Raspberry Lemon Hand Pies
Deliciously buttery pocket pies filled with a bright, raspberry filling.
- Prep time
- 30 min
- Cook time
- 15 min
- Yield
- 6 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
- 1 cup fresh raspberries, gently rinsed and dried
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1+1/2 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice
- 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
- a pinch grated nutmeg
- a pinch salt
- 1+1/4 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling out
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup very cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
- 2-4 tbsp cold water, or as needed
- 1 large egg, beaten
- turbinado sugar or coarse sugar granules for the topping (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Create the filling: In a medium bowl, stir the raspberries with the granulated sugar, cornstarch, lemon zest, lemon juice, nutmeg, cinnamon and salt. Stir just until combined; set aside.
- 2
Create the dough: To a food processor or stand mixer, add your flour, salt, and sugar; mix to combine. Drop in the cubed butter and beat until you get pea-size clumps. Stream in a couple tablespoons of cold water, then mix to form a dough. If after 10-15 seconds a dough does not form, stream in another tablespoon of cold water. Resist the urge to add more liquid and let the mixer beat the ingredients together until it forms a compact mass of dough that sticks to the beater.
- 3
Turn out your pie dough onto a floured surface. Sprinkle a little flour over the pie dough and use a rolling pin to roll out the dough 1/8 inch thick. Roll only in one direction and turn your pie dough clockwise often to create an even layer of dough.
- 4
Dust a 2 inch heart cutter (or a biscuit cutter) in flour before cutting out heart shapes from the dough. Place 6 of the pie hearts onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Scoop 2 to 3 raspberries, depending on how big your raspberries are, on the center of the hearts that are on your baking sheet. Re-roll the scraps of dough to get another 6 heart-cut pieces of dough.
- 5
Use the beaten egg to brush along the edges of the pastry hearts that have been topped with the raspberry filling. Then press the unfilled pastry hearts on top, pressing down along the edges to create enclosed pocket pies. Use a fork dusted in flour to make indentations all along the border of the heart pies. This will not only add a nice design but it will also help close shut the heart pies. It's okay if filling juices seep out. Refrigerate the pies while you preheat your oven to 400°F.
- 6
Before placing the heart pieces in the oven, brush the tops of the pies with the beaten egg, then make small X-shaped cuts with a sharp knife in the centers of your heart pies to create vents for the steam. Sprinkle turbinado sugar over all of the heart pies.
- 7
Bake the pies for 12 to 15 minutes on an upper rack (not the highest rack, the second highest would be better) of your oven, or until the pies are golden. Let the pies rest on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before moving to a cool racking to cool completely or enjoy slightly warm.