Pumpkin pasties are delicious hand pies inspired by the Harry Potter series. Long are the days of only being able to eat Harry Potter food at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter! This recipe has a quick cook time, is super simple, and the prep time is deliciously easy!
“What she did have were Bertie Bott’s Every Flavor Beans, Drooble’s Best Blowing Gum, Chocolate Frogs, Pumpkin Pasties, Cauldron Cakes, Licorice Wands, and a number of other strange things Harry had never seen in his life.”
– Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone
Pumpkin Pasties- so ubiquitous in the Harry Potter Universe that in Harry Potter book (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows), it is the food mentioned most frequently. We are initially introduced to pumpkin pasties in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone when the Trolly Witch stops by all of the compartments to offer sweets to the students on the Hogwarts Express. As pumpkin pasties are part of this offering, I assume that they are sweet. However, I decided that I wanted a savory pumpkin pastie in addition to a sweet one, so, I give you Harry Potter pumpkin pasties 2 ways. Let’s dive in and make this recipe!
FAQ
What are pumpkin pasties?
Harry potter pumpkin pasties are not too different from regular pasties. Pasties are little hand pies (some are larger than others, but for this, they are not too big), that are golden brown. They are said to have originated in Southern Cornwall. They are a baked pastry that traditionally has a meat filling but can also have vegetarian filling ingredients.
For this recipe, I have created one sweet filling and one savory filling for my Harry Potter inspired pumpkin pasties. If you have ever been to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios, you can buy pumpkin pasties from Honeydukes. However, you can now make pumpkin pasties from the comfort of your own home.
The sweet ones are not a traditional pumpkin pie filling but are still deliciously sweet, and the savory pumpkin pasties are a perfect blending of flavors.
Can I make any substitutions in this pumpkin pasties recipe?
If you do not have access to Gruyere cheese, then you can use Swiss cheese.
If you cannot find pumpkin puree at the store, you can always buy a whole pumpkin and bake it and make your own puree from scratch. Of course, this is much more work, and it is easier to just buy the can!
Even though these are pumpkin pasties, there is no pumpkin pie spice in this recipe. If you are obsessed with pumpkin pie spice then you can add 1 teaspoon to your recipe.
This recipe of course has dairy in it and I have not made it without. However for a pie crust, if you find a pie crust that does not contain butter and instead uses crisco or a vegetable base, you may be able to use that. In addition, you could use a dairy free cheese. Both of these Harry Potter pumpkin pasties are vegetarian by nature so there is not much substituting beyond that for making them vegan if you wanted to.
I only have granulated sugar. Can I use this instead?
The brown sugar gives a more caramel flavor with the pumpkin pasties filling. However, if all you have is granulated sugar then you can use it. The sweet filling will be good either way!
What tools do you need for this pumpkin pasties recipe?
- Pastry Cutter
- Pastry Brush
- Food Processor
- Small bowl (for the onions)
- Large Bowl (for the filling)
- Baking sheets
What will you need?
This is what you will need for your pumpkin pasties:
For your pie dough:
- 1 1/2 cup gluten free flour, I like to use King Arthur Gluten Free Measure for Measure flour
- 5 tablespoons ice water
Filling:
- 3/4 Pumpkin Puree
- 1 tablespoons Ras El Hanout
- 1/4 Brown Sugar (light or dark- doesn’t matter)
- 1 Onion
- 1-2 tablespoons Butter
- Gruyere Cheese
- 1 Egg, for egg wash
*The base filling for the sweet pumpkin filling and the savory pumpkin pasties will be the same. However, the filling ingredients (as you see above) is slightly different.
How do you make your pumpkin pasties?
- First, you will make the pie dough. In a food processor, place the gluten free all purpose flour and unsalted butter. Pulse until the butter is the size of peas. While the food processor is running, add one tablespoon of water at a time. The pie crust will come together when it forms a ball in the food processor.
