Sourdough Holiday Sage and Roasted Butternut Squash Hand Pies

Name: Sourdough Holiday Sage and Roasted Butternut Squash Hand Pies
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 1 h 5 min
Total time: 1 h 50 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Ingredients: 1¼ lb (560 g) active sourdough dough (fed starter, mixed bulk fermentation complete), cold, from refrigerator, divided into 8 equal pieces; 1½ lb (680 g) butternut squash, peeled, seeded, cut into ¾-inch (2 cm) cubes; 3 tbsp (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil; to taste kosher salt; to taste freshly ground black pepper; ⅓ cup (8 g) fresh sage leaves, finely chopped; 5 oz (140 g) Gruyère cheese, finely grated; 2 tbsp (30 g) unsalted butter, softened, cut into small pieces; 3 sprigs fresh thyme sprigs, leaves stripped from stems (optional); 1 whole large egg, beaten with 1 tbsp water; ⅛ tsp (1 g) fleur de sel or sea salt, for topping (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Golden, hand-held sourdough pastries filled with roasted butternut squash, nutty Gruyère, and aromatic sage. The filling is deep and caramelized from the oven, while the sourdough crust develops a perfect crisp exterior and tender crumb. Perfect as a holiday appetizer, lunch, or side dish. Makes 8 substantial hand pies with rustic edges and a beautiful golden-brown finish.

Prep: 45 min
Cook: 1 hr 5 min
Wait: 1 hr 30 min
Total: 3 hr 20 min
Makes: 8 hand pies (about 5 ounces each)

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Ingredients

8 servings

1¼ lb (560 g) active sourdough dough (fed starter, mixed bulk fermentation complete), cold, from refrigerator, divided into 8 equal pieces
1½ lb (680 g) butternut squash, peeled, seeded, cut into ¾-inch (2 cm) cubes
3 tbsp (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
to taste kosher salt
to taste freshly ground black pepper
⅓ cup (8 g) fresh sage leaves, finely chopped
5 oz (140 g) Gruyère cheese, finely grated
2 tbsp (30 g) unsalted butter, softened, cut into small pieces
3 sprigs fresh thyme sprigs, leaves stripped from stems (optional)
1 whole large egg, beaten with 1 tbsp water
⅛ tsp (1 g) fleur de sel or sea salt, for topping (optional)

Equipment (11)

Rimmed baking sheet (13×18 inches / 33×46 cm)
Large mixing bowl
Medium saucepan
Wooden spoon
Chef's knife
Cheese grater (box or microplane)
Measuring cups and spoons
Bench scraper or dough cutter
Pastry brush
Cooling rack
Oven thermometer (optional but helpful)

Steps

Before you start

Have your sourdough starter at peak activity (fed 4–6 hours prior, doubled, with a dome shape)
Cube and roast the butternut squash ahead if convenient, then cool completely before filling
Pull sourdough dough from the fridge 30 minutes before shaping so it's easier to handle
Set up a small bowl of water and a pastry brush for sealing edges

