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Skillet Pumpkin Cream Cheese Hand Pies with Spiced Sugar Crust, Pumpkin cream cheese muffin recipes
Brittany Stage

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Hand Pies with Spiced Sugar Crust

Flaky pie dough squares are filled with a spiced pumpkin and cream cheese mixture, folded and crimped into individual hand pies, then brushed with egg wash and dusted with cinnamon sugar before baking until golden. They hold together well, travel easily, and taste like fall in every bite.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 22 minutes
Total Time 47 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 345
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 8 oz cream cheese softened to room temperature
  • 1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie filling
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar for filling
  • 1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice for filling
  • 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1/4 tsp fine salt
  • 2 refrigerated pie dough rounds one standard 14.1 oz box, or homemade double-crust dough
  • 1 large egg beaten with 1 tablespoon of water for egg wash
  • 1 tbsp water for egg wash
  • 3 tbsp granulated sugar for cinnamon sugar topping
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon for cinnamon sugar topping
  • 2 tbsp all-purpose flour for dusting the work surface and the fork when crimping

Equipment

  • large baking sheet
  • parchment paper
  • hand mixer or fork
  • rolling pin
  • pastry brush
  • fork for crimping
  • sharp knife or pastry cutter

Method
 

  1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside.
  2. Make the filling. In a medium bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with a hand mixer or a sturdy fork until smooth. Add the pumpkin puree, 1/4 cup sugar, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla, and salt. Beat until the mixture is fully combined and spreadable with no lumps. Taste it and adjust the spice if you like more warmth. Set the bowl aside.
  3. Lightly flour your work surface. Unroll both pie dough rounds and roll each one out just slightly to even the thickness. Cut each round into 4 equal squares or rectangles using a sharp knife or pastry cutter. You will have 8 pieces total. They do not need to be perfect, rustic edges are fine.
  4. Place about 2 tablespoons of the pumpkin cream cheese filling in the center of each dough piece. Keep the filling contained to the center, leaving at least a 3/4 inch border all the way around the edges. If you overfill, the pies will burst.
  5. Fold each dough piece over the filling to form a rectangle or triangle depending on your cut shape. Press the edges together firmly with your fingertips first to push out any air pockets. Dip a fork in flour and press the tines firmly along all three sealed edges to crimp them shut. A tight crimp is what keeps the filling inside as the pies bake.
  6. Transfer the crimped hand pies to the parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing them about 1 inch apart. Use the tip of a sharp knife to cut two small slits in the top of each pie to let steam escape during baking.
  7. In a small bowl, stir together the 3 tablespoons of sugar and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon for the topping. Beat the egg with the tablespoon of water in a separate small bowl. Brush the top of each hand pie generously with egg wash, then sprinkle the cinnamon sugar evenly over each one.
  8. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, until the pies are deep golden brown on top and the edges look set and slightly crisp. Let them cool on the baking sheet for at least 10 minutes before eating. The filling inside is very hot straight from the oven.

Notes

The flour-dipped fork crimp is the step that matters most for keeping the filling inside. A crimper that is not tight enough will open in the oven and leak. If you see any filling bubbling out during baking, that is normal and the pies are still delicious.