Apple-Cinnamon-Raisin Hand Pies

There’s nothing more American than apple pie. And now you can have a Blue Zones–approved version in the form of these portable pies wrapped in a flaky crust and filled with warm and comforting apple and cinnamon.

By Dan Buettner | Experience Life

Makes 4 pies
Prep Time
Cook Time 30 minutes, plus 1 hour chill time

Ingredients

Crust

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
½ cup fine semolina flour
4 oz. coconut oil, frozen and cut into chunks
Pinch of salt
¼ cup ice water

Filling

1 large pie apple, finely diced
2 tbs. raisins
½ tsp. cornstarch
2 tbs. maple syrup, plus 2 tbs. to finish
¼ tsp. cinnamon

Directions

STEP 1

To make the crust, put the flours, coconut oil, and salt in a food processor and pulse until the oil is broken up, with the largest pieces of coconut-oil chunks no bigger than a pea.

STEP 2

Add the water and pulse again until the dough starts to come together. Don’t overwork it or it will get tough. Turn the dough out onto your work surface, gather it into a ball, and wrap it tightly. Rest it in the fridge for at least an hour or up to overnight. (You can make the crust ahead of time and keep it tightly wrapped in the fridge overnight or in the freezer for up to a month.)

STEP 3

To make the filling, toss all the filling ingredients (except the maple syrup for finishing) in a bowl until combined.

STEP 4

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F.

STEP 5

To make the hand pies, let the dough come to room temperature. Lightly flour your work surface and roll the dough out into a sheet about ⅛-inch thick. Use a knife to trim ragged edges, then use the trimmed pieces to press and fill any holes so that you end up with a rectangle about 12 inches wide and 16 inches long.

STEP 6

Cut the sheet of dough into rectangular quarters. Place a quarter of the filling on one half of each piece of dough, leaving ½ inch around the edges. Fold the empty half of the dough over the filling, line up the edges, and press down gently all the way around. Use a fork to poke the top of each pie, and then press down with the fork to seal the three joined edges of the crust.

STEP 7

Brush the tops of the pies with the remaining maple syrup and bake for 30 minutes.

STEP 8

Let cool 10–15 minutes before serving.

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Dan Buettner

Dan Buettner is the founder of the Blue Zones, a National Geographic fellow and explorer, and the author of the No. 1 New York Times bestseller The Blue Zones Kitchen: 100 Recipes to Live to 100, as well as the other national bestsellers The Blue Zones: Lessons for Living Longer From the People Who’ve Lived the Longest, Thrive: Finding Happiness the Blue Zones Way, The Blue Zones Solution: Eating and Living Like the World’s Healthiest People, and The Blue Zones of Happiness. His research led to the establishment of the Blue Zones Project, which currently is working to transform 51 communities in the North America.