Spooky Jam-Filled Witch Hand Pies
Buttery witch-shaped hand pies conceal a sweet berry-jam center, with bubbling red smiles and rustic golden pastry creating a wonderfully spooky Halloween treat.
Ingredients
- 2 refrigerated pie crusts or 1 batch homemade pie dough
- ½ cup raspberry, strawberry, or cherry preserves
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- ½ tsp lemon zest
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp water
- 1 tbsp coarse sugar, optional
- 1 tsp cinnamon, optional
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Mix the preserves with cornstarch and lemon zest. This slightly thickens the filling and helps prevent excessive leaking.
- Roll out the pastry and cut pairs of quirky witch shapes with triangular bodies, pointed hats, and small protruding arms.
- Spoon about 1 teaspoon of jam into the center of half the shapes, keeping the filling away from the edges.
- Cover with matching pastry pieces. Crimp the perimeter firmly with a fork, then carefully cut crooked eyes and smiling mouths into the upper pastry.
- Whisk the egg with water and brush over each pie. Sprinkle lightly with coarse sugar or cinnamon if desired.
- Bake for 18–24 minutes until deeply golden and crisp, allowing a little red filling to bubble naturally through the facial openings. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.