🥧 Mini Apple Hand Pies – Little Pies for Little Hands!

Welcome to our very first recipe adventure!Today, we’re baking something cozy, sweet, and oh-so-fun to make with your little ones: Mini Apple Hand Pies! These are just like regular apple pies—but made to fit perfectly in a child’s hand. They're the perfect project for a rainy afternoon, a weekend treat, or a cozy companion to storytime.

So, roll up those sleeves, tie on an apron, and let’s bake some love into every little pie.

---

🍏 What You’ll Need

For the Dough:

• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour

• 1 tsp sugar

• ½ tsp salt

• 1 cup cold butter (cut into small cubes)

• 5–7 tbsp cold water

Tip: You can also use store-bought pie dough for an easier version!

For the Filling:

• 2 apples (peeled and chopped into tiny pieces)

• 2 tbsp sugar

• 1 tsp cinnamon

• ½ tbsp lemon juice

• 1 tsp cornstarch or flour (to thicken the filling)

For the Topping:

• 1 egg (for egg wash)

• A sprinkle of sugar and cinnamon

---

👩‍🍳 Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Make the Dough (or Unroll It!)

If you're using homemade dough, mix the flour, sugar, and salt in a bowl. Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter or your hands until it looks like little crumbs. Add the cold water slowly and mix until a dough forms. Divide it in two, wrap it in plastic, and chill for 30 minutes.

Little hands can help squish and mix!

2. Cook the Apple Filling

In a small pot, add your chopped apples, sugar, cinnamon, lemon juice, and cornstarch. Cook on medium heat for 5–7 minutes until the apples are soft and syrupy. Let it cool while you roll out the dough.

3. Roll and Cut

Roll out the dough and use a cookie cutter (circle, heart, star—whatever you like!) to cut out shapes. You’ll need two for each hand pie: one for the bottom and one for the top.

Kids love picking the shapes!

4. Assemble the Hand Pies

Place a spoonful of apple filling in the center of the bottom shape. Lay the top shape over it and press the edges with a fork to seal. Use a knife to make a little “X” on top for steam to escape.

5. Brush and Sprinkle

Beat the egg and brush it over each pie. Sprinkle a bit of cinnamon sugar on top for sparkle and crunch!

6. Bake

Place the pies on a parchment-lined baking tray and bake at 375°F (190°C) for 18–22 minutes, or until golden brown and bubbly.

Let them cool a bit—then enjoy!

---

📚 Storytime Pairing

These little pies are perfect to eat while reading a cozy book together. Try pairing them with a story about fall, friendship, or a magical forest adventure!

---

💡 Extra Fun Tips:

• Add raisins or a caramel drizzle to the filling!

• Use cookie stamps or letter cutters to spell your child’s name on the pie top.

• Let kids decorate the tops with extra dough cutouts (like leaves or hearts!).

---

🍏 Fun Apple Facts

Here are a few bite-sized, child-friendly apple facts:

🍎 Did You Know?

Apples float in water because they’re made of 25% air! Try it—drop one in a bowl and see!

🌳 Apples grow on trees……but did you know it can take 4–5 years for a new apple tree to grow fruit?

👑 An Apple a Day...This old saying started more than 150 years ago in Wales! People believed apples helped keep you healthy.

🍏 There are over 7,000 kinds of apples in the world! Some are sweet, some are tart, and some are even pink on the inside!