These Pecan Hand Pies are portable and scrumptious! Made with a buttery pecan filling, flaky crust, and maple-cinnamon icing, they’re such a delicious and easy holiday dessert with no slicing and little mess.
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Easy Pecan Hand Pies
If you’re intimidated to make pie, these Pecan Hand Pies are a great alternative. Buttery pecan pie filling sweetened with brown sugar, enclosed in a flaky crust, and brushed with cinnamon-maple icing. YUM.
Mini pies like our apple hand pies, cranberry hand pies, and these pecan pie hand pies are easy, take less time to bake, less mess, easier to serve (no utensils!), and portable, so they’re a great choice for entertaining.
These can easily be made ahead of time and are a fun hand-held dessert for Thanksgiving – you could even pass them out in cups with a scoop of butter pecan ice cream and a spoon.
Ingredients Needed
These pecan hand pies call for just a handful of simple ingredients.
(Scroll below to the printable recipe card for details and measurements.)
- Pie crust – You can use our homemade pie crust (you’ll need 2) or buy a 14 ounce box refrigerated pie crusts to make this recipe even easier.
- Egg and a splash of milk – These get combined to make a wash that is brushed on the crust, so it gets nice and golden while baking.
- Sugars – Both granulated sugar and brown sugar for sweetness and notes of molasses.
- Butter – Regular salted butter that’s softened to room temperature. If using unsalted butter, add in a 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt.
- Pecan pieces – Our star ingredient! They should be chopped into very tiny pieces.
- Glaze – Powdered sugar, milk, maple syrup, and cinnamon make up a simple icing that’s brushed on top.
Recipe Variations
- Change the nut. If you don’t like pecans, feel free to swap them out for walnuts.
- Make chocolate Bourbon pecan hand pies! Simply add in a bit of finely chopped chocolate and a splash of bourbon into the filling.
- Drizzle the icing. Instead of brushing the entire top with icing, you could simply drizzle with a smaller amount, if preferred.
- Change the shape. This recipe has been tested using 3.5-inch rounds of pie crust and placing a piece of pie crust over the filling with another circle of equal size. However you can make squares or even triangular hand pies by simply folding a piece of pie crust over the filling to form a half moon shape. (I would not recommend anything smaller than 3.5 inches in diameter because you can’t fit much filling in a pie that small. Also note the baking time might need to be adjusted slightly.)
How to Make Pecan Hand Pies
These hand pies are super easy to make in just a few steps.
(Scroll below to the printable recipe card for details and measurements.)
- Cut the pie dough. Using a cookie cutter, cut the pie crusts into 3.5-inch circles.
- Make the filling. Mix together the brown sugar, granulated sugar, softened butter, and pecan pieces, using your fingers to combine and create sort of a paste.
- Fill the pies. Drop a heaping tablespoon of the filling onto the center of 6 of the dough rounds, then pressing it down slightly. Brush the edge with the egg wash.
- Prep the outside crust. Place the remaining 6 rounds on top of the filling; press the edges gently to adhere the top and bottom dough rounds, then using the tines of a fork, crimp the edges to seal.
- Place pies on baking sheet and cut slits. Transfer pies to parchment lined baking sheets, about 2 inches apart. Brush the tops with the egg wash, and slice two small crisscross vents in the tops.
- Bake and cool. Bake at 350F for about 22-25 minutes until golden brown. Let cool completely.
- Brush with glaze. Combine the powdered sugar, milk, maple syrup, and cinnamon until it’s a thick, but pourable consistency. When the pies have completely cooled, brush the glaze on top. Allow to set and harden. Serve and enjoy!
Tips for Success
- Use up the dough scraps. You can roll out any excess dough scraps and if there’s enough, form another hand pie.
- Don’t overfill. Don’t overfill the pies or the seal can come undone.
- Crimp the crust edges together. Make sure to securely crimp the pie crust edges together, so the filling doesn’t leak.
- Cut vents. Make slits in the tops of each pie, so that steam from cooking can escape. Otherwise, the excess liquid turns the top crust soggy while causing the filling to get soupy.
Make Ahead and Proper Storage
- Store Baked, Cooled, and Glazed Hand Pies. Store in an airtight container on the counter for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to a week. Or frozen for up to 2 months (Thaw in the refrigerator, then bring to room temperature before eating.)
- Store Assembled and Unbaked Hand Pies. These can be tightly covered and refrigerated up to 2 days ahead or tightly wrapped and frozen for up to 2 months. Frozen, unglazed, hand pies can go directly into the oven (no need to thaw first), but they will require extra cooking time. Let cool, then apply fresh glaze.
More Pecan Desserts:
- Candied Pecans
- Mini Pecan Pies
- Chocolate Pecan Pie
- Butter Pecan Rum Cake
- Pecan Sticky Buns
- Butter Pecan Cookies
I hope you love this delicious and easy recipe – be sure to give it a review below! Also don’t forget to follow Belly Full on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube!
Pecan Hand Pies
These Pecan Hand Pies are portable and scrumptious! Made with a buttery pecan filling, flaky crust, and maple-cinnamon icing, they’re such a delicious and easy holiday dessert with no slicing and little mess.
Servings: 6
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Ingredients
- 2 9-inch homemade pie crusts (or 14 ounce box refrigerated pie crusts)
- 1 large egg + a splash of milk , mixed together for an egg wash
- 1/3 cup brown sugar , packed
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup butter , softened to room temperature
- 1/2 cup tiny pecan pieces
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespons milk
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a small bowl, beat together the egg and milk.
- Sprinkle some flour on a large cutting board and carefully unroll the pie crusts. Cut circles with a cookie cutter or glass with a 3.5-inch diameter. (Combine the scraps, roll out, and cut more circles – you should end up with 12 circles.)
- In a medium bowl, mix together the brown sugar, granulated sugar, softened butter, and pecan pieces, using your fingers to combine and create sort of a paste.
- Drop a heaping tablespoon of the filling onto the center of 6 of the dough rounds, then pressing it down slightly. Brush the edge with the egg wash. Place the remaining 6 rounds on top of the filling; press the edges gently to adhere the top and bottom dough rounds, then using the tines of a fork, crimp the edges to seal.
- Transfer pies to the parchment paper, about 2 inches apart. Brush the tops with the egg wash, and slice two small crisscross vents in the tops.
- Bake for about 22-25 minutes until golden brown. Let cool completely.
- In the meantime, make your glaze. In a small bowl, combine the powdered sugar, milk, maple syrup, and cinnamon (adding more powdered sugar or milk to get the proper consistency. It should be very thick, but pourable.)
- When the pies have completely cooled, brush the glaze on top. Allow to set and harden. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Re-roll the dough scraps. You can roll out any excess dough scraps and if there’s enough, form another hand pie.
Don’t overfill. Be careful not to pile in the filling or the seal can come undone.
Crimp the edges. Make sure to securely crimp the pie crust edges together, so the filling doesn’t leak.
Cut vents in the tops of each pie. This allows the steam from cooking to escape. Otherwise, the excess liquid turns the top crust soggy while causing the filling to get soupy.
Nutrition
Calories: 560kcal | Carbohydrates: 68g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 51mg | Sodium: 349mg | Potassium: 136mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 37g | Vitamin A: 288IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 39mg | Iron: 2mg
Love the recipe.