I’m so excited to share this spiced apple blackberry hand pies recipe with you! These little hand pies burst with juicy blackberries and tender apples, all wrapped in buttery shortcrust pastry with a cozy dash of cinnamon—perfect for a sweet treat anytime.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
Hand pies always remind me of cozy afternoons spent baking with friends, and this spiced apple and blackberry version is hands down one of my favorites. It’s simple, satisfying, and feels special without fuss.
- Irresistible Flavor Combo: The warmth of cinnamon and honey perfectly complements tart blackberries and sweet apples.
- Easy to Handle: These hand pies are the ideal single-serving dessert, so no forks or plates needed!
- Make-Ahead Friendly: You can prep them in advance, then chill or freeze until baking day.
- Beautiful Presentation: The apple-shaped details on top add a charming, homemade touch that’s sure to impress.
Ingredients & Why They Work
Choosing fresh, seasonal fruit makes all the difference here, but don’t worry if your blackberries are frozen—they work just as well. Using ready-made shortcrust pastry keeps prep time short without sacrificing buttery flakiness.

- Cooking apples: Use firm, tart apples that hold their shape well when cooked, like Bramleys or Granny Smith.
- Golden caster sugar: Adds just the right amount of sweetness and a gentle caramel note.
- Blackberries: Fresh or frozen, they bring juicy bursts of flavor and vibrant color.
- Cornflour: Thickens the filling beautifully so it’s not runny.
- Honey: A natural sweetener that pairs wonderfully with cinnamon.
- Ground cinnamon: Adds warmth and spice, balancing the fruit’s brightness.
- Shortcrust pastry sheets: Store-bought makes this super easy, providing a crisp, buttery shell.
- Egg (beaten): Used for brushing to give the pies a golden, glossy finish.
- Caster sugar: Sprinkled on top for an extra touch of sparkle and sweetness after baking.
Make It Your Way
These Spiced Apple Blackberry Hand Pies are wonderfully versatile, so don’t be afraid to get creative! Whether you want to swap the fruit, adjust the spices, or tweak the presentation, there’s plenty of room to make these cozy pies perfectly yours.
- Variation: For a tangier twist, I love adding a handful of fresh cranberries to the filling during the colder months. Their tartness balances beautifully with the honey and cinnamon, making these pies even more festive.
- Seasonal swap: Try substituting the blackberries with fresh or frozen blueberries or raspberries for a slightly different berry profile that’s just as delicious.
- Dairy-free option: Use a plant-based butter in your shortcrust pastry and swap out the egg wash for a mix of plant milk and maple syrup to keep these pies vegan-friendly without losing that golden finish.
- Sweetener alternative: If you prefer less sugar, reduce the caster sugar in the filling by half and increase the honey slightly to keep the filling naturally sweet and moist.
Step-by-Step: How I Make Spiced Apple Blackberry Hand Pies Recipe

Step 1: Softening the Apples to Perfection
Start by placing your chopped apples into a small saucepan with the golden caster sugar and 2 tablespoons of water. Cover it with a lid and let it cook gently over medium heat for about 8 minutes. You’ll know they’re ready when the apples are tender and slightly translucent. Spreading them out on a shallow dish to cool helps stop the cooking process and prevents the berries from bursting when you add them next.
Step 2: Mixing the Magical Spice Paste and Fruit Filling
In a small bowl, whisk together the cornflour, honey, and ground cinnamon until you get a smooth paste—this little mix is the secret to that perfectly spiced, glossy filling. Gently fold this into the cooled apples along with the blackberries. Be careful as you mix so you don’t crush the juicy berries; you want them to keep their shape to add bursts of flavor in every bite.
Step 3: Crafting Ideal Pastry Circles
Roll out your shortcrust pastry sheets on a clean surface. Using a 10 cm round cutter—or a ramekin or glass with the same diameter—cut out 12 neat circles. These will become your hand pies, so keep them as uniform as possible for even baking and that classic handheld shape.
