These Gluten-Free Hand Pies, also known as pop tarts, feature a sweet, golden, flakey crust and a warm, spiced apple filling! Handheld, perfectly portioned, and easy to make dairy-free, they’re an irresistible pastry dessert perfect for fall and the holidays!
Personal Note – I created these gluten-free hand pies years ago when I first started Cotter Crunch, and revisiting this recipe has been so satisfying! Now that I’ve nailed the perfect gluten-free pie crust, updating these little gems was a breeze—and they’re as versatile as ever. Think of them as a bit like American-style empanadas, ready to be filled with whatever flavors you’re craving.
Personally, I love a homemade apple filling for that classic fall pie vibe, but you can go in any direction with these—berry, pumpkin, savory options, you name it! And here’s a bonus: they’re super allergy-friendly. Meaning, you can skip the egg wash or replace the butter with non dairy butter if needed!
Baking Tips Before You Begin
- Don’t overmix the dough. When pulsing the dough, be careful to pulse just until the ingredients are well combined. Overmixing will result in a tough, dry batter!
- Be sure to chill the dough. Chilling the dough is crucial for a rich flavor and flakey texture. Allow for at least an hour or ideally 24 hours.
- Use a biscuit/cookie cutter for the pie dough. This eliminates the need to draw circles and ensures all your pies come out the same size! Plus, it keeps the process quick and easy.
- Keep an eye on your oven. The exact baking time will vary depending on the size of your pies and the type of dough used. So, keep a close eye on your oven, and remove them as soon as they’re golden brown!
- Time Saving Ingredient Swaps – If you want to cut down on prep time, cooking time, and total time, feel free to use a store-bought gluten-free pie crust mix or our quick 3 ingredient pie crust instead of our homemade gluten-free pie crust recipe Then, swap the filling with ½ cup of organic fruit or apple pie filling. It’ll be our little secret!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Below is an overview of the ingredients and instructions for this recipe. Please be sure to scroll down to the recipe card below for the complete details!
Gluten-Free Pie Dough
- Gluten-Free Flour – Use a store-bought all-purpose gluten-free flour or our homemade gluten-free flour blend. Note: If using our homemade flour, omit the extra xanthan gum.
- Xanthan Gum – Only include this if your flour does not already contain xanthan gum!
- Cold Butter – Make sure it’s partially frozen or at least very cold to crate a flakey crust. If needed, use a plant-based butter to keep your gluten-free apple hand pies dairy-free, too.
Note: For pastry recipes, I like to use Miyoko’s Creamery cultured vegan butter. It’s made from cashews, giving it a creamy consistency, and it’s soy-free!
- Granulated Sugar – Adds just a touch of sweetness.
- Kosher Salt – Enhances the rest of the ingredients. Without it, your crust will be very bland!
Filling
- Apples – Use any apples you like best! Gala, Fuji, Honeycrisp, and Granny Smith all make great options. Just make sure to peel and dice them first. Tip – If you prefer a slightly sweeter taste, use a few Honeycrisp apples alongside Granny Smith apples. The natural sweetness of Honeycrisps complements the tartness of the green apples, for a well-rounded taste.
Ingredient Swap: Feel free to experiment with different fillings! Pears, blueberries, peaches, cherries, strawberries, etc. all taste great! Just make sure to peel the pears and peaches, or use canned and drained varieties.
- Butter – This is optional but adds a delicious rich flavor to the filling. Again, use your favorite plant-based butter if needed.
- Sugar – Raw sugar or granulated sugar will work. Or, try using brown sugar for a slightly more maple syrup-like taste.
- Spices – Ground cinnamon and salt add extra depth to the filling.
For Brushing
- Egg Yolk – This creates the golden exterior we want.
- Water – For a richer taste, swap the milk with your favorite plant-based milk.
- Raw Sugar or Coarse Sugar – This enhances the sweetness and makes for a pretty, sparkling appearance. Tip – Raw sugar is minimally processed and has a natural light brown color with larger crystals. It preserves some molasses, which gives it a mild caramel-like flavor.
How to Make Apple Hand Pies
Prepare the Crust
- Blend. Add 1 cup of flour to a food processor, and sprinkle frozen butter cubes on top. Then, add the remaining flour, sugar, and salt, and pulse in short bouts until the butter breaks into small pieces. I find it takes about 25 pulses!
