Easy to Make Pumpkin Hand Pies with Honey Icing
These easy to make from-scratch pumpkin hand pies are perfect when autumn comes calling. Topped with honey cardamom icing, this flaky and sweet fall pastry pairs well with your morning coffee or served fresh at your next Thanksgiving gathering.
A bright sunny day with a slight chill in the air as summer turns to fall says its time for autumn essentials.
Think buffalo plaid flannels, pumpkin patches and warm cozy beverages and baked goods coming from your kitchen. Just thinking about it puts me in the mood!
Inspired by my new found love of baking homemade pop-tarts this summer, I wanted something similar to serve this fall. Pumpkins are abundant in the garden and so is my culinary imagination!
My busy hands went to work in the kitchen. After many batches and lots of delicious taste testing, this recipe was created. Perfected with a homemade pumpkin puree and a surprising twist of cardamom spice (my new favorite!), these hand pies are simply irresistible.
Gather your family around the table this fall and indulge in these easy from-scratch pumpkin hand pies. Everyone will love the classic homemade taste of autumn right in the palm of their hand.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- This easy from-scratch pumpkin hand pie recipe revives the nostalgic taste of grandma’s homemade pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving.
- The homemade flavor amplifies with homegrown pumpkins. Most satisfying from your own garden, picked from a pumpkin patch works too.
- The unexpected pairing of cardamom in the icing with classic pumpkin pie spice is amazing. You won’t be disappointed!
- These hand pies closely resemble the childhood favorite pop-tart. With a sophisticated and delicious homemade twist of course.
Helpful Hints for Pumpkin Hand Pies
- High-quality, organic and locally sourced ingredients are encouraged for maximum health and nutrient density.
- The filling includes a tablespoon of fat for better nutrient absorption from the pumpkin. It’s optional, but recommended. Any fat source tastes great in this filling.
- Make this recipe easy and quick by making both the dough and filling ahead of time. Make dough one day when there’s time; filling another day with a pocket of time. Refrigerate until ready to assemble. OR make the dough first and refrigerate. Then make the filling while the dough is chilling and then assemble and bake.
- If using canned pumpkin, the filling still needs to be warmed up. The ingredients need to come together to create a thicker jam-like consistency.
- Let the filling cool before assembling the hand pies. Otherwise, the dough will melt.
- The dough tastes amazing with buttermilk, but regular cold milk or water is good too.
- Only re-heat these hand pies in an oven or let come to room temperature if pulling from freezer. The icing could ruin a toaster.
How to Make Easy From-Scratch Pumpkin Hand Pies
Begin with Your Pumpkins
For a true homegrown, homemade flavor, start with a garden plan. Grow at least one pumpkin plant in spring which yields several pumpkins. Extras for the freezer is a bonus! I encourage a pie pumpkin variety of seed.
However, is a garden right for your family? Read my blog post below to help you decide.
New Gardener’s Guide with Five Questions to Ask Before Planting
Alternatively, visit a local pumpkin patch and simply buy a couple pie pumpkins instead. You will achieve the same homemade flavor.
Next best option: buy a can of pumpkin puree from the store (organic of course!). A perfectly acceptable option especially for the busy working mom or dad who still want a special from-scratch treat.
To Make Pumpkin Hand Pies
Ingredients
For the Dough
- All-purpose flour – I used einkorn all-purpose from Jovial Foods
- Salt – I always encourage a high-quality salt such as Redmond Real Salt that contains lots of necessary nutritional minerals
- Sugar
- Butter
- Buttermilk – regular milk or water also works
- Pumpkin pie spice
Filling
- Fresh or canned pumpkin
- Pumpkin pie spice (store bought or homemade mix)
- Butter or fat of choice (beef tallow, coconut oil, ghee, lard, duck fat, etc.)
