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sweet potato pocket pies.
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4.84 from 6 votes

Mini Sweet Potato Pocket Pies With Premade Pie Crust

Try baking sweet potato hand pies (also called pocket pies) for pie with a mini, handheld twist. These pie turnovers are filled with fresh sweet potato and chai spices, all surrounded by a flaky pie dough topped with turbinado sugar.
Prep Time45 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time1 hour 5 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 20 pocket pies
Calories: 327kcal
Author: Jessica Mode

Ingredients

Chai Spices

Pocket Pies

Instructions

Chai Spices

  • Mix ground cinnamon, ginger, allspice, cardamom, cloves, and nutmeg together to create a homemade chai spice mixture. Set aside.

Pocket Pies

  • Heat oven to 350°F (175°C).
  • Pierce sweet potatoes in several spots with a fork to allow steam to release as the potatoes cook. Place potatoes on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Bake for one hour until sweet potatoes are tender enough to be pierced all the way through with a knife. Allow sweet potatoes to cool to the touch, about 30 minutes. Alternatively, cook pierced sweet potatoes in the microwave on high power level (100 percent) for 10 - 15 minutes, flipping halfway through the cooking process.
  • Peel the skin of the sweet potatoes, and chop the flesh into large cubes. Place sweet potato cubes, evaporated milk, and butter in a high-powered food processor or blender. Cover and blend on high speed until the mixture is a smooth consistency. Stop food processor occasionally to scrape sides. Add brown sugar, vanilla extract, 1 ½ teaspoons chai spice, and sea salt to the food processor. Blend on high speed just until combined.
  • Increase oven heat to 400°F (205°C).
  • Roll out one 9 inch refrigerated pie crust (keep the other crusts in the refrigerator) onto a clean work surface. Use a 3.5 inch circle cutter to cut 6 - 7 circles from the pie crust. Collect the remaining pie crust scraps and re-roll to ⅛ inch thick. Cut an additional 3 - 4 circles. If you find the dough is sticking to the work surface or cracking when rolled out, you can add a small amount (1 teaspoon) of flour to the counter, pie crust, or rolling pin to assist you in this process. Don’t add too much flour, or you will ruin the dough texture.
  • Cut two slits on top of half of the pie crust circles using a sharp knife. These will become the top crusts. With the remaining 5 pie crust circles, add 2 tablespoons of sweet potato filling to the center. Lay the top crusts over the sweet potato filled crusts. Seal the edges by crimping with the tongs of a fork.
  • Arrange the pocket pies 2 inches apart on a parchment lined baking sheet. Store in the freezer while assembling the remaining pies. Repeat the assembly process with the remaining 3 pie crusts.
  • Beat egg with 1 tablespoon of water in a small bowl to create an egg wash. Remove the pocket pies from the freezer. Thoroughly brush the top of each pie crust with the egg wash mixture using a pastry brush.
  • Mix turbinado sugar with the remaining 2 ½ teaspoons of chai spice. Sprinkle chai sugar mixture on top of each pie. Be sure to keep the sugar mixture in the middle of the pocket pies. The sugar on the edges will burn.
  • Bake for 17 - 20 minutes until the pie crust has turned golden brown. Transfer pies to a cooling rack until they’ve cooled to the touch. Serve warm or at room temperature.
  • Store leftover pies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Video

Notes

Make Ahead: Prepare the pocket pies ahead of time and freeze on a parchment lined baking sheet. Cover and store in the freezer until you're ready to bake. Once you're ready to bake, brush the tops of the pies with egg wash and sprinkle with chai sugar mixture. Then, bake as directed in the recipe.

Nutrition

Calories: 327kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 17mg | Sodium: 238mg | Potassium: 225mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 6509IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 42mg | Iron: 2mg