Caramel Apple Hand Pies

Ingredients

• 2 sheets store-bought all-butter pie dough (or 1 batch homemade double-crust dough)
• 3 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled and cut into small cubes
• 1/2 cup thick caramel sauce, store-bought or homemade
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 tablespoons dark brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)
• 1 tablespoon coarse sugar, for topping
• 1/2 teaspoon flaky sea salt

Steps

1. 1

   1. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat, add the apple cubes, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg, and cook for 5–6 minutes until the apples are just tender but still hold their shape. Stir in the cornstarch and vanilla, cook one more minute until slightly thickened, then remove from heat and let cool completely.

2. 2

   2. Stir the caramel sauce and flaky salt into the cooled apple mixture until evenly combined.

3. 3

   3. Roll the pie dough out on a lightly floured surface and cut into 6-inch rounds — you should get about 4 rounds per sheet. Spoon a heaped tablespoon of filling onto one half of each round, leaving a 1/2-inch border, then fold the dough over and crimp the edges firmly with a fork to seal.

4. 4

   4. Brush each hand pie all over with the beaten egg wash, cut two small slits in the top with a sharp knife, and sprinkle with coarse sugar. Chill the assembled pies in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.

5. 5

   5. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Bake the pies on a parchment-lined baking sheet for 22–25 minutes until deeply golden and the filling just begins to bubble through the slits.

6. 6

   6. Cool on the pan for at least 10 minutes before serving — the filling will be molten straight from the oven.