- Sugar
Icing
- Powdered sugar
- Honey
- Cardamom
- Milk
Other Ingredients
- One egg
- Water
Equipment Needed
- Medium sized mixing bowl or food processor
- Medium sized sauce pan
- Food scale
- Table knife, fork and spoon
- Pairing knife
- Pastry brush
- Measuring cups and teaspoons
- Blender or immersion blender
- Cutting board
- Pastry cutter
- Pizza Cutter
- Bench scraper
- Parchment paper
- Spatula
- Cooling rack
- Baking sheet
- Pot holder
- Rolling Pin
For the Dough
In a medium-sized mixing bowl or food processor, measure out the flour, sugar, salt and pumpkin spice. Either mix with a fork or pulse a few times in the food processor.
Next, cut cold butter into small cubed sized pieces and add to flour mixture. Incorporate butter with a pastry cutter or your fingers if mixing by hand. Or pulse together in a food processor. The texture should be course crumbs.
Next, add 6-8 tablespoons of cold liquid of choice and mix just until dough comes together. Handling as little as possible, flatten dough into two disks and wrap each tightly with plastic wrap. Place in fridge to chill for half hour or up to three days if you’re not baking right away.
For the Filling
If using fresh pumpkin, place in sauce pan with butter or fat source of choice. Soften pumpkin over low to medium heat. Don’t let burn. When pumpkin is soft enough, add the sugar and pumpkin pie spice.
After five minutes, blend into a puree with the immersion blender right in the sauce pan. Or you may transfer mixture into a blender to puree. If using canned pumpkin, scoop into a saucepan and mix with remaining ingredients. Heat on low to medium heat until mixture is thicker and jam-like in consistency.
Assemble Pumpkin Hand Pies
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Take chilled dough and place on a floured surface. Roll dough between a 1/8-1/4 inch thick.
With a pizza cutter, cut dough into a big square. Then cut 4″ wide and 8″ long strips.
Place 1 1/2-2 tablespoons filling on one lower half of a strip. Do not over fill. Fold the strip in half over the filling. If edges are uneven, trim with pizza cutter.
Next, crimp all four sides with a table fork. Dip fork into flour to prevent sticking.
Using a bench scraper (or spatula), place each hand pie onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
In a little dish, whip the egg with the water. Brush on top of each hand pie before baking. Bake for 30 minutes. Pies are golden brown when fully baked.
While pies bake, mix powdered sugar, honey, cardamom, and milk to make icing.
When pies are done, immediately drizzle with icing. Sprinkle with granulated sugar and let cool about half hour.
To re-heat, turn oven to 350 degrees. Bake for five minutes and then serve. Or thaw at room temperature. DO NOT place in a toaster. Icing will melt and ruin the toaster.
FAQ’s
How should pumpkin hand pies be stored?
Hand pies should be completely cool and icing hardened. Then wrap each in plastic wrap and place inside a Ziplock bag. The plastic wrap easily keeps the pies separated and protects from absorbing unwanted flavors. Store in the freezer for longer term storage. Place in the refrigerator if eating within a few days.
How long can hand pies be stored?
Hand pies keep a fresh flavor up to six months in the freezer, especially when properly wrapped and stored. In the fridge, store no longer than two weeks. After that, place in the freezer. Remember, these hand pies don’t have preservatives.
Can hand pies be warmed up in a toaster?
No, the icing is real without preservatives and will melt all over a toaster and ruin it.
What is the best way to cut up a pumpkin?
Start with a large, sharp knife and large cutting board. Remove the stem, and carefully cut down the center of the pumpkin. Scoop out the seeds and set aside. Cut each half into sections and gently remove the rind. Cut the flesh into one-inch cubes for the hand pie filling. Store remaining flesh in the freezer for future use.
If you make this recipe and love it, I’d love it if you left it a 5-star review! Tag me with your photos on Instagram @beckybuttlesamericana or leave a comment below. Thank you!
“Be patient, therefore, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. Behold, the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient over it until it receives the early and the late rain.” James 5:7
Happy Baking and Harvest Blessings!
-Becky
Easy From-Scratch Pumpkin Hand Pies
The classic homemade taste of pumpkin pie right in the palm of your hand. Topped with Honey Cardamom Icing, these easy from-scratch pumpkin hand pies will be a new fall favorite treat!
