Make These Scrumptious Little Pies in Four Easy Steps!

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When I was in Junior High—in Clearfield, Utah—there was a little grocery store down on the corner from the school. Since we had to wait for the bus, we traipsed over to the store most afternoons to buy their goodies. For me, it was ice cream sandwiches and little Hostess fruit filled pies, one or the other, (well, maybe sometimes both).

Now you can make your own. The secret is the press. Use it to cut the dough (we use an easy just-add-water pie crust mix), fill the pie, and seal the edges. You can make a bunch in a hurry. Put them in the oven. Glaze them while they’re still warm with a powdered sugar icing. (I usually add a bit of lemon.)

Here’s the free press. It’s called a large dough press but it’s really not that large. Your pies will be very close to Hostess size, about seven inches.

You can also use the press for hot pockets sandwiches and calzones. Instead of pie crust dough, use pizza dough.

Large Dough Press! Free! Reg. $7.49 Limit 1.  Expires 7/13/2016

Make little pies, calzones, and pocket sandwiches and more.

Get the free press. Make the treats!

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How to Make Them

You’re minutes away from scrumptious little Hostess®-type pies.  You can make a batch in 15 minutes plus baking time—berry pies, chocolate pies, lemon pies, apple pies, and even raspberry cream pies.

You’ll need three things and then these little pies are a snap:

The dough press

A pie crust mix

Fillings (You can use pie fillings, pastry fillings, or fresh fruit.)

Step 1—Roll and cut the dough:  Use your dough press to cut the dough into six-inch circles

Step 2—Add the filling:  For the filling, use either a fruit filling—a commercially canned one works fine—or pudding for a cream filling.  We used Jell-O® brand pudding mixes in both instant and cooked varieties.   Both worked. The pudding cooked pudding is less likely to leak during baking if you cool it for an hour before using it.

You can make lemon turnovers, banana cream turnovers, and chocolate turnovers as well as fruit-filled turnovers.

Place a dough circle on the dough press.  The dough will follow the bowl-shaped contour of the press.  Place 1/4 cup filling in the formed bowl. Using the dough press, fold the dough over to make a turnover and press firmly to seal.

Step 3—Bake the pies:  Place the turnovers on a lightly greased baking sheet and bake in your preheated oven at 375 degrees for 15 minutes or until lightly golden.

Step 4—Glaze the pies:  Make a glaze from powdered sugar and water.  One cup powdered sugar is about right for this size recipe.  Add enough water, about 1 1/2 tablespoons, to reach drizzling consistency and brush the glaze on the tops of the turnovers while still warm.

Peaches and Cream Little Pie Recipe

I love fresh peaches and peach pie so I’m very partial to this pie recipe.  We could have added cinnamon and a little nutmeg to the recipe but if you have good peaches, you don’t need to.

2 cups just-add-water pie crust mix for six turnovers
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoons cold water
1 1/2 cups fresh peaches, peeled and diced
1/2 cup Bavarian cream filling 
2 tablespoons granulated sugar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

1. Mix the pie crust mix and water.  Roll out the pie crust until it is just less than 1/4-inch thick.
2. Use a dough press to cut out six circles for the little pies.
3. Mix the sugar and the Bavarian cream together.  Add the peach dices and fold in.
4. Place the circles in the press one at a time.  Scoop about 1/3 cup filling into the center.  Brush the edges with water and fold and crimp with press.  Place the completed pie on the baking sheet.  Repeat with the remaining five dough circles.  Poke four sets of vent holes in each pie to allow steam to escape as the pies bake.
5. Bake for about 16 minutes or the pies begin to brown.  Remove to a wire rack to cool.

For the icing:

You may use whatever flavor you prefer: vanilla, brown sugar caramel, orange, lemon, butter rum, butterscotch, or more.   For these pies, we used brown sugar flavor.

Make your icing by mixing 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar with 2 to 3 tablespoons water and 1/2 teaspoon flavor.   Mix until smooth and spreadable adding more water as necessary.  Do not make the frosting too thin.  Drizzle the frosting over the completed apple pies using a disposable pastry bag or a zipper-type plastic bag with the corner cut.

About the Author

Dennis Weaver has burned food from Point Barrow, Alaska, to Miami, Florida. He and his wife Merri Ann are the founders of The Prepared Pantry in Rigby, Idaho and he is the author of How to Bake: The Art and Science of Baking available as an E-book.

Dennis and Merri Ann live in Rigby, Idaho. They have five wonderful children and six beautiful granddaughters.