Ghost Taco Hand Pies
Go beyond basic with these cute Ghost-Shaped Taco Hand Pies for your Halloween party or festive family dinner. These are fun and surprisingly easy to make. Be sure to grab some salsa or guacamole for delicious dipping!
Tacos but slightly spooky.
Hand pies stuffed with taco filling and cut into cute ghost shapes? This might seem complicated at first glance, but I promise that if you have or can pick up a couple of simple ghost cookie cutters and don’t mind using refrigerated pie crust, these can be done in no time. And you’ll be rewarded with a Halloween-themed savory dish that is as easy to gobble up for a casual family dinner as it is to serve as a party snack.
Even my son, who has always been a choosy eater and at nine is getting more and more direct with his feedback, gave this a rave review. I even overheard him telling a friend about how cool they were in the far backseat on the way to soccer practice. Now that’s a rare moment I plan to stash in my emotional reservoir. Maybe your kids will feel the same? Here’s hoping!
These would also work so well as a pizza variation — follow the same instructions below for shaping and sealing the pies, but instead of taco meat, fill each ghost with a dollop of pizza sauce, shredded mozzarella, and pepperoni if you like.
How To Make Them
This is an overview with step-by-step photos to help you understand the process at a glance. Be sure to scroll to the printable recipe card for numbered instructions and ingredient amounts.
Make Taco Filling. First you’ll make a standard taco filling with ground meat of your choice, taco seasoning, and, if you like, some hidden veggies. I put some finely-minced shredded carrot and baby spinach in this batch. You could also mix in finely-chopped bell pepper, zucchini, etc.
Roll Out and Cut Pie Crust. Roll out the pie crusts on a lightly floured work surface, then cut into ghost shapes. Be sure you end up with an even number for the top and the bottom of each hand pie.
Fill Ghosts. Arrange half of the cut pie crust ghosts on baking sheets lined with parchment or a silicone baking mat. Spoon a small amount of taco filling into the middle of each one, then sprinkle on a small amount of cheese.
Depending on the exact size of your cookie cutters, the main challenge may be stuffing as much taco filling as you want into each pie! You want them to be full but obviously not so full that you have to stretch and pull the top layer. If you have extra taco filling, set it aside for use in quesadillas or bowls.
Top and Seal Pies. Returning to the remaining pie crusts, use any small circular object to cut small holes for eyes or mouths in the ghosts. I used the lid of a Crayola marker! Alternatively, you can use a small paring knife to cut out simple slits. It’s helpful to have some type of opening in the top to allow steam to escape as they bake.
Lay a matching top over each filled pie, then use the tines of a table fork to press the edges together to form a seal.
Mix one egg together with a splash of milk or of water to form an egg wash, then brush that on top of each sealed hand pie. This helps the tops develop a glossy coating as they bake.
Bake. Transfer pans to the oven and bake for 10-14 minutes at 425 degrees F. The tops should be a glossy and rich golden brown.
Dip and Serve! You’re ready to serve these up! A bit of salsa — use this 5-minute homemade blender salsa to go all out — and guacamole are the perfect extras. We also like this with a bean salad or everyday Mexican salad if serving as dinner.
Storage Tips
Any extra hand pies can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Warm in the oven, toaster oven, or air fryer if possible to keep the exterior crisp.
Related Recipes
Looking for more Halloween recipe inspiration? Try these recipes next, or browse my full collection of spooky eats here.
- Ghoulish Black Bean Dip
- Caramel Apple Cheesecake Dip
- Savory Sage Pumpkin Hummus
- Spooky Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Milano Mummies
- Blackout Chocolate Buttermilk Cake
- “Spooky Hand” Halloween Cheeseboard
- Spooky Ghost Cupcakes
If you try these Ghost Taco Hand Pies, don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave a comment below. I love hearing how recipes turn out in your kitchen, and it helps other readers, too.
You can also FOLLOW me on PINTEREST, INSTAGRAM, FACEBOOK, and TWITTER for more great recipes and ideas!
Ghost Taco Hand Pies
Ingredients
- 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
- 2 pie crusts defrosted but unbaked
- 1/3 cup shredded Mexican cheese
- 1 egg for brushing
- salsa for dipping
Instructions
- To make the taco filling, set a medium skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add the ground beef and start to break it apart into crumbles. (If using ground turkey or chicken, warm a drizzle of olive oil in the skillet first.) Add taco seasoning and shredded carrot or pepper, if using. Cook for 5-6 minutes, until the meat is browned, continuing to break it up into small pieces as you go. Remove from the heat and set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Roll out the pie crusts on a pastry mat or the counter lightly dusted with flour. Use ghost-shaped cookie cutters to cut out shapes, being sure to have an even number — you’ll need one for the top and one for the bottom of each taco pie. Gather and roll out the scraps until all the pie crust is used.
- Arrange half of the cut ghost shapes on the pastry mat, leaving some space around each. Spoon a small amount of the taco filling into the middle of each ghost, then sprinkle a bit of cheese on top.
- Use anything small and round to cut out eyes and/or a mouth from the remaining ghost shapes. (I used the lid of a Crayola marker!) Place one of the shapes with a cut-out over each filled ghost on the baking sheets, then use the tines of a fork to gently seal all the edges.
- Mix the egg with a splash of water or milk in a small bowl to make an egg wash, then brush this on top of each mini pie.
- Bake for 10-14 minutes, until the tops are golden brown. Remove from the oven, let cool for a minute or two, then serve with salsa or guacamole for dipping. Enjoy!
Notes
- Yield: The exact yield will vary and depend on the size of your cookie cutters.
- Extra Filling? Depending on the exact size of your cookie cutters, the main challenge of these can be stuffing as much taco filling as you want into each pie! You want them to be full but obviously not so full that you are having to stretch and pull in order to seal the top layer of pie crust. If you have extra taco filling, set it aside for use in quesadillas or bowls – or do what my husband and I did and put the extra taco filling on grown-up plates to eat by the forkful with bites of our hand pies. Tasty!
- Storage: Any extra hand pies can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Warm in the oven, toaster oven, or air fryer if possible to keep the exterior crisp.
- Pizza Variation: Follow the same instructions below for shaping and sealing the pies, but instead of taco meat, fill each ghost with a dollop of pizza sauce, shredded mozzarella, and pepperoni if you like.