These Pumpkin Pizza Hand Pies turn classic pepperoni pizza into festive, pumpkin-shaped pockets filled with warm marinara sauce, melted mozzarella, and savory Italian seasonings. A few simple cuts in the dough create the look of little pumpkins, making them perfect for fall and Halloween.
They’re ideal for Halloween parties, fall gatherings, game day, after-school snacks, family movie nights, or whenever you need a fun handheld meal that children and adults will enjoy.
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Bake Time: 15–18 minutes
Total Time: Approximately 45 minutes
Servings: 8 hand pies
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Fun pumpkin-shaped presentation
- Filled with classic pizza flavors
- Easy to make with refrigerated dough
- Crispy outside and cheesy inside
- Perfect for Halloween parties
- Easy to customize
- Convenient individual servings
- Delicious warm or at room temperature
- Great for children
- Can be prepared ahead
Ingredients
Pizza Hand Pies
- 2 refrigerated pizza dough sheets or pie crusts
- ½ cup thick pizza sauce
- 1½ cups shredded low-moisture mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup mini pepperoni or finely chopped pepperoni
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon water
Garlic Butter Topping
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
Optional Garnishes
- Small pieces of green bell pepper for stems
- Fresh parsley
- Additional Parmesan cheese
- Warm pizza sauce for dipping
- Ranch dressing
- Garlic butter sauce
How to Make Pumpkin Pizza Hand Pies
Step 1: Preheat the Oven
Preheat your oven to 400°F.
Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Lightly coat the parchment with nonstick cooking spray if your dough tends to stick.
Step 2: Prepare the Filling
Add the shredded mozzarella, pepperoni, Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder to a medium bowl.
Stir until everything is evenly combined.
Keep the pizza sauce separate so the filling doesn’t become overly wet before assembly.
Step 3: Roll Out the Dough
Place one sheet of refrigerated pizza dough or one pie crust on a lightly floured work surface.
Roll it gently to smooth the surface and create an even thickness.
Repeat with the second sheet of dough.
Avoid rolling the dough too thin because it needs to hold the sauce and cheese without tearing.
Step 4: Cut the Pumpkin Shapes
Use a pumpkin-shaped cookie cutter to cut an even number of pieces from the dough.
You’ll need two pieces for each hand pie.
If you don’t have a pumpkin cutter, use a large round cutter and shape the sides gently with your fingers.
Cut a small stem shape at the top of each circle.
Step 5: Transfer the Bottom Pieces
Place half of the pumpkin-shaped dough pieces on the prepared baking sheet.
Leave approximately two inches between each piece.
These will become the bottoms of the pizza hand pies.
Step 6: Add the Pizza Sauce
Spoon approximately 1–2 teaspoons of thick pizza sauce into the center of each bottom piece.
Leave a border of at least ½ inch around the edges.
Avoid using too much sauce because it can leak during baking and prevent the edges from sealing.
Step 7: Add the Cheese Filling
Place approximately two tablespoons of the mozzarella and pepperoni mixture over the sauce.
Keep the filling piled near the center.
Don’t allow cheese or pepperoni to reach the outer border of the dough.
Step 8: Prepare the Egg Wash
Whisk the egg and water together in a small bowl.
Brush the exposed edges around the filling lightly with the egg wash.
The egg wash helps the top and bottom pieces stick together.
Step 9: Add the Top Pieces
Place the remaining pumpkin-shaped dough pieces over the filling.
Gently stretch them if necessary to cover the cheese without tearing.
Align the edges of the top and bottom pieces.
Step 10: Seal the Hand Pies
Press the edges together with your fingers.
Use the tines of a fork to crimp all around each pumpkin, creating a secure decorative border.
Make sure there are no large openings where the cheese can escape.
Step 11: Create the Pumpkin Details
Use a small sharp knife to cut three or four shallow curved lines across the top of each hand pie.
These lines should resemble the natural ridges of a pumpkin.
Don’t cut deeply through the dough.
Make one tiny vent in the center so steam can escape during baking.
Step 12: Add the Stems
Insert a small piece of green bell pepper into the stem area of each pumpkin if desired.
You can also use a small strip of dough for the stem and decorate it after baking with parsley.
Step 13: Apply the Egg Wash
Brush the tops of the assembled hand pies lightly with the remaining egg wash.
This helps them become shiny and golden in the oven.
Avoid allowing large amounts of egg wash to collect around the crimped edges.
Step 14: Bake
Bake the hand pies for approximately 15–18 minutes.
They’re ready when the dough is puffed and golden and the filling is hot.
A small amount of cheese may escape from the edges, which is normal.
Step 15: Prepare the Garlic Butter
While the hand pies bake, combine the melted butter, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning.
Stir until evenly mixed.
Step 16: Brush the Hand Pies
Remove the baked hand pies from the oven.
Immediately brush their tops with the garlic butter.
Sprinkle them with grated Parmesan cheese.
Step 17: Rest
Allow the hand pies to rest for approximately 5–10 minutes.
The filling will be extremely hot immediately after baking.
Resting also helps the melted cheese firm slightly so the pies are easier to handle.
