Halloween Hand Pies – frozen fruit shortcrust pastry hand pies

These Halloween hand pies are the cutest way to serve up a healthy Halloween treat. Made with shortcrust pastry and frozen fruit this healthy hand pie is really quick to make and loved by kids and big kids alike. Plus the frozen fruit makes these Halloween pies look gory and bloody as they are being enjoyed.

Halloween hand pies that say Boo

Your Halloween party guest will be surprised to see that these Halloween hand pies are ready to scare with a very cute pastry lid with “BOO” cut out. They look incredible and hand pies are great when you’re looking for shortcrust pastry ideas.

Why you’ll love this Halloween hand pies recipe

Look how cute they are! These frozen fruit pastry pies are possibly my favourite Halloween bake (followed very, very closely by the Spooky Strawberries).

A great shortcrust pastry recipe idea for when you have frozen fruit and need a quick and tasty dessert. Halloween hand pies are perfect for this as they are warm finger food so keep your guests from hunger and the cold.

An easy recipe to follow, children and adults can get involved in making these hand pies shortcrust pastry.

close up of the Halloween hand pies saying boo

Top Questions

What is a hand pie called?
Are hand pies and turnovers the same thing?
How do you keep hand pies from getting soggy?
How do you store cooked hand pies?
Can I make hand pies with puff pastry?

Halloween Hand Pies Ingredients

Halloween hand pies, frozen fruit pastry pies, hand pies shortcrust pastry, shortcrust pastry recipe ideas

For the full recipe and instructions scroll to the bottom of the page for the recipe card.

SHORTCRUST PASTRY

I used ready made shortcrust pastry for this recipe but you can make your own shortcrust pastry with my recipe.

FROZEN FRUIT

As much as I love going out blackberry picking in late summer, there isn’t always time so frozen winter berries are a great alternative, especially when you’re in a hurry. I used Frozen fruit for these Halloween hand pies as it’s quicker and easier, but you can always use fresh fruit too.

EGG

An egg wash is an important step in making these hand pies’ shortcrust pastry brown perfectly in the oven and look super tasty.

How to make Halloween hand pies – step by step

close up of frozen fruit
shortcrust pastry slices on a worktop
  • Roll out your pastry and cut it into little rectangles.
  • Also, get your frozen berries and fruit from the freezer so a little of the ice comes off and doesn’t make your pastry too soggy during baking. Then pop a spoonful of your berries on the puff pastry rectangles.
frozen fruit on a slice of shortcrust pastry
Halloween hand pies ready for the oven.
  • Add another layer of shortcrust pastry and crimp the edges to seal your hand pie.
  • To create the Boo pies, cut out the word BOO from your pastry pie lid before you lay it atop the fruit.
  • Wash with egg and bake

Top Tips

  • Be sure to get your shortcrust pastry out of the fridge about 30 minutes before you want to use it. This makes it easier to work with and will allow it to soften slightly.
  • Sharpen your knife safely before cutting out the BOO shape on the lid of your pastry – this will help the cuts be cleaner and keep their shape better.
  • Use an egg or milk wash on your shortcrust pastry before baking to help it brown in the oven. This makes all the difference to your final Halloween hand pies.

Serving Suggestions

Warm from the oven. Halloween hand pies are the perfect warm autumn treat when you’ve come in from a long night of trick or treating or a woodland walk.

they can be served as they are but do pair very nicely with fresh cream (or ice cream if you’re feeling really decadent).

Equipment

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3 Halloween hand pies on a cooling rack

Substitutions and variations

PUMPKIN SPICES

Add some pumpkin spices to the mix of frozen berries for even more of a Halloween flavour. Pumpkin-spiced everything is still very trendy and I love pimping the hand pies to make them even more Halloweeny

PUFF PASTRY HAND PIES

Not shortcrust pastry? No Problem, use puff pastry for these Halloween hand pies, the golden flaky pastry will make a wonderful hand pie.

PUMPKIN HAND PIES

In need of more Halloween treats? Try my Pumpkin Hand pies for a slightly savoury taste and make a great appetizer or buffet food.

FRUITS

I used frozen berries in my initial Halloween Hand Pies recipe but you could use any of your favourite fruit – try apple cooked in cinnamon sugar, cooked pears or even an apple and blackberry hand pie.

