Ingredients:
- 1 package (14.1 oz / 400g) All-Butter Puff Pastry (or quality shortcrust), thawed
- 1 Large Egg, beaten with 1 teaspoon of water (for egg wash)
- 1 tablespoon Granulated Sugar (for sprinkling)
- 2 medium Cooking Apples (such as Granny Smith or Braeburn), peeled, cored, and finely diced
- 2 tablespoons Unsalted Butter (30g)
- 1/4 cup (50g) Light Brown Sugar, packed
- 1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon All-Purpose Flour
- 1 teaspoon Lemon Juice (freshly squeezed)
Instructions:
- Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add diced apples, brown sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Cook gently until apples begin to soften (about 5-7 minutes). Stir in the flour until incorporated. Remove from heat and allow the filling to cool completely.
- Lightly flour a clean work surface. Unroll the thawed pastry sheet. Using a rolling pin, gently smooth out any creases and roll slightly thinner.
- Use a 2.5 to 3-inch round cookie cutter to stamp out 16 circles from the pastry. Place the 8 base rounds on a parchment-lined tray. Chill pastry pieces for 15 minutes.
- Brush the edges of the 8 base rounds with the egg wash. Place about 1 tablespoon of cooled apple filling onto the centre of each base, leaving a clear 1/2-inch border.
- Top with the remaining pastry rounds. Crimp the edges firmly together using the tines of a fork to seal completely. Cut 2 small slits on the top of each pie to allow steam to escape.
- Lightly brush the tops of the sealed pies with the remaining egg wash and sprinkle generously with granulated sugar.
- Preheat your air fryer to 350°F (175°C). Carefully place the hand pies into the air fryer basket in a single layer (work in batches).
- Air fry for 10–14 minutes, checking at the 10-minute mark. The pies are done when they are deeply golden brown and puffed up.
- Transfer the finished Air Fryer Hand Pies to a wire rack to cool slightly before serving.