Mixed Berry Hand Pies

Name: Mixed Berry Hand Pies
Prep time: 50 min
Cook time: 36 min
Total time: 1 h 26 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 3 cups (375 g) all-purpose flour, spooned into the cup and leveled; 1 tbsp (12 g) granulated sugar; 1½ tsp (9 g) fine salt; 1¼ cups (2½ sticks) (283 g) unsalted butter, cold, cut into ½-inch (1.25 cm) cubes; 0.63 cup (10 tbsp) (150 ml) ice water, ice-cold, ice cubes removed; 3 cups (420 g) mixed berries (blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries), fresh or frozen (do not thaw); strawberries hulled and cut into ½-inch (1.25 cm) pieces; ⅓ cup (67 g) granulated sugar; 1½ tbsp (12 g) cornstarch; 1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice, freshly squeezed; 1 tsp (2 g) lemon zest, finely grated; ⅛ tsp (¾ g) fine salt; 2 tbsp (16 g) all-purpose flour, for dusting the counter and rolling pin; 1 whole (50 g) large egg, beaten with the water until smooth; 1 tbsp (15 ml) cold water; 2 tbsp (25 g) coarse sparkling sugar (or turbinado sugar)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Flaky, all-butter pie dough wrapped around a jammy lemon-berry filling, brushed with egg and sparkled with coarse sugar. They bake into sturdy, golden pockets you can eat out of hand, warm or at room temperature.

Prep: 50 min
Cook: 36 min
Wait: 1 hr 40 min
Total: 3 hr 6 min
Makes: 8 hand pies (each about 4 inches / 10 cm across)

Jump to recipe ♡ Save

Ingredients

8 servings

For the dough
3 cups (375 g) all-purpose flour, spooned into the cup and leveled
1 tbsp (12 g) granulated sugar
1½ tsp (9 g) fine salt
1¼ cups (2½ sticks) (283 g) unsalted butter, cold, cut into ½-inch (1.25 cm) cubes
⅔ cup (10 tbsp) (150 ml) ice water, ice-cold, ice cubes removed
For the filling
3 cups (420 g) mixed berries (blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries), fresh or frozen (do not thaw); strawberries hulled and cut into ½-inch (1.25 cm) pieces
⅓ cup (67 g) granulated sugar
1½ tbsp (12 g) cornstarch
1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice, freshly squeezed
1 tsp (2 g) lemon zest, finely grated
⅛ tsp (0.8 g) fine salt
For rolling
2 tbsp (16 g) all-purpose flour, for dusting the counter and rolling pin
To finish
1 whole (50 g) large egg, beaten with the water until smooth
1 tbsp (15 ml) cold water
2 tbsp (25 g) coarse sparkling sugar (or turbinado sugar)

Equipment (10)

Large mixing bowl
Pastry cutter, or a food processor
Medium saucepan (3-quart / 3-liter)
2 rimmed baking sheets (about 13×18-inch / 33×46 cm)
Parchment paper
Rolling pin
4-inch (10 cm) round cutter or the rim of a wide glass
Pastry brush
Fork
Small paring knife

Steps

Before you start

Cut the butter into cubes and put it in the freezer for 15 minutes before you start. Cold butter is what makes the crust flaky.
Put a glass of water with ice in the fridge so you have truly ice-cold water for the dough.
Plan on about 3 hours in total. The dough chills for 1 hour, and the filling must be completely cool before you fill the pies. You can cook the filling while the dough chills.
Use fresh or frozen berries. If frozen, do not thaw them; cook them straight from the freezer.

