Heart Hand Pies

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These adorable Heart Hand Pies have a buttery flaky crust and a sweet strawberry filling inside. They’re really simple to make and are perfect for Valentine’s Day or another special occasion.

» You might also like these Valentines Chocolate Bombs.

Heart shaped hand pies

Since these hand pies are made with just a few simple ingredients, you can make them any time you’re in the mood or if company drops by on short notice. You can customize the filling to your liking or to what you have on hand. Aside from strawberry, blueberry and cherry also work well, but fillings like Nutella are also tasty. Here’s a great recipe for cherry hand pies.

I like to keep the recipe as simple as possible so I have used ready-made pie crust but if you prefer to make your own pastry you could do that too. Don’t have a cookie cutter, that’s fine – you can freehand them or use any shape you want – even just a quick square or circle.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Ingredients for heart shaped hand pies
  • Strawberries – Use the ripest strawberries you can get for the best flavor. You can also use frozen berries.
  • Granulated Sugar – In this recipe, we use granulated white sugar. You can also use a sugar alternative if want, like allulose or monk fruit.
  • Cornstarch – A little bit of cornstarch will help firm up the filling so it doesn’t ooze out and make the hand pies messy.
  • Salt – Just a dash of salt to off set the sweetness, really brings out the flavor of the strawberries.
  • Refrigerated pie crust – For this recipe, I used Pillsbury pie crust. There are 2 round crusts in a box. You can, however, make your own pie crust for this recipe.
  • Flour – This is just for spreading on the work surface so you can easily roll out the dough without it sticking.
  • Egg and water – Make an egg wash by combining an egg and water. This will help give the tops a nice shine.
  • Red Sugar Sprinkles – This is optional, as decoration on the top, and can be changed out with any sprinkles or colors you like.

How to Make Heart Hand Pies

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside.

Step One: Make the Filling

cooking down the fruit

Add the strawberries, sugar, cornstarch, and salt to a saucepan. Cook the mixture over medium heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. It will thicken as it cooks and you’re looking for a firm, not liquidy consistency. Remove it from the heat and let it cool completely.

Step Two: Cut the Dough

cutting out the dough and placing on a baking sheet

Flour your work surface, then roll out the pie crusts to about ¼” thick. Use a 3” heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut out 16 hearts from the 2 crusts. You don’t absolutely need a cookie cutter. We actually made a simple heart pattern and cut ours with a paring knife. You can also use whatever cookie cutter you have on hand. It doesn’t have to be heart-shaped.

Step Three: Prepare the Pies

Place 8 of the hearts on the baking sheet. Spoon about a tablespoon of the strawberry filling onto the center of each heart.

Cut an X in the center of the other 8 hearts for venting and place them over the top of the filled hearts. Use a fork to carefully crimp down the edges. Refrigerate for 20 minutes.

Whisk the egg and water together in a small bowl. Remove the pies from the refrigerator. Brush the tops of each pie with the egg wash. This will give the tops of the hearts a nice shine. Sprinkle on the sugar or sprinkles, if you want them.

Step Four: Bake

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake the heart pies for 25-30 minutes, or until they are golden on top and the dough no longer looks wet. Remove them from the oven and enjoy them while they’re hot.

Heart shaped hand pies

Additional Helpful Tips

  • You don’t want the filling to leak out of the crust, so be sure you don’t overload them. I like to give one a try – fill it and place the top on to see if it’s filled the right amount – before I move on to do the rest.
  • If you are allergic to eggs, you can substitute a small spritz of oil spray for the egg wash on the tops of the pastry.
  • Hand pies freeze nicely; store them in a freezer bag or container for up to two months. Reheat in the oven or in the air fryer for warm pies, or serve at room temperature.
Heart shaped hand pies

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make different shapes of hand pies?

Absolutely! Feel free to be creative and use whatever extra cookie cutters you have in your drawers. They are great for any occasion. You can also free-hand it if you don’t have a cookie cutter. No one’s going to mind if they are a bit odd-shaped!

Can I make these hand pies ahead of time?

Yes! To prepare ahead of time, fully construct the hearts, freeze them unbaked, and then bake them from frozen. Simply increase the baking time by a few minutes, so they get cooked all the way through.

What is a hand pie?

A hand pie is a little pie that can be held in your hand. It’s created using pie crust and filled with either a sweet or savory filling, usually sweet. They so easy to make and a treat to eat.

Is it possible to make hand pies out of puff pastry?

Yes, you can use puff pastry instead of pie pastry in hand pies, but the results will be very different. If you use puff pastry, the outcome will be more like a turnover. They will puff up a lot more and the filling is more likely to spill out.

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Heart shaped hand pies

Heart Hand Pies

These adorable Heart Hand Pies have a buttery flaky crust and a sweet strawberry filling inside. They're really simple to make and are perfect for Valentine's Day or another special occasion.
4.98 from 34 votes
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Chill Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 8 Pies
Calories: 136kcal
Author: Laura Lynch

Ingredients

For the filling:

  • 1 cup (144 g) strawberries finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons (24 g) granulated sugar
  • 1/2 tablespoon (4 g) cornstarch
  • Pinch salt

For the crust:

  • 1 package refrigerated pie crust 2 crusts
  • 2 tablespoons (15 g) all-purpose flour to flour the work surface
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon (4.93 ml) water
  • 2 teaspoons (10 g) red sugar sprinkles

Instructions

  • Add strawberries, sugar, cornstarch, and salt to a saucepan. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and cool completely.
  • Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
  • Roll out the pie crusts on a floured surface to about 1/4” thick. Use a 3” heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut out 16 hearts from the 2 crusts.
  • Place 8 hearts on the baking sheet. Spoon a tablespoon of the strawberry filling onto the center of each heart.
  • Cut an X in the center of the other 8 hearts for venting and place them over the top of the filled hearts. Use a fork to carefully crimp down the edges. Refrigerate for 20 minutes.
  • Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  • Whisk the egg and water together in a small bowl.
  • Remove the pies from the refrigerator. Brush the tops of each pie with the egg wash. Sprinkle on the sugar.
  • Bake for 25-30 minutes until they are golden. Remove from the oven and enjoy while hot.

Notes

  • You don’t want the filling to leak out of the crust, so be sure you don’t overload them. I like to give one a try – fill it and place the top on to see if it’s filled the right amount – before I move on to do the rest.
  • If you are allergic to eggs, you can substitute a small spritz of oil spray for the egg wash on the tops of the pastry.
  • Hand pies freeze nicely; store them in a freezer bag or container for up to two months. Reheat in the oven or in the air fryer for warm pies, or serve at room temperature.

Nutrition

Calories: 136kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.003g | Cholesterol: 20mg | Sodium: 95mg | Potassium: 58mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 32IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 10mg | Iron: 1mg

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4 thoughts on “Heart Hand Pies

  1. grace says:

    5 stars
    I made these for Christmas morning for my kids. I used cherry pie filling and topped them with red and green sprinkles. Thanks for the inspiration!!

  2. ron says:

    4 stars
    My filling spilled out on the first go round. I didn’t crimp them well enough. The second batch was perfect. I am going to experiment with different fillings.

4.98 from 34 votes (32 ratings without comment)

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