Published August 19, 2018

This week I've decided to add another dessert recipe to my list. While this isn't a traditional 8-inch pie, I do consider the mini hand pies to be a great treat, especially on-the-go. 

Pie History

According to my research, pies date back to the 14th century with the Romans and Greeks. "Pies" were made with meat (like in England), while fruit tarts and pastry pies, were introduced around the 1500s. 

In the U.S. (2017), fruit pies are the most popular type of pies sold. Sales totaled 38.8%, while mini-pies (like hand pies) rank third on the list, at 16.2%. 

My Recipe and Ingredients

As always, I bake and cook with the ingredients and materials I have on hand. 

My original goal this week was to make cherry hand pies. Instead, I used strawberries since I had several pints in the fridge.

You can substitute strawberries with any fruit you like (apples, peaches, pears, etc). Remember that when you swap out fruits to notice how much water content that fruit may produce when baking. 

Strawberry and Cream Hand Pie Ingredients 

For the strawberry filling, feel free to improvise. I started with 2 cups of strawberries because I wanted to have enough filling. However, when the strawberries cook down, I had more than enough for the hand pies. 

Adding sugar (in my case, syrup) to the strawberries allows them to break down and release their juices to create the "sauce." If you find that you don't have enough sauce in the pan, you can add 2 tablespoon of lemon juice. 

Strawberry and Cream Hand Pie Instructions

This recipe is faster than the instructions make it seem. You can cook the strawberries and mix the cream and refrigerate in advance. You can also make the pie dough ahead of the filling or use pre-made dough. 

I've always wanted to make my own dough, which is why I made mine from scratch. Besides that it uses a decent amount of butter, it was easy to make. I intentionally found a recipe that didn't use vegetable shortening, since I don't normally have that on hand. 

My Overall Thoughts 

The Dough

I was impressed with the way my dough came out. It was just like the pie-crust I've eaten — buttery with a crumbly crunch. 

In the video, you'll see I had to improvise with my tools to roll it out and cut it. I decided to make small, circular discs for my hand pies. Though I also tested making a "turn-over." 

If you want to make a bunch of hand pies then I recommend doubling the recipe. 

Strawberry and Cream Filling

I intentionally over-filled my strawberry and cream hand pies. I wanted to be sure that when they finished baking, you could taste the filling. To ensure that you do, roll your dough thinner so that there's more room for the filling as it bakes. 

My hand pies absorbed most of the strawberry filling, so I put my leftover strawberry sauce on top to really have the strawberry flavor. 

The Final Product

Overall, I thought the strawberry and cream hand pies turned out adorable. I loved the cinched edges. They were the perfect size to have as a snack or with a cup of coffee after breakfast.

If you prefer sweeter desserts, I recommend you drizzle my simple glaze on top. Or you can add more syrup or sugar to the strawberry filling. I tend to prefer my desserts on the savory-side, which is why I use less sugar. 

This recipe is customizable, so if you have experience with pies or fillings, I recommend you make it your own. This one is a work-in-progress for me, but I'm happy to share what I have so far! 

K. Martinelli Makes Strawberry & Cream Hand Pies

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