Blueberry Hand Pies

From the kitchen of Carly

Buttery pastry folded around tart blueberries brightened with lemon, then baked until the filling bubbles out the sides and the crust turns golden. Warm, handheld, and meant to be eaten slightly messy. Pure comfort food.

Blueberry Hand Pies

Hand pies are all about the contrast, crispy crust giving way to jammy, tart-sweet fruit. The trick here is mounding the filling high enough so you get a generous pocket of blueberries in every bite, but not so much that the dough tears when you fold it. Fresh lemon zest cuts the sweetness and keeps these from tasting like pastry shop fillers.

Prep
n/a
Cook
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Total
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Servings
4
Difficulty
medium

Ingredients

4 servings

  • 1Buttery Pie Crust
  • 1All-purpose flour
  • 2 cupblueberries
  • 1 tspfinely grated lemon zest
  • 1 tbspfresh lemon juice
  • 1/4 cupsugar
  • 1/4 tspkosher salt
  • 1 largeegg, whisked with 1 teaspoon water
  • 1 tbspraw sugar

Instructions

  1. Set the oven to 375°F. On a floured surface, roll the dough out into a 15x12-inch rectangle, then cut it into 6 smaller rectangles.

  2. Combine the blueberries, lemon zest, lemon juice, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl and toss until the berries are coated. Brush the edges of each rectangle with water, then pile a mound of the blueberry mixture into the center. Fold the dough over the filling and press the edges firmly to seal. Arrange the pies on a parchment-lined baking sheet, brush the tops with egg wash, scatter over the raw sugar, and cut a few slits into each top to vent.

  3. Slide the sheet into the oven and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through, until the juices are bubbling up through the slits and the pastry is a deep golden brown (expect some juices to run onto the parchment). Lift the pies onto a wire rack and serve warm or at room temperature.

Tips from the kitchen

  • Brush the dough edges with water before folding, not after, so the seal actually holds during baking. This is non-negotiable if you don't want filling leaking everywhere.
  • Roll your dough rectangle slightly thicker than you think you need (closer to 1/4 inch). It gives the pastry structure to contain the juices without bursting.
  • Don't skip the egg wash. It's what gives the crust that deep golden shine and helps the raw sugar stick. Brush it on right before baking, not earlier.
  • Cut those steam vents after the pies are sealed and on the baking sheet. You want them visible so the juices can escape slowly without building up pressure inside.

Variations

  • With blackberries: Use the same amount of blackberries instead of blueberries. They're more tart, so you might reduce the sugar by a tablespoon if you prefer less sweetness.
  • With vanilla custard filling: Mix the blueberries with a thin layer of pastry cream or vanilla custard as you mound the filling. You'll get creaminess underneath the fruit.
  • As a galette: Forget the hand pies. Roll dough into one large circle, mound all the filling in the center, fold the edges over, brush and bake at 375°F for 40 minutes. Serves 4-6.
  • With bourbon syrup: Reduce 2 tablespoons bourbon with 2 tablespoons sugar and a pinch of salt, then fold it into the blueberries before mounding. Adds depth and a slight boozy warmth.

Make ahead and storage

Store hand pies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. Reheat them in a 300°F oven for 10 minutes to refresh the pastry, and eat them warm when the filling is most jammy.