Pumpkin Hand Pies With Pumpkin Cream Cheese Filling

Autumn is the season of pumpkins, so why not make lots of hand pies? The best thing about this recipe is that you can make a big batch and freeze it. You can make this simple yet delicious recipe breakfast, brunch, or even as a dessert. Plus, your kitchen will smell like autumn!

If you love these cozy Pumpkin Hand Pies, you might also enjoy some of my other fall-inspired bakes. Try my flaky Apple Pie Turnovers for a fruity twist, or my Pumpkin pecan waffles for a breakfast that pairs beautifully with any autumn meal. Looking for no bake treat, then try my halloween rice krispie treats! For another handheld treat, my Blackberry Oatmeal Cookies bring a burst of berry flavor in every bite.

• Freezer Friendly: This pumpkin hand pies recipe is freezer friendly. You can prepare the pies, shape them, and freeze for later. Thaw in the fridge and bake them. They’ll be as good as freshly made.
• Easy to Make: Making and finishing a traditional pumpkin pie can be a bit of a task. This hand pies recipe fixes that. The mini pies are very easy to make. They’re made with simple ingredients and only require 30-35 minutes in total.
• Grab-and-Go: These mini pumpkin hand pies are easy to eat. You don’t need a plate and a fork to eat. Just grab one and eat it out of your hand. Isn’t that convenient? They can be your next favourite comfort food!
• Pumpkin Shaped: These hand pies are shaped like pumpkins. Kids will love them even if they’re not a big fan of pumpkin. Use a pumpkin shaped cookie cutter for best results.
• Economical and Flavorful: Without any extra ingredients, these pumpkin hand pies have the best flavor. They’re sweet, cinnamony, creamy and cheesy. So many flavors in one bite.

• Pie Dough: Use store bought pie dough for flaky and crispy hand pies.
• Cream Cheese: Cream cheese gives a rich and complex flavor to the pumpkin purée filling.
• Brown Sugar: The molasses in the brown sugar goes well with the pumpkin and enhances its flavor.
• Pumpkin Pie Spice: Use pumpkin pie spice for a balanced flavor. It will also make your hand pies smell good.
• Ground Cinnamon: Cinnamon powder will be used as topping. It gives a nutty and woody flavor to the pies.
• Vanilla Extract: Only use half a teaspoon of vanilla extract for added flavor.
• Egg: Mix egg with water to make egg wash for brushing the hand pies.
• White Sugar: White sugar will be used for making cinnamon mix for topping.

See recipe card for quantities.

Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a bowl, beat the softened cream cheese until smooth.

Add pumpkin puree, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice and vanilla. Mix until creamy and well combined.

Roll out the pie dough on a lightly floured surface. Using a pumpkin-shaped cookie cutter (or a sharp knife), cut out an even number of pumpkin shapes.

Place half of the cutouts on the baking sheet. Spoon 1–2 teaspoons of the pumpkin-cream cheese filling into the center of each, leaving a border around the edges.

Place the remaining pumpkin cutouts on top, pressing the edges with a fork to seal. Use a knife to lightly score lines on the top for pumpkin ridges.

Whisk the egg and brush it over the tops of the pies. In a small bowl mix sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle the prepared cinnamon sugar on top.

Bake for 15–20 minutes, or until golden brown and slightly puffed. Cool on a wire rack for at least 10 minutes before serving.

Hint:If you don’t have a pumpkin-shaped cookie cutter, trace one onto paper or cardboard and use it as a guide to cut the shape like I did here.

• Gluten Free Pumpkin Hand Pies: If you want to make this hand pies recipe gluten free, you can use store bought gluten-free pie crust.
• Maple Glaze Pumpkin Hand Pies: For a little twist, you can switch from cinnamon topping to maple topping. Instead of making cinnamon and sugar mix, you can make a maple glaze and drizzle it on top of your pies.
• Pecan Pumpkin Hand Pies: Roast pecan nuts in a preheated oven at 350o F for 10 minutes. Chop them finely and add to your pumpkin pie filling.

• Mixing bowls
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Rolling pin
• Pumpkin-shaped cookie cutter (or template)
• Baking sheet
• Parchment paper or silicone baking mat
• Pastry brush (for egg wash)
• Fork (for sealing edges)
• Cooling rack

Serve as Breakfast: These mini hand pies can be served as breakfast. You can also serve them with scrambled eggs and bacon.

With Coffee: Serve this recipe with a hot pumpkin spiced latte or a salted caramel latte or Vanilla Bean latte.

With Hot Chocolate: This hand pies recipe will go really well with hot chocolate. Try it on an autumn morning and your kids will love it.

With Ice Cream: Just like brownies and ice cream, you can serve these mini pies with a scoop of your favourite ice cream.

With Fall Platter: For a cozy autumn gathering, create a dessert platter alongside Apple Turnovers and Blackberry Oatmeal Cookies

Storage Tips: Since there’s cream cheese in the pumpkin hand pies recipe, they should be refrigerated. They will last for 3-4 days in the fridge and for up to 2 months in the freezer. You can freeze both baked and raw pies.

Reheating Tips: Reheat the baked pies in the toaster for a few minutes and they will be fresh and crisp. Thaw them in the fridge if they’re frozen, and then put them in the toaster oven.

• Don’t over roll the dough or else the filling will be too much.
• Only use one to two teaspoons of filling for a balanced filling to crust ratio.
• Use canned pumpkin puree. It has less water content and is dense.
• If you make your own pumpkin puree, cook it till the water dries up.
• If your filling is watery, your pumpkin hand pies will be mushy.

It’s called a hand pie because it can be eaten out of hand. The filling is sealed inside the pie crust and the size of the pie is small.

Pâte Brisée is the best option for pumpkin hand pies. It is a French version of classic pie dough. These pies don’t get mushy because they repel liquid in the filling.

Yes, you must slit the pie from the top so that the air can come out. If you don’t make slits, the pie will explode in the oven.

You can make your own pie crust or use store bought crust. Both will work well for this hand pies recipe.

Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:

Halloween Rice Krispie Treats (Easy Homemade Treat)

Homemade apple pie filling with brown sugar recipe

Puff pastry apple turnovers with apple pie filling

Pumpkin Pecan Waffles (Homemade waffle recipe)

These are my favorite dishes to serve with this easy mini pumpkin hand pie recipe:

Apple Cinnamon Waffles (Easy Homemade Waffle Recipe)

BROCCOLETTI Recipe (sautéed broccolini with garlic)

Blackberry Oatmeal Cookies recipe with fresh berries

Roasted Mini Peppers with Balsamic and Garlic (Oven-Baked)

If you tried this Pumpkin mini hand pies recipe or any other recipe from my blog, I’d love to hear your thoughts! ⭐ Please leave a STAR rating and share your experience in the COMMENTS below. Your support means so much and helps me continue creating delicious recipes. Thank you for being part of this journey!