Apple Whiskey Hand Pies are a delightful combination of sweet and boozy, making them the perfect dessert for fall, especially when made with fresh apples and your favorite flavored whiskey.
It’s apple season! There’s nothing quite like a family trip to a local farm for apple picking, and apple recipes always hold a special place in my heart. The crisp air, the vibrant colors, and the promise of delicious treats to come make this time of year truly magical.
If you’re a fan of the comforting aroma of cinnamon and the warm flavors of apples and whiskey, then this dessert recipe is an absolute must-try. It’s an ideal indulgence that will tantalize your taste buds and leave you craving more.
Love using your air fryer? Be sure to check out my Air Fryer Apple Hand Pies recipe for a quicker and equally delicious version!
Why You’ll Love These Apple Whiskey Hand Pies
Hand pies are a go-to pastry dish for me, especially when friends and family are visiting. They’re incredibly convenient and always a crowd-pleaser. Here’s why I think you’ll adore them too:
- They generally require just a handful of simple ingredients, making them easy to prepare on a whim.
- Hand pies are quick to assemble, often ready in under 30 minutes, so you won’t spend all day in the kitchen.
- The versatility is endless – you can create both sweet and savory hand pies to suit any taste.
- Their portable, finger-food nature makes them a breeze to serve and enjoy, perfect for gatherings and parties.
The apple whiskey adds a rich depth of flavor to the filling, enhancing the apple notes and creating a comforting warmth. Mini marshmallows provide a touch of extra sweetness and a delightful textural contrast. And of course, the classic apple-cinnamon combination is always a winning choice.
Ingredient Notes for the Best Apple Whiskey Hand Pies
Let’s break down the essential ingredients to ensure your Apple Whiskey Hand Pies are a resounding success:
Whiskey: The star of the show is apple whiskey. Most liquor stores carry at least one brand, such as Jim Beam or Jameson. For this recipe, I personally used Aval Pota from McMenamins Edgefield distillery. It’s crafted with fresh-pressed apples from Hood River, Oregon, McMenamins’ own malt whiskey, and a hint of cinnamon for a truly unique flavor profile.
Apples: When it comes to baked goods, Granny Smith apples are always a reliable choice. They hold their shape beautifully during baking and provide a nice tartness that balances the sweetness of the filling. However, you can also experiment with other varieties like Golden Delicious, Honey Crisp, or Braeburn apples, depending on your preference.
Feel free to customize your filling further by adding freshly cut peaches or even some mini caramel chips for an extra layer of indulgence.
Step-by-Step Instructions for Perfect Hand Pies
- In a large bowl, combine your chopped apples with cornstarch, cinnamon, lemon juice, and brown sugar. This mixture will create a luscious, thickened filling.
- Sauté the apple mixture over medium heat for just a couple of minutes. This helps to soften the apples slightly and meld the flavors together.
- Add the apple whiskey and cook the alcohol down a bit. This will infuse the apples with the whiskey flavor without overpowering the other ingredients. Be sure to stir continually to prevent sticking and ensure even cooking.
- Cook until the apples just start to get soft, about 3 minutes. You don’t want them to be completely mushy at this point, but they shouldn’t be making any crisp sounds when you bite into a piece either. The ideal consistency is slightly tender with a bit of a bite.
Now it’s time to assemble your hand pies:
- You can use either pie crust or puff pastry dough for hand pies, but I personally prefer the flaky, buttery crispness of puff pastry. It adds a delightful lightness to the finished product.
- Roll out your puff pastry dough sheets and divide each sheet into 9 even sections. This will give you a good number of hand pies to enjoy or share.
- Place about 1-2 heaping Tablespoons of filling in the middle of the bottom half of each section. Top with 4-6 mini marshmallows. These marshmallows will melt during baking, creating a gooey, sweet surprise inside each bite. Be sure to set aside and save the remaining liquid from the filling – I’ll explain why in just a bit!
