Hand Pies

Step 1

Combine flour, sugar, and salt in the basin of a food processor (see note if you don’t have a food processor) and pulse briefly to combine.

Step 2

Scatter butter over the surface of the flour ingredients, then pulse again until butter is incorporated and mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Step 3

Add sour cream and pulse again until mixture begins to clump together.

Step 4

Divide dough into two even parts and form each into a ball. Flatten into a disc and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 30-60 minutes before proceeding. While the dough chills, you can prepare your filling.

Step 5

To make berry filling, whisk together sugar and cornstarch in a small saucepan.

Step 6

Add berries (or peaches), water, and lemon juice and stir until combined.

Step 7

Transfer saucepan to stovetop and turn heat to medium. Cook, stirring almost constantly, until the berries release their juices and the mixture begins to bubble. This will take several minutes. If you are using large berries like big strawberries, you may wish to use a potato masher to break up and mash the berries so they fit in the pie crust better.

Step 8

Continue to stir while the mixture bubbles until it thickens and your spoon or whisk leaves trails through the mixture. It should be approaching a jam-like consistency, but keep in mind that the filling will thicken as it cools so it should still be a bit loose when it is finished.

Step 9

Once filling is thickening, remove from the stovetop and transfer to a heatproof bowl.

Step 10

Stir in butter. Allow mixture to cool completely before filling hand pies (you may speed this up by placing it in the refrigerator).

Step 11

Prepare your apple filling by combining apple pieces, brown sugar, and butter in a medium-sized saucepan over medium-low heat.

Step 12

Stir frequently until butter is melted, then add cornstarch, ground cinnamon and salt.

Step 13

Increase heat to medium and bring to a simmer. Simmer mixture, stirring frequently, until it begins to thicken.

Step 14

Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract. Allow mixture to cool completely before proceeding (you may speed this up by placing it in the refrigerator).

Step 15

Preheat oven to 400F (205C) and prepare an egg wash by whisking together egg and water. Set aside.

Step 16

Remove one disk of pie crust from the refrigerator, unwrap, and transfer to a clean, lightly floured surface.

Step 17

Use a rolling pin to roll dough to be ¼” (0.6cm) thick. Use 3” round cookie cutter to cut dough into circles, keeping cuts close to get as many as possible out of the dough (don’t be afraid to add as much flour as is needed, and if at any point the dough becomes too sticky to manage, return it to the fridge).

Step 18

Place two circle on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet (one will be the bottom half and one the top). Lightly brush the entire surface of one of the dough circles with egg wash. Use a sharp knife to cut two small slits/vents in the other dough circle.

Step 19

Place a rounded tablespoon of filling in the center of the egg-wash brushed circle.

Step 20

Take your other circle (with the vents cut in it) and place this over the top of the filling. Use a fork to crimp the edges to seal the filling in the crust. Brush the surface with egg wash and, if desired, sprinkle liberally with coarse sugar.

Step 21

Repeat steps above (rolling out the second disk of dough once you have used all of the first), spacing hand pies at least 2” apart on baking sheet, until you have fit as many as you can on the baking sheet.

Step 22

Transfer to 400F (205C) oven and bake for 15 minutes or pies are beginning to turn golden brown. Allow to cool on baking sheet before enjoying. See instructions below if you would like to add glaze topping.

Step 23

If using glaze, whisk together sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth. If mixture is too thick, add a splash more milk until it falls off the whisk in a ribbon and holds its shape for several seconds before dissolving back into the bowl.

Step 24

Drizzle over hand pies and allow glaze to set before serving.