Looking for a quick dessert or after-school snack idea?  Now that fall is nearly here look no further than the bountiful selection of apples available at your local  market – they were the inspiration for these tasty and quick little hand pies.  Crisp, tart apples seasoned with pumpkin pie spice – a mixture of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and allspice – are a delicious combination.  I used Granny Smith apples in this recipe, but I posted this picture of some Honeycrisp apples I also bought today because they’re one of my favorites and look (and taste) scrumptious!

Ingredients – makes 8

1 refrigerated pie pastry

2 medium Granny Smith apples

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1-1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

2 tablespoons butter, cut into 8 pieces

1 egg, lightly beaten

1-2 tablespoons granulated sugar for sprinkling

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.  Set the pie pastry out at room temperature for about 10 minutes to soften slightly.  Peel, core and dice the apples, and place in a  bowl.  Toss the apples with lemon juice, then stir in the brown sugar and pumpkin pie spice.

Roll the pie pastry dough into a 16×8-inch rectangle on a lightly floured surface; cut into 8 4-inch squares.  Spoon 2 scant tablespoons of the apple mixture onto the center of each dough square.  Top the filling of each pie with a piece of the butter.  Brush the edges of the dough with some of the beaten egg.  Fold the corners of the dough toward the middle, covering the filling and pinch the edges to seal.

Place the filled squares on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  Brush the tops of the pies with the remaining beaten egg and sprinkle with the granulated sugar.

Bake until lightly browned, 10 to 12 minutes.  Cool the pies on the baking sheet for 2 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.  Or, if you’re like my 12-year old, plate ’em up and eat them warm!

What’s your favorite apple recipe?

Photos courtesy of Mom Meets Blog