This year, let’s wrap up some deliciousness with these adorable Halloween Mummy Hand Pies. Imagine a perfectly flaky, buttery crust, stuffed with a bubbling, sweet fruit filling, all cleverly disguised as a spooky little mummy. With their haphazard "bandages" and googly eyes peeking out, they are the ultimate combination of cute and creepy. These individual pies are wonderfully portable, ridiculously fun to make, and a guaranteed showstopper for any Halloween gathering.
Why You’ll Adore These Mummy Hand Pies
Perfectly Portable: Their individual size makes them ideal for parties, lunchboxes, or a mess-free treat on the go.
Easier Than a Full Pie: You get all the satisfaction of a homemade pie without the fuss of a full-sized crust and lattice work.
A Fun, Kid-Friendly Bake: Decorating these little mummies is a fantastic activity for the whole family. A little messiness just adds to their character!
Deliciously Spooky: The combination of a golden, flaky crust and a warm, gooey fruit filling is a classic for a reason—the spooky look is just a bonus!
Great for Using Store-Bought Shortcuts: This recipe works beautifully with refrigerated pie dough, making it a quick and accessible treat for a busy day.
Ingredients for Your Mummy Crew
Let's gather the simple components for these wrapped-up delights.
For the Pie Crust:
Refrigerated Pie Dough: 1 box (containing 2 crusts). This is the ultimate time-saver! Substitution: You can absolutely use your favorite homemade pie crust recipe. You’ll need enough for a double-crust 9-inch pie.
For the "Guts" (Filling):
Cherry Pie Filling: 1 can (about 21 oz / 595g). The vibrant red color peeking through the bandages gives a perfect, slightly gruesome effect! Substitution: Any thick pie filling will work wonderfully—apple, blueberry, or even strawberry.
For the Mummy Details:
Large Egg: 1, beaten with a tablespoon of water to create an egg wash. This gives the mummies a beautiful golden sheen.
Granulated or Coarse Sugar: For sprinkling on top before baking, adding a little sparkle and crunch.
Candy Eyeballs: The essential finishing touch to bring your mummies to life!
How to Make Halloween Mummy Hand Pies
1. Prep Your Workspace: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Roll and Cut the Dough: Unroll one of your refrigerated pie crusts onto a lightly floured surface. Use a rectangular cookie cutter (about 3x4 inches) or a knife to cut out as many bases as you can. Place these rectangles on your prepared baking sheet.
3. Add the Filling: Spoon about 1 to 1 ½ tablespoons of cherry pie filling into the center of each dough rectangle, leaving a border of about ½ inch around the edges.
4. Create the Bandages: Unroll the second pie crust. Using a pizza cutter or a sharp knife, cut the dough into thin, uneven strips (about ¼-inch wide). These will be your mummy’s bandages.
5. Assemble the Mummies: Lightly brush the border of the filled rectangles with the egg wash. This will act as glue. Begin layering the thin dough strips over the filling in a haphazard, crisscross pattern to look like bandages. Leave a small gap near the top where the eyes will go. Gently press the ends of the strips into the bottom crust.
6. Crimp and Finish: Gently press down around the edges of each hand pie with a fork to seal it tightly. Brush the tops of the mummies (the "bandages") with the egg wash. Sprinkle generously with coarse sugar.
7. Bake to Golden Perfection: Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the hand pies are a deep golden brown and the filling is bubbly.
8. Add the Eyes: Let the mummies cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes. While they are still warm, gently press two candy eyeballs into the open space you left. The warmth will help the candy melt just enough to stick. Let them cool completely on a wire rack.
Make-Ahead & Storage Tips
Make-Ahead: You can assemble the unbaked hand pies and store them in the refrigerator on the baking sheet (covered with plastic wrap) for a few hours before baking.
Storage: Store the baked and cooled hand pies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
Reheating: To revive their crispiness, you can warm them in an oven or air fryer at
350°F(175°C) for about 5 minutes.
Variations
Savory Mummies: Swap the fruit filling for a savory one! Think shredded chicken with cheese, a pizza-style filling with marinara and mozzarella, or a spinach and feta mix. Just be sure the filling isn't too wet.
Pumpkin Patch Mummies: Use a pumpkin pie filling (mixed with a little cream cheese for thickness) for a true taste of the season.
Chocolate-Filled Ghouls: Fill them with a spoonful of Nutella or a few chocolate chips for a decadent, melty center.
Expert Tips for Perfect Hand Pies
Keep Your Dough Cold: Work with cold dough straight from the refrigerator. If it becomes too soft and sticky while you're working, pop it back in the fridge for 10-15 minutes to firm up. Cold dough = flaky crust.
Don't Overfill: It’s tempting to pack in the filling, but this is the number one cause of leaky hand pies. A modest tablespoon is all you need.
Seal the Edges Well: A thorough crimp with a fork is crucial to keep all that delicious filling from bubbling out during baking.
Vent the Savory Pies: If you're making savory pies without the open bandage design, be sure to cut a small slit in the top to allow steam to escape.
Mummy Hand Pie FAQs
Can I make these in an air fryer?
Yes! Assemble the pies as directed. Preheat your air fryer to 350°F (175°C). Place a few pies in the basket in a single layer and air fry for 8-10 minutes, or until golden brown and puffed.
Why did my filling leak out? This usually happens for two reasons: the pies were overfilled, or the edges weren't sealed properly. Be sure to leave a clear border and press firmly with a fork all the way around.
Can I use homemade pie filling? Absolutely! Homemade filling is delicious. Just make sure it is cooked and completely cooled before you use it. It should be nice and thick to prevent the crust from becoming soggy.
The bottoms of my hand pies are soggy. What happened? This can happen if your filling is too thin or if the pies sit for too long before baking. Using a thick, pre-cooked filling and baking them on a pre-heated baking sheet can help ensure a crisp bottom crust.