Strawberry Hand Pies
My thoughts on pies are no secret: I’m not a huge cooked fruit person, I say yet I still enjoy a pie on occasion, especially a good one. This year, I decided to play around with an easy pie-like type of dessert—fruit hand pies or, as my older son calls them, “personal pies”. I got a good laugh out of that nickname. I think he envisions a world with a personal pie in one hand and an iPhone in the other. A world where eating and texting (two of his two favorite pastimes) can be done together, without interference. But that aside, these fresh strawberry hand pies are easy, delicious, and a great way to use those beautiful summer berries you just picked up.
When it comes to baking and pies, everyone always asks if I make my dough. The answer is, yes, almost always. Homemade dough does not take a lot of time, especially if you whip out that mixer you got as a wedding gift. For this recipe, I use my easy pate brisee (pie + tart dough) recipe. But, I get it, not everyone wants to be Martha Stewart. So, honestly, don’t beat yourself up, it’s completely fine to buy pre-made pie dough. Just buy a good one made with real butter and not shortening. If you skip dough-making, this recipe just got even easier.
If you make your dough, allow the dough to rest in the refrigerator before rolling it and cutting it into smaller circles. A chilled dough, just like a chilled pie crust, will bake better and more evenly. Assembling the hand pies is not nearly as hard as you may think, and is very similar to homemade pop-tarts if you make them. The good news with this recipe is that the rustic style of this dessert means nothing needs to look perfect. That said, a nice seal is important. To obtain this, the tricks are (1) not putting too much filling inside, (2) applying light but even egg wash around the edges, (3) a good pinch to adhere the two dough sides together, and (4) a solid crimp with a fork, shown in the photos above.
Once baked, these lovely strawberry hand pies will emerge from the oven a light golden brown and oozing with some fresh strawberry juice–a sign they are fully cooked and ready to be enjoyed. This is also a great, easy dessert option for big or small gatherings that will please almost anyone. On the slightly less sweet side, these strawberry hand pies are flaky, flavorful, and satisfying. Serve warm or at room temperature, for dessert or even breakfast (as is the case in my house), you won’t be disappointed.
Strawberry Hand Pies
Ingredients:
- 1 pate brisee (pie + tart dough) recipe, chilled
- 2 cups hulled strawberries, quartered
- 2 tablespoons strawberry jam
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons sugar (or a little more if the berries are not very sweet)
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 egg, plus 1 egg yolk mixed with 1 teaspoon water, for egg wash
- 2 tablespoons sugar, for sprinkling
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, add the strawberries, jam, extract, sugar, and cornstarch. Toss well to coat and set aside.
- On a lightly floured work surface, roll the dough out until about 1/8 inch in thickness. Using a cutter or glass, cut out 4” circles. Repeat until you have 8 circles. Place on the prepared baking sheet.
- Strain the berries in a fine mesh strainer and discard the liquid. This will help prevent the hand pies from leaking too much juice while baking.
- Working one round at a time, place roughly 2 tablespoons of the strawberry mixture into the middle of the first dough circle. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush the edges of the dough with the egg wash. Fold the dough in half over the filling so the edges meet, and you now have a half circle. Using your fingers, gently press the dough edges together to seal.
- Use a fork to crimp the edges along the seam. Lightly brush the entire hand pie with the egg wash and place it on your prepared baking sheet. Repeat the above with the remaining dough circles so you have 8 in total.
- Sprinkle the hand pies with sugar. Using a small paring knife, make three small slits on the top of each hand pie to allow for venting. Place the baking sheet on the middle rack of the oven and bake for about 20-22 minutes, rotating halfway through, until you see nice coloration on the crust. Remove the hand pies from the oven and allow to cool slightly before serving.
