These were made in under an hour, all while entertaining a very fussy 3-month old. Entertaining means: dancing, singing, narrating, lifting, twirling, kissing. We even stopped mid-way to nurse. Have I told you how much I nurse this child? I don’t keep track but we’re on the couch at least every hour and a half. This means that at the end of a baking session, my kitchen is a colossal disaster. Gone are the days when I could clean up as I went…instead, every moment when my hand isn’t at work on a batter or a dough, I’m cradling and cuddling. I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Luckily, Ryan is a champ in the kitchen too. He has cleaned up my messes in more ways than one, and I’m particularly thankful for his appearance when I set the timer on the oven and I survey the mess I’ve just created. I take the baby to nurse, yet again, and he starts scrubbing. By the time the pies or the muffins or the cookies are ready to leave the oven, I have a clean kitchen again. What a man I’ve got!
We’re having friends over for dinner tonight, which means I’ll spend ample time in the kitchen with Lucy today. We’ll dance while we whisk. We’ll sing while I chop. And we’ll nurse. We’ll nurse. We’ll nurse. Sweet Ryan will probably come through and clean up our mess at least three times before all the components of our dinner are finished. His reward will be kisses from me, smiles from Lucy, and hopefully a very good meal.
These Pumpkin Walnut Hand Pies will be the final course. I almost bought pre-made pie dough at the grocery store (consider the mess, I thought!) but then I looked at the ingredient list. Yuck. Thankfully, I’ve made pie dough enough times that it feels like second nature. And you simply can’t beat pie dough made from scratch. All that butter…
These came together beautifully, and I love how you can hold a pie in your hand. The walnut crumble adds a unique layer of crunch and sweetness to this classic fall dessert. I baked the walnut crumb separately and then sprinkled it on the pie. By baking it on a cookie sheet, I guaranteed that my topping would be evenly browned and crunchy. It’s worth trying, friends!
Pumpkin Walnut Hand Pies
1 disc pie dough
1 can pumpkin
12 oz half and half
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 eggs, lightly beaten.
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 TBSP butter, chilled and cut into small cubes
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
On a lightly floured surface, roll out disc of pie dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut out 8 5 1/2-inch-round circles, gently re-rolling scraps as necessary. Gently but firmly press each dough circle into a standard muffin cup. Crimp edges as desired. Place muffins pan in freezer for at least 30 minutes before filling.
Meanwhile, preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. In a small bowl, whisk together sugar, salt, and cinnamon. In a large bowl, whisk pumpkin with sugar-spice mixture. Stir in eggs and half and half. Whisk until well combined. Fill each individual pie with pumpkin mixture, leaving about a 1/4 inch of pie dough exposed. Place pan in oven and bake for ten minutes.
While baking, combine flour, brown sugar, and butter in a medium bowl. Using a pastry cutter or two forks, work the butter into the brown sugar and flour. Stir in walnuts. Spread mixture on baking sheet.
Leaving muffin pan in oven, reduce the temperature to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Continue baking for 30 minutes, or until pumpkin mixture has set. Bake crumb mixture for about ten minutes, or until just golden. Remove both pans from oven and allow to cool before removing. Sprinkle each pie with walnut crumb mixture.
Monet, lovely hand pies – I always enjoy all your hand pie recipes and this one looks particularly cute and delicious! It has all those lovely autumnal ingredients that we all love so much! Thanks for posting this wonderful recipe and many hugs and kisses for little charming Lucy!
You are a trooper!! 🙂 Such a beautiful dessert for your friends. 🙂 I’m so glad you have such a good man who helps out. Mine does the same and I treasure him for it. 🙂
These look delicious and like the perfect Fall dessert! Thank you for sharing! Your pictures look perfect!
I love these hand pies you’ve been making! And, of course, your crust is so much better than anything you could buy in a store 🙂 You and Ryan are quite a team in the kitchen! You kitchen must be the sunniest, happiest room in the house, with singing and dancing (and nursing, of course 😉 ).
I hope you three are having a wonderful week!
Usually tarts take so long to make, but I love how quickly these come together! Plus pumpkin hand pies sounds awesome.
These are so cute and look delicious! At least you have a reason for your kitchen to be a disaster after a cooking session 🙂 mine always is and I only have myself and the cat to look after 🙂
These are soooo adorable! I can’t wait to try making them. I love the flavors of fall 🙂
What a lovely blog you have! These handpies look delicious…it still seems a bit early for fall flavors in Houston (it’s just too warm), but that time will come soon and these may need to be made!
These look delicious and I’m amazed at your ability to bake with a 3 month old!!
I LOVE personal-sized desserts! And pumpkin + walnut = gloooory alleluia! Have a wonderful time with your friends!
omg a man to clean up after me in the kitchen…
I need to get Michael in gear ;P lol
Excellent recipies….now Im hungry and off to the kitchen,
Oh I remember those nursing days! I am surprised that I accomplished anything during that time!