1
Roast the squashOven 425°F / 220°C
- Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C).
- Toss the cubed butternut squash with 3 tablespoons olive oil, kosher salt, and black pepper on a rimmed baking sheet.
- Spread in an even layer and roast for 35–40 minutes, stirring halfway through, until the squash is deeply caramelized on the edges and tender when pierced with a fork.
- The cubes should have collapsed slightly and the edges should be golden-brown.
- Remove from the oven and let cool completely (about 15 minutes).
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Ready when: Squash is deeply caramelized and easily pierced with a fork; edges are golden-brown
Tip: Cut the squash into even-sized cubes so they roast uniformly. Don't skip the caramelization—it develops the filling's depth of flavor.
2
Make the filling
- In a medium bowl, combine the cooled roasted squash, chopped fresh sage, grated Gruyère, softened butter, and thyme leaves (if using).
- Fold gently with a wooden spoon until just combined.
- Season lightly with kosher salt and black pepper, remembering that the cheese and butter already add salt.
- The filling should hold together but remain soft.
- Set aside.
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Ready when: Filling is evenly mixed with no streaks of cheese or squash clusters; smells herbaceous and rich
Tip: Fold gently—you want the squash pieces to stay intact and visible in the finished hand pies.
3
Divide dough into 8 pieces
- Remove your cold sourdough dough from the refrigerator.
- Using a bench scraper or sharp knife, divide it into 8 equal pieces (about 70 g each).
- If the dough is sticky, dust lightly with flour.
- Let the pieces rest at room temperature for 10 minutes so they become slightly easier to shape without tearing.
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Ready when: Dough pieces feel relaxed and slightly soft; no longer cold and stiff
Tip: Cold dough is easier to divide cleanly and resists tearing. The 10-minute rest allows the gluten to relax without the dough over-proofing.
4
Shape each dough round
- Working with one piece of dough at a time, gently cup it in your hands and pull the edges toward the bottom, creating tension across the top surface.
- Rotate it as you work, creating a smooth, taut top.
- Place seam-side down on a lightly floured work surface.
- Using your palm or a rolling pin, gently flatten each round into a thin oval about 5 inches long and 3.5 inches wide (13×9 cm), with slightly thicker edges than the center.
- The dough should be about ¼ inch (6 mm) thick.
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Ready when: Each oval is flat, thin, and slightly thicker at the edges; no tears or thin spots
Tip: Don't use a rolling pin with too much pressure—you want to gently thin the dough, not compress it. Keep the work surface lightly floured to prevent sticking.
5
Fill and seal the hand pies
- Place about 2.5 tablespoons (35 g) of filling slightly off-center on the bottom half of each dough oval, leaving a ½-inch (1.3 cm) border around the edge.
- Dip a pastry brush in water and wet the edges of the dough.
- Fold the top half over the filling, pressing gently but firmly to seal.
- Use a fork to crimp the edges all around, ensuring a tight seal.
- The hand pie should be crescent-shaped.
- Transfer each finished pie to a parchment-lined baking sheet.
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Ready when: Edges are crimped and sealed; no gaps or openings visible
Tip: Wetting the edges with water helps the dough seal tightly. Don't over-stuff—too much filling will burst out during baking and prevent a good seal.
6
Final proof
- Arrange all 8 hand pies on the parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches (5 cm) between each.
- Cover loosely with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap.
- Let them proof at room temperature for 30–40 minutes.
- They should look puffy and slightly risen, but not so puffy that they're about to split.
- When gently poked, the dough should spring back slowly and leave a faint indent.
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Ready when: Pies are visibly puffy; a gentle poke leaves a slow-springing indent
Tip: The exact proofing time depends on your kitchen temperature. Cooler kitchens may need 40 minutes; warmer ones may only need 30. Watch for the visual cue rather than the clock.
7
Prepare oven and brush egg washOven 400°F / 205°C
- About 15 minutes before baking, preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Just before baking, brush each hand pie lightly with the beaten egg wash, covering the entire surface evenly.
- Sprinkle a tiny pinch of fleur de sel on each pie if desired for a finishing touch.
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Ready when: Egg wash coats all surfaces evenly; pies are still soft and pillowy
Tip: Brush the egg wash just before baking so it stays tacky and helps create a shiny, golden crust. Don't over-brush—a light coat is all you need.
8
Bake the hand piesOven 400°F / 205°C
- Bake on the middle rack of your preheated 400°F (200°C) oven for 22–25 minutes, until the crust is deep golden-brown and the hand pies sound hollow when tapped underneath (if you can do this safely with a spatula).
- The edges should be darker than the center, showing good caramelization.
- If the pies are browning too fast, tent loosely with foil for the last 5 minutes.
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Ready when: Crust is deep golden-brown; pies sound hollow when tapped; filling may bubble slightly at the edges
Tip: Every oven is different. Check at 20 minutes; if the crust is already deeply browned, they may be done. Don't open the oven door repeatedly—just check once at the 20-minute mark.
9
Cool and serve
- Transfer the baking sheet to a cooling rack or set it on a heat-safe surface.
- Let the hand pies rest for 10 minutes on the sheet (the filling will continue to set slightly), then carefully slide them onto a cooling rack or serving platter.
- They can be served warm, at room temperature, or even cold.
- The sourdough crust will be crispest while still warm.
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Ready when: Crust has set and is no longer steaming; hand pies hold together when moved
Tip: Resist the urge to bite into them immediately—the filling is very hot inside and the crust is still setting. A 10-minute rest ensures the filling doesn't pour out when you cut into a pie.

Good to know

Tips

Use your sourdough starter at peak activity—fed and doubled, bubbly and doming. Weak starter = dough that won't rise properly and pies that won't be fluffy inside.
Don't skip the full caramelization of the squash. The deep golden color and slightly collapsed edges signal flavor concentration. Pale roasted squash will taste wan and watery by comparison.
If your kitchen is very warm (above 75°F / 24°C), reduce the final proof time to 25–30 minutes to avoid over-proofing, which leads to dough that spreads during baking instead of puffing.
For a rustic, irregular edge, gently press and seal with your fingers instead of a fork; it's less formal but very attractive and lets the crust show more character.

Make ahead

Roast the butternut squash up to 2 days ahead and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Make the filling up to 1 day ahead and keep refrigerated. Shape the hand pies up to 8 hours ahead, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate; add 5–10 minutes to the final proof time if baking straight from the fridge.

Storage & reheating

Store cooled hand pies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Freeze unbaked, fully proofed hand pies on a tray for 2 hours, then transfer to a freezer bag for up to 1 month; bake from frozen, adding 5–7 minutes to the baking time. Reheat cooled pies wrapped in foil at 350°F (175°C) for 12–15 minutes until the crust is warm and crispy again.

Substitutions

Gruyère cheese → aged Comté, Emmental, or sharp white cheddar. Use a cheese with similar nuttiness and melting ability. Avoid soft cheeses, which will make the filling greasy.
fresh sage leaves → fresh rosemary or a mix of thyme and sage. Sage is traditional for autumn squash, but rosemary adds a different herbal note. Use the same quantity chopped.
butternut squash → kabocha squash or delicata squash. Other winter squashes work well; roasting times may vary slightly depending on size and moisture content. Aim for caramelized, tender cubes.
active sourdough dough (fed starter, mixed bulk fermentation complete) → quality all-purpose or bread dough (enriched with 1 tbsp olive oil and 0.5 tsp salt per 280g dough). Sourdough adds distinctive tang and structure; a basic dough will work but won't have the same depth of flavor or fermented crust quality.