from Small Pies, Big Flavor
With juicy peaches and tart raspberries, these hand pies are like little pockets of summer you can enjoy any time of year. While they’re one of my favorite ways to eat pie when local fruits are in season, these hand pies are just as good when made with frozen fruit, letting you capture that fresh, fruity flavor no matter the season. Here, I’ve used an X-shaped cutter for the hand pie tops but feel free to use any shape that suits your mood.
Ingredients
1 large egg
1 tsp milk
⅓ cup (40 g) fresh raspberries
⅓ cup (50 g) diced fresh peaches, peeled and stone removed, cubed into ½” (1.3-cm) pieces
2 tbsp (25 g) granulated sugar
2 tbsp (16 g) cornstarch
1 tsp lemon juice
½ tsp vanilla extract
Flour, for rolling
½ lb (227 g) store-bought puff pastry dough
Directions
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
In a small bowl, whisk the egg and milk to make an egg wash. Set aside.
Prepare the Filling: In a medium bowl, gently combine the raspberries, peaches, sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice and vanilla. Set aside.
Assemble and Bake the Hand Pies: On a lightly floured surface, roll out the chilled dough to a 12 x 12–inch (30 x 30–cm) square. Use a knife and a ruler to trim the edges to ensure they are square. Divide the dough into four squares, each 6 x 6 inches (15 x 15 cm). Place two of the squares on the parchment-lined baking sheet. Cut as many X shapes as you can with a 1-inch (2.5-cm) X-shaped cutter from the remaining two squares and set aside.
Divide the raspberry-peach filling between the two squares, leaving a ½-inch (1.3-cm) border untouched. Brush the border of the squares with some of the egg wash. Place the X shapes over and around the filling, overlapping them and closing as many gaps as possible, to form a top to the hand pies. Brush the egg wash on the hand pies and then place them in the freezer for 30 minutes (this will ensure that the pie does not distort as it bakes).
While the hand pies are in the freezer, adjust the oven rack to the lower-middle position and preheat the oven to 375ºF (190ºC). Bake the hand pies for 20 to 25 minutes, or until they are golden brown and the filling is bubbly. Allow them to cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes before transferring them to a serving plate.
Makes 2 hand pies
Nada’s Tips & Tricks: This is an easy bake recipe since the pastry portion is already made. Try different fruit that comes into season, and you’ll be guaranteed a “yum” reaction around the table!
Reprinted with permission from Small Pies, Big Flavor by Helen Nugent. Page Street Publishing Co. 2025. Photo credit: Jim Brand. https://www.pagestreetpublishing.com/