These are perfect little pies! So cute to finish off dinner. Btw, if you do ever want to buy a premade dough without the yuck, try Immaculate Baking. I haven’t tried them because like you I like to make my own, but they are all natural, might work in a pitch for your busy days.
Nazneen
I promise those days of endless nursing are nearing their end! I think the first 3 months are the worst with that!
Ooh, a nutty crumble on a rich & creamy pumpkin pie sounds like such a great contrast! I can’t believe it’s actually almost time for full-on pumpkin season. But I also can’t wait for pie!:)
Divine looking hand pies! A wonderfully autumnal treat.
Cheers,
Rosa
these are super cute, monet! the little crumble on top is perfection.
I made mini pumpkin pies last year and topped them with homemade marshmallow. These are reminding me how good they were, and I need to try them with that crumb topping.
Super hand pies! Great stuff. And you’re lucky you have willing kitchen help. Things are always easier when there are two of you working together, don’t they? And soon (well, in a few years!) Lucy can help too! 😉 Fun post – thanks.
What a fun walnut dessert!
Hi Monet ! Its so nice to meet you! And, congrats on your little girl Lucy- ohhh how precious! I had 4 kids and nursed each one for 6 months- and loved every minute! I remember those days, so treasure each moment because it goes by so quickly. Where do you live in Colorado? I love visiting Denver and Vail. These mini walnut and pumkin cakes sound amazing! I love all the ingredients in them, and they are perfect for entertaining guests. Thanks for sharing!
Hello! We live in Colorado Springs…but we met in Denver. We visit there often. Thank you for the sweet comment!
Oh, these look fabulous! I remember when my twins were tiny-and though i couldn’t nurse, it did take a long time and it felt like I was forever feeding them. One day I decided to make a pizza and i swear it took me all day just to get the toppings ready. But it goes by way to fast…So enjoy it!
I love mini desserts. These must have made a wonderful final course!
You both are champs! I love a husband-wife team effort in the kitchen. I think it’s one of many ways that makes a marriage stronger — sharing responsibilities, understanding and being supportive of one another 🙂
I love your hand pies and this is no exception!!
I’m sure your guests appreciated this homemade dessert!
I made my first pumpkin baked good last week. And now I wan t to make these irresistible hand pies!!
Hi Monet,
Your hand pies looks so delicious! And you are simply amazing, cooking for a get-together, with a baby to take care of!
Ryan is simply wonderful!
I’m sure the dinner turned out delicious!
You’re right – nothing beats homemade pie dough!! It really does make all the difference. These look SO awesome! I love all the fall flavors your brought together in these hand pies.
Sounds like a delicious fall treat, I am beginning to see lots of fall recipes in blogs:) Your guests will enjoy themselves for sure:D
Gorgeous hand pies, Monet. The browned crunchy topping looks particularly tempting.
These look so yummy, I might have to try and make them but I am not the best cook in the world! Hope you had a lovely dinner with friends 🙂
Aww Ryan is so sweet!! And so is the image of you and Lucy dancing and singing around the kitchen.
I’m amazed at how much you manage to get done! These hand pies are gorgeous!!
it sounds like your three are working things out wonderfully. Time really does fly and soon enough you will have her standing there next to you joining in on all the fun. Glad things are going so well for you. These hand pies look delightful and I can’t wait for a little cooler weather here to enjoy such treats.
-Gina-
These are super cute and bite-sized. Would love to make these for the fall weather!
I remember those days of trying to cook yet also having to do a thousand things with a baby who would be on my hip as I stirred the pot and the mess would be piling up all around me. Good on you for having people over for dinner. I remember that being quite difficult for me to manage as my standards pre-children were so high and I liked everything to be ‘just-so’ and it took a while for me to realise that those days were over and my entertaining now had to be a lot more casual – and there’s nothing wrong with that! Gorgeous looking individual pies xx
Oh…you remind me of the good old days when I still nurse my babies. Those the the wonderful bonding time we had….undisturbed. 🙂 And I love your Pumpkin Walnut Hand Pies! So adorable and I love how easy these are, even can take a break before continue baking? That’s a plus for busy moms!
Monet these pies look amazing!! and your baby is so sweet!!!
Monet,
Your Pumpkin Hand Pies are the perfect ending to a Fall dinner. I can’t believe that you are entertaining already. Great that you have a kitchen helper. Lucy will be helping you sooner than you think:)
I totally understand how busy a baby can keep you… You are amazing as you can manage to cook/bake and still blog while looking after Lucy.
I can hardly wait to make this!!!
Monet, your words are pure poetry. I always feel like I’m transported into your kitchen and your home when I’m reading your posts. Way to go, Ryan! He is definitely a keeper. I wish I had someone to step into my kitchen after I’m done to clean up my mess, lol. These pies are perfection. I adore pumpkin pie and even though I just made (and devoured) one a few weeks ago, I see these adorable hand pies in my future!