Heart Shaped Strawberry Hand Pies (Print Version)
Adorable, flaky hand pies bursting with sweet strawberry filling. Perfect for Valentine's Day, brunch, or dessert.
# What You'll Need:
→ Pie Dough
01 - 2 sheets (about 1 pound) refrigerated pie crust, thawed
→ Strawberry Filling
02 - 1 cup fresh strawberries, hulled and finely diced
03 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
04 - 1 teaspoon cornstarch
05 - 1 teaspoon lemon juice
06 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
→ Assembly
07 - 1 large egg, beaten (for egg wash)
08 - 1 tablespoon coarse sugar (optional, for sprinkling)
# How to Cook:
01 - Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - In a small bowl, combine the finely diced strawberries, granulated sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, and vanilla extract. Mix thoroughly and set aside for 5 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
03 - On a lightly floured work surface, unroll the two sheets of thawed pie dough. Using a heart-shaped cookie cutter (approximately 3 to 4 inches wide), cut out a total of 16 heart shapes from the dough.
04 - Carefully arrange 8 of the cut-out heart shapes on the prepared baking sheet. Spoon about 1 tablespoon of the prepared strawberry filling onto the center of each dough heart, leaving a clear border around the edges.
05 - Lightly brush the edges of the filled dough hearts with a small amount of the beaten egg. Place the remaining 8 heart-shaped dough pieces on top, aligning them precisely. Gently press the edges together to seal, then use the tines of a fork to crimp the edges securely.
06 - Create a small slit or poke a hole in the top center of each hand pie; this allows steam to escape during baking. Brush the tops of the pies with additional beaten egg wash and, if desired, sprinkle with coarse sugar for added texture and sparkle.
07 - Bake the hand pies in the preheated oven for 18 to 22 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the filling is visibly bubbly. Once baked, transfer the baking sheet to a wire rack and allow the pies to cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- They look absolutely adorable without requiring any complex pastry skills, making you look like a baking superstar.
- These little bundles of joy are perfect for a special occasion brunch or a sweet, grab-and-go treat anytime.
02 -
- Resist the urge to overfill these pies; just a tablespoon of filling is truly enough to prevent blowouts in the oven.
- For the cleanest cuts and easier handling, make sure your pie dough is still quite cold, even chilling the cut hearts for a few minutes before filling can help.
03 -
- Always ensure your pie dough is still relatively cold when you're cutting and filling; warmth makes it too soft to handle easily.
- If you're making your filling ahead of time, let it cool completely before spooning it onto the dough to prevent the crust from becoming prematurely soggy.