- Fold over the top half of the pastry and then securely seal all of the sides by pinching the edges together. If you have extra pastry on some edges, feel free to gently fold those up a bit and then pinch to create a more decorative edge.
- Using a knife, gently poke 3-4 slits on the top of each hand pie. This allows steam to escape during baking and prevents the pies from bursting. You can also gently press a knife or fork against the sides to add some detail – this trick also helps hide some imperfections from the extra folded-over pastry you might have on the edges!
As you can see from the photo above, my hand pies weren’t all perfectly uniform. Yours can be oblong or more square – it all works, as long as you are able to secure all of the sides so that the filling doesn’t ooze out while baking.
- Remember the remaining liquid from the filling that you set aside and saved? Now’s the time to use it! Brush the tops of each hand pie with just a touch of that remaining liquid. This will add a beautiful sheen and extra flavor to the crust.
- Finally, sprinkle each pie with a little sugar. This will caramelize during baking, creating a delightful sweet crunch on top.
- Bake in a 400°F degree oven for 20-25 minutes, turning the pan 180 degrees around halfway through to ensure even cooking. Bake until the tops are just golden brown and the filling is bubbly.
- Let cool slightly before serving. The filling will be very hot straight out of the oven, so a few minutes of cooling time is essential.
Serving Ideas for Apple Whiskey Hand Pies
To complete the ultimate fall eating and drinking experience, serve these hand pies with an apple whiskey cocktail. The flavors complement each other perfectly, creating a truly harmonious pairing.
Recipe FAQs
This recipe makes about nine hand pies, depending on how large you make each one. The size of your rectangles will determine the final yield.
Absolutely! We love using apple whiskey since it adds a stronger apple-cinnamon flavor, but you can also use regular whiskey and add a little apple juice and an extra sprinkle of cinnamon instead. This is a great way to customize the recipe to your taste.
More Fruit Dessert Recipes to Explore
- Skillet Apple Cranberry Crisp
- Easy Raspberry Sherbet
- Apple Pie Bars
- Raspberry Crumble Bars
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to leave a 5-Star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 rating in the recipe card, and if you really loved it, please leave a comment further down on the page. Thank you!
Apple Whiskey Hand Pies
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Ingredients
- 3 medium to large apples, peeled and chopped
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon corn starch
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- ¼ cup apple whiskey
- ½ cup mini marshmallows
- 2 sheets of pre-made or homemade puff pastry
- 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar, for sprinkling
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the apples, brown sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, and lemon juice.
- In a large saute pan over medium heat, cook the mixture for about 2 minutes.
- Slowly pour in the apple whiskey, and cook for another 3 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Turn heat off and allow the mixture to cool for just a minute.
- Meanwhile, take out the puff pastry sheets and roll out over an even surface, such as a large cutting board or rolpat mat.
- Cut each puff pastry sheet evenly into rectangles.
- On the bottom half of each rectangle, place about 1-2 Tablespoons of filling in the middle. Top each with 4-6 mini marshmallows. Set aside the remaining liquid from the filling; you’ll use this toward the end.
- Gently fold over the top of each rectangle and pinch together the edges. If you have extra pastry in some spots, simply fold them up a bit, then pinch to close.
- Using a knife, cut 3-4 small slits at the top of each pastry.
- Using a knife or fork, you can gently press into the edges of each pastry to create a striped design. This also helps keep the pastry from puffing up and out too much.
- Taking the reserve liquid, brush a small amount over the tops of the pastries.
- Sprinkle a little sugar over each pastry.
- Bake at 400°F degrees for 20-25 minutes.
Notes
Apple Whiskey: Look for apple whiskey by Jim Beam, Jameson, or smaller whiskey producers, at your local liqueur store.
Nutrition
Calories: 372kcal, Carbohydrates: 43g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 21g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 12g, Sodium: 141mg, Potassium: 110mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 16g, Vitamin A: 34IU, Vitamin C: 3mg, Calcium: 17mg, Iron: 2mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.