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These spiced apple pear pie pockets are flaky, handheld treats packed with warm cinnamon-spiced fruit in every bite. They're perfect for the holidays or an afternoon snack!
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Watch how to make this
What makes this dish special
There's something about the holidays that makes me want to bake. They say that people eat more during the winter to stay warm; for me, I eat more desserts. In an effort to bring some of the holiday cheer, I decided to make spiced apple pear pie pockets.
As much as I love pie, I love portable pies. My favorite, and I have no shame admitting it, is McDonald's baked apple pies. You are always guaranteed to have the crust and filling with every bite. With that idea in mind, I decided to make pie pockets with a warm spiced apple and pear filling. These pastries are the perfect dessert to make it feel like Christmas with notes of cinnamon and nutmeg. Is it time to open the presents yet?
Ingredients
- Baking apples: Use firm baking varieties, such as Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, or Braeburn. If using Granny Smith apples, you can add more sugar to balance the tart apples.
- Baking pears: Use pears that hold their structure even after baked, such as Bosc, Anjou, or Concorde.
- Spices: Cinnamon provides sweetness and warmth, ginger adds a subtle spicy kick, and nutmeg contributes depth and aromatic complexity.
- Cornstarch: Acts as a thickening agent that binds the fruit juices into a cohesive filling.
- Butter: In the dough, butter creates flaky layers and a tender texture. In the filling, it adds richness and helps the fruit caramelize slightly.
- White distilled vinegar: Tenderizes the dough, resulting in a flakier crust rather than a tough one. The small amount doesn't affect the taste but makes a significant difference in texture.
Substitutions and variations
- Fruit: Try this dessert with just pears or just apples. You can also mix it up and use apples and cranberries or peaches and plums.
- Flavors: Use a chai spice blend for chai pie pockets or add caramel to the fruit for a sweeter filling.
Recipe
Spiced Apple Pear Pie Pockets
Ingredients
Dough
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour (312 grams)
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup cold unsalted butter, diced (113 grams)
- 1 tablespoon white distilled vinegar
- 3-4 tablespoons ice-cold water
Filling
- 2 tablespoons butter (28 grams)
- 2 ½ cups baking apples, peeled and finely chopped (315 grams)
- 2 ½ cups baking pears, peeled and finely chopped (315 grams)
- ½ cup granulated sugar (100 grams)
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon of salt
- 1 ½ tablespoons cornstarch
- ½ cup water
- juice of ½ lemon
- egg wash (1 large egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water)
- ¼ cup turbinado sugar
Instructions
- Prepare the dough. Pulse the flour, sugar, and salt in the food processor. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles fine cornmeal. Add vinegar and ice-cold water, pulsing just until the mixture comes together. Remove the dough and separate it into two portions. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour or until firm.
- Prepare the filling. Melt butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the fruit, tossing to coat. Add sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt, stirring to combine. Bring to a simmer and cook until the fruit is softened.
- Stir together water and cornstarch until cornstarch dissolves. Pour mixture into the fruit filling along with lemon juice, stirring constantly until the juices thick. Remove from heat and let cool completely.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Remove dough from the refrigerator. Dust counter surface with flour. Roll out the dough until it is about ⅛ inch thick. Cut out 3-inch round circles or any desired shape. Place about 1 tablespoon filling in the center and top with another cut circle. Crimp the edges with a fork to seal together. Cut slits on top with a sharp knife and place the pie pocket on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.
- Brush the tops of the pie pockets with egg wash and sprinkle turbinado sugar on top. Bake pie pockets for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from heat. Let cool 5 minutes. Serve warm.
Notes
Step-by-step instructions
Step 1: Make pie dough
I am going to warn you, pies can be a bit challenging. If you only have 30 minutes to whip up a dessert, I would not suggest making these pie pockets. The crust alone needs 1 hour to chill.
However, you can make the crust and filling the day before. You can even make the pie pockets the day before, freeze them, and bake the following day (or week!).
The first step in preparing these beauties is to make the crust. I always use a food processor rather than mixing it by hand; it saves a lot of time. But you need to make sure not to overmix the dough.
Pulse the ingredients together just until the dough starts coming together. It should still look crumbly, but if you press the dough together, it should stick.
Remove the dough from the machine and form into two balls, wrap in plastic, and chill for one hour.
Step 2: Cook filling
While the dough rests, prepare the filling. You can go with just apple, but adding the pear adds another layer of flavor that makes the pie pockets infinitely better.
Cook the diced apples and pears in butter with the spices and sugar. This filling isn't very sweet, so you can add extra sugar if you prefer a sweeter treat.
Once the fruit softens, add the cornstarch and water mixture, stirring as it cooks. The liquid will thicken immediately, so it's important to stir constantly to avoid it clumping.
The filling should be almost like a compote with a thick consistency. We don't want too much liquid because it will make the pie pockets soggy.
This recipe makes a bit extra filling, but there's nothing wrong with that, right? You can use the excess to top your oatmeal, yogurt, or enjoy it with ice cream.
Step 3: Assemble pie pockets
Once the filling has cooled and the dough has chilled, it's time to assemble. Dust your work surface with flour. Doing so will prevent the dough from sticking and will make it easier to roll out.
Keep half of the dough in the refrigerator while working with the first piece; it is easier to roll out when cold.
Roll out the dough until it's ⅛ inch thick and cut out your desired shapes. You can do round hand pies, crescents, rectangular, whatever your heart desires!
Place the filling in the center, being careful not to overstuff the pie pockets. Then, close the seams and cut slits in the center; this allows the steam to escape so that the pie pockets don't burst open.
Repeat with the second batch.
Step 4: Bake
Right before baking, brush the pastries with egg wash to give them a beautiful golden crust. Then, sprinkle turbinado sugar on top for a touch of sweetness.
Pop the spiced apple pear pie pockets into the oven and bake until golden brown. Remove from the oven and let them cool slightly before digging in.
These spiced apple pear pie pockets were everything I craved and more. The filling was wonderfully flavorful with the cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg, while the pastry was buttery and so flaky.
If you're feeling extra fancy, drizzle on some caramel or serve these a la mode. Pie perfection!
For another delicious apple treat, check out these apple dulce de leche custard Danish!
Make-ahead and storage
- Make-ahead: You can make the pie dough and filling the day before. You can also assemble the pie pockets and keep them in the refridgerator until ready to bake.
- Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refridgerator for up to 5 days.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, you can substitute with refrigerated pie crusts to save time. You'll need one pound of pie dough for this recipe.
You can use regular granulated sugar, coarse sanding sugar, or skip the topping sugar entirely. The turbinado adds a nice crunch, but isn't essential.
Absolutely! Assemble the pie pockets, but don't brush with egg wash yet. Freeze them on a baking sheet, then transfer to a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen, adding 5-10 extra minutes to the baking time, and apply the egg wash just before baking.
More holiday dessert recipes
Looking for more holiday desserts? Try these:
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