- Add the water. Drizzle ice water into the mixture, mixing for longer pulses of about 10 to 12 seconds. The mixture will turn light yellow in color and will be crumbly! Scrape down the sides as needed, and add more water until you can shape the dough into a ball.
- Shape. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl or a floured surface. Shape it into a ball, and flatten it slightly into a disc. Then, tightly wrap it with plastic wrap, and transfer it to the fridge to chill.
Make the Filling
- Combine. Add the butter and dry ingredients to a small saucepan.
- Cook. Stir the mixture over medium-low heat until the apples soften, and set it aside.
Assemble
- Rest the dough. Let your dough rest at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes. This makes it easier to shape!
- Roll. Lightly flour a work surface and rolling pin. Then, sprinkle a little flour on top of the dough, and roll. Or, roll it between two pieces of plastic wrap. You want it to be a rectangle roughly ¼ to ⅛ inch thick!
- Cut. Next, use a sharp knife to cut the dough into five circles 6 inches in size for larger hand pies. Or, cut smaller circles roughly three to four inches in size for small pies.
- Fill. Drain any excess liquid from the fruit filling. Then, add one to two tablespoons in the center of each dough circle.
- Seal. Press the edges of the hand pie dough together with a fork. Then, chill the hand pies in the fridge for 30 minutes. This helps create flakier dough!
Bake
- Prepare. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Create the egg wash. Whisk the egg yolk and water in a small bowl.
- Brush. Brush the chilled pies with the egg wash, and cut two to three small holes in the top of each pie. Then, generously sprinkle them with coarse sugar.
- Bake. Arrange the pies in an even layer on sheet trays, and bake just until they’re golden brown.
- Cool. Let your apple hand pies cool slightly on the tray. If not serving warm, transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Storage Questions
Yes! Feel free to prepare the gluten-free pie dough up to two days in advance. Wrap it tightly with plastic wrap, and transfer it to a sealable bag. Then, store it in the fridge to keep it fresh. Let it warm at room temperature, and proceed with the recipe as usual when you’re ready to bake.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Enjoy them cold, or warm them in the microwave for a few seconds or in the oven for 10-15 minutes or just until warmed through.
Yes, baked hand pies can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months in an airtight container. Thaw them in the fridge overnight when you’re ready to serve.
More of Our Favorite
Gluten-Free Pie Recipes
Apple Flavored Gluten-Free Hand Pie Recipe
- Total Time: 2 hours
- Yield: 4–6 pies or 6–8 small pies 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Make these flakey gluten-free hand pies with a homemade gluten-free pie crust and a sweet, spiced apple filling for the perfect fall dessert!
Ingredients
Pie Crust (See notes for quick alternatives and make-ahead tips)
- 1 ½ cups (205-215 grams) gluten-free all-purpose flour or homemade all purpose flour blend (without xanthan gum) *see notes
- ¾ teaspoon xanthan gum
- ½ cup butter (8 Tbsp), partially frozen or very cold, cut into cubes (see notes)
- 3 teaspoons granulated sugar
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- 6–8 Tablespoons ice water (if living in a drier climate, 8 Tablespoons may be needed)
Filling (See notes for quick alternative)
- 1 medium to large apple (around 125 grams), peeled and diced
- 1 Tablespoon butter (optional)
- ¼ cup raw sugar or granulated sugar
- ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Pinch kosher salt
For Brushing
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 Tablespoons water or non dairy milk
- Raw sugar
Instructions
Crust
- To prepare the pie crust, place 1 cup flour into a food processor with the blade attachment. If you don’t have a food processor, see the blog post. Sprinkle frozen butter cubes over the flour.
- Cover with the remaining 1 cup flour, sugar, and salt. Pulse in short bouts until butter is broken down into small pieces, about 25 times.
- Drizzle in the ice water. Mix with longer pulses for 10 to 12 seconds. The mixture will turn light yellow in color and the texture will be crumbly. Scrape down the sides with a spatula and pulse again one or two more times. Do not overwork the batter (it should be mealy with bits of butter still visible). If the dough seems too dry to shape into a ball, add 2 tablespoons more ice water.
