Mini Pumpkin Hand Pies

 Mini Pumpkin Hand Pies

Adapted from: Butternut Bakery

Pie filling

1 box store bought pie dough, containing 2 sheets 

4 oz cream cheese, room temp

1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed

1/2 cup pumpkin puree

1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

Pinch of salt

Cinnamon Sugar

1 large egg

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 tsp ground cinnamon

Directions

Remove the pie dough from the refrigerator and allow the sheets to come to room temp while you make the filling.

In a bowl using a fork, mash and mix together the cream cheese and brown sugar.

Once smooth, mix in half of the pumpkin puree. Once combined, mix in the other half along with the pumpkin pie spice and salt.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

Lightly dust your surface with flour and unroll one of the pie sheets. Use a rolling pin to gently smooth the surface, just enough to smooth out any wrinkles and ridges. 

Use a pumpkin-shaped cookie cutter or a homemade pumpkin template. I made mine out of the box the pie dough came in by tracing a pumpkin that is 4.5 inches wide and 3.5 inches tall on the cardboard and cutting it out. Cut out your pumpkins from the pie dough. Roll out the scraps to cut out a few more pumpkins. I got about 8 pumpkins per sheet.

Transfer these pumpkins to the refrigerator while you cut out the other sheet. 

Now place half of the pumpkins on the baking sheet, spaced evenly apart. If you can’t fit all 10 pumpkins, leave the excess in the refrigerator and bake after the first batch is done. 

Fill the center of each pumpkin with a tablespoon of the filling, leaving a small border around the edge.

Beat the egg with about 2 teaspoons of water. Brush the bare border of each filled pumpkin with the egg wash.

To the other half of the pumpkins, cut 4 slits to resemble the ridges of a real pumpkin. I like to think of it as two sets of parentheses, a larger one going on the outside with a narrow set on the inside. 

Place the vented pumpkins on top of the filled pumpkins and gently press down on the seems to seal the pies shut. Then crimp the edges with a fork and brush the surface of each pumpkin with plenty of egg wash.

In a small dish, mix together the cinnamon and sugar. Sprinkle about 2 teaspoon of the cinnamon sugar on top of each pumpkin.

Bake for 20 minutes. Allow the pumpkins to cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.