Little Hand Pies Recipe

Love little hand pies — they’re cute, portable, and endlessly customizable! Here’s a simple, flaky, and versatile Little Hand Pies recipe you can fill with your favorite sweet or savory fillings.

🥧 Little Hand Pies Recipe

Ingredients:

For the Dough:

• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour

• 1 tsp salt

• 1 tbsp sugar (for sweet pies) or omit for savory

• 1 cup (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cubed

• ½ cup ice-cold water (more if needed)

For the Filling:

• Sweet: fruit preserves, pie filling, Nutella, or fresh fruit + sugar + cornstarch

• Savory: cooked meats, cheese, veggies, or a mix

Extras:

• 1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)

• Sugar for sprinkling (optional, sweet pies)

Instructions:

1. Make the dough:

   • In a large bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and sugar (if using).

   • Cut in cold butter using a pastry cutter or your fingers until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

   • Slowly add ice water, stirring until dough just comes together. Add a bit more water if needed.

   • Divide dough in half, flatten into disks, wrap in plastic, and chill for at least 1 hour.

2. Prepare filling:

   • Make sure your filling isn’t too wet or it can make the dough soggy. For fruit fillings, cook fresh fruit with sugar and a bit of cornstarch to thicken, then cool.

3. Roll out dough:

   • On a floured surface, roll dough to about 1/8-inch thick.

   • Use a round cutter (about 4 inches diameter) to cut out circles.

4. Assemble pies:

   • Place about 1-2 tbsp of filling in the center of each circle, leaving edges clear.

   • Brush edges with egg wash, fold dough over to create a half-moon shape, and press edges firmly to seal. Use a fork to crimp edges.

5. Bake:

   • Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).

   • Place pies on parchment-lined baking sheets. Brush tops with egg wash and sprinkle sugar if sweet.

   • Cut small slits on top for steam to escape.

   • Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

6. Cool & enjoy:

   • Let pies cool slightly before serving.

Tips:

• Freeze unbaked pies on a tray, then transfer to freezer bags. Bake frozen pies with a few extra minutes added.

• Try filling combos: apple cinnamon, cherry almond, spinach feta, or chicken mushroom.

• Brush with melted butter after baking for extra richness.