Blueberry Hand Pies
Servings 8 pies
Blueberry Hand Pies are bursting with juicy blueberry filling and baked to a beautiful golden brown, all made easy using store-bought ingredients!
Ingredients
- 1 (21oz.) can blueberry pie filling
- 1 package Refrigerated pie crust double crust
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter optional
- 1 large egg slightly beaten
- 2 tablespoons coarse sugar optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450°F.
- Prepare pie crusts by removing pie crust from the packaging. Unroll one crust on a lightly floured surface. It is important to keep the crusts thick enough to hold the pie filling, so I did not roll the crusts out any thinner than they came in the package.
- Use a bowl (6-inch diameter used here), placed upside down, to cut out two circles from the dough. Gently gather together the scraps, roll out just enough to cut two additional circles (you may even need to do one at a time).
- Place three crust circles onto a baking sheet sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.
- Place a scoop of the blueberry pie filling into the center of the circle.
- If desired, place a small piece of butter over the pie filling (this isn’t necessary, it adds a little creaminess to the hand pie).
- Use a fork to beat the egg lightly. Then, brush a bit of the egg wash around the edge of the circle to help the sides seal.
- Fold the pie crust in half to form a crescent shape. Press down (work from the outer edge in) and then crimp with your fingers or a fork to seal the edges.
- Brush the exposed sides of the hand pie with the egg wash. Sprinkle the desired amount of coarse sugar over the egg wash.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until the pies are golden brown and the crust is crispy. (The filling does not need to be cooked so we’re really just cooking the crust here.)
Notes
- Storage: Best if eaten right away. Leftover hand pies can be stored in an airtight container on the countertop or in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
- Reheat in the oven or in a toaster oven for best results.
- The egg wash will give the hand pies a nice golden sheen. It is also helpful to seal the edges together.
- For best seal, be sure that the filling and/or any excess flour is away from the edge of the dough.
- For different sheens, try an egg white wash, an egg yolk+ a teaspoon of water wash, brush with milk, or brush with vodka.
- Only a couple of tablespoons of the filling mixture will fit in the pie. Do not overfill.
- If the crusts are too thin, the pie will split apart during baking. The crust should be thick enough that the folded pie can be lifted and handled before baking - this provides a good gauge for durability. If the crust is thick enough to handle, it should be thick enough to hold up during baking. If the pie splits apart during baking, it still tastes yummy!
- I found that pinching the crust edges provides a better seal than crimping with a fork; just make sure you really press the edges together that they seal. If they’re not sealed well, the filling will leak during baking - it can be messy and burns easily and the finished pie will be sad and empty.
- There are so many pie fillings available - apply the same steps to make apple hand pies, lemon hand pies, cherry hand pies, etc.
- This recipe does not work well with a traditional fresh pie filling - if you wish to use fresh fruit, simmer it on the stovetop with plenty of sugar and a bit of water.
- You just can’t fit enough fruit inside the hand pies to have all that flavor without a good dose of sugary syrup in there as well.
- The filling needs to be thick enough to hold in place while sealing the hand pies.
- Mix powdered sugar and a few drops of water together to make a glaze. Brush glaze over hot hand pies in lieu of the coarse sugar garnish.
Find it online: www.sugarandsoul.co/blueberry-hand-pies/