Autumn Appetite: Mini Pie Pockets

Hooray! It’s fall! My favorite season for a million different reasons. The biggest reason is the food. I LOVE TO EAT. We all know this. And the treats that autumn has to offer do not disappoint. In fact, I try to lose a few pounds in the summer just so I can gain it back in the fall. It’s a beautiful thing.

I’ve decided to start a new series this fall because every blog should roll out a series every now and again. ;) Let’s call is Autumn Appetite. I’m going to share how I make some of my favorite fall treats. First up: Mini Pie Pockets filled with Nutella and Pumpkin Butter. I made these this weekend and, naturally, Instagrammed the whole thing.  I was making these for Logan, but I had to bite into half the batch to make sure they were tasty enough. I’m such a good wife. He doesn’t know it, but he’ll thank me some day. To see pics of these pies in action and and exactly how I made them, follow the hashtag #thepieproject on Instagram.

I just bought this super sweet pie mold set last weekend from Williams Sonoma. You can buy a similar set here and for a lot less! These molds are perfect for these baller pocket pies. You should definitely pick one up so we can be pie pals.

 Ina Garten’s Pie Crust

• 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) very cold unsalted butter
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/3 cup very cold vegetable shortening
• 6 to 8 tablespoons (about 1/2 cup) ice water

Dice the butter and return it to the refrigerator while you prepare the flour mixture. Place the flour, salt, and sugar in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse a few times to mix. Add the butter and shortening. Pulse 8 to 12 times, until the butter is the size of peas. With the machine running, pour the ice water down the feed tube and pulse the machine until the dough begins to form a ball. Dump out on a floured board and roll into a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Homemade Pumpkin Butter
Makes 3½-4 cups

• 1 (29 ounce) can pumpkin puree
• 1 cup apple cider (can use apple juice)
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup light brown sugar
• ¼ cup pure maple syrup
• 2 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
• ¼ teaspoon all-spice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• ½ teaspoon lemon juice

Place all ingredients except vanilla and lemon juice in a medium pot and place over medium heat. Stir. Bring to an almost boil and reduce heat. Let butter reduce and thicken for 30-40 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Once vanilla is mixed in, stir in lemon juice. This helps to preserve the butter. Mix well and transfer to jars.

To make the pies:

Use the molds to cut out little pieces of pie crust. Place one slice of pie crust on the mold and fill it with 2 teaspoons of either Nutella (yum!) or pumpkin butter. Brush the edges of the pie crust with egg wash (one beaten egg with a splash of water).  Place another slice of pie crust over the filling and use the pie mold to press the two edges together. So cute! Place on a parchment lined cookie sheet and brush the tops of the pies with more egg wash. Sprinkle with sugar and bake at 400 degrees F for 15-20 minutes.

These. Are. Delicious. You’ll die. I die. Everyone dies. It’s perfect.

Do you love fall as much as I do? What kind of recipes would you like to see on Autumn Appetite?