Step 18: Serve
Arrange the Pumpkin Pizza Hand Pies on a serving platter.
Serve them warm with pizza sauce, ranch dressing, or garlic butter for dipping.
Are These Hand Pies Made with Pumpkin?
These hand pies are called Pumpkin Pizza Hand Pies because they’re shaped and decorated like pumpkins.
The traditional filling is made with pizza sauce, mozzarella, and pepperoni rather than pumpkin puree.
If you want to add real pumpkin, stir a small amount of plain pumpkin puree into the pizza sauce.
Use only a few tablespoons so the filling doesn’t become watery.
The Best Dough for Pizza Hand Pies
Refrigerated pizza dough creates a soft, chewy crust similar to regular pizza.
Refrigerated pie crust creates a flakier, more delicate hand pie.
Other good options include:
- Crescent-roll dough sheets
- Puff pastry
- Biscuit dough
- Homemade pizza dough
- Empanada wrappers
Choose a dough that can be rolled and cut without tearing.
Pizza Dough vs. Pie Crust
Pizza dough gives the hand pies a chewy, bread-like texture.
Pie crust creates a crisp, buttery, flaky shell.
For a snack that tastes most like traditional pizza, use pizza dough.
For a decorative fall hand pie with sharply defined pumpkin details, pie crust is usually easier to shape.
The Best Pizza Sauce
Use a thick pizza sauce rather than a thin marinara.
Thin sauce can leak through the seams and make the bottoms soggy.
If your sauce is watery, simmer it briefly until it thickens or drain away some of the excess liquid.
You can also use:
- Thick marinara sauce
- Tomato paste mixed with Italian seasoning
- Alfredo sauce
- Pesto
- Barbecue sauce
How Much Filling Should You Add?
Use approximately 2–3 tablespoons of total filling per hand pie, depending on its size.
Overfilling is the most common reason hand pies split or leak.
Leave a clean border around the filling and make sure the dough can close without stretching excessively.
How to Keep the Cheese from Leaking
A small amount of cheese escaping is normal, but you can reduce leaking by following these tips:
- Use low-moisture mozzarella
- Keep the filling away from the edges
- Don’t overfill the pies
- Brush the borders with egg wash
- Press the edges firmly
- Crimp with a fork
- Cut only small steam vents
- Chill the assembled pies before baking
How to Make Pumpkin Shapes Without a Cookie Cutter
Use a large round cookie cutter, glass, or bowl to cut circles.
Gently press the left and right sides inward to create a slightly flattened pumpkin shape.
Cut a small rectangle of dough and attach it at the top for the stem.
After assembling the pies, use a knife to create curved pumpkin ridges.
Pepperoni Pumpkin Pizza Hand Pies
For a classic pizza version, use:
- Thick pizza sauce
- Mozzarella cheese
- Mini pepperoni
- Parmesan cheese
- Italian seasoning
Mini pepperoni fits easily inside the hand pies.
If using regular pepperoni, chop it into small pieces so the pies are easier to seal.
Cheese Pizza Pumpkin Hand Pies
Leave out the pepperoni and increase the mozzarella.
You can also add ricotta cheese for a creamier filling.
Combine:
- 1 cup mozzarella
- ½ cup ricotta
- ¼ cup Parmesan
- Italian seasoning
Use only a small amount of filling in each pie.
Meat Lover’s Pumpkin Hand Pies
Fill the pies with a combination of:
- Pepperoni
- Cooked Italian sausage
- Crumbled bacon
- Diced ham
- Mozzarella cheese
Cook all meat completely and drain away excess grease before adding it to the filling.
Chicken Bacon Ranch Pumpkin Pies
Replace the pizza sauce with a small amount of ranch dressing.
Fill the pies with cooked chicken, crispy bacon, mozzarella, and cheddar cheese.
Serve with additional ranch for dipping.
BBQ Chicken Pumpkin Hand Pies
Use barbecue sauce instead of pizza sauce.
Add cooked shredded chicken, red onion, mozzarella, and cheddar.
Garnish with chopped cilantro after baking.
Buffalo Chicken Pumpkin Hand Pies
Combine cooked shredded chicken with buffalo sauce and cream cheese.
Add mozzarella or cheddar.
Serve the finished pies with ranch or blue cheese dressing.
Spinach and Cheese Pumpkin Hand Pies
Combine:
- Cooked spinach, squeezed dry
- Ricotta cheese
- Mozzarella
- Parmesan
- Garlic powder
Removing the moisture from the spinach is important because wet filling can soften the crust.
Sausage and Pumpkin Pizza Hand Pies
Add real pumpkin flavor by combining:
- ⅓ cup pumpkin puree
- ½ cup thick pizza sauce
- 1 cup cooked Italian sausage
- 1½ cups mozzarella
- ¼ teaspoon dried sage
The pumpkin creates a creamy fall filling that pairs well with sausage, cheese, and sage.
Halloween Jack-o’-Lantern Hand Pies
Instead of cutting simple pumpkin ridges, cut small jack-o’-lantern faces into the top pieces before assembling.
