Apple Hand Pies
Ingredients
#### Apple Filling:
- – 2 tablespoons butter
- – 2 large green apples peeled, cored, and cut into chunks
- – 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- – 2 tablespoons white sugar
- – Zest of 1 lemon
- – 1/4 teaspoon salt
- – 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- – Sprinkle of mace optional
- – 1 teaspoon vanilla
#### Egg Wash:
- – 1 egg
- – 1 tablespoon milk or cream
#### Topping:
- – 1 tablespoon cinnamon sugar equal parts cinnamon and sugar
#### Crust:
- – 6 tablespoons cold butter cut into tablespoon-sized pieces
- – 4 ounces cold cream cheese cut into tablespoon-sized pieces
- – 1 cup all-purpose flour
- – 1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions
#### Cream Cheese Crust:
- Combine the butter, cream cheese, flour, and salt in a food processor. Pulse until a ball forms.
- Dust the dough with flour, wrap it in plastic wrap, and chill for at least 1 hour (up to 24 hours).
#### Apple Filling:
- Brown the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Once golden and toasty, stir in the sugars, salt, cinnamon, and vanilla.
- Add the apple chunks to the caramel mixture. Zest the lemon and cook over medium heat for about 8-10 minutes until the apples are softened. Set aside to cool.
#### Assembly:
- Roll the dough out until it’s 1/4 inch thick and cut into 8 apple shapes or rectangles (about 3-4 inches long).
- Scoop 2 tablespoons of the apple mixture into the center of 4 dough pieces.
- Mix the egg and milk to make the egg wash. Brush the egg wash along the edge of the dough where there’s no apple filling.
- Place the remaining dough pieces on top of the filled ones. Seal the edges by pressing with a fork.
- Brush the tops with egg wash and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.
- Cut a small slit or poke a few holes in the top of each pie.
- Bake at 375°F for 30 minutes until golden brown.