Ingredients
- 2½ cups einkorn all purpose flour (or regular all-purpose) (350g)
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ cup sugar (50g)
- 1 cup frozen or chilled unsalted butter (226g)
- 7-8 tbsp cold buttermilk (or cold water or regular milk)
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice (optional)
- 1-1½ cups fresh pumpkin (or canned)
- ½ tbsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1 tbsp fat source of choice (butter, ghee, coconut oil, tallow, lard, etc.)
- 1 cup sugar (200g)
- 1 cup powdered sugar (140g)
- 2½ tbsp honey
- ⅛ tsp cardamom
- 2 tbsp milk
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon water
Instructions
For the Dough
- In a medium sized mixing bowl, measure the flour, salt, sugar and spice using the food scale. If using the food processor, add the mixture to the processor and pulse a few times to mix.
- Next, use a pairing knife to cut the butter into small cubes. Add to flour mixture and blend until mixture resembles coarse crumbles. If mixing by hand, use the pastry cutter to mix butter and flour.
- Add 7-8 tablespoons of cold buttermilk and mix just until dough comes together. Quickly flatten dough, cut into two halves and shape into disks. Wrap in parchment paper or plastic wrap and chill half hour or up to several days.
For the Filling
- If using fresh pumpkin, add to sauce pan with butter or fat of choice. Soften pumpkin over low to medium heat. Don't let burn.
- Once pumpkin is soft, add the sugar and spice. Cook for five minutes stirring frequently.
- Next, using the immersion blender, puree right in the sauce pan or transfer to blender and puree. Set aside to cool while rolling dough.
- If using canned pumpkin, scoop into a saucepan and mix with remaining ingredients. Heat on low to medium heat until mixture is thicker and jam-like in consistency.
To Assemble Hand Pies
- Pre-heat oven to 350°.
- After dough has chilled, remove from refrigerator and place on floured surface. Roll dough to ⅛ inch thick. Using pizza cutter, cut into a large square and set aside scraps. Those can be reused to roll out more dough. Cut into strips that are 4 inches wide and 8 inches long.
- Place 1½-2 tbsp of filling on lower half of the strip leaving enough room on all sides to crimp together. Using the bench scraper take the upper half of the strip and fold over the filling. Use pizza cutter to trim edges even.
- Use a fork to crimp all four sides together. With bench scraper, pull up from counter and place on baking sheet covered with parchment paper.
- Whip the egg and water until well beaten. When baking sheet is full and ready to bake, take the pastry brush and brush the egg wash on all the pies.
- Bake 30 minutes until pies are golden brown.
- While the pies are baking, mix the icing together. When hand pies are done, immediately drizzle with icing and sprinkle sugar on top of icing. Let rest for five minutes and transfer to cooling rack to finish cooling.
- Serve immediately or when completely cool wrap individual pies in plastic wrap. Place in fridge up to 3 days or store indefinitely in the freezer.
- To re-heat, let thaw to room temperature. Or place in a 350° oven for 5 minutes or until warm. DO NOT heat in a toaster. The icing will ruin it.
Notes
- High-quality, organic and locally sourced ingredients are encouraged for maximum health and nutrient density.
- The filling includes a tablespoon of fat for better nutrient absorption from the pumpkin. It's optional, but highly recommended. Any fat source tastes great in this filling.
- Make this recipe easy and quick by making both the dough and filling ahead of time. Make dough one day when there's time; filling another day with a pocket of time. Refrigerate until ready to assemble. OR make the dough first and refrigerate. Then make the filling while the dough is chilling and then assemble and bake.
- If using canned pumpkin, the filling still needs to be warmed up. The ingredients need to come together to create a thicker jam-like consistency.
- Let the filling cool before assembling the hand pies. Otherwise, the dough will melt.
- The dough tastes amazing with buttermilk, but regular cold milk or water is good too.
- Only re-heat these hand pies in an oven or let come to room temperature if pulling from freezer. The icing could ruin a toaster.
About Becky
I’m a wife and homemaker inspiring old-fashioned skills always with a cup of coffee in hand. Homemade Recipes. Gardening. Preserving. Healthy Living.
Never Miss a Post
