Cute & Savory Frankenstein Veggie Hand Pies Recipe

Halloween is one of those holidays that not only allows for craftiness in the kitchen, but actively encourages it — explaining why ghoul-shaped cookies and pumpkin-flavored treats become all the rage in October. Of course, if you want to get extra creative, you might venture to make something truly spooktacular, and these cute and savory Frankenstein veggie hand pies certainly check the creativity box. As recipe developer Patterson Watkins says, "Not only are these little savory hand pies tasty, but they are cute as all get-out!"

While the pumpkin and curry powder-infused filling is something to get excited about, it's the homemade flaky crust that really makes these hand pies such a special treat. "I like the super flaky and super flavorful combination you can achieve by using both butter and shortening," Watkins says of her "super secret, special baking hack," though the addition of an egg in the pastry dough is also a unique inclusion. As Watkins explains, "This protein addition gives the dough a little more stretch and give," which will ultimately make it easier to shape your little Frankensteins. 

For the hand pie crust, you'll need all-purpose flour, salt, chilled shortening, chilled butter, cold water, eggs (1 in the dough and 1 as a wash), and both green and brown food coloring to get the full Frankenstein effect. Using a gel-based food coloring yields "the best and most colorful results," Watkins notes.

As for the veggie filling, you'll need more butter, a diced yellow onion, garlic, ginger, a diced green chili (which is optional), curry powder, canned diced tomatoes, peas, baby spinach, pumpkin puree, salt, and pepper. 

Make the dough: Place flour, salt, shortening, and butter in a large bowl.

Using a pastry cutter or fork, cut the shortening and butter into the flour, creating a shaggy, crumbly mixture.

Add the water and 1 egg to the bowl. Using your hands, combine with the crumbly mixture until a rough dough forms.

Divide the dough into 3 bowls: Place about ¾ into the first, ¼ into the second, and a hearty pinch from the larger portion into the third.

Color the larger portion with green food coloring and the ¼ portion with brown food coloring. Leave the smaller dough portion uncolored.

Using a fork, mix the dough to distribute the food coloring.

Wrap the portions in plastic and place in the refrigerator. Chill for 30 minutes.

To start the filling, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat.

Once melted, add the onion, garlic, ginger, and chili pepper to the skillet and saute for 3 minutes or until tender-crisp.

Add the curry powder to the skillet. Stir to combine and continue to cook for 1 minute more.

Add the diced tomatoes to the skillet. Stir to combine and cook for 1-2 minutes or until the tomatoes are hot.

Once hot, add the peas and spinach, stir to combine, and cook until the spinach has wilted, about 2-3 minutes.

Add the pumpkin to the skillet, stir to combine, and cook for 5 minutes or until hot, stirring frequently. Season with salt and pepper. Remove filling from the heat and set aside to cool.

On a floured surface, roll out the green dough until thin. 

Using a rectangular cardboard cutout as a guide, cut the dough into 12 even rectangles.

Place the portioned dough on a parchment-lined baking sheet, wrap, and place in the refrigerator until ready to use.

On a floured surface, roll out the brown dough until thin.

Using a saw-shaped cardboard cutout as a guide, cut the brown dough into 6 saw-like shapes that are slightly wider than the width of the green dough rectangles. Using a small circular cutout as a guide, cut the remaining brown dough into 12 small circles. Place both the saw shapes and the small circles on a parchment-lined baking sheet, wrap, and refrigerate until ready to use.

Pinch small pieces off the uncolored dough portion and roll into balls. You'll need 12 little balls and 12 slightly larger balls. Place on a plate, wrap, and refrigerate until ready to use.

Remove 6 of the green rectangles from the baking sheet and set aside (these will be the tops of the hand pies). Evenly space out the remaining rectangles on the baking sheet and spoon ⅓ cup filling into the center of each rectangle, leaving ½ inch of space around the edges.

Place the remaining egg in a small bowl and whisk. Brush the edges of the bottom dough rectangles with the egg wash and top with the remaining rectangles.

Using a fork, dock the edges of the hand pies, sealing the filling inside.

Brush one side of the saw-shaped, brown dough portions with the egg wash and place on the top edge of the hand pies (this will be the hair of the Frankenstein pies). Gently press to adhere.

Dip or brush the small brown circles with egg wash and place 2 onto each hand pie underneath the hair (these will be the eyes).

If necessary, dip the smaller uncolored circles in egg wash. Place these on top of the brown circles, gently pressing to adhere, to complete the eyes.

Score 1 side of the larger uncolored circles with a fork. Brush the hand pies with a little bit of egg wash in the location where you want to place these "bolts," and gently press to adhere. Cover the baking sheet with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator. Cool for 30 minutes while you preheat the oven to 350 F.

Place the hand pies in the oven and bake for 25-35 minutes or until the crust is crisp and the filling is piping hot. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool slightly before serving.

Due to their adorable yet creepy nature, there's of course no better occasion to serve these hand pies than spooky season. As Watkins says, "I am definitely baking up a batch of these for the next Halloween party!" If you're hosting a fun family gathering or even a more refined, adult-targeted one, you can't go wrong with these crafty little cuties.

Another big perk to these hand pies is that they're savory, which is somewhat unusual for a Halloween treat. Amid an assortment of spider cupcakes and ghost brownies, you can supply eager party-goers with a much-needed break from the holiday's obligatory sugar fixes. "It's nice to mix it up with a savory fun-size treat," Watkins says of these hand pies, adding, "They're a little larger than palm-size, making them a hearty appetizer and certainly a nice addition to a spooky tablescape."

While you don't want to steer too far from the classic and cute Frankenstein design of these hand pies, there is plenty of room for creativity, especially if you want to get the kids involved. To put your own spin on the design, "add some stitches, switch up the hairstyles, add some character/expression to the eyes," Watkins suggests. "There's plenty of dough to play with and have fun!"

If you plan to follow Watkins' Frankenstein design to a T, then perhaps you might be more inclined to switch up the filling. "If you're not a fan of chili pepper heat, feel free to omit those from this recipe," Watkins says in regard to the green chili on the ingredients list. And while pumpkin certainly adds a fall flair to the filling, Watkins also notes that "you could also swap out the pumpkin for mashed sweet potatoes."