Did you know that this upcoming Monday, May 13 is National Apple Pie Day? While it may be “as American as apple pie“, I would argue that apple pie is a great Canadian dessert too.
Apples are one of the few fruits that grow and weather well in our Canadian climate. A favourite pie apple, the McIntosh apple, was discovered in 1811 in Dundela, Ontario by John McIntosh (you probably guessed that last name!) and quickly became the most cultivated apple in Ontario. These apples are thought to have descended from the Snow Apple, which originated in France and was planted in Quebec, around Lake Champlain, in 1730. The McIntosh is heavily used in apple breeding, as it is easy to grow and can withstand temperatures down to -34°C (ouch)!
England can lay claim to the first apple pie recipe printed in 1381. Ingredients included “good apples, good spices, figs, raisins, pears, saffron and cofyn (a type of pastry crust)”.
To celebrate National Apple Pie Day, we’ve made it easy for you to give a hand to the mighty Canadian apple and make individual apple hand pies! Want to try more hand pies? Check out Santa’s Mini Snowflake Pies.
Prep time: 10 minutes; Cook time: 10 – 12 minutes; Serves: 12
Apple Hand Pies
What you need:
- 1 pie crust dough (homemade or store bought)
- 1 McIntosh apple, peeled and diced
- 1/2 tsp lemon zest
- 1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp Amaretto (optional)
- 3 tbsp sugar
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- pinch salt
- icing sugar
- Dulce de Leche (for drizzling) – optional (not shown)
What you do:
- Preheat your oven to 450ºF
- Line your baking sheet with parchment paper
- Roll out (or unwrap) your pie crust dough
- Using a circle cookie cutter (or an 86mm Mason Jar lid ring), cut into 12 circles (or whatever shape you are using) – you may have to re-roll the dough for the last few
- Mix together the diced apples, lemon juice, lemon zest, sugar, cinnamon, Amaretto and salt
- On your parchment baking sheet, place dough circles
- Add 1 tsp of the apple mix to the centre of the circle
- Wet the edge with water, fold in half
- Gently press the edges together and then push down using the tines of a fork
- (Want a slightly bigger pie? Don’t fold the circles over, double the filling and top with a second circle)
- Bake for 10 – 12 minutes
- Remove from oven, slide onto a platter
- Sprinkle with icing sugar
- Optional: Drizzle with Dulce de leche
- Enjoy!
- Happy National Apple Pie Day
- Hands up for National Apple Pie Day!
- Mini Apple Hand Pies!
- Slightly larger mini pies
Apple Hand Pies
Celebrate National Apple Pie Day with these cute and easy mini apple hand pies!
Ingredients
- 1 pie crust dough (homemade or store bought)
- 1 McIntosh apple, peeled and diced
- 1/2 tsp lemon zest
- 1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp Amaretto (optional)
- 3 tbsp sugar
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- pinch salt
- icing sugar
- Dulce de Leche (for drizzling) - optional (not shown)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 450ºF
- Line your baking sheet with parchment paper
- Roll out (or unwrap) your pie crust dough
- Using a circle cookie cutter (or an 86mm Mason Jar lid ring) cut into 12 circles (or whatever shape you are using) - you may have to reroll the dough for the last few
- Mix together the diced apples, lemon juice, lemon zest, sugar, cinnamon, Amaretto and salt
- On your parchment lined baking sheet place dough circles
- Add 1 tsp of the apple mix to the centre of the circle
- Wet the edge with water, fold in half
- Gently press the edges together and then push down using the tines of a fork
- Bake for 10 - 12 minutes
- Remove from oven, slide onto a platter
- Optional: Drizzle with Dulce de leche
- Sprinkle with icing sugar
This looks delicious!!
Thanks! So cute but very easy to make!