These sweet, fruity blueberry hand pies are the perfect summer treat. They are easy to make and also very easy to eat!
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Pin RecipeHand pies are such a simple way to turn messy, hard-to-eat pie into a fun handheld dessert. I love making blueberry hand pies to put on dessert buffets and also to bring to summer barbecues. They transport so well and there is no need for plates or forks. Just pick up a hand pie and take a nice, big bite!
(Love blueberries? Try my No-Bake Blueberry Cheesecake, Blueberry Crumble Bars, and Blueberry Cobbler too!)
Blueberry Hand Pie Recipe
Blueberry hand pies may be a lot neater than a regular blueberry pie, but that doesn’t mean they lack flavor. In fact, these little pies are bursting with sweet blueberry filling. My recipe uses a bit of lemon zest and lemon extract, which enhances the taste of the blueberries. With a touch of sugar and a hint of vanilla, this may just be the best blueberry pie filling you have ever tried.
The flakey, buttery pie crust complements the filling perfectly. I use pre-made frozen pie crusts to save on time, but you can definitely make your own pie crusts as well (check out my recipe here!). I like cutting my pie crust into squares but you can also make circular hand pies or half-moon shapes. As long as that blueberry pie filling is sealed inside the dough, you can get creative with how your hand pies look! Just be sure to leave a picture in the comments below so I can see your creations.
My Favorite Tools
Click on the products below to see my favorite tools for making this recipe!
Ingredients for Blueberry Hand Pies
See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
- Frozen pie crusts – Let the pie crusts sit out at room temperature for about an hour so they are soft and easy to work with.
- Blueberries – You can use fresh or frozen blueberries for this recipe. If you’re using frozen blueberries, measure and mix them while they are frozen.
- Cornstarch – Cornstarch helps thicken the pie filling so that it is not too watery.
- Sugar
- Salt
- Lemon extract – Lemon extract adds a ton of bright flavor that really complements the blueberries.
- Lemon zest – One lemon will give you about 1 teaspoon of lemon zest
- Vanilla extract
- Egg – The egg in this recipe is used as an egg wash on the outside of the hand pie. This makes them look shiny and appetizing.
Variations
- Replace the lemon extract with one tablespoon of fresh lemon juice.
- Use tapioca starch in place of cornstarch. It will thicken the pie filling perfectly.
- Try using a mix of berries instead of all blueberries. Mixed berry hand pies are just as delicious!
How to Make Blueberry Hand Pies
- Prepare: Preheat your oven to 400ºF, then line a baking tray with parchment paper.
- Make the filling: Whisk the cornstarch, salt, and sugar together in a pot. Add the blueberries and toss them in the sugar mix. Simmer the berries over medium heat for 5 minutes. The sauce will look thick and shiny. Remove the pot from the stove and stir in the lemon extract, vanilla, and lemon zest, then let the filling cool.
- Make the dough squares: Roll out the pie crust so it is a 14×14 inch square. Use a pizza cutter to cut the dough into 3 ½” squares. You should get 16 squares from both pie crusts.
- Fill the pies: Scoop about 1-2 tablespoons of blueberry filling into the center of 16 pie squares. Brush the edges of the square with egg wash, going around the filling. Place a second square of pie dough on top of the first, then use a fork to go around the edges and seal the two pie dough squares together.
- Bake the hand pies: Place the stuffed hand pie squares on the prepared baking tray. Brush the top of each pie with egg wash and sprinkle with a little extra sugar. Cut a small slit in the top of each pie, then bake the pies for about 18 minutes. They will be golden brown.
- Cool and eat: Let the pies cool for about 15 minutes. The filling is VERY hot when it first comes out of the oven. After 15 minutes, the blueberry hand pies will be ready to pick up and eat!
Quick Tip
Try assembling the hand pies and then freezing them rather than baking them. When you want a freshly baked hand pie, you can just take one out of the freezer and bake it as directed in the recipe! It will take about 2-3 minutes longer to bake the hand pies from frozen.
How to Store Blueberry Hand Pies
Wrap any extra hand pies in an airtight container. Keep them sealed at room temperature for 2-3 days. You can also store them in the fridge for up to a week. Pop the hand pies in a toaster oven for a few minutes to reheat the filling and make the dough flakey and crispy once again. They will taste as fresh as the day they were made!
FAQs
Hand pies and regular pies are made with the same ingredients. Both have delicious pie filling and flakey pie crust. Hand pies are small and made to be picked up and eaten with your hands. The pie filling is completely enclosed in the crust making them easy to eat. Regular pies are baked in a pie pan and need to be eaten with a fork and plate.
Blueberry pie is tasty both warm or cold. I like blueberry pie warm with some vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. However, it is also super tasty when served cold at breakfast time!
Hand pies can be kept at room temperature for 2-3 days. If you plan to store them any longer than that, they should be refrigerated. The pie filling is very moist and can turn moldy quickly if left at room temperature for too many days.
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Blueberry Hand Pies
Ingredients
- 2 frozen pie crusts, slightly thawed
- 2 cups frozen or fresh blueberries
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- ⅓ cup sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon lemon extract
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 egg, whisked
- Extra sugar
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400ºF and line a baking tray with parchment paper. Set the tray aside for now.
- Add the cornstarch, sugar, and salt to a medium sized pot and stir together.
- Add the blueberries to the pot and toss them in the sugar mixture.
- Place the pot over medium heat and bring the mixture to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Stir and simmer for about 5 minutes or until the sauce begins to thicken. Remove from the stove and let cool.
- Add the lemon zest, lemon extract and vanilla extract to the cooked blueberries and stir.
- Roll the pie crusts on a floured work surface, making them 14×14” squares. This can be tricky if your pie crusts were circular, but just work on rolling the edges and working the dough from the center outward toward the corners to make it square.
- Use a pizza cutter or sharp knife to cut the dough into 3 ½ x 3 ½ inch squares. You should get about 16 squares from each pie crust.
- Divide the filling between 8 squares of dough, scooping the filling into the center of the square. You should be able to add about a tablespoon of blueberry filling to each square.
- Brush a little of the whisked egg around the edges of the squares that have the blueberry filling.
- Top each square with a second square of dough, laying the second piece right on top of the filling. Press the edges of the top dough on to the bottom, sealing it closed. You can even use a fork to go around the edges of the square and really seal them well.
- Place the stuffed dough squares on the prepared baking tray then cut a slit about 1 inch long in the top of each square.
- Brush the pastries with the remaining egg white then sprinkle each with a little extra sugar.
- Bake the hand pies for 18 minutes. They will be a light golden brown.
- Let the pies cool for about 15 minutes before serving.
Can we use canned blueberry pie filling instead?
We haven’t tested it, but it should work just fine!