1
Make the dough
- In a large bowl, whisk the flour, dough sugar, and dough salt.
- Add the cold butter cubes and toss to coat.
- Using a pastry cutter (or pulsing in a food processor), cut the butter in until the pieces range from pea-sized to small almond-sized, with some flat flakes.
- Drizzle in 8 tablespoons (120 ml) of the ice water and toss with a fork.
- Squeeze a handful: if it does not hold together, add the remaining water 1 tablespoon at a time.
- Turn the shaggy dough onto the counter, press it together, and divide it in half.
- Shape each half into a flat disk about 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick and wrap in plastic.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: The dough holds together when squeezed, with visible streaks and flecks of butter.
Tip: Do not knead or work the dough until smooth. Visible butter pieces create the flaky layers.
2
Chill the dough
- Refrigerate the wrapped disks for at least 1 hour and up to 2 days.
- Use this time to cook and cool the filling in the next step.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: The dough is firm and cold throughout, and a finger pressed on it leaves only a slight dent.
3
Cook the filling
- In a medium saucepan, stir together the berries, filling sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, lemon zest, and filling salt.
- Cook over medium heat, stirring often, for 6 to 8 minutes.
- The berries will release juice, then the mixture will bubble and thicken.
- Let it bubble gently for 1 minute, then remove from the heat.
- Spread the filling on a plate or shallow dish and cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes, then refrigerate until needed.
- You should have about 1½ cups (360 ml).
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: The filling is glossy and thick enough that a spoon dragged across the bottom leaves a trail that fills in slowly. No cloudy white cornstarch streaks remain.
Tip: Warm filling melts the butter in the dough and causes leaks, so make sure the filling is fully cool before assembling.
4
Roll and cut rounds
- Line two baking sheets with parchment.
- Lightly flour the counter.
- Take one disk out of the fridge (keep the other cold) and roll it to ⅛ inch (3 mm) thick, turning it a quarter turn after every few passes so it does not stick.
- Cut as many 4-inch (10 cm) rounds as you can.
- Place the rounds on a parchment-lined tray in the fridge.
- Gather the scraps, press them together once, chill for 10 minutes if soft, then reroll and cut more.
- Repeat with the second disk until you have 16 rounds total.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: You have 16 even rounds of dough, each about ⅛ inch thick.
Tip: If the dough gets sticky or soft at any point, slide it onto a tray and chill for 10 minutes before continuing.
5
Fill and seal
- Arrange 8 rounds on the parchment-lined sheets, spaced 2 inches (5 cm) apart.
- Spoon a heaping 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon (about 20 g) of cooled filling into the center of each, leaving a ¾-inch (2 cm) border.
- Lightly dab the border with a fingertip dipped in cold water.
- Top with the remaining 8 rounds, press the edges together to push out air, and crimp firmly all the way around with the tines of a fork.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: The edges are pressed flat and fork-marked all the way around, with no gaps.
Tip: Overfilling is the main cause of blowouts. Stay with the measured amount and keep the filling away from the edges.
6
Chill and preheatOven 400°F / 205°C
- Place the baking sheets in the fridge (or freezer, if space is tight) for 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400°F (200°C).
- If your two sheets cannot fit on one rack, use the upper and lower thirds and swap them halfway through baking.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: The pies feel cold and firm when touched.
7
Egg wash and vent
- Beat the egg with the wash water until no streaks of white remain.
- Brush a thin layer over the top of each pie, avoiding drips pooling at the base.
- Sprinkle each with about 1 teaspoon of coarse sugar.
- With a paring knife, cut two small slits (about ½ inch / 1.25 cm long) in the top of each pie to let steam escape.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Each pie has an even, glossy coating of egg wash, a sprinkle of sugar, and two clean slits.
Tip: Do not let egg wash pool along the edges, as it can glue the pies to the parchment and keep the edges from flaking.
8
Bake the piesOven 400°F / 205°C
- Bake at 400°F (200°C) for 25 to 28 minutes, rotating the sheets front to back (and swapping racks if using two) at the 15-minute mark.
- The pies are done when the crust is a deep golden brown, including the bottoms and edges, and thick jammy filling is bubbling through the vents.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Deep golden brown all over and filling visibly bubbling through the slits.
Tip: If the pies brown too quickly before the filling bubbles, lower the oven to 375°F (190°C) and bake a few minutes longer.
9
Cool before eating
- Let the pies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes so the crust sets, then use a spatula to move them to a wire rack.
- Cool for at least 15 more minutes before serving.
- The filling will be extremely hot straight from the oven.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: The pies feel warm, not hot, and the crust is crisp when tapped.
Tip: If any filling leaked onto the parchment, let it cool before lifting the pies so the crust does not tear.

Good to know

Tips

Keep everything cold. If the dough softens or the butter looks greasy while rolling, return it to the fridge for 10 minutes before continuing.
Roll to an even ⅛-inch (3 mm) thickness. Thinner dough tears and leaks, while thicker dough can be doughy and pale.
Cook the filling until properly thickened and cool it completely. A runny or warm filling is the most common reason hand pies leak.
For extra insurance against leaks, press the edges with a fork, then chill, as the recipe directs, before baking.

Make ahead

"Make the dough up to 2 days ahead and keep the wrapped disks in the fridge, or freeze for up to 2 months (thaw overnight in the fridge). The filling keeps covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can also assemble the unbaked, unwashed pies, freeze them on a tray until solid, then bag them for up to 2 months. Bake from frozen after egg washing, adding 5 to 8 minutes to the baking time."

Storage & reheating

"Room temperature: up to 1 day, loosely covered. Fridge: up to 4 days in an airtight container. Freezer: baked pies, well wrapped, up to 2 months. Reheat room-temperature or fridge-cold pies on a baking sheet in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 8 to 10 minutes, or 15 to 18 minutes from frozen, until the crust is crisp and the center is hot. Avoid the microwave, which makes the crust soggy."

Substitutions

mixed berries (blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries) → Diced peaches, cherries (pitted and halved), or apples (peeled and cut into ¼-inch / 6 mm dice). Use the same weight. Apples need 2 extra minutes of cooking to soften slightly before cooling.
cornstarch → Tapioca starch (same amount). Gives a similarly clear, glossy filling. All-purpose flour also works (use 2 tbsp / 16 g) but gives a slightly cloudier result.
unsalted butter → Store-bought refrigerated pie crust (2 boxes, 4 crusts total). Skips the first two steps and saves about 75 minutes. Roll each lightly to ⅛ inch (3 mm) and cut as directed.
coarse sparkling sugar (or turbinado sugar) → Regular granulated sugar. Browns a bit more and is less sparkly, but tastes the same.