Savory Mini Sausage Pies Recipe
Dried Fruit & Sausage Mini Hand Pies
How to Make Mini Sausage Pies with Frozen Puff Pastry
These sweet and savory sausage hand pies are irresistibly comforting! Not only are they an adorable hand-held appetizer, but they’re also loaded with incredible flavors. Umami goodness from the sausage, sweet and chewy dried fruits, fragrant fresh herbs—all baked inside of warm, flaky pastry crust. Learn how to make mini sausage pies with frozen puff pastry.
Whether you’re hosting a party or entertaining family at home, these mini hand pies are sure to be a crowd favorite! Seriously, the first time I made these, all of my guests wanted seconds (and thirds). It’s hard to beat anything with puff pastry, but the balance of savoriness and sweetness in the filling is a dynamite combination.
Plus, unlike baking pies from scratch, these mini sausage pies are amazingly simple to prepare. With the help of frozen puff pastry sheets and muffin tins, you can form, fill, and bake your mini hand pies in just over an hour. If you’re feeding a larger group, I strongly recommend making multiple batches of the recipe!
Why are they called hand pies?
Unlike dessert pies or pot pies, hand pies are typically picked up and eaten with one’s hands. Also known as meat pies or pasties, hand pies were popularized in 19th-century England as a lunch for Cornish tin miners. These mini sausage hand pies are similar in concept to traditional hand pies, but with a few tweaks to make them easier to bake at home.
Savory Mini Sausage Pies Ingredients
Frozen Puff Pastry, thawed
Ground Pork Sausage
Green Onions
Dried Fruits: Dates, Prunes & Cherries
Fresh Sage
Black Pepper
Nutmeg
Egg
Substitution Notes
- Puff Pastry: This ingredient is essential to making these mini sausage pies at home! Rather than making a crust from scratch, using thawed puff pastry sheets simplifies the process so it’s quicker and doable for anyone.
- Sausage: You can use Italian, sweet, or even breakfast sausage—or use a different ground meat like turkey, beef, or chicken if preferred! (For a vegan option, try a ground meatless alternative.)
- Green Onion: These add nice flavor and freshness, but you’re welcome to use yellow onion or omit them altogether.
- Dried Fruits: Personally, I think the dried fruit takes these mini sausage hand pies to a new level of deliciousness! I used Sunsweet’s pitted dates, prunes, and dried cherries, but you can use any variety of dried fruits that you like.
- Sage: Fresh herbs add some irresistible comfort to this recipe! As an alternative to sage, you could also try rosemary or thyme.
- Seasonings: Use any seasonings you enjoy! I added nutmeg for some holiday flair, but feel free to omit. Just keep in mind, you likely don’t need to add any salt if your ground sausage comes pre-seasoned. (Check the package to be sure.
- Egg: Brushed egg wash will give your mini sausage pies a deliciously crisped, golden-brown crust! I highly recommend including this if you’re able.
How to Make Mini Hand Pies with Frozen Puff Pastry
- Thaw frozen puff pastry sheets in the fridge for several hours or overnight. (Or, to speed up the process, unbox the sheets and thaw at room temperature for 60-90 minutes. Gently press on the dough every 15-20 minutes to check if it’s pliable enough to unfold.)
- Unfold each thawed pastry sheet into a large rectangle. Use a 4-inch biscuit cutter or cookie cutter to cut 10 circles from the pastry sheets. Press these circles into a greased muffin tin.
- Use a 3.5-inch biscuit or cookie cutter to cut out 10 additional circles and set aside.
- In a large bowl, mix together sausage, green onion, dried fruits, herbs, and spices.
- Scoop ¼ cup of the meat mixture into each pastry cup.
- Place smaller pastry circles on top, pressing to seal the edges of each mini sausage pie.
- Brush the tops of each mini hand pie with whisked egg, then cut slits in the top.
- Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 30-35 minutes, until golden brown. (Internal temperature should be 160°F or 70°C.)
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Mini Sausage Pies Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 packs (17.3 oz ea.) frozen puff pastry, thawed
- 1 pound ground pork sausage
- 8 stalks green onion, chopped
- ¼ cup (1.5oz) Sunsweet® Pitted Dates, chopped
- ¼ cup (1.5oz) Sunsweet® Amaz!n™ Prunes, chopped
- ¼ cup (1.5oz) Sunsweet® Dried Cherries, chopped
- 1 tsp fresh sage, chopped
- ¼ tsp ground pepper
- ⅛ tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Unfold thawed pastry sheets into a large rectangle. Use a 4-inch biscuit cutter or cookie cutter to cut 10 circles from the pastry sheet. Press the circles into a greased muffin tin.
- Use a 3.5-inch biscuit or cookie cutter to cut 10 additional circles out of another pastry sheet. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, mix ground sausage, green onion, dried fruit, herbs, and spices.
- Add ¼ cup of the meat mixture (I used an ice cream scoop) into each pastry cup.
- Place smaller pastry circles on top and press to seal the edges of each mini pie.
- Brush tops with whisked egg and cut slits in the top.
- Bake 30-35 minutes, until golden brown. (They should reach an internal temperature of 160°F or 70°C.)
- Cool 5 minutes before serving.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 5-7 days.
- Yields 10 mini sausage pies.
