Homemade Hand Pies

A buttery pie crust filled with sweet, juicy fruit, hand fruit pies are a delicious, portable treat. Homemade hand pies are a perfect treat for any Thanksgiving or Holiday gathering, easy to make, and always delicious.

What are Hand Pies?

Hand pies are a miniature version of a classic, buttery pie. What we love about fruit hand pies is they can be eaten like a cookie, just pick it up and go to town, thus the name ‘hand pie’.

These are super versatile because they can be filled with your favorite pie fillings, sweet or savory.

Unlike a turnover that is made with puff pastry and filled with fruit, hand pies are made with a homemade or store-bought pie crust to get that same buttery, flaky crust you expect from a pie.

Making Hand Fruit Pies

Making hand fruit pies is super easy, whether you are making everything from scratch or using store-bought pie crust and filling, the process is fairly simple. Let’s walk through the simple steps with a few tips and tricks along the way.

Step 1: Roll out the pie dough, then cut into the desired shape.

You can use pie molds that already come with shapes as well as the vents cut out from the top, or use a round cookie cutter or even a large drinking class to form a circle.

Tip: the pie crust can become sticky if it becomes to warm. Keep pie crust in the refirgerator until ready to roll out and use.

Step 2: Put only about 1 tablespoon of pie filling into the center of the bottom portion of the pie crust.

Tip: do not overfill the pie crust with filling. This will prevent the pie from breaking open and spilling out when it is cooking.

Step 3: Seal the pie crusts. Brush the inside edge of both the top and the bottom of the hand pie crusts with egg white. This will help the two edges to stick together better as they are baking.

Tip: Line up the top and the bottom of the crusts and press together in the pie mold, or use a fork to press down and around the edge.

-If you are not using pie molds, cut a few small slits into the top of the round pies to allow steam to exit as the pie cooks.

Step 4: Place the hand pies onto a parchment lined or greased baking sheet.

Before baking brush more of the egg white on top of the hand pies and sprinkle with either sugar or turbinado sugar to add a little sparkle and texture.

Bake in a 350º F oven for 10-12 minutes, until the pies are golden brown.

How to Store Hand Pies with Fruit

After baking, hand pies can be stored in an air tight container on the countertop for up to 3 days.

Can I freeze Fruit Hand Pies?

Hand pies can easily be frozen. Allow to cool completely before freezing, then wrap in plastic wrap and place into an air tight container.

Freeze for up to 3 months. These can be reheated in the microwave or allow to thaw on the countertop before serving.

Other Fruit Dessert Recipes to Try:

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