Easy Small Batch Jack O'Lantern Hand Pies
These Jack o'lantern hand pies are easy to make thanks to store-bought pie dough and a quick blueberry balsamic filling! They are buttery, jammy, and gorgeous for a small Halloween gathering with friends. Think of them as a spooky blueberry Pop-Tart but better!
Equipment
- 4-inch Jack o'lantern cookie cutter
- 1 sheet pan with parchment paper
Ingredients
Blueberry Balsamic Filling
- 170 grams frozen blueberries (6 ounces)
- 20 milliliters balsamic vinegar (1 Tablespoon + 1 teaspoon)
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 30 grams granulated sugar (2 Tablespoons)
- 2 pinches freshly-cracked black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Hand Pies
- 1 large egg
- All-purpose flour for dusting
- 2 9-inch pie crusts store-bought or homemade
- Raw sugar for sprinkling
Instructions
Blueberry Balsamic Filling
- In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the frozen blueberries, balsamic vinegar, cornstarch, sugar, and black pepper. Stir until the cornstarch is completely dissolved.
- Set the pot over medium heat and bring it to a boil. Boil, stirring often, until the filling is thick and jammy, about 5 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Spoon the filling into a bowl and let it cool completely.
Hand Pies
- While the filling is cooling, preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C). Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Then, whisk the egg with 1 Tablespoon (15 milliliters) of water to make an egg wash.
- Lightly dust a clean work surface with all-purpose flour. Use a rolling pin to roll the pie dough until it is about ⅛-inch thick. (If you're using store-bought crust, just unroll it and place the dough on the floured surface.)
- Use a 4-inch Jack o'lantern cookie cutter to cut out 6 full pie dough pumpkins for the bottoms of the pies and 6 Jack o'lantern faces for the tops of the pies. Gather and re-roll the pie dough scraps as needed.
- Place the pie dough pumpkins (without faces) about 2-3 inches apart on the prepared sheet pan. Evenly divide the cooled blueberry balsamic filling between the 6 pie dough pumpkins. Spread the filling, leaving a ½-inch gap on the edges.
- Using a pastry brush or clean fingers, brush the edges of the pie dough around the filling with the prepared egg wash. Place a Jack o'lantern face on top of each pie, sealing the edges well. Then, use the tines of a fork to crimp the edges of the pies, ensuring they are completely sealed. Refrigerate for 20-30 minutes to chill. Brush the tops of the pies with egg wash and generously sprinkle them with raw sugar.
- Bake the pies for 18-22 minutes, until the crust is deep golden-brown and the filling is bubbly. Let the pies cool on the sheet pan for 10-15 minutes. Serve immediately or cool the pies completely on a wire rack and store them in an airtight container for 2-3 days. To revive the crust, bake the pies at 350°F (177°C) for 5-10 minutes.
Notes
For the best results, I always recommend weighing the ingredients with a digital scale instead of measuring cups.
You can use any cookie cutter size you like, but please keep in mind that the size will affect the number of servings and cook time.
My favorite store-bought pie dough is Trader Joe's, but any will work. Homemade is also amazing if you have the extra time!
Keep the pie dough cold. Cold pie dough = flaky layers. If the dough warms up at any point, pop it back in the fridge for 10-15 minutes.
If you don't want to buy a cookie cutter, here's a little hack! Print out a 4-inch pumpkin shape, trace it onto a piece of thin cardboard, and cut it out. Use it as a guide to cut pumpkin shapes out of the pie dough. Then, use a sharp knife to carve Jack o'lantern faces on half of the pumpkins.
Feel free to swap the blueberry filling with apple, strawberry, or anything else you like.
Nutrition
Serving: 1pieCalories: 242kcalCarbohydrates: 14gProtein: 3gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 7mgSodium: 181mgPotassium: 71mgFiber: 2gSugar: 8gIron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!