Apple hand pies with puff pastry are hand-held pastries made by sealing apple pie filling between two pieces of puff pastry, then baking until golden and flaky. No fork, no plate, no pretending you’re going to eat this one slowly. They’re built for lunchboxes, tailgates, and anywhere balancing a plate on your knee isn’t happening. Unlike a folded turnover, this sandwich-style seal holds more filling per bite, and all you need is a knife and a ruler; no cookie cutter required.

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Growing up, a McDonald’s fried apple pie was my dad’s and my secret treat. Just the two of us, no one else in on it. These aren’t fried, and they’re not trying to be a copy of that pie. But that same hand-held, no-fork-required format is exactly what stuck with me, and it’s what this recipe is built from.

Key Ingredients and Substitutions

For these puff pastry apple pies, you’ll need just a handful of ingredients:

The complete ingredient list and measurements are listed in the printable recipe below.

• Puff Pastry: Our rough puff pastry recipe gives you a flaky, buttery base for these hand pies, and puts you in full control of the ingredients. Store-bought puff pastry sheets work too if you’re short on time.
• Apple Pie Filling: Each pie starts with our homemade apple pie filling, so the apples are already softened and spiced before the pastry goes anywhere near the oven. Canned filling works in a pinch. Homemade takes a bit more effort, but it’s worth it for the flavor.
• Egg Wash: A beaten egg brushed over the tops before baking is what gives the pastry its deep golden-brown color.
• Granulated Sugar: Optional, but a light sprinkle before baking adds a bit of crunch and sweetness to the top.

How to Make Apple Hand Pies with Puff Pastry

Here are the quick, step-by-step instructions with visuals; you can find the full instructions, including the exact ingredients, in the recipe card below.

Pro-tip: For extra-flaky pies, chill the assembled pies in the freezer for 10-15 minutes before baking. This helps keep the butter in the pastry cold, resulting in an extra puffy, flaky crust

Prep the puff pastry. Preheat your oven to 400°F. Roll out each thawed puff pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface into a 12-inch square, then cut it in half and then in thirds, yielding six rectangles, about 6×3 inches each. Repeat with the second sheet for a total of 12 rectangles. Don’t worry if they’re not exactly 6×3. Just make sure the top and bottom pieces of each pie match in size. Any excess pastry can be trimmed off after sealing to clean up the edges. If the dough gets too warm to handle cleanly, return it to the fridge for a few minutes before continuing.

Fill six of the rectangles. Spoon about ⅓ cup of apple filling onto the center of six pastry rectangles, leaving a ½-inch border around the edges.

Top and press out the air. Place a second piece of pastry over each filled rectangle. Press gently around the filling to push out any trapped air before sealing.

Seal the edges. Press the edges together firmly with a fork to seal. We tested this both ways in the same batch: the pies where we pressed out the air before crimping held their seal better and puffed more evenly than the half we didn’t press. Cut three small parallel slits across the top of each pie to let steam escape.

Egg wash and bake. Transfer the pies to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Beat the egg and brush it over the tops, then sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 16-20 minutes; ours were done at 17-18 minutes, but ovens run hot and cold, so use that window as a guide. The pies are ready when the pastry turns a deep golden brown, feels crisp to the touch, and shows distinct, puffed layers along the seam.

Cool. Let the pies rest on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes, then move them to a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Make-Ahead and Storage

Make-Ahead: Assemble the pies up to a day in advance and refrigerate until ready to bake. Unbaked pies freeze well too, for up to 3 months. 

How to Store: Once baked, store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the fridge for up to 5 days. Baked pies freeze well for up to 3 months, too.

How to Reheat: Warm in the oven at 350°F for 5-7 minutes, or until crisp again. If reheating from frozen, thaw in the refrigerator overnight first.

Frequently Asked Questions