Fried Sweet Potato Hand Pies with Vanilla Milk Glaze
Small folded pie pastries filled with sweetened cooked sweet potato, fried until golden, and finished with a vanilla milk glaze.
Ingredients
Filling
- 3/4 cup cooked mashed sweet potato About 180 grams; cool, smooth, and not watery
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Pastry and frying
- 14.1 ounces refrigerated pie pastry Two standard 9-inch rounds; thaw if frozen
- as needed water For lightly moistening seams
- 2–3 inches neutral frying oil Depth in a heavy deep pot; keep pot no more than half full
Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk Start with 1 tablespoon; add remainder as needed
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Combine the measured cool cooked sweet potato with granulated sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
- Cut 4-inch circles from both pastry rounds, gently rerolling scraps once to obtain about 8 circles.
- Portion all filling evenly among circles, roughly 1½–2 tablespoons each. Keep a ½-inch clear rim, moisten it lightly, fold, and crimp with a fork. Chill 15 minutes.
- Bring a 2–3-inch depth of oil to 350°F in a deep heavy pot with ample headroom, never more than half full.
- Cook 2–3 pies per batch for approximately 4–6 minutes total, turning gently until the pastry is golden and cooked inside. Lift onto a draining rack; allow a minimum 15-minute cooling period.
- Stir vanilla and 1 tablespoon milk into powdered sugar. Add the second tablespoon gradually only if needed, then drizzle over the cooled pastry.
Notes
Start with cooked, cold, thick mash; potato cooking and cooling time is additional. No egg wash is used. Keep filled pies refrigerated while waiting to fry. Store cooked pies cold for up to 3 days.