Apple Hand Pies

Using a vegetable peeler, peel the apples. Core the apples and dice them into cubes that are 1/2-inch or smaller. Set aside.

In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the diced apples, brown sugar, salt, apple pie spice, cinnamon, and cardamom. Stir everything together well. Sauté the mixture until the apples are slightly softened and the sugar is dissolved, about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk the cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of water in a small bowl. Add the cornstarch slurry to the apple mixture, stirring constantly.

Cook the mixture until the filling is thickened and jammy. Remove the pan from the heat and add the vanilla extract. Cool completely.

While the apple mixture is cooling, preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C) and line 2 sheet pans with parchment paper. Set aside.

Roll the pie dough until it's 1/8-inch thick. Using a 4-inch round cookie cutter, cut out as many circles in the pie dough as you can. Gather & re-roll the pie dough scraps as needed until you have about 28 circles.

Place half of the pie dough circles on the prepared sheet pans, spacing them at least 2-inches apart. These will be the bottom crusts. In the center of the bottom crusts, add about 1 heaping tablespoon of apple pie filling.

Cover the bottom crusts with the remaining pie dough circles (the top crusts). Use your fingers to press the edges of the bottom & top crusts together until they're completely sealed. Then, use the tines of a fork to crimp the edges of the hand pies for decoration. Using a sharp knife, cut an X on top of each pie. This will be a vent for any steam to escape while the hand pies bake.

Refrigerate the pies for 10-20 minutes, until they're chilled. Meanwhile, whisk the egg with 1 tablespoon of water to make egg wash. Brush the chilled hand pies with the egg wash and sprinkle each pie with about 1 teaspoon of raw sugar.

Bake the pies for 20-25 minutes until the filling is bubbly and the crust is deep golden-brown. Let the pies cool on the sheet pans for about 5 minutes. Then, transfer the pies to a wire rack to cool for at least 10-15 more minutes before serving or cool completely before storing.