Ghost Taco Hand Pies

These Ghost Taco Hand Pies turn a simple taco filling into a fun Halloween dinner or party snack. Flaky pie crust is cut into little ghost shapes, stuffed with seasoned ground beef and melty cheese, then baked until crisp and golden.

What Makes Great Ghost Taco Hand Pies?

They’re also surprisingly practical. The filling can be made ahead, the vegetables are easy to sneak in, and there are no plates or taco shells falling apart halfway through dinner. Serve them with salsa, guacamole, or a creamy taco dip and watch them disappear. Spooky.

The Taco Filling

The filling needs plenty of taco flavor without being too wet. That second part matters. A saucy filling can make the pastry soggy and nobody wants a sloppy ghost!

Lean ground beef works especially well because it stays savory and juicy without producing loads of grease.

Ground turkey or chicken are great lighter options too.

What You’ll Need for the Taco Filling

• 1 lb lean ground beef, ground turkey or ground chicken also works.
• 1 1/2 tbsp taco seasoning, brings in the smoky, savory taco flavor.
• 1/3 cup finely diced red bell pepper, adds a little sweetness and color without overwhelming the filling.
• 1/4 cup finely grated carrot, optional, but an easy way to add another vegetable.
• 1 tsp olive oil, useful when cooking lean turkey or chicken.
• 2 tbsp water, helps the taco seasoning evenly coat the meat.

The Pie Crust

Ready-made refrigerated pie crust makes these hand pies ridiculously easy!

The trick is keeping the dough cool while working with it!

Cool pastry holds those little ghost shapes better and gives you a flakier finish once baked.

What You’ll Need for the Pie Crust

• 2 refrigerated pie crusts, let them soften just enough to unroll without cracking.
• 1 tbsp all-purpose flour, for lightly dusting the work surface if the pastry starts sticking.
• 1 large egg, creates that shiny golden finish.
• 1 tsp water, loosens the egg slightly for brushing.

The Cheese

You don’t need loads of cheese here. Just enough to melt into the taco filling and create those little gooey pockets when you bite through the crisp pastry.

What You’ll Need for the Cheese

• 1/2 cup shredded Mexican-style cheese blend, melts easily and works naturally with the taco seasoning.
• Monterey Jack or cheddar, both work well if you don’t have a Mexican blend.

Switch Things Up

These Halloween ghost taco hand pies are very forgiving, so there’s plenty of room to play around with the filling. Just keep whatever you add fairly finely chopped and avoid anything excessively wet.

Try one of these swaps:

• Replace the beef with ground turkey or ground chicken.
• Use black beans for a meat-free version.
• Add finely chopped baby spinach instead of carrot.
• Toss in corn kernels for a little sweetness.
• Add chopped jalapeño for extra heat.
• Mix a spoonful of mild green chiles into the cooked meat.
• Use pepper Jack cheese for a spicier filling.
• Skip the vegetables entirely for particularly suspicious little eaters. You know the ones.

How to Make Ghost Taco Hand Pies

Cook the Taco Filling

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the ground beef. If you’re using turkey or chicken, add the olive oil first to keep things from sticking.

Break the meat into small crumbles as it cooks, then stir in the taco seasoning, bell pepper, carrot, and water.

Cook for about 6 to 8 minutes, until the meat is completely cooked and the vegetables have softened.

Let the filling cool for several minutes before assembling the pies, since piping-hot filling and cool pastry aren’t exactly best friends.

Prepare the Oven and Baking Sheets

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper or use a non stick baking tray.

Keeping the hand pies spaced apart helps the hot air circulate around them, giving you crisper edges instead of soft pastry bottoms.

Cut Out the Ghosts

Unroll the pie crusts onto a clean work surface, using a light dusting of flour if needed.

Cut the pastry with a ghost-shaped cookie cutter, then gather the scraps and gently reroll them to make more shapes.

You’ll need 2 matching ghosts for every hand pie, one for the bottom and another for the top.

No ghost cutter? A simple homemade paper template and a small sharp knife can do the job too.

Add the Filling

Arrange half of the ghost shapes on the prepared baking sheets.

Spoon a small amount of cooled taco filling into the center of each one, leaving a clean border around the outside.

Sprinkle some shredded cheese over the meat, but don’t get carried away here.

Overstuffed ghosts have a habit of exploding in the oven, which is perhaps appropriately Halloween-ish, but still.

Make the Ghost Faces

Now for the fun bit!

Cut little eyes and mouths into the remaining pastry ghosts using the tip of a small piping nozzle, straw, or paring knife.

Different expressions make the finished batch even more fun, so they definitely don’t need to match.

Happy ghosts, shocked ghosts, mildly concerned ghosts… Go wild!

Seal the Hand Pies

Place a ghost face over each filled piece of pastry and gently press around the filling to remove large pockets of air.

Use the tines of a fork to crimp the edges together. Make sure they’re properly sealed, especially around narrow areas such as the arms and bottom of the ghost.

Brush With Egg Wash

Whisk the egg with 1 tsp water until smooth.

Lightly brush the tops of the hand pies with the egg wash, avoiding large puddles around the edges.

This is what gives the ghosts their gorgeous golden, slightly glossy finish.

Bake Until Golden

Bake at 400°F for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the pastry is puffed and golden around the edges.

Let the hand pies cool on the baking sheets for about 5 minutes before serving, as the filling will be much hotter than the pastry makes it look.

