Buttery Apple Pie Pockets with Cinnamon Sugar Crust
Lisa Vargas
Pie Pockets
Handheld apple pie pockets with a flaky cinnamon-sugar crust—perfect for snack or dessert.
Nutrition (per serving)
These pie pockets are one of my favorite ways to enjoy apple pie on the go — crisp, buttery pastry hugging tender cinnamon-spiced apples. They bake up quickly, making them ideal for a cozy afternoon treat, a potluck, or a portable dessert when you want all the comfort of pie without the fuss of a full tart.
I love the contrast of a flaky crust dusted in cinnamon sugar and a bright apple filling that’s thickened just enough to stay neat when you bite into it. They’re fun to make with friends or kids: simple assembly, a little egg wash for shine, and a sprinkle of coarse sugar for extra sparkle.
Ingredients
- Store-bought pie dough (two 9-inch rounds):14 oz
- Apples (Granny Smith or Fuji), peeled and diced:3 pieces
- Granulated sugar:1/4 cup
- Brown sugar:2 tbsp
- Cornstarch:2 tbsp
- Ground cinnamon:1 tsp
- Ground nutmeg:1/4 tsp
- Lemon juice:1 tbsp
- Unsalted butter, cut into small pieces:2 tbsp
- Large egg (for egg wash):1 piece
- Coarse or turbinado sugar (for sprinkling):1 tbsp
- All-purpose flour (for dusting):1 tbsp
- Table salt:1/8 tsp
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
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Toss diced apples with lemon juice, granulated sugar, brown sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a bowl until evenly coated. Let sit 5 minutes to macerate.
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Lightly dust your work surface with flour and unroll or roll out the pie dough to about 1/8-inch thickness. Using a 4 1/2-inch round cutter (or a drinking glass), cut out 8 rounds.
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Spoon about 2 tablespoons of apple filling into the center of half the rounds, leaving a border. Dot each filling mound with a little butter.
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Brush the edges of the filled rounds with a bit of beaten egg, then top with the remaining dough rounds. Press edges firmly and crimp with a fork to seal.
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Use a small knife to cut a couple of steam vents in the top of each pocket. Brush the tops with egg wash and sprinkle coarse sugar over them.
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Arrange pockets on the prepared baking sheet about 1 inch apart. Bake for 18–22 minutes, until golden brown and bubbling.
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Remove from oven and let cool on the sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Tips & Notes
- If your apples are very juicy, drain a little of the excess liquid after macerating so the filling doesn't make the pockets soggy.
- Freeze unbaked pockets on a tray until firm, then transfer to a bag; bake from frozen, adding 5–8 minutes to the baking time.
- For a shinier finish, mix 1 tsp water into the beaten egg before brushing, and don't skip the coarse sugar for texture.
- Use a mix of tart and sweet apples for the best flavor balance—Granny Smith with Fuji or Honeycrisp works great.
