America's Test Kitchen LogoCook's Country LogoCook's Illustrated LogoAmerica's Test Kitchen LogoCook's Country LogoCook's Illustrated Logo

Blueberry Hand Pies

By Camila Chaparro

Published on October 14, 2020

Time

2 hours, plus 30 minutes cooling

Yield

Serves 8

Blueberry Hand Pies

Ingredients

1 pound (454 grams/3¼ cups) fresh or frozen blueberries ½ cup (3½ ounces/99 grams) plus 1 tablespoon sugar, divided1 teaspoon grated lemon zest ¼ teaspoon table salt ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 tablespoon cornstarch 1 tablespoon water 2 (9½ by 9-inch) sheets puff pastry, thawed1 large egg, lightly beaten with 1 tablespoon water

Before You Begin

To thaw frozen puff pastry, let it sit either in the refrigerator for 24 hours or on the counter for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Instructions

  1.  Cook blueberries, ½ cup sugar, lemon zest, salt, and cinnamon in medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until blueberries begin to break down and release their juices, about 8 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue to cook until mixture thickens and spatula starts to leave trail when pulled through, 8 to 10 minutes.
  2.  Whisk cornstarch and water together in bowl, then stir into blueberry mixture. Cook until mixture has thickened to jam-like consistency, about 1 minute (you should have about 1¼ cups filling). Let cool completely, about 30 minutes.
  3.  Adjust oven rack middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Working with 1 sheet of pastry at a time, roll into 10-inch square on floured counter. Cut pastry into four 5-inch squares. Place 2 tablespoons blueberry filling in center of each square.
  4.  Brush edges of squares with egg wash, then fold dough over filling to form rectangle. Using fork, crimp edges of dough to seal. Transfer pies to prepared sheet and cut three 1-inch slits on top (do not cut through filling). Freeze pies until firm, about 15 minutes. (Once frozen, pies can be transferred to airtight container and stored in freezer for up to 1 month.)
  5.  Brush tops of pies with remaining egg wash and sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon sugar. Bake until well browned, about 25 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through baking. Transfer pies to wire rack and let cool slightly, about 15 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Blueberry Hand Pies
Photography by Keller + Keller. Styling by Chantal Lambeth.

Blueberry Hand Pies

Save

Time

2 hours, plus 30 minutes cooling

Yield

Serves 8

Ingredients

1 pound (454 grams/3¼ cups) fresh or frozen blueberries
½ cup (3½ ounces/99 grams) plus 1 tablespoon sugar, divided
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
¼ teaspoon table salt
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon water
2 (9½ by 9-inch) sheets puff pastry, thawed
1 large egg, lightly beaten with 1 tablespoon water

Ingredients

1 pound (454 grams/3¼ cups) fresh or frozen blueberries
½ cup (3½ ounces/99 grams) plus 1 tablespoon sugar, divided
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
¼ teaspoon table salt
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon water
2 (9½ by 9-inch) sheets puff pastry, thawed
1 large egg, lightly beaten with 1 tablespoon water

Ingredients

1 pound (454 grams/3¼ cups) fresh or frozen blueberries
½ cup (3½ ounces/99 grams) plus 1 tablespoon sugar, divided
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
¼ teaspoon table salt
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon water
2 (9½ by 9-inch) sheets puff pastry, thawed
1 large egg, lightly beaten with 1 tablespoon water

Why This Recipe Works

These hand pies are portable (and made to be eaten out of hand); perfect for parties, picnics, or on the go; and can easily cross over from dessert to sweet snack (they can even be breakfast fare if you're feeling indulgent). To make them as easy as they are versatile, we started with store-bought puff pastry and a simple precooked filling of blueberries flavored with cinnamon and lemon zest. Freezing the pastries before baking allowed the pastry enough time to crisp up without the risk of the filling overcooking or bubbling out in the oven. Even still, cutting sufficient steam vents—we found we needed three 1-inch-long slits in the tops—was key to preventing the turnovers from bursting open and leaking blueberry. Brushed with egg wash and sprinkled with sugar, our turnovers were crispy and flaky on the outside and full of luscious blueberry filling.

Before You Begin

To thaw frozen puff pastry, let it sit either in the refrigerator for 24 hours or on the counter for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Instructions

  1.  Cook blueberries, ½ cup sugar, lemon zest, salt, and cinnamon in medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until blueberries begin to break down and release their juices, about 8 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue to cook until mixture thickens and spatula starts to leave trail when pulled through, 8 to 10 minutes.
  2.  Whisk cornstarch and water together in bowl, then stir into blueberry mixture. Cook until mixture has thickened to jam-like consistency, about 1 minute (you should have about 1¼ cups filling). Let cool completely, about 30 minutes.
  3.  Adjust oven rack middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Working with 1 sheet of pastry at a time, roll into 10-inch square on floured counter. Cut pastry into four 5-inch squares. Place 2 tablespoons blueberry filling in center of each square.
  4.  Brush edges of squares with egg wash, then fold dough over filling to form rectangle. Using fork, crimp edges of dough to seal. Transfer pies to prepared sheet and cut three 1-inch slits on top (do not cut through filling). Freeze pies until firm, about 15 minutes. (Once frozen, pies can be transferred to airtight container and stored in freezer for up to 1 month.)
  5.  Brush tops of pies with remaining egg wash and sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon sugar. Bake until well browned, about 25 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through baking. Transfer pies to wire rack and let cool slightly, about 15 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Gift This Recipe

Enjoyed this dish? Let others know by sharing it as a gift recipe.

This is a members' feature.