks of cold butter into the flour and mix with your hands until it resembles a coarse meal. Mix in 3/4 cup of ice-cold water and make into a dough. Refrigerate overnight or start rolling out.
- Shape the pie dough into an 8×4" rectangle. Cut dough into three equal pieces (each about 2 1/2" wide).
- Roll each piece into a 9" by 9" square. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Very lightly make two marks down the dough to make three equal strips about 3" apart. DON'T cut through we are just marking the dough with a bench scraper. Remove the four outer corners of the dough as shown. This is going to create a flap for the filling later.
- Cut slanted chevron marks down the sides of the dough staying towards the outer edge. Place about 2/3 cup of apple pie filling down the center and fold in the top.
- Start overlapping each piece from the sides to make a braid, alternating left to right. Before you get to the last set of braid tuck in the bottom flap. Pinch down any seams. Transfer the braid onto a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Brush braids with egg wash.
- Combine 1/4 cup of granulated sugar and 1/2 tsp cinnamon in a small bowl. Sprinkle generously over the braids.
- Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven.
Notes
- For an easy short cut: use 1 store-bought pie crust for the braided apple hand pies. You will need to roll it into 9×9 squares and roll it thin.
- I have been canning my own apple pie filling with this tried-and-true recipe: Combine 1.5 cups instant clear jell, 4 cups sugar, 1 Tbsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp nutmeg, and 1 tsp salt. Add 9 cups water, 1/4 up lemon juice and mix well. Pour over 9 quarts of sliced apples. Fill quart jars and process in a water bath for 25 minutes. I make this with pears too!
- Serving size: we typically cut each braid into multiple slices. About 6-7 slices.
Nutrition (per serving)
Tried this recipe?
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Original text: My friend had brought little mini apple braids from Dunkin’ Donuts for breakfast one morning and I was impressed by that little dessert.
The pastry seemed to be like a flaky pie crust dough with an apple filling and cinnamon sugar crusted top. I tried to recreate those little pastries from homemade dough and use canned apple pie filling.
I’m quite happy with the results, although they don’t look identical to the Dunkin’ version (is way smaller), at least they taste just as good. Maybe one day I’ll create mini ones but for now, these will work.