CHOCOLATE

It’s not halloween without candy is it? You can make these shortcrust pastry hand pies with a chocolate spread like Nutella, these hand pies taste wonderful when served warm with vanilla ice cream

CHOCOLATE AND STRAWBERRY HAND PIES

Add Nutella and fresh strawberries to your bottom layer of shortcrust pastry to make a romantic valentines day treat-inspired hand pie. If you’re feeling extra fancy, why not cut a heart into the lid of your pastry?

SMORES HAND PIES

Marshmallow, chocolate and a sprinkle of sea salt. One of winter’s best flavour combinations, to make a smores hand pie, spread Nutella or melted chocolate across the bottom of your pie. Add a few mini marshmallows, and a sprinkle of chunky sea salt and bake with the lid. Wonderful – the best bonfire night treat.

CHRISTMAS HAND PIES

If you come across this recipe later in the year you can swap out your filling for some Christmas spices and create Christmas Hand Pies. They’re just as cute and perfectly festive.

Storing / Making ahead of time options

These delicious Halloween hand pies can be easily stored in the fridge or freezer as long as they are in an air-tight container.

Just warm in the microwave for 30 seconds before serving.

Halloween hand pies

FAQS

What is a hand pie called?

A hand pie is called a hand pie as they are small enough to eat with just your hands. They are also called pastries and specifically, Cornish pasties – these are hand pies filled with meat and vegetables that Cornish miners would take for lunch.

Are hand pies and turnovers the same thing?

Hand pies and Turnovers are very similar but they are not the same thing – hand pies traditionally use shortcrust pastries whereas turnovers are made with puff pastry.

How do you keep hand pies from getting soggy?

To keep your hand pies from getting soggy you should aim not to overfill your hand pies with fruit or filling and not leave them resting for more than a couple of minutes before baking a nice hot oven.

How do you store cooked hand pies?

You store hand pies in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. To ensure they don’t crush each other, layer a sheet of kitchen roll between layers of hand pies.

Can I make hand pies with puff pastry?

You can make pastries with puff pastry, simple follow the recipe as normal but use puff pastry instead of shortcrust pastry. Just be sure to check the cooking time on the puff pastry.

close up Halloween hand pies

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Recipe

Halloween Hand Pies

Sisley White
These Halloween hand pies are the cutest way to serve up a healthy Halloween treat. Made with shortcrust pastry and frozen fruit this healthy hand pie is really quick to make and loved by kids and big kids alike. Plus the frozen fruit makes these Halloween pies look gory and bloody as they are being enjoyed.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Bakes, Sweet Treats
Cuisine American, British, International
Servings 4 pies
Calories 267 kcal

Ingredients
 

  • 320 g (1 ⅓ cups) shortcrust pastry (approximately 1 sheet)
  • 100 g (3 ½ oz) frozen fruit
  • 1 tbsp (1 tbsp) lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp (1 tbsp) sugar
  • 1 (1) egg

Instructions
 

  •  Remove the shortcrust pastry 30 minutes before you are ready to start so it can warm and soften. It will make it a lot easier to cut and work with.
  • Preheat the oven to 200ºC / 180ºC fan/gas 6 /428ºF.
  • Slice the shortcrust pastry sheet into 8 equal pieces.
  • Add the 100g frozen fruit to a bowl with a squeeze of lemon (approximately 1 tablespoon) and 1 tablespoon of sugar.
  • Lay 4 of the shortcrust pastry pieces onto a prepared baking tray.
  • Spoon the frozen fruit onto 4 pieces, leaving a border of about a finger's width around the outside.
  • Using alphabet cutters or carefully using a knife cut out the word 'BOO' or other Halloween word/phrase onto the pieces without the fruit. These will be the top of the Halloween hand pies.
  • Lightly beat the egg and brush the border of the fruit-covered pieces.
  • Gently place the top of the pies on top of the frozen fruit. Using a fork or crimper, crimp the edges of the shortcrust pastry to stick the pieces together.
  • Brush the pies with the beaten egg and bake for 15/18 minutes until golden brown.

Video

Notes

  • Best served straight from the oven when still warm. However cold is also very tasty.
  • Add pumpkin spices to the mix of fruit for even more of a Halloween flavour.

Nutrition

Calories: 267kcalCarbohydrates: 45gProtein: 7gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 41mgSodium: 402mgPotassium: 78mgFiber: 2gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 60IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 15mgIron: 3mg

Please note that the nutrition information provided above is approximate and meant as a guideline only.

Keyword frozen berries, frozen fruit, Fun Halloween Food, Halloween, halloween hand pie, halloween party food, hand pie, pastry, shortcrust pastry
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