These Easy Spooky Ghost Cream Cheese and Berry Hand Pies are the perfect little treat to enjoy all Halloween season! They’re filling with a sweet cream cheese filling, then topped with strawberry jam! The flaky puff pastry pairs perfectly with the creamy filling inside!
Why You’ll Love…
You’ll love how cute and easy these delicious hand pies are for any Halloween party! They’re prefect to make before the party and super easy to pack on the go!
Substitutions and Additions:
This recipe for the Spooky Ghost Hand Pies is pretty perfect as is, but I have a few options to make this recipe even more delicious!
Fresh Fruit: You can add type of fruit from fresh blueberries to raspberries or even strawberries! I like to add the jam because if it oozes out it makes these ghosts even more spooky, but you can definitely substitute fresh fruit instead! Another option would be to use store-bought pie filling, like blueberry pie filling! I have a recipe here that uses cherry filling!
Icing or Glaze: I like to sprinkle powdered sugar on the top of each pie, but you can also make a simple glaze using powdered sugar, heavy cream and vanilla extract! That would be just as delicious! Or you could melt white chocolate chips and drizzle it over the tops of the pies! That might look a bit more like a mummy though!
I have all of my favorite Halloween treats linked here in case you need more options for your next Halloween movie night!
Equipment Needed:
Cookie Cutter – I like to use a ghost cookie cutter but you can really use any shape! If you don’t want to use any cookie cutters, you can just cut the puff pastry into squares or rectangles using a sharp knife.
Electric Mixer – To help the cream cheese mixture, I like to use a hand mixer or a stand mixer to really whip together the cream cheese! It helps it be light and fluffy!
Medium Bowl – Because you’re having to whip up the cream cheese, I recommend using a medium bowl over a smaller bowl to make sure you have room to really scrape down the edges and get everything!
Parchment Paper – This helps prevent the puff pastry from sticking to the baking sheet and helps make clean up a breeze!
You can shop all my favorite tools here! This website uses Affiliate links which may earn commission at no extra cost to you. Each item is one I use or a similar item.
Ingredient List:
See Recipe Card for Full Details
Step by Step Instructions:
Step 1. In a bowl, combine cream cheese, sugar, heavy cream, vanilla extract and one egg yolk! Whip everything together.
Step 2. Roll out puff pastry and use ghost cookie cutter to cut out shapes in the puff pastry. Use a skewer or a straw to cut eyes in half of the ghosts.
Step 3: On half of the ghosts, add a smear of the cream cheese mixture, then dollop on the strawberry jam on top.
Step 4. Brush an egg wash around the edges and add another ghost on top. Crimp the edges with a fork, then brush egg wash on the top, and sprinkle with sugar. Place on a prepared baking sheet and bake in a preheated oven until golden brown.
Storage Instructions:
Store these in an airtight container in the fridge for about 3-4 days!
Helpful Tips and Tricks
This recipe works well with puff pastry or pie crust! You would just follow the same steps! You might have to adjust the baking time, but just keep an eye on them until you have golden crusts! This can either be homemade pie crust or a store-bought pie dough! I prefer the flaky pastry of the puff pastry, but pie crusts would be just as delicious!
To help the cream cheese mixture come together, I recommend using softened, room temperature cream cheese! It’ll help the mixture whip together easier!
These Spooky Ghost Hand Pies are the perfect Halloween treat! Easy to make and just the right amount of sweetness! One might even say, they’re to die for…..
Cheers!
-Holly Michelle
Easy Spooky Ghost Cream Cheese and Berry Hand Pies
Equipment
- Baking Sheet
- Parchment Paper
- Electric Mixer
Ingredients
- 8 ounces Cream Cheese room temperature
- 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 3 tablespoons Sugar
- 1 tablespoon Heavy Cream
- 2 Eggs separated
- 1 Package Puff Pastry
- 1/2 cup Strawberry Jam
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Let puff pastry sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes.1 Package Puff Pastry
- Combine cream cheese, sugar, heavy cream, vanilla and one egg yolk. Whip together until nice and fluffy.8 ounces Cream Cheese room temperature, 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract, 3 tablespoons Sugar, 1 tablespoon Heavy Cream, 2 Eggs
- Roll out one piece of puff pastry, then use a ghost cookie cutter to cut out 6 ghosts! Repeat with the other piece of puff pastry. Set aside half the ghost cut outs.
- Scoop a dollop of the cream cheese mixture into the middle of the pastry pieces. Then spread it out leaving a quarter inch border around the edges.
- Add a tablespoon of strawberry jam1/2 cup Strawberry Jam
- Create an egg wash by mixing together one egg with a splash of water. Brush onto the edges of the puff pastry. Then place a ghost on top and use a fork to crimp the edges. Brush egg wash on the top and sprinkle with sugar2 Eggs
- Bake for about 15-18 minutes.
- Enjoy!
