Sweet Potato Hand Pies with Cinnamon Nutmeg Glaze Recipe
These Sweet Potato Hand Pies are deliciously flaky and filled with a spiced mashed sweet potato mixture. Crispy fried to a perfect golden brown and drizzled with a smooth, sweet glaze, they make a comforting dessert or snack that’s perfect for any occasion.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 26-28 hand pies 1x
- Category: Dessert, Snack
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Pie Crust
- 1 homemade pie crust recipe or 2 boxes store-bought pie crust
Sweet Potato Filling
- 2 cups (240 g) mashed sweet potatoes
- ¼ cup (50 g) light brown sugar, packed
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Frying
- Canola oil, for frying (2-3 inches in pot)
Glaze
- 3 cups (375 g) confectioners’ sugar
- 6–9 tablespoons whole milk
Instructions
- Mix filling: In a medium bowl, combine 2 cups of mashed sweet potatoes with ¼ cup packed light brown sugar, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, and ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg. Stir thoroughly until all ingredients are fully combined and set aside.
- Roll out pie crust: On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pie crust dough to about ⅛ inch thickness. Using a 4-5 inch round cookie cutter, cut the dough into about 26-28 rounds if using homemade pie crust; fewer if using store-bought.
- Add filling: Place 1 tablespoon of the sweet potato filling onto the center of each pie crust round.
- Fold and seal pies: Fold each round over into a half-moon shape. Wet the edges with a little water to help seal, then crimp the edges with a fork to securely close each hand pie. Set aside the sealed pies.
- Heat oil: In a medium pot over medium heat, add 2-3 inches of canola oil. Heat until the oil reaches 375°F, suitable for frying.
- Fry hand pies: Carefully place 2-3 hand pies at a time into the hot oil. Fry for 2-3 minutes until they turn golden brown. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the fried pies to a paper towel-lined baking sheet to drain excess oil. Maintain oil temperature at 375°F between batches.
- Prepare glaze: In a small bowl, whisk together 3 cups confectioners’ sugar with 6 tablespoons of whole milk. Add more milk 1 tablespoon at a time if needed until the glaze is pourable and smooth.
- Glaze hand pies: While the hand pies are still warm, drizzle them generously with the prepared glaze to coat each pie.
Notes
- Be sure the oil is at the correct temperature (375°F) before frying to ensure crispy, non-greasy hand pies.
- Use water to seal the edges properly to prevent filling leakage during frying.
- The glaze consistency can be adjusted by adding milk gradually to avoid making it too runny or too thick.
- If preferred, you can bake the hand pies, though frying gives them their signature crispiness.
- These pies are best served warm to enjoy the soft sweet potato filling contrasted with the crispy crust and sweet glaze.
Keywords: sweet potato hand pies, fried hand pies, sweet potato dessert, homemade hand pies, spiced sweet potato filling
