No matter what team you root for, these Sloppy Joe Football Hand Pies are a tailgate touchdown! Not only are they delicious and sure to impress – they’re also easy as, you guessed it, pie. Talk about a dream team – the hardy, savory flavor of sloppy joes and flaky, buttery pie crust are a game-winning duo that will have everyone asking for this recipe. 

Pair these with a cool, creamy coleslaw to balance the rich, meaty flavor and you’ve got the ultimate game day meal, or lay them out as part of your tailgate spread so you can chow down once the starting whistle blows. Whatever your style, Sloppy Joe Football Hand Pies are a guaranteed favorite.

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Place the meat and onion in a large skillet. Cook, breaking up meat with a spoon until it is no longer pink and the onions are softened. Drain excess grease from meat. Add the mustard, salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, and ketchup and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

Roll out dough into 2 (12-inch) circles. Cut 5 hand-size football shapes out of each circle for a total of 10 footballs. Reroll the scraps if needed to get all the football shapes. Place 5 football shapes on parchment. Spoon Sloppy Joe mix evenly onto each shape. Place remaining 5 football shapes over the mixture and press around the edges to seal closed. Using a sharp knife, cut slits in the top of each football to look like the laces. Bake for 25 minutes, or until golden brown.

Serves: Makes 5 Hand Pies

Pairs well with: Our other tailgate favorites, including: Pimento Cheese Pie Bites, Berry Slab Pie, and Homemade Buttermilk Ranch Dressing.

For more great recipes and ideas (including an entire tailgate menu!), check out Amanda’s cookbook, Southern Baked: Celebrating Life with Pie, and the rest of the blog.

 

 

Southern Baked Pie Dough

Ingredients: 

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter

1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon granulated sugar

¼ cup water

 

Instructions:

Makes dough for 1 single-crust 9-inch pie 

Cut the butter into small cubes. Combine butter and flour in a mixing bowl. Using a pastry blender, work the butter into the flour. Add the salt and sugar. Continue to work the butter into the flour until the mixture has a consistency of coarse-ground cornmeal. The cubes of butter should now be smaller than the size of a green pea. 

Add the water all at once. Continue to work the dough until the dough begins to come together. Form the dough into a ball, wrap with plastic wrap, and press into the shape of a disk. Place in the refrigerator for 2 hours to chill.

Remove dough from refrigerator and roll out to desired size on a lightly floured surface.