These Air Fryer Fruit Hand Pies are a delicious and fun dessert idea. No need to wait until a holiday to enjoy all the flavors of pie. Instead, make these personal-sized pies any time you like, and make as many as you want!
What Are Hand Pies?
Hand Pies are compact pies that are single-serving portions that are self-contained. Think of them as a fried pie with your favorite filling (or fillings) that you don't have to share.
What MakesAir Fryer Hand Pies So Great?
- Fast. While making the dough is a little time consuming, the cooking time for these hand pies is much shorter than cooking a full-sized pie in your oven.
- Customizable. Use whatever fillings your heart desires.
- Delicious. All of the flavors of a traditional pie -- and you don't even have to share!
- Easy. Just stuff your favorite filling inside the pie dough (or premade puff pastry) and air fry!
One of the main advantages of using an air fryer is that cook times are a lot shorter, and you don't heat up your whole kitchen.
The air fryer also crisps the exterior of these hand pies in a delightful, flaky, crunchy way. I have to say, I think these taste better when cooked in the air fryer rather than in the oven.
You can also make small batches of hand pies at a time, and make them fast. So with this hand pie recipe, for example, you could make just two fried pies rather than making a huge big pie.
Automatic portion control. What's not to love? You can stuff whatever your favorite fruit filling is into these easy fruit pies. I've included the recipes below.
While my personal favorite is the traditional fried apple pie, my son loves cherry pies, and my husband loves blueberry fried pies. With this recipe, I can make different ones for the family all in one go. #RuthlessEfficiency at work!
Watch the Video on How to Make Fruit Pies
How Do You Make Hand Pies From Scratch?
SEE RECIPE CARD FOR FULL INSTRUCTIONS FOR HOW TO MAKE DOUGH.
Step 1: On a piece of 8 1/2 x 11-inch paper, trace around a 6-inch round baking pan. Cut out the circle (this will be the pattern for cutting out the pie crusts); set aside.
Step 2: Once dough is made, place half of the desired Fruit Filling on half of the pastry circle, leaving a ¼-inch border. Brush the bare edge with water. Fold the empty half of the pastry over the filling.
Step 3: Using a fork, press around the edge of the pastry to seal it. Poke holes on the tops. Repeat with remaining filling and pastry.
Step 4: In a small bowl, beat together the egg and water. Brush over the tops of the pies for that golden brown color.
Step 5 : Sprinkle the tops with the sugar.
Step 6: Place in the air fryer basket and cook for 35 minutes or until pies are golden brown. Then, Cool pies on a wire rack for 20 minutes before serving.
Tips and Variations
As a shortcut, instead of making the pie crust for these Fruit Hand Pies, you can use puff pastry. It makes the recipe much easier and faster if you don't have the time to make the crust yourself. See instructions for cook times below.
- Apple: In a medium bowl, toss together 2/3 cup chopped apples, 1 tablespoon sugar, ½ teaspoon flour, and a dash of apple pie spice or cinnamon.
- Blueberry: In a medium bowl, toss together 2/3 cup fresh blueberries, 3 tablespoons sugar, 1 teaspoon quick-cooking tapioca or cornstarch, and ½ teaspoon lemon zest.
- Cherry: In a medium bowl, toss together 2/3 cup pitted tart cherries (thawed if frozen), ¼ cup sugar, and 11/2 teaspoons quick-cooking tapioca or cornstarch.
- As a shortcut, instead of making the pie crust, you can use puff pastry. It makes the recipe much easier and faster if you don't have the time to make the crust yourself. Simply cook them at 320F for 20 minutes if you use puff pastry.
- *Note: Macros do not include ingredients in fruit fillings since you can use so many different options.
Fruit Hand Pies are easy, delicious, and can be made a ton of ways to suit whatever the occasion or preference might be.
If you are in love with these Fruit Hand Pies, you'll definitely enjoy this Keto Pie Crust or Pressure Cooker Keto Pumpkin Pie Pudding!
If you're looking for more great air fryer desserts, check out my Maple Pecan Bars With Sea Salt. These bars will give you that pecan pie bite, but made in half the time it takes to roll out the crust for a traditional pie.
If you're looking for more amazing recipes like this one, go grab my Air Fryer cookbook HERE!
If you enjoy these air fryer fruit hand pies as much as I do, make sure you share this recipe with your friends on Facebook and Pinterest so they can try them too.
Ingredients
For the Crust
- 1.5 cups (187.5 g) All-Purpose Flour
- 1/2 teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) Kosher Salt
- 1/4 cup (51.25 g) shortening, cup up
- 1/4 cup (56.75 g) Butter, cut up
- 1/4-1/3 cup (62.5 g) cold water
For the Fruit Filling (see options below)
- 1 large (1 large) Eggs
- 1 tablespoon (1 tablespoon) Water
- 1 teaspoon (1 teaspoon) coarse sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 320°F.
- On a piece of 8 1/2 x 11-inch paper, trace around a 6-inch round baking pan. Cut out the circle (this will be the pattern for cutting out the pie crusts); set aside.
