Homemade Hand Pies
Simple homemade hand pies are the perfect portable way to enjoy pie! These personal pies are made with a buttery, flaky sourdough crust then filled with a sweet filling of choice.
Other baked goods we love that are made with sourdough include these sourdough chocolate chip cookies, sourdough chocolate babka, and sourdough lemon ricotta cookies.
These individual sized homemade hand pies are not only fun and cute to eat, but so delicious! Their portable size makes them convenient like a cookie, but they have all the classic taste of a pie when you take a bite. Yum!
Transforming sourdough discard into a homemade sourdough pie crust gives these hand pies the flavor of sourdough but without having to wait hours for the dough to rise. Then filled with homemade chocolate spread, hazelnut cream spread or filling of choice, they become the best tiny dessert you will ever have!
Enjoy them for a lunchbox snack, after dinner treat, or anytime you need an addition to your dessert table during the Holidays. It’s everything you love about pie but in the palm of your hand!
Table of Contents
Why You Will Love This Hand Pie Recipe
- Easy to make: Maybe this is where the expression ‘easy as pie’ comes from because they are a lot easier to make than actual pie!
- Fun to eat: It’s a portable slice of pie that you can hold in your hand and everyone will love their individual homemade hand pie.
- Customize the filling: Use your favorite fruit pie filling from berries to apples or try hazelnut spread, basically whatever you like in a pie, you can use in these handheld pies.
- Freezer friendly: These single serve pastries are great to make ahead and then enjoy whenever you need a sweet handheld treat.
Ingredients Needed
Two simple ingredients are all you need for these hand pie pastries!
- Pie crust: You will need 1 pie crust, we recommend our homemade sourdough pie crust for the best handheld pies. You can use whatever pie crust you wish, though.
- Filling: You will need 6 heaping teaspoons of hazelnut spread or filling of choice.
How to Make Hand Pies
These tiny pies are pretty simple to make! They are perfect for little helpers to assist with in the kitchen.
Roll out pie dough: Roll out your sourdough pie crust to approximately â…› inch thickness then use a medium round cookie cutter to cut it out into 12 circles.
Assemble pies: Place 6 of the circles on a parchment paper lined baking sheet, then top each circle with a heaping teaspoon of spread or filling of choice. Make 2-3 small slits in the remaining 6 circles and place one on top of each circle on the baking sheet.
Seal and chill: With damp fingers seal the edges of each pie and then use the tongs of a fork seal again. Chill for 30 minutes while your oven preheats to 375 degrees F.
Bake: Brush each round pie with some milk and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for approximately 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack to cool or serve warm. Enjoy!
Filling Variations
- Fruit pie filling: Blueberry, strawberry, peach, apple hand pies, the sky’s the limit when it comes to pie filling for these homemade handheld pies.
- Seasonal: Try pumpkin pie filling for a delicious variation during the fall.
- Nutella: Flaky pastry with nutella is amazing, just like in my Nutella puff pastry pockets.
- Jam: Use a spoonful or two of your favorite jam or preserves. Lemon curd would be delicious, too!
- Savory: While our preference is a sweet filling in hand pies, you can fill these with a savory filling like chicken pot pie, pizza or veggies if you choose.
Tips for Success
- Make ahead your sourdough crust: Save some time and make the crust ahead for these homemade hand pies. Store the crust in the fridge for up to four days or freeze for up to 3 months.
- Rolling out the dough: Go slowly and be patient! Start rolling in the center and work your way out, making tiny rolls and rotating frequently.
- Don’t overfill your pies: Otherwise they will burst while baking!
- Don’t forget to cut the slits: Air will release through the slits on top while the pies are baking and prevent your filling from exploding out the top.
How to Store
As long as your home is not unusually warm, they can be stored at room temperature for 2 days. To extend their life, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
To freeze, allow them to cool completely. Tightly wrap each handheld pie individually, then store in a freezer safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator or on the counter at room temperature. To warm up, place in the oven at a low temp until warmed through.
FAQs
Can I use a different crust for my hand pies?
While our preference is a sourdough pie crust, you can use whatever pie crust you would like, either homemade pie dough or store bought crust. Sourdough hands pies are the best though as they give these homemade hand pies a rich and deep flavor.
What is the difference between a hand pie and a turnover?
The difference between the two is really subtle as both can be made from pie pastry or puff pastry. Often a turnover will be shaped into a half circle, similar to a calzone. Hand pies on the other hand are traditionally full circles all around.
Can I deep fry this hand pie recipe?
Yes, although, I find the easiest method is to bake them! To deep fry them heat at least 4 inches of neutral oil in a large stock pot to 375 degrees F. Deep fry the hand pies for 3-4 minutes until golden brown then remove to a paper towel lined plate to cool for 10 minutes.
Can I make these in my air fryer?
Yes, your air fried handheld pies will taste great. Air fry pies in a single layer in the basket of your air fryer at 400 degrees F for 13-15 minutes until golden brown. Cool slightly, then enjoy!
How do I stop them from leaking?
To start with, don’t overfill the pies! Here are a few other tips to follow as well. Don’t forget to make your slits to allow the pies to vent while baking and when smoothing the dough out to make the pies do your best to prevent the dough from cracking as the filling will seep through the cracks. Last, if you still find your pies are leaking, seal them with an egg wash around the edges.
How do I prevent them from being soggy?
Don’t skip the chilling step! This brings structure back to the pies as the sourdough pie crust will get warm from rolling, cutting and filling. Another way to prevent your homemade hand pie from being soggy is to follow the baking temperature precisely. Your oven must be hot enough to bake the pies or you risk underbaking them. Also, if you are using a filling other than the chocolate spread, make sure it does not contain too much liquid.
More Sourdough Recipes
- Sourdough cinnamon coffee cake
- Sourdough hot cross buns
- Homemade apple cinnamon bread
- Easy sourdough bread
- Sourdough French country bread
Homemade Hand Pies Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 Homemade sourdough pie crust recipe
- 6 heaping teaspoons of Hazelnut cream spread or Chocolate Cream Spread
You can use Homemade Chocolate Spread or Hazelnut Cream Spread or your favorite store bought.
Instructions
- Prepare the homemade sourdough pie crust.
- Roll out the dough to approximately ⅛ inch thickness. Cut out 12 circles with a medium round cookie cutter (3½ inches/9 cm). Place 6 of the circles on a parchment paper lined baking sheet, top each circle with a heaping teaspoon of spread.
- Make 2-3 small slits in the remaining 6 circles and place one on top of each circle on the baking sheet. With damp fingers seal the edges of each and then with the tongs of a fork seal again. Chill for 30 minutes while the oven is pre-heating.
- Pre-heat the oven to 375F (190C).
- Brush each round with some milk and sprinkle with granulated or Demerara sugar and bake for approximately 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack to cool or serve warm. Enjoy!