Step 4: Assembling Your Hand Pies with Love
Spoon about 1 tablespoon of the fruit filling onto half of the pastry circles, keeping a 1 cm border clear. Brush the edges lightly with beaten egg; this acts like glue to seal the pies beautifully. Place a plain pastry circle on top and gently press the edges to seal. To give them their charming apple shape, create small dents in the top and bottom with your fingers. Use a fork to press firmly all around the edges, then brush each pie with egg wash for that irresistible golden shine. Don’t forget to get creative by cutting tiny leaves and stalks from pastry scraps and attaching them with egg wash—those little details really make the pies pop! Finally, pierce a small steam hole in each pie with a skewer to let the filling breathe while baking.
Step 5: Chilling for Shape and Flavor
Transfer your assembled pies to a baking sheet and pop them into the fridge to chill for 1 hour. This step is key to firming up the pastry, helping the pies hold their shape during baking. If you’re prepping ahead, no worries! You can chill them overnight or freeze for up to 3 months at this point — just adjust the baking time when you’re ready to cook.
Step 6: Baking to Golden, Bubbly Perfection
Preheat your oven to 200°C (180°C fan). Bake the pies for 20 minutes until they’re beautifully golden and you can see the luscious fruit filling bubbling through the steam holes. If baking from frozen, add 10 extra minutes to the cooking time to ensure they’re cooked through and utterly scrumptious.
Step 7: The Sweet Finish and Serving Suggestions
As soon as your pies come out of the oven, sprinkle them with caster sugar for a delightful crunch and sparkle. Serve these warm with a generous dollop of cream or custard, and get ready to enjoy all those cozy spiced flavors wrapped up in buttery shortcrust goodness!
Top Tip
Making the perfect Spiced Apple Blackberry Hand Pies Recipe is easier when you keep a few handy tips in mind. These tricks come from my own kitchen experiments and ensure your pies come out beautifully every time.
- Chill the Pies Properly: Refrigerating the assembled pies for the full hour before baking really helps the pastry hold its shape and prevents shrinking. I've found skipping this step leads to less neat pies.
- Handle Blackberries Gently: When mixing in the blackberries, fold them in softly to avoid bursting the berries and turning your filling too purple. It keeps the texture inviting and fresh.
- Use a Fork to Seal Edges: Pressing down the edges with a fork not only seals the hand pies securely but also creates a charming rustic pattern that looks homemade and inviting.
- Don't Skip the Steam Holes: Piercing the pies lets steam escape, preventing soggy bottoms and ensuring a perfectly cooked filling. I once forgot this and ended up with very soggy pies—definitely don’t repeat my mistake!
How to Serve Spiced Apple Blackberry Hand Pies Recipe

Garnishes
Sprinkle a little extra caster sugar right after baking for a sparkling, sweet finish. A light dusting of cinnamon or a drizzle of honey can also add a lovely touch. Don’t forget a dollop of freshly whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream to complement the warm, spiced filling beautifully.
Side Dishes
These hand pies pair delightfully with classic dessert sides like creamy custard or vanilla sauce. For a brunch or tea-time treat, serve alongside a cup of freshly brewed coffee or spiced chai. If you want something a little lighter, a simple green salad with a tangy vinaigrette can balance the sweetness nicely.
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
Keep any leftover Spiced Apple Blackberry Hand Pies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. This keeps the pastry crisp and the filling fresh, so you can enjoy them all over again without losing any flavor or texture.
Freezing
You can freeze the assembled hand pies before baking for up to 3 months. Just place them on a baking sheet to freeze solid, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag or container. When ready, bake straight from frozen—but remember to add an extra 10 minutes to the baking time to ensure they're cooked through.
Reheating
To reheat, pop the pies in a preheated oven at 180°C (fan) for about 10 minutes or until warmed through. This method helps restore that beautiful crispiness in the pastry, which microwaving can’t achieve.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Absolutely! Frozen blackberries work just as well as fresh ones. Just thaw and drain any excess juice before mixing them into the filling to avoid soggy pies.
