Need a creative way to use up Thanksgiving leftovers? Wrap them all up in the savory hand pies! Layers of turkey, potato, stuffing and more all in a handheld, flaky pocket. Thanksgiving Leftovers Hand Pies.
This year make sure you save or come home with some Thanksgiving leftovers - like turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, cranberry sauce and gravy.
And later, when you're dreaming up ways to serve them, I suggest trying these cute hand pies. They hold all those leftovers!
Why you'll love this recipe
With these Thanksgiving Leftovers Hand Pies you get to enjoy the flavors together, layered in unexpected harmony. Tart cranberry with savory stuffing, meat and gravy, plus creamy mashed potatoes.
Not to mention the crust! This is the savory variation of my Perfect All-Butter Pie Crust. It creates a beautifully flaky pocket to hold the leftovers, with a buttery flavor and hint of spice.
The hand pies are portable and convenient. Imagine sitting down to watch football or a favorite movie with one of these in your hand!
🔪 How to make this recipe
Step 1: Make the pie crust dough and chill it
Use the full recipe for my Perfect All-Butter Pie Crust Dough, using the Savory Variation. You can make this savory dough in advance so that it's ready to go after the holiday. The dough should be divided in half, wrapped and waiting for you in the fridge.
Step 2: Get your leftovers ready
Bring your Thanksgiving leftovers to your work space with room enough to roll out the pie crust dough. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Step 3: Divide and roll out the dough
Cut each of your dough portions into 8 pieces. Wrap and refrigerate half of them: these will be the tops of your hand pies. Take the other 8 pieces and roll each piece out into a circle.
Step 4: Fill and seal each dough pocket
Layer the Thanksgiving leftovers in the middle of each dough circle. Take the remaining dough pieces from the fridge. Roll them out into circles and place them over the leftovers. Fold and crimp the edges closed. Place the hand pies on the baking sheet and chill them for 30 minutes.
Step 5: Slash and bake the pies
Take the chilled pies from the fridge and crimp the edges firmly one more time. Use a sharp knife to put a couple of slashes in the tops of the pies. Brush the pies with egg wash and sprinkle them with coarse salt. Bake them in a preheated oven for 30 minutes until they're golden brown.
Notes:
- As you fill the pies, keep the fillings away from the edges. This will make it easier to fold and crimp the pies closed.
- The gravy is layered over the mashed potatoes so that the bottom crust can brown and not get soggy from gravy seeping through.
- Swap out one of these leftovers for a favorite of yours: maybe some green beans, chopped, roasted Brussels sprouts or a spoonful of sweet potatoes. Just be sure the fillings are not too wet.
- Don't skip chilling the pockets before baking them: the rest in the fridge helps give you the best and most flaky pie crust once the pies are baked.
You have never loved your Thanksgiving leftovers as much as you will folded up in these toothsome, buttery pastry pockets.
The recipe for Thanksgiving Leftovers Hand Pies is below. And here are a few other recipes to try:
💬 What do you think of these hand pies? Add your comment below and a star rating, too.
📖 Recipe
Thanksgiving Leftovers Hand Pies
Ingredients
- 1 recipe Perfect All-Butter Pie Crust, Savory Variation
- 2 cups mashed potatoes, room temperature
- ⅓ cup turkey or chicken gravy
- 16 ounces cooked turkey, light or dark meat, room temperature
- ½ cup stuffing
- ⅓ cup cranberry sauce or cranberry jelly
- 1 egg
- Flake salt, such as Maldons (coarse salt may also be used, or a light sprinkle of table salt)
Instructions
Get the dough ready
- Have the Savory Variation of the All-Butter Pie Crust Dough waiting in your fridge. It should be divided into two wrapped portions.
- Have all of the filling ingredients ready on your work table, and lightly flour the area where you will roll out the dough. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Divide each chilled dough portion into 8 equal pieces (total of 16 pieces.) Keep 8 pieces on your work table; have the rest wrapped and waiting in the fridge.
- Roll out each portion into a 6-inch circle. (Add more flour underneath if needed to keep the dough from sticking to the work surface.)
Add the filling
- Begin layering in the filling: keep the leftovers in the center of the circle and leave the edges clear. Place 2 tablespoons of the mashed potato on each circle, and flatten the potato out.
- Top this with 2 teaspoons of the gravy. Lay 2 ounces of turkey over the top of the gravy.
- Add 1 tablespoon of stuffing on top of the turkey.
- Finally, place 2 teaspoons of cranberry sauce on top of this.
- Take the remaining 8 portions of dough out of the fridge and roll them into 6-inch circles.
- Drape one over the top of each filled dough circle.
- Pinch the edges of the top and bottom crusts together and roll them under once, twice if there is enough dough to do so. Do this all the way around on each hand pie. Crimp the edges firmly with floured fingers.
- Place the hand pies on the baking sheet and refrigerate the pies for 30 minutes.
Bake the pies
- Preheat the oven to 400° F. Move a rack in the oven to the position just below the middle.
- Remove the baking sheet with the pies from the fridge. Firmly crimp down the edges one more time with your fingers. Use a sharp knife to cut a couple small slits in the tops of the pies.
- In a small dish beat the egg with 2 tablespoons of water. Brush the pies with this egg wash and then sprinkle the flake or coarse salt over the tops.
- Bake the pies for 30 minutes until they are golden brown all over.
- Serve the pies immediately or allow them to cool a bit and then store them covered in the fridge.
- The pies can be wrapped in foil and reheated in a 300° F oven for 30 minutes.
Notes
- As you fill the pies, keep the fillings away from the edges. This will make it easier to fold and crimp the pies closed.
- The gravy is layered over the mashed potatoes so that the bottom crust can brown and not get soggy from gravy seeping through.
- Swap out one of these leftovers for a favorite of yours: maybe some green beans, chopped, roasted Brussels sprouts or a spoonful of sweet potatoes. Just be sure the fillings are not too wet.
- Don't skip chilling the pockets before baking them: the rest in the fridge helps give you the best and most flaky pie crust once the pies are baked.
Nutrition
Originally published in 2016. The recipe and post were updated 11/2020.
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