Description
These delightful Blueberry Hand Pies feature a flaky, buttery crust filled with a sweet and tangy homemade blueberry filling. Perfect for a portable treat or a charming dessert, these hand pies combine fresh ingredients and a touch of lemon for a wonderfully balanced flavor, all baked to golden perfection.
Ingredients
For the Crust
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 and 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 sticks (8 ounces) very cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
- 1/2 cup cold full fat sour cream
For the Blueberry Filling
- 2 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 and 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
For Assembly
- 1 large egg, beaten
- Turbinado sugar, optional for sprinkling
Instructions
- Make the crust: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, and sugar to combine the dry ingredients evenly.
- Incorporate the butter: Add the cold, cubed butter to the dry ingredients and work it in using your hands or a pastry cutter until the mixture resembles a coarse meal with pea-sized butter pieces for flakiness.
- Add sour cream: Stir in the cold sour cream with a rubber spatula until dough is shaggy; then transfer it to a floured surface and knead lightly a few times to bring it together into a cohesive dough.
- Fold and chill the dough: Pat the dough into a 10-inch log and roll it out into a 10″ x 12″ rectangle. Lightly flour both sides, fold the dough into thirds like a letter, flip it, and roll it out again to the same size. Fold again into thirds, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for 1 hour to relax and firm up.
- Prepare the blueberry filling: Combine blueberries, sugar, cornstarch, and lemon juice in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook for about 6 minutes until thickened. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature before using.
- Preheat oven and prepare baking sheet: Set oven to 425°F and position a rack in the middle. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup and to prevent sticking.
- Roll and cut the dough: Roll chilled dough into a 16″ x 16″ square. Use a pastry wheel or pizza cutter to slice into sixteen even squares for a square shape, or use a 4-inch biscuit cutter or similar round object to cut out sixteen rounds for circular pies.
- Fill the pies: Place about two tablespoons of the cooled blueberry filling onto eight of the dough pieces. Brush beaten egg along the edges to act as glue for sealing.
- Create vents: Using a small knife, cut a small vent in the center of the remaining eight dough pieces to allow steam to escape during baking.
- Seal the hand pies: Top each filled piece with a vented piece and press the edges firmly together using a fork or pie crust crimper to ensure a tight seal, preventing filling from leaking.
- Finish and add sugar topping: Brush the tops with remaining beaten egg wash for a golden finish, then sprinkle with turbinado sugar if desired for extra crunch and sweetness.
- Bake and cool: Place the pies on the prepared baking sheet and bake at 425°F for 20 minutes until golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool for 20 minutes before serving to let the filling set and avoid burns.
Notes
- Use very cold butter and sour cream to create a flaky pastry texture.
- Folding the dough multiple times helps develop layers similar to a puff pastry.
- The vent cut on the top dough piece allows steam to escape, preventing sogginess or bursting.
- Turbinado sugar is optional but adds a pleasant crunch and sparkle on top.
- Blueberries can be fresh or frozen; if frozen, no need to thaw before cooking filling.
- These hand pies are best eaten within a day or two but can be refrigerated and reheated gently.