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–+ servings
image of homemade apple hand pies that are braided

Braided Apple Hand Pies

By: Alyona Demyanchuk
These apple hand pies were a recreation of the popular Dunkin' Donuts pastry back in 2015! Homemade flaky pie crust braided around apple pie filling, and topped with crunchy cinnamon sugar...It was so good!
Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings: 3 Apple Hand Pies
Course: Desserts
Cuisine: American

Equipment

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 8x4" 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.
    image of pie dough with the four corners removed to make a chevron braided pastry
  • 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.
    image of braiding apple hand pies
  • 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.
    image of Alyona transferring a braided apple hand pie to a baking sheet using a bench scraper
  • Combine 1/4 cup of granulated sugar and 1/2 tsp cinnamon in a small bowl. Sprinkle generously over the braids.
    image of brushing egg wash on the braided apple hand pies and covered with a cinnamon sugar topping
  • Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven.
    image of baked braided apple hand pies being removed from the 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 9x9 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 Facts
Braided Apple Hand Pies
Serving Size
 
1 braided apple hand pie
Amount per Serving
Calories
957
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
48
g
74
%
Saturated Fat
 
30
g
188
%
Trans Fat
 
2
g
Polyunsaturated Fat
 
2
g
Monounsaturated Fat
 
13
g
Cholesterol
 
177
mg
59
%
Sodium
 
513
mg
22
%
Potassium
 
203
mg
6
%
Carbohydrates
 
124
g
41
%
Fiber
 
4
g
17
%
Sugar
 
44
g
49
%
Protein
 
10
g
20
%
Vitamin A
 
1546
IU
31
%
Vitamin C
 
3
mg
4
%
Calcium
 
46
mg
5
%
Iron
 
4
mg
22
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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