What are pumpkin pasties? Famous treats from Harry Potter’s Wizarding World! I always wondered what these pastries were when the students began ordering them on the Hogwarts Express – turns out, they are small hand pies! If you didn’t know, the term “pasty” is the British term for a pastry.
These pumpkin pasties are a great Halloween treat that only use a handful of ingredients and spices. And they aren’t too hard to make! If you have ever made empanadas, then these will be pretty similar.
What you need to make pumpkin pasties
- A rolling pin – to get our puff pastry nice and thin!
- Parchment paper – very essential to keep our pasties from sticking to the pan
- A pastry brush – this is the easiest way to egg wash your pasties.
- A half-sized baking sheet – here’s my favorite one from Willams Sonoma.
Tips on making the best pumpkin pasties
The filling is VERY easy. In a bowl, just mix together some pumpkin purée (NOT pumpkin pie filling) with spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, all spice and clove. Then we add some honey, brown sugar and vanilla extract and it’s ready!
How to work with puff pastry
This is important: your puff pastry needs to be chilled when you are working with it. I typically leave my puff pastry in the freezer, and then I move it to the refrigerator the morning before I make these treats. Remove the puff pastry from the fridge just after the filling has been made and you are ready to work with it.
Why? If it is too soft, it will become a MESS to cut and your pasties may turn into blobs. So, colder is better. Be sure to roll out your puff pastry until it is about 1/4th inch thick. You will use two sheets – I use Pepperidge Farm brand.
How to cut out perfect circles
I used a big cup or mug to cut out circles that are about 4-5 inches in diameter. Or, you could use a large cookie cutter or something else round to help you cut them out. Once you make as many cutouts as you can, you will have to take the dough, ball it together, re-roll it out, and then cut out more circles!
Don’t use too much filling!
It’s tempting to stuff these with pumpkin but they will split and leak in the oven if the pasties are too full. You only need about a tablespoon’s worth to get the job done!
Don’t leave out the egg wash
Puff pastry is already a bit sticky and malleable, but the egg wash works as a glue to keep the pasties closed. To ensure a safe seal, brush a good amount around the perimeter of the pastry round before folding it over and pinching the seams shut. Then you can crimp it with a fork all the way around like you would a pie, pierogi, etc.
Prepping the pasties for the oven
- Chill them in the freezer: the best way to keep them in their shape is to freeze them before baking. 10 minutes is enough!
- Add more egg wash – to achieve a golden, crispy appearance, paint on more egg wash all over the pasty.
- Add 2 slits to ventilate – cut a couple slits in the top so that the pasties don’t explode in the oven!
- Sprinkle on more sugar – for a touch of extra sweetness on top.
Then just bake for 10-12 minutes until they look golden brown! Dust with powdered sugar and cinnamon if desired.
How to store your pumpkin pasties
Put your pasties in air tight container and move to the fridge after one day. These are moist so THEY WILL MOLD if you do not consume them within 48 hours. Keep them in the fridge to keep them fresh for a few more days.
If you liked these Harry Potter Pumpkin Pasties, here are a few other recipes you might like:
- Slow Cooked Beef, Goat Cheese and Red Pepper Empanadas
- Giant Caramel-Drizzled Pumpkin Cookies
- Apple Butter Cookies with Maple Cream Frosting
- Easy Apple Maple Spice Muffins
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Harry Potter Pumpkin Pasties
Equipment
- parchment paper
- pastry brush
- Baking sheets
- Rolling Pin
Ingredients
- 1 cup pumpkin purèe
- 3 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 2 tsp all spice
- ½ tsp nutmeg
- ½ tsp clove
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 17 ounces puff pastry about 2 sheets, cold
- 1 egg
- granulated sugar for sprinkling
- powdered sugar + cinnamon for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a bowl, mix together the pumpkin purée, honey, brown sugar, spices and vanilla extract. Set aside.1 cup pumpkin purèe, 3 tbsp honey, 2 tbsp brown sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon, 2 tsp all spice, ½ tsp nutmeg, ½ tsp clove, 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Roll out the puff pasty until it is about a ¼ of an inch thick. Using a mug or large cup as a guide, cut out round circles that are about 3-4 inches across in diameter.17 ounces puff pastry
- Add a small spoonful (about a hefty teaspoon) of filling to the center of each pastry round.
- Crack an egg in a small bowl and beat it lightly with a fork to use as an egg wash. Take a pastry brush and brush a small amount of the egg wash around the perimeter of each pastry round. While they are still wet, close the pasty in half and use your fingers to pinch together the edges. Crimp the edges with a fork.
- Space the pasties evenly apart on the baking sheet and place them in the freezer to chill for 10 minutes.
- Remove from the freezer and brush each pasty with egg wash, covering the surface of each pasty evenly and then sprinkle each pasty with a pinch of granulated sugar. Slice two even slits into the top of each pasty.1 egg, granulated sugar
- Bake in the oven for about 10-12 minutes until they look golden and puffed up. Remove and let cool. Dust with powdered sugar and cinnamon if desired.powdered sugar + cinnamon