- Take two pieces of parchment paper and place the pie dough between them. Roll it out using a rolling pin. Using a pastry cutter (make sure it is circular), make dough circles from the pie crust. Place the dough circles onto a piece of parchment paper onto a baking sheet, and place in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile make the fillings. For the savory filling: to make caramelized onions, see this post here. It can take up to 40 minutes for them to fully caramelize. When they are done, place them in a small bowl and set aside.
- Fillings for both: take a large bowl and mix together the pumpkin, puree, ras el hanout, and brown sugar and mix together.
*If you have any remaining dough, just use it to make bite size versions of this if you do not have enough to make a full size pasty.
PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Take the baking sheet out of the fridge. Place 2 tablespoons of the pumpkin filling onto each of the dough circles.
- If you are making the savory ones, still use 2 tablespoons of the pumpkin filling, then add onions and cheese on top.
- Use water along the edge of your circle and close the pumpkin pasties and crimp the edges. You can use a fork to crimp the edges or press the edges with your hands.
- Slice slits on the top of the pies so air can escape. Using a pastry brush, brush the pasties with an egg wash and place into the oven. The cook time once in the oven is 35 minutes.
- The pumpkin pasties are done when they are a beautiful golden brown. Let cool on a wire wrack for a little bit and once they have cooled a bit, dig in!
Looking for more Harry Potter Inspired Food? Or throwing a Harry Potter Party? Here are more Harry Potter Recipes
Make all of these fun recipes at home (including Wizarding World of Harry Potter copycat recipes!)
Black Lake Brownies
Copycat Universal Studios Butterbeer
Treacle Tart
Polyjuice Potion
Pumpkin Juice
Pumpkin Pasties
Ingredients
This is what you will need for your pumpkin pasties:For your pie dough:
- 1 1/2 cup gluten free flour I like to use King Arthur Gluten Free Measure for Measure flour
- 5 tablespoons ice water
Filling:
- 3/4 Pumpkin Puree
- 1 tablespoons Ras El Hanout
- 1/4 Brown Sugar light or dark- doesn’t matter
- 1 Onion
- 1-2 tablespoons Butter
- Gruyere Cheese
- 1 Egg for egg wash
- *The base filling for the sweet pumpkin filling and the savory pumpkin pasties will be the same. However the filling ingredients (as you see above) is slightly different.
Instructions
- First, you will make the pie dough. In a food processor, place the gluten free all purpose flour and unsalted butter. Pulse until the butter is the size of peas. While the food processor is running, add one tablespoon of water at a time. The pie crust will come together when it forms a ball in the food processor.
- Take two pieces of parchment paper and place the pie dough between them. Roll it out using a rolling pin. Using a pastry cutter (make sure it is circular), make dough circles from the pie crust. Place the dough circles onto a piece of parchment paper onto a baking sheet, and place in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile make the fillings. For the savory filling: to make caramelized onions, see this post here. It can take up to 40 minutes for them to fully caramelize. When they are done, place them in a small bowl and set aside.
- Fillings for both: take a large bowl and mix together the pumpkin, puree, ras el hanout, and brown sugar and mix together.
- *If you have any remaining dough, just use it to make bite size versions of this if you do not have enough to make a full size pasty.
PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Take the baking sheet out of the fridge. Place 2 tablespoons of the pumpkin filling onto each of the dough circles.
- If you are making the savory ones, still use 2 tablespoons of the pumpkin filling, then add onions and cheese on top.
- Use water along the edge of your circle and close the pumpkin pasties and crimp the edges. You can use a fork to crimp the edges or press the edges with your hands.
- Slice slits on the top of the pies so air can escape. Using a pastry brush, brush the pasties with an egg wash and place into the oven. The cook time once in the oven is 35 minutes.
- The pumpkin pasties are done when they are a beautiful golden brown. Let cool on a wire wrack for a little bit and once they have cooled a bit, dig in!
Nutrition
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I wish I had some right now! How can you go wrong with pumpkin anything?
They are absolutely delicious 🙂