23 Hand Pies So You Can Have a Pastry Wherever You Go
We love a lot of things about hand pies. They can be sweet or savory; enjoyed with a group or stashed in the freezer to bake off individually night after night; and eaten for dessert, breakfast, or an afternoon pick-me-up. Plus, you can fill them with pretty much anything you’d find in any of our favorite non-hand-pie recipes.
Consider the recipes below a starting point. Hand pies are as versatile as your imagination: You can make them with an all-butter pie dough, frozen puff pastry, or a tender shortcrust—some Southern iterations even call for a biscuit-like dough. Unlike large pies, hand pies tend to have a greater crust-to-filling ratio, giving them greater protection against sogginess. Be sure to bake your mini pies on parchment-lined baking sheets for easy cleanup. And remember, leftovers reheat beautifully: Just pop them in a toaster oven and go on with your day.
Photo by Elizabeth Coetzee, Food Styling by Stevie Stewart1/23Fried Apple Pies
One of our favorite hand pie recipes, this iconic Gourmet dessert from the legendary Edna Lewis illustrates the simple is best ethos: a flaky biscuit-like crust, smooth cider-spiked sweetened apple pie filling, and minimal final flourishes except for a dusting of powdered sugar.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Simon Andrews2/23Cheesy Hand Pies
To create the ultimate flaky crust, freeze your butter. (We opt for unsalted butter to better control the seasoning.) Here, a savory blend of feta and mozzarella makes for a rich-gooey-umami filling, but you can experiment with any good melting cheese.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Anna Billingskog4/23Apple Pie Cookies
Like a pint-size apple galette you can eat in two bites, these teensy desserts are the solution to enjoying apple pie flavors at a potluck without the need to slice and serve individual (not to mention equal!) pieces of pie on the fly.
Gentl & Hyers5/23Spiced Lamb Hand Pies
A savory hand pie stuffed with ground lamb and green peas brings English pub cheer to your dinner table. Although we call them hand pies, you might want utensils to dig into the flaky, steaming parcels.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton6/23Mince Pies
Despite what some say, there’s no meat in these dessert pies, just a spiced, boozy fruit and nut filling. Unlike a traditional pie crust recipe, the tender shortcrust calls for powdered sugar, which gives it a delicate crumb. While these are the ideal size for gifting in tins, you could crown a holiday celebration with a large-format mincemeat pie.
USA Pears7/23Spiced Pear Hand Pies
When the temperatures dip, welcome those first fluttery feelings of fall with Anjou pears simmered in warming cardamom, cloves, and ginger. Expect some filling to ooze out—it gives these pies their rustic look. Bake them on parchment paper for effortless cleanup.
9/23Sweet Potato Turnovers With Sweet Kraut
Yes, that is the word kraut you see in this recipe title, and yes, that does mean there is cabbage in this dessert. It comes from restaurant owners Kate Jacoby and Rich Landau, who are known for their experimental and highly successful approach to flavor. The cabbage is braised in sweet wine and brown sugar to accompany vegan turnovers stuffed with a filling reminiscent of candied yams.
Photo by John Kernick11/23Rhubarb Turnovers
The cream cheese in this pastry dough makes for exceptionally tender, flaky turnovers. Chill it well before rolling it on a surface dusted with all-purpose flour before cutting out individual rounds. If this is your first time working with pastry, store rounds you’re not actively working with in the fridge while shaping each turnover. Serve these with lemon buttermilk ice or store-bought vanilla ice cream.
Photo by Joshua Sarlo12/23Date Nut Cookie Pies
These hand pies pack chewy dates and warming spices in a cookie-size confection that’s adorably bite-size. To prevent the filling from seeping, chill the shaped rounds in the fridge while the oven preheats.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Pearl Jones, Prop Styling by Stephanie De Luca13/23Coronation Curried Chicken Salad Pastries
