Harry Potter Pumpkin Pasties

Imagine a slice of pumpkin pie you can hold in one hand, tucked into a flaky crust. That's a pumpkin pasty, the Hogwarts Express trolley treat every Harry Potter fan has wanted to try.

My kids love binge-watching the Harry Potter series at least three times a year, and they'd been asking me to make pumpkin pasties since last fall. So when I had plenty of pumpkin puree left over from my last recipe shooting days, along with some extra pie dough, I thought, why not? I wrap dough around different fillings all the time, like these savory puff pastry pumpkin pockets with caramelized onions, so filling pie dough with pumpkin puree felt like an easy next step.

These little hand pies have a flaky, buttery crust wrapped around a soft pumpkin filling made with brown sugar and warm spices like cinnamon, ginger, and clove. A sprinkle of sugar on top gives them a slightly crisp, sparkly finish, and the lightning bolt cut into each one makes them a hit with kids.

They loved them so much that we had them as an afternoon snack three days in a row. Now, every time my son sees me gutting a pumpkin, he reminds me to save some puree for these pasties. If you still have puree left after a batch, my pumpkin s'mores cheesecake and pumpkin cookies with cream cheese frosting are both good ways to use it up.

Ingredients

Make sure you're using plain pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling. Pie filling is already sweetened and spiced, so with the brown sugar and spices here, it would end up too sweet. If your puree looks wet or watery, blot it with a paper towel before mixing so the filling doesn't make the dough soggy.

For the spices, cinnamon, ginger, clove, and nutmeg give the filling that classic pumpkin pie flavor. If you only have pumpkin pie spice, use 1¼ teaspoons in place of all four. Refrigerated pie dough keeps this quick, but homemade pie dough works just as well if you have some left over.

See the recipe card for exact quantities.

How to Make Harry Potter Pumpkin Pasties?

These pumpkin pasties come together by filling pie dough circles with spiced pumpkin, sealing the edges, and baking until golden. Keeping the filling away from the edges helps the pasties stay closed while they bake.

Preheat the oven

Preheat the oven to 450°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside.

Make the pumpkin filling

In a medium bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, clove, and nutmeg until smooth.

• The filling should be thick enough to hold its shape on a spoon. If it's loose, it's more likely to leak out of the seams while baking.

Cut out the dough circles

Unroll the refrigerated pie dough and use a cup or glass bowl to cut out circles.

• If the dough cracks when you unroll it, let it sit at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes until it's flexible.

Fill and seal the pasties

Scoop a heaping tablespoon of filling into the center of each circle. Fold the dough over and press the edges closed with a fork.

• Keep the filling away from the edges. Any filling caught in the seam will stop the dough from sealing.
• If the edges won't stick, dab them with a little water before crimping.

Cut the lightning bolt

Use a sharp knife to cut a lightning bolt into the top of each pasty, or cut a simple vent.

• Make sure the cut goes all the way through the top layer of dough. Steam needs somewhere to escape, or it will push filling out through the sides.

Add the egg wash and sugar

Whisk the egg with 1 teaspoon of water in a small bowl. Brush it over the tops of the pasties and sprinkle with granulated sugar.

• Brush lightly. Egg wash that drips onto the parchment can burn quickly at such a high oven temperature.

Bake

Bake for 5 to 6 minutes, until the tops are golden brown.

• Lift one pasty to check the bottom. It should be lightly golden, not pale and doughy.

Storage

Store leftover pumpkin pasties in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days. The filling is perishable, so let them cool completely and refrigerate them within 2 hours of baking rather than leaving them out on the counter.

The crust softens in the fridge. To crisp it back up, reheat the pasties in a 350°F oven for about 5 minutes. The microwave works if you're in a hurry, but the crust will stay soft. For longer storage, freeze the baked and cooled pasties in a single layer, then transfer them to a freezer bag for up to 2 months. Thaw them in the fridge overnight and reheat in the oven.