- Transfer the mixture to a large bowl or onto a working surface. Shape the dough into a ball (again, do not overwork the batter), flatten slightly into a disc and tightly wrap with plastic wrap. Place the dough in the refrigerator to chill for an hour or overnight (see notes).
Filling
- While the crust is chilling, prepare the filling (if using the homemade version). In a small saucepan, combine the butter, apples, sugar, cinnamon and salt. Cook and stir over medium low heat for 10-12 minutes or until the apples are soft. Set aside.
Assemble Hand Pies
- Allow the dough to rest at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes before rolling.
- (SEE NOTES) To roll the dough, lightly flour the work surface and the rolling pin. Sprinkle a little flour on top of the dough or roll the dough between two pieces of plastic wrap.
- Once rolled flat, about ¼ to ⅛ inch, cut the dough in 5 to 6 inch circles for medium pies or 3 to 4 inches for smaller pies. A saucepan lid or 4.5 inch biscuit/cookie cutter can be used. Repeat 4 to 6 times.
- Drain any liquid from the apple/fruit filling, then place 1 to 2 Tablespoons of fruit pie filling in the center of each pie circle.
- Seal the hand pies by pressing the edges together with a fork to create a decorative edge. Chill the assembled pies in the refrigerator for 30 minutes (this will help create a flakier dough)
Bake
- Preheat the oven to 400 F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside. Whisk together the egg yolk and water in a small bowl for the egg wash. Take the chilled pies out of the fridge and lightly brush them with the egg wash. With a knife, cut 2 to 3 small holes in the top of each pie, then sprinkle generously with coarse sugar. Bake for 20 to 35 minutes, or until the pies are golden brown, depending on the thickness of your dough.
- Cool for 10 minutes before serving. Store pies, lightly covered, at room temperature for up to 4 days.
Notes
Substitute Tips – Use a store bought gluten-free pie crust mix for the homemade pie crust as well as ½ cup organic fruit pie filling instead of homemade filling.
Prep Tips – The pie dough rolls out easiest between two sheets of plastic wrap. However, when cutting the dough into circles with a lid, placing the dough on a floured surface works best. Or place the rolled out dough in the freezer to firm up before cutting with the pan lid.
Baking Tips – Baking times may vary depending on the gluten-free dough used.
Storage Tips – The baked hand pies can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months in an airtight container.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Chill Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 medium hand pie
- Calories: 334
- Sugar: 12.5 g
- Sodium: 158.1 mg
- Fat: 17.3 g
- Saturated Fat: 10.8 g
- Carbohydrates: 43.4 g
- Fiber: 1.4 g
- Protein: 2.2 g
- Cholesterol: 45.8 mg
These look INCREDIBLE! Our house has been filled with mince pies lately and I think these would make the perfect gluten free alternative!
OH my husband would love that! i need to make him some mince meat pies next!
I love the simplicity of these! Gorgeous photography!
Thank you friend!
EASY is always good & you have way too much going on right now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
right? I am all about simplicity these days. SOOO NEEDED! <3 you
Love back!
So there’s this place in Atlanta that’s “famous” – The Varsity. It’s been there since the 50s (I think…) when they used to have rollerskating drive in service. Anyway, they are know for chili dogs and fried pies. It’s my most trashy guilty pleasure. All that to say, I love your simple (much healthier) hand pies.
Hang in there brother.
mmm i bet that was epic! trashy but epic. haha my pies will be the for the off season.
YES dessert empanadas!! I’ll take 10, please!! 😉 Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays, Lindsay! <3
Oh it’s so easy to get stuck in a pattern of behaviors that lead us nowhere but that’s the whole getting out of your comfort zone. Can’t wait to read that post and Merry Christmas friend!
amen! always learning and adjusting. <3 you.
Hello, my gorgeous friend. This looks so yummy! I hope you have a lovely Christmas and New Year. I know that you are going through some changes this year, so I want you to know that I am thinking of you and praying for a smooth transition. Love you sweetness!
thank you friend!!! that means a lot. I miss you! how are you?
Good! Busy and very focused on my family. They are growing up so fast. I don’t want to miss anything and I work, work, work for their future and well-being. We need a big long chat sometime soon. I know how busy you are too, so no pressure. I am always here. Always your forever friend.
I get that. I have tons to tell you. Phone date soon!
That would make my day. Look at your calendar and let me know when you’ve got a window where we can talk. Love ya Linds.