Apple hand pies take 9–11 minutes in the air fryer at 350°F (175°C), using store-bought pie crust and a 5-minute stovetop cinnamon apple filling. You get 8 flaky, golden little pies — Thanksgiving dessert without fighting for oven space.
They’re also easier to serve than a whole pie: no slicing, no plates required, and kids love them.
Which apples work best
| Apple | Result |
|---|---|
| Granny Smith | Tart, holds its shape — best all-round |
| Honeycrisp | Sweet-tart, juicy, slightly softer |
| Pink Lady (common in Australia) | Firm and sweet-tart, great choice |
| Red Delicious | Avoid — turns mealy |
The 3 rules for hand pies that don’t leak
- Cook the filling first and cool it. Raw apples release water inside the crust; warm filling melts the pastry.
- Use a small amount: about 1.5 tablespoons for a 4.5-inch circle.
- Seal with egg and a fork, then cut a small steam vent.
Liners for pastry
Pastry sticks to bare baskets. Use perforated parchment with the pies on top so air still moves underneath, and never preheat with an empty liner inside. Parchment vs foil vs silicone, explained.
Batch timing
Most 5–6 quart baskets fit 3–4 hand pies at a time. Keep the cooked ones on a rack; they stay crisp for a couple of hours. Rewarm all of them together for 2 minutes at 320°F (160°C) just before serving.
More holiday air fryer recipes
Air Fryer Apple Hand Pies
Flaky little apple pies made in the air fryer in 10 minutes at 350°F (175°C), using refrigerated pie crust and a quick cinnamon apple filling. An easy Thanksgiving dessert.
You'll need: Air fryer · Small saucepan · 4.5-inch (11 cm) round cutter or a bowl · Perforated parchment
Ingredients
US cups and spoons with metric in brackets (1 US cup = 240 ml). A bigger batch may need two rounds in the basket: keep it to one layer.
Instructions
- Cook the filling. In a small saucepan, cook the apples, brown sugar, cinnamon and butter over medium heat for 5 minutes, until just soft. Stir the cornstarch into the lemon juice, add to the pan and cook 1 minute until thick. Let it cool for 10 minutes.
- Cut the crust. Unroll the crusts and cut 8 circles about 4.5 inches (11 cm) across, re-rolling the scraps once.
- Fill. Put about 1.5 tablespoons of filling on one half of each circle. Brush the edge with egg, fold over, and press the edges with a fork to seal.
- Vent and brush. Cut a small slit in each top, brush with egg and sprinkle with sugar.
- Air fry. Place 3–4 pies on perforated parchment in the basket (food on top of the liner, not preheating with it empty). Air fry at 350°F (175°C) for 9–11 minutes, until deep golden.
- Cool 10 minutes before eating — the filling is very hot. Repeat with the rest.
Notes
- Cool filling only: warm filling melts the butter in the crust and the pies leak.
- Don't overfill: 1.5 tablespoons is plenty; more will burst through the seal.
- Make ahead: assemble, freeze on a tray, then bag. Air fry from frozen at 330°F (165°C) for 13–15 minutes.
- Glaze: mix 1/2 cup (60 g) powdered sugar with 2–3 tsp milk and drizzle on cooled pies.
Air fryers vary by brand and size: start checking 2–3 minutes early. Recipe from shakethebasket.com/air-fryer-apple-hand-pies/
FAQ
Can I use canned apple pie filling?
Yes. Chop the apple slices smaller and use about 1.5 tablespoons per pie. It's sweeter than homemade, so skip the sugar on top if you like.
Why did my hand pies open in the air fryer?
Usually overfilling, warm filling, or edges that weren't sealed with egg and a fork. Also make sure there's a small vent cut on top so steam can escape.
