Jack-O'-Lantern Pumpkin Hand Pies, some delicious Halloween treats that you must try this Fall. Super easy and fun to make, these pies will be a big hit with everyone, from little to big ones. Spiced pumpkin filling, golden puff pastry, what can be better!
It's pumpkin season again! Most shops already sell pumpkins, along with Christmas stuff, believe it or not. I mean, what's wrong with these people? It's only October, let us enjoy our pumpkins and Halloween decorations in peace!
The cooking pumpkins are usually a lot better quality than the ones sold for carving, and roasting them is the best way to get the very taste that everybody loves.
But, if you don't find cooking pumpkin, the canned pumpkin puree if the way to go. The filling will be deliciously sweet and perfect for any dessert.
I absolutely love Halloween, and its spooky food, decorations and that amazing feeling. My Bloody cheesecake is another frightfully delicious Halloween dessert that I so love. Hopefully more spooky recipes soon.
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Ingredients needed to make pumpkin hand pies
- pumpkin puree - either canned or from roasted / boiled pumpkin
- block of puff pastry - ready-rolled pastry works a treat
- brown sugar - for a more indulgent touch
- ground cinnamon - adds an Autumny touch
- pumpkin pie spice mix - or mixed spice in the UK
Step-by-step photos and instructions
The prep is minimal, and just a few ingredients are needed. If you like to make the puff pastry at home, by all means, you can, but I always rely on the store-bought puff pastry to save time and make quick and easy recipes.
I used pumpkin-shaped cookie cutters, but if you don't have any, and your shaping skills are good, you can use a sharp knife to make any shape you like in the puff pastry.
- in a bowl, add the pumpkin puree, brown sugar, cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice, and mix well to combine.
If you don't have pumpkin spice, you can make it yourself with ground cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves. In the UK, the best substitute for the pumpkin spice is the mixed spice, although, if you have the the ingredients I mentioned, you can just add some of those.
- use the cookie cutters to make pumpkin shapes, half of the puff pastry shapes will be plain, the other half need to have the face of the Jack O'Lantern carved using a sharp knife
- add half a teaspoon of filling on top of pumpkin shape, and top with the carved shapes
- bake in the preheated oven at 180 degrees Celsius (350 Fahrenheit) for 15 minutes or until golden
Expert tips
These pies are deliciously spooky. Although you can make them as spooky as you wish, now your carving skills will be put to test. Unless you find some fancy cookie cutters that will do the job for you.
The filling is amazing, and the pies are baked beautifully well, no filling ooozing out or messing the pies. It's so simple! To store, add them to an air-tight container, so that the puff pastry stays flaky and puffy for longer.
You can brush them with egg wash before baking them for a deeper golden colour, but it's entirely optional, I did not use egg at all, and they did get a nice colour.
And these are our Halloween snacks for the whole family! Happy Halloween everyone!
Other Halloween desserts
If you’ve liked my Jack-O'-Lantern Pumpkin Hand Pies or any other recipe on the blog then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you! You can also FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, and PINTEREST to see more delicious food and what I’m getting up to.
Jack-O'-Lantern Pumpkin Hand Pies
Ingredients
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 block of puff pastry (500 g, 1 lb)
- 3 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice mix
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven at 180 degrees Celsius (350 Fahrenheit).
- Mix the pumpkin puree with the sugar and spices.
- Roll the puff pastry, and use pumpkin cookie cutters or a sharp knife to cut out pumpkin shapes, half of them being just the shape of a pumpkin, and the other half the shape of a carved pumpkin.
- Spread about half a teapoon of the pumpkin mixture on the bottom pumpkin shape, then top it with the carved pumpkin shape, and press gently on the edges to seal.
- Repeat with the rest of the puff pastry and pumpkin mixuture.
- Bake in the oven for about 15 minutes or until golden.
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