Serve warm with plenty of salsa, guacamole, or your favorite taco dipping sauce.

Dips and Finishing Touches

A good dipping sauce makes them even better, especially when they’re served as Halloween party food. Put out a few options and everyone can choose their favorite.

• Salsa, the classic taco pairing.
• Guacamole, creamy and cooling against the seasoned beef.
• Sour cream, simple but very good.
• Cilantro, sprinkle a little over the serving platter.
• Fresh lime wedges, a squeeze of lime brightens the rich filling.
• Queso, because dipping a cheesy hand pie into more cheese is clearly reasonable.
• Hot sauce, for anyone who wants their ghosts with a little fire.

Storing, Reheating, and Meal Prep

Leftover Ghost Taco Hand Pies can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Let them cool completely before storing so condensation doesn’t soften the pastry.

For the crispiest leftovers, reheat them in a 350°F oven for about 8 to 10 minutes, or pop them into an air fryer at 350°F for 4 to 6 minutes. The microwave works when you’re in a hurry, but the pastry will be noticeably softer.

For meal prep, make the taco filling up to 2 days ahead and keep it refrigerated. Assemble the ghosts when you’re ready to bake so the pastry stays crisp and flaky.

Though, not gonna lie, a tray of little cheesy taco ghosts hanging around for three days seems fairly unlikely.

Print Recipe

Ghost Taco Hand Pies

Author: Little Kitchen Plate

Difficulty: Intermediate Prep Time 25 mins Cook Time 15 mins Rest Time 15 mins Total Time 55 mins

Cooking Temp: 400  F Servings: 8 Calories: 330

Description

Flaky ghost-shaped hand pies filled with seasoned ground beef, tender vegetables, and melted cheese. These easy Halloween taco pies are baked until golden and crisp, then served warm with salsa or guacamole for dipping.

Ingredients

Servings

Taco Filling

• 1 lb lean ground beef
• 1 ¹⁄₂ tbsp taco seasoning
• ¹⁄₃ cup finely diced red bell pepper
• ¹⁄₄ cup finely grated carrot
• 2 tbsp water

Hand Pies

• 2 refrigerated pie crusts
• ¹⁄₂ cup shredded Mexican-style cheese
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp water
• 1 tbsp all-purpose flour

For Serving

• ¹⁄₂ cup salsa

Instructions

Cook the Taco Filling

1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook for about 4 minutes, breaking it into small crumbles with a wooden spoon. Stir in the taco seasoning, diced bell pepper, grated carrot, and 2 tbsp water. Continue cooking for 3 to 4 minutes, until the beef is fully cooked, the vegetables are tender, and the filling is fragrant and no longer watery.

Cool the Filling

1. Remove the skillet from the heat and allow the taco filling to cool for about 10 minutes. The mixture should be moist but not wet or greasy. Cooling the filling helps prevent the pie crust from becoming soft during assembly.

Prepare the Pie Crust

1. Lightly dust a clean work surface with the flour and unroll the refrigerated pie crusts. Use a ghost-shaped cookie cutter to cut an even number of ghost shapes from the dough. Gently gather and reroll the scraps as needed, taking care not to overwork the pastry.

Fill the Hand Pies

1. Arrange half of the ghost shapes on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Spoon a small amount of the cooled taco filling into the center of each ghost, leaving about 1/2 inch of pastry uncovered around the edges. Sprinkle the shredded cheese evenly over the filling, keeping it away from the edges so the pies are easier to seal.

Make the Ghost Faces

1. Use the tip of a small piping nozzle, drinking straw, or small paring knife to cut eyes and a mouth into each remaining ghost-shaped piece of pastry. Keep the openings fairly small so the filling stays inside as the hand pies bake.

Seal the Hand Pies

1. Place the ghost faces over the filled pastry pieces and gently press around the filling to release excess air. Press the edges together, then use the tines of a fork to crimp around each ghost. The edges should be firmly sealed without tearing the pastry.

Chill the Hand Pies

1. Place the assembled hand pies in the refrigerator for 15 minutes. Chilling firms the pastry and helps the ghost shapes hold their details as they bake. While the hand pies chill, preheat the oven to 400°F.

Brush With Egg Wash

1. Whisk the egg with 1 tsp water in a small bowl until smooth and slightly frothy. Remove the chilled hand pies from the refrigerator and lightly brush the tops with the egg wash. Apply a thin, even coating for a glossy, golden finish.

Bake the Hand Pies

1. Bake the hand pies at 400°F for 12 to 15 minutes, until the pastry is puffed, crisp, and golden around the edges. A small amount of melted cheese may bubble through the ghost faces, which is normal. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and allow the pies to cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Serve the Hand Pies

1. Serve the Ghost Taco Hand Pies warm with salsa for dipping. The pastry should be crisp and flaky on the outside with a warm, tender, cheesy taco filling inside.

Note

Keep the taco filling fairly dry. Excess liquid can make the bottom of the hand pies soft and may cause the edges to open during baking.

Do not overfill the pastry. Leaving a 1/2-inch border makes the ghosts much easier to seal securely.

If the pastry becomes very soft or sticky while assembling the pies, refrigerate it for 10 minutes before continuing.

Store cooled leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Reheat refrigerated hand pies in a 350°F oven for 8 to 10 minutes, until warm and crisp. They can also be reheated in an air fryer at 350°F for 4 to 6 minutes.