- In a medium bowl, stir together the flour and salt. Using a pastry blender, cut in the shortening and butter until pieces are pea-size. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the cold water over part of the flour mixture. Toss with a fork. Move the moistened pastry to the side of the bowl. Repeat with remaining flour, using 1 tablespoon of the water at a time, until everything is moist. Gather the flour mixture into a ball and knead gently only as much time as it takes to come together in a ball.
- On a lightly floured surface, slightly flatten the pastry, then roll from the center to the edge into a 13-inch circle. Place the pattern on the pastry near one edge. Using a small, sharp knife, cut out a 6-inch circle of pastry. Repeat to make two circles. Discard dough scraps.
- Place half of the desired Fruit Filling on half of the pastry circle, leaving a ¼-inch border. Brush the bare edge with water. Fold the empty half of the pastry over the filling. Using a fork, press around the edge of the pastry to seal it. Poke the top in a few places with a fork. Repeat with remaining filling and pastry.
- In a small bowl, beat together the egg and water. Brush over the tops of the pies and sprinkle with the coarse sugar.
- Place the pies in the air fryer basket and cook for 35 minutes or until pies are golden brown.
- Cool pies on a wire rack for 20 minutes before serving. (Or, cool completely and serve at room temperature.)
Watch The Video
- Apple: In a medium bowl, toss together 2/3 cup chopped apples, 1 tablespoon sugar, ½ teaspoon flour, and a dash of apple pie spice or cinnamon.
- Blueberry: In a medium bowl, toss together 2/3 cup fresh blueberries, 3 tablespoons sugar, 1 teaspoon quick-cooking tapioca or cornstarch, and ½ teaspoon lemon zest.
- Cherry: In a medium bowl, toss together 2/3 cup pitted tart cherries (thawed if frozen), ¼ cup sugar, and 11/2 teaspoons quick-cooking tapioca or cornstarch.
- As a shortcut, instead of making the pie crust you can use puff pastry. It makes the recipe much easier and faster if you don't have the time to make the crust yourself. Simply cook them at 320F for 20 minutes if you use puff pastry.
- *Note: Macros do not include ingredients in fruit fillings since you could use different ones
- Use a [eafl id="12359" name="Pastry Cutter" text="pastry cutter"] to make your task easier.
Get support & connect with our community on Facebook!
Nutrition
Originally Published June 27, 2019
And don't forget to check out my air fryer cookbooks! Every day easy air fryer, and Air Fryer Revolution.
Amy
I made these handpies tonight with the blueberry filling and they're delicious. However, your way of making and cutting the pastry is much too time consuming and wasteful. If you do the math (yay geometry), you're actually discarding a little more than half of it! So I made half the recipe of pastry dough, divided the dough into two balls, and rolled each into a 6" circle. Also, I made it in a mini food processor so it was even easier. It came out great. Although I do think next time I'll roll it to 6 1/2 " to give a little more room for crimping the edges because there was some leakage. I wish there was a way of getting the bottom a little browner, but I thought they might be too delicate to flip over. Thanks for the great recipe! I'll definitely make these again and look forward to figuring out other fruit fillings to use.
Chris Talbot
Have made these several times. They are a favorite of my hubby. The pastry is wonderful. Give them a try 😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍
Zona
Hi Urvashi,
These look wonderful. Your video says cook 20 minutes and cool 20 minutes, but the print version says cook 35 minutes and cool 20 minutes. I'm not sure which is right. I don't have an air fryer (yet), but Christmas is around the corner, right? Cant wait to try this one. I'm also wondering if I could make meat pies. Would I use raw or cooked meat? Love all of your recipes that I've tried, and that's a lot! Thanks!
URVASHI PITRE
You’d use cooked meat for the pies. I will check the timings on the recipe I wrote when I tested it
Kathleen
Hello. This looks great and really easy. I'm wondering how long they can be stored in the refrigerator. Also if you like warm hand pies how would you reheat them (microwave or toaster oven)?
I just found your website while looking for air fryer reviews. There are so many choices that unless one has really bad reviews it's so hard to choose. I love how comprehensive your reviews are and that you show enough in your videos to help viewers understand what you're talking about.
URVASHI PITRE
No there! I think they’d last maybe a day. After that the pastry would likely get soggy. I would heat in the air fryer at 350F for 3-5 minutes.
Rekha Rao
When my step-daughter-to-be and I came across this idea for hand pies in the air fryer, we wanted to give it a try. What a great idea!
We used your recipe and process for inspiration, making a strawberry-rhubarb filling. We didn't need quite as long in our air fryer - they looked ready in about 20 minutes. I had forgotten how awful I am at making pie crust from scratch but we did it anyways.
An easy to make delicious summery treat (now that summer has finally made an appearance in Chicago).
Carey Hurlburt
Greetings, Could you please modify this recipe -using meat and potatoes,carrots etc. Similar to what upper peninsula Michigan folks call a "Pasty"?