Description
These Ghost Taco Hand Pies are a fun and festive twist on classic tacos, featuring a flavorful ground meat filling wrapped in flaky pie crust shaped like spooky ghosts. Ideal for parties or Halloween celebrations, they combine savory taco-seasoned meat with melty Mexican cheese encased in crispy baked pastry. Serve with salsa or guacamole for a delicious handheld treat everyone will enjoy.
Ingredients
Scale
Filling
- 1 pound lean ground beef, ground turkey, or chicken
- 1 Tablespoon taco seasoning
- 1/4 cup shredded carrot (optional)
- 1/4 cup chopped bell pepper or baby spinach (optional)
Pie Crust
- 2 pie crusts, defrosted but unbaked
Topping & Finishing
- 1/3 cup shredded Mexican cheese
- 1 egg (for brushing)
- Salsa (for dipping)
Instructions
- Prepare the Taco Filling: Heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat. If using ground turkey or chicken, add a drizzle of olive oil first. Add the ground meat and break it into crumbles. Stir in taco seasoning and optional shredded carrot or chopped bell pepper. Cook for 5-6 minutes until meat is browned and cooked through, breaking it up continuously. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheets: Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats to prevent sticking.
- Shape the Pie Crusts: Lightly flour a pastry mat or clean countertop. Roll out the two pie crusts. Use ghost-shaped cookie cutters to cut out an even number of shapes — half will be the bottom and half the tops of your hand pies. Re-roll scraps as needed until all dough is used.
- Assemble the Hand Pies: Arrange half of the ghost cutouts on your working surface with space between. Spoon a small amount of the taco filling into the center of each ghost shape, then sprinkle shredded Mexican cheese over the filling.
- Create the Ghost Faces and Seal: Use a small round cutter (like a marker lid) to cut out eyes and/or a mouth in the remaining ghost cutouts. Place these atop the filled ghosts. Seal edges gently by pressing with the tines of a fork all around each hand pie to prevent filling from escaping.
- Apply Egg Wash: Mix the egg with a splash of water or milk in a small bowl to create an egg wash. Brush generously over the tops of each hand pie to give a golden, glossy finish when baked.
- Bake: Place the baking sheets in the preheated oven and bake for 10-14 minutes until the tops turn golden brown and the crust is cooked through.
- Cool and Serve: Remove pies from the oven and allow them to cool for a couple of minutes. Serve warm with salsa or guacamole for dipping. Enjoy your spooky Ghost Taco Hand Pies!
Notes
- Yield may vary depending on the size of your cookie cutters.
- Do not overfill pies to avoid difficulty sealing the crust edges; save any extra filling for other dishes like quesadillas or taco bowls.
- Store leftover hand pies in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Reheat in the oven, toaster oven, or air fryer to maintain crispness.
- For a pizza variation, fill pies with pizza sauce, shredded mozzarella, and pepperoni instead of taco filling.
- Using optional veggies in the filling adds extra flavor and nutrition but can be omitted for simplicity.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 mini hand pie
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 1.5g
- Sodium: 300mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 14g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 9g
- Cholesterol: 40mg
