Blueberry Hand Pie – THREE RECIPES

Easy Method

• • FILLING
• Cook 1 C blueberries in 1/2 C sugar
• 2 TBL cornstarch slurry in 1/4 C water
• 1 tsp lemon zest and juice
• splash of vanilla
• Simmer till thickened, then set aside to cool
  • ASSEMBLY
• Use storebought puff pastry or pie crust – let thaw and then “push” into one big square, then cut in 4 squares or use 4-5 inch biscuit cutter
• Put 1/4 of the filling in the center
• Egg wash the edges of the puff pastry
• Fold over to create a triangle
• Crimp the edges very lightly with the tines of a fork
• Put finished pies on parchment paper on a baking sheet
• Brush the tops with remaining egg wash
  • BAKE at 400º for 20 minutes
• Sprinkle with powdered sugar or icing made with 1/2 C confectioner sugar and dash of vanilla – use the merest splash of water if needed for consistency
• Cool 5 minutes before removing or serving

Better Method

After assembly, these can be frozen (unbaked) for 1 month, and then put into the oven for 25 minutes at 350º F.

Dough

• 2 C AP flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 C confectioner sugar
• 3/4 tsp salt
• Pulse above ingredients in  food processor
• Add 8 TBL melted butter
  Pulse until mixed
• Add 1/2 C whole milk or 3/4 buttermilk
  Mix 8-10 seconds
• Knead on a floured surface until it comes together.
• Cut dough into eight pieces, roll into balls, and flatten them slightly.
• Put onto a baking tray, cover with plastic and refrigerate for 20-30 minutes.

Filling

• 3 C frozen peaches, apples, blueberries or strawberries.
• 1 C granulated sugar
• 2 TBL AP flour
• 1 large beaten egg
• 1 TBL lemon juice
• 1/8 tsp salt
  Cook in skillet over low heat for 15-18 minutes.
• Mash coarsely, then simmer to reduce.
• Add 2 tsp lemon juice and chill filling for two hours.

Egg Wash

• 2 egg whites and 2 tsp water

Assembling the Pies

1. Roll a dough disk to about 6-8 inches in diameter.
2. Put 3 TBL of filling in the center.
   You can make smaller pies with smaller circles and less filling.
3. Brush the edge with egg wash.
4. Fold and seal – removing as much air from the body as possible.
5. Trim the edges, then secure by crimping with a fork.
6. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
   At this point, they can be frozen or prepared.
7. If preparing frozen pies, let them come up to room temperature for 30 minutes before cooking.
8. Heat 1 QT of safflower oil to 375º or bake at 400º for 18-20 minutes.
9. If frying, fry about 90-120 seconds on each side.
10. While still very hot, brush lightly with melted butter and sprinkle with Turbinado sugar.
11. Cool on a rack for at least 10 minutes before serving.

ONE MORE RECIPE

Blueberry Hand Pies
Rita Heikenfeld, Special to the Cincinnati Enquirer (USA Today Network), from azcentral.com, Sept. 2, 2026

The author makes these with southwest Ohio’s summer blueberries. The crust takes some time, but rolling, folding and chilling it gives you a flaky, tender, faux puff pastry. You can make the filling ahead and bring it to room temperature before using it.

For the crust

• 2 cups all-purpose flour (whisk it first, spoon it into the cup, then level it off)
• ¾ teaspoon salt (½ teaspoon if using salted butter)
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• 16 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled
• ½ cup regular (not low-fat) sour cream

For the filling

• 2 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch for fresh berries, 2½ tablespoons for frozen
• ⅓ cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
• A couple of dashes of salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon, or more
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice, or more

For the egg wash and sugar coating

• 1 egg, beaten with a tiny bit of water
• Sugar, regular or sparkling

To make the crust

1. Whisk the flour, salt and baking powder together.
2. Cut the butter into ¼-inch slices, then cut each slice into 4 pieces. Work the butter into the flour until the mixture is coarse and crumbly, leaving most of the butter in pea-sized pieces.
3. Stir in the sour cream until the mixture comes together in chunks. Turn it out onto a floured surface and knead a few times to bring it together.
4. Pat the dough into a rough 8-inch log, roll it into an 8-by-10-inch rectangle, and dust both sides with flour.
5. Starting from a short end, fold the dough in thirds like a business letter. Flip it, turn it 90 degrees, and roll it again into an 8-by-10-inch rectangle. Fold it in thirds again.
6. Wrap the dough and chill it for 30 minutes or up to a day.

Note: If you don’t have time to make the pastry, use refrigerated pie crust.

To make the filling
Put all the filling ingredients in a saucepan. Cook on low, stirring frequently, until the mixture is thick and glossy, about 5 to 10 minutes. Let it cool.

To make the hand pies

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F with a rack in the middle. Line a baking pan with parchment and spray the parchment.
2. Roll the dough into a 14-by-14-inch square. If it’s too hard to roll, let it sit a few minutes first.
3. Cut out 16 squares, about 3½ inches each.
4. Put a heaping tablespoon of filling on each of 8 squares. Brush the edges with egg wash to help them seal.
5. Cut a cross-shaped vent in each of the other 8 squares. Place a vented square on top of each filled square and seal the edges with a fork.
6. Brush the tops and edges with egg wash, avoiding the open center, and sprinkle with sugar. Place the pies on the pan.
7. Bake 18 to 20 minutes, until golden to golden brown. Cool for 20 minutes.

Store covered at room temperature for a few days, or freeze. If you like, dust them with powdered sugar before serving.

Makes 8 hand pies.