Create triangle eyes and a small mouth with a sharp knife.
Keep the openings small so the cheese doesn’t escape.
The red pizza sauce may show through the face, creating a festive Halloween appearance.
Mini Pumpkin Pizza Bites
Use a smaller pumpkin cookie cutter.
Add approximately one teaspoon each of pizza sauce and cheese filling.
Reduce the baking time and begin checking the bites after approximately 10 minutes.
Mini hand pies are ideal for appetizer trays.
Puff Pastry Pumpkin Pizza Pies
Use thawed puff pastry instead of pizza dough.
Keep the pastry cold while working.
Bake according to the package directions until deeply puffed and golden.
Puff pastry creates a light, flaky appetizer but may expand enough to soften some of the pumpkin details.
Can I Use Crescent Dough?
Yes.
Use crescent dough sheets or press the perforations of regular crescent-roll dough together.
Roll gently before cutting the pumpkin shapes.
Crescent dough creates a soft, buttery crust and bakes more quickly than traditional pizza dough.
Can I Add Vegetables?
Yes.
Good additions include:
- Finely diced bell peppers
- Sautéed mushrooms
- Chopped olives
- Cooked spinach
- Caramelized onions
- Jalapeños
- Chopped broccoli
Cook watery vegetables first and drain them thoroughly.
Cut everything into small pieces so the filling remains compact.
What to Serve with Pumpkin Pizza Hand Pies
Serve the hand pies with:
- Warm pizza sauce
- Ranch dressing
- Garlic butter
- Pesto
- Marinara sauce
- Tomato soup
- Caesar salad
- Vegetable sticks
- Mozzarella sticks
- French fries
- Halloween party snacks
For a party, arrange them on a large platter with several dipping sauces.
How to Make Them Ahead
Assemble the hand pies and arrange them on the lined baking sheet.
Cover and refrigerate for up to 8 hours before baking.
Wait to apply the egg wash until shortly before they go into the oven.
You may need to add one or two minutes to the baking time when the pies are cold.
Storage
Allow leftover hand pies to cool completely.
Place them in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3–4 days.
Use parchment paper between the layers if stacking them.
Store dipping sauces separately.
How to Reheat Pumpkin Pizza Hand Pies
Reheat the hand pies in a 350°F oven for approximately 8–10 minutes.
You can also warm them in an air fryer at 350°F for approximately 3–5 minutes.
Microwaving works, but the crust will become softer.
Can You Freeze Pumpkin Pizza Hand Pies?
Yes.
Freeze the assembled unbaked hand pies on a baking sheet until firm.
Transfer them to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 2 months.
Bake from frozen, adding several minutes to the baking time.
Make sure the centers are completely hot before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are Pumpkin Pizza Hand Pies?
They’re pumpkin-shaped dough pockets filled with pizza sauce, mozzarella, pepperoni, and Italian seasonings.
Do they contain pumpkin?
Not necessarily. The name usually refers to their pumpkin shape, but pumpkin puree can be added to the filling.
What dough works best?
Pizza dough creates a chewy crust, while pie crust creates a flaky and more decorative shell.
Can I use refrigerated dough?
Yes. Refrigerated pizza dough, pie crust, crescent dough, and puff pastry all work.
Can I make them without pepperoni?
Absolutely. Make cheese pizza pies or use vegetables, chicken, or another cooked filling.
Why are my hand pies leaking?
They may have been overfilled, the sauce may have been too thin, or the edges may not have been sealed completely.
Can I use shredded cheese?
Yes. Low-moisture shredded mozzarella works especially well.
Can I make jack-o’-lantern faces?
Yes. Cut small faces into the top pieces before assembling the pies.
Can I prepare them ahead?
Yes. Assemble and refrigerate them for up to eight hours before baking.
Can I bake them from frozen?
Yes. Add extra baking time and make sure the centers are thoroughly heated.
Can I use an air fryer?
Yes. Cook them in batches at approximately 375°F until golden and hot.
How long will leftovers keep?
Refrigerated hand pies will keep for approximately 3–4 days.
What sauce should I serve with them?
Pizza sauce, ranch, garlic butter, pesto, and marinara are all good options.
Pro Tips
Use thick pizza sauce and low-moisture mozzarella to prevent the filling from becoming watery. Chop the pepperoni and other toppings into small pieces.
Don’t overfill the pies. Leave a clean border, seal the edges with egg wash, and crimp firmly with a fork.
Cut only shallow pumpkin ridges and small steam vents. Brush the baked pies with garlic butter for the best combination of golden crust, melted cheese, savory pepperoni, and festive fall flavor.
Final Thoughts
These Pumpkin Pizza Hand Pies are a fun way to turn familiar pizza flavors into a festive fall snack. Golden pumpkin-shaped pockets hold warm pizza sauce, melted mozzarella, pepperoni, Parmesan, and Italian herbs.
Make them for Halloween, a fall party, game day, or an easy family dinner. You can also transform the same recipe into jack-o’-lantern pizza pies, chicken bacon ranch pockets, sausage pumpkin hand pies, or mini cheese pizza bites everyone will enjoy.