Brush the edges with beaten egg before folding the pastry over the filling, then press the edges firmly with a fork. This ensures a tight seal and gives the pies a lovely decorative edge.
You can swap the beaten egg for a plant-based milk wash or a mixture of water and maple syrup to achieve a nice glaze. Also, use a vegan pastry to keep it fully plant-based.
Make sure not to overfill the pies and always seal the edges well with egg wash and fork pressing. Also, letting the pies chill before baking helps firm up the filling and pastry, reducing leaks.
Final Thoughts
I hope you enjoy making and sharing these Spiced Apple Blackberry Hand Pies Recipe as much as I do. They’re comforting little pockets of fall flavors wrapped in buttery pastry, perfect for any time you want a sweet, homey treat. Whether warm from the oven or reheated later, they bring a little cozy joy to the table—so don’t forget to savor every delicious bite!
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Spiced Apple Blackberry Hand Pies Recipe
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Chilling Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 55 minutes
- Yield: 6 pies
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
These spiced apple and blackberry hand pies are deliciously easy to make, combining tender cooked apples and juicy blackberries with warm cinnamon and honey, all encased in buttery shortcrust pastry. Perfect for a comforting dessert or a sweet snack, they bake up golden with a bubbling fruit filling and a sprinkle of sugar on top.
Ingredients
Fruit Filling
- 2 medium cooking apples peeled, cored and chopped into small pieces
- 50 g golden caster sugar
- 150 g blackberries fresh or frozen
- 1 tablespoon cornflour
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pastry
- 2 sheets (320 g each) shortcrust pastry
- 1 small egg beaten
- 1 tablespoon caster sugar
Instructions
- Cook Apples: Place the chopped apples in a small saucepan with golden caster sugar and 2 tablespoons of water. Cover with a lid and cook over medium heat for 8 minutes until the apples are soft. Transfer the cooked apples to a shallow dish and spread out to cool slightly.
- Prepare Filling: In a small bowl, combine the cornflour, honey, and ground cinnamon to form a smooth paste. Gently mix this paste into the cooled apples along with the blackberries, being careful not to crush the berries.
- Cut Pastry Circles: Unroll the shortcrust pastry sheets. Using a 10 cm round pastry cutter, a ramekin, or a glass of similar size, cut out 12 circles from the pastry.
- Assemble Pies: Spoon about 1 tablespoon of the fruit filling onto half of the pastry circles, leaving a 1 cm border. Brush the edges with beaten egg wash. Place a plain pastry circle over the filling and gently press edges to seal, forming a hand pie. Create a small dent at the top and bottom of each pie to mimic an apple shape. Seal edges with a fork and brush the tops with egg wash. Use pastry scraps to cut out small leaf and stalk shapes and attach with egg wash. Pierce a steam hole in each pie using a skewer.
- Chill Pies: Arrange the pies on a baking sheet and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour. Alternatively, you can chill them overnight or freeze for up to 3 months at this stage.
- Bake Pies: Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius (180 degrees Celsius fan). Bake the pies for 20 minutes until golden brown and the filling is bubbling through the steam holes. If baking from frozen, add an extra 10 minutes to the cooking time.
- Serve: Remove pies from the oven and immediately sprinkle with caster sugar. Serve warm with cream or custard as desired.
Notes
- If you don't have a 10 cm round pastry cutter, use an upside-down ramekin or a glass of similar diameter to cut pastry circles.
- For make-ahead option, prepare pies up to step 5. Store in the fridge for up to 24 hours before baking, or freeze for up to 3 months.
- Use digital scales for accurate measurement especially for pastry and sugar.
- The pies are best enjoyed warm but can be reheated gently in an oven.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 pie
- Calories: 270 kcal
- Sugar: 18 g
- Sodium: 120 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 36 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 40 mg




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