Peach Hand Pies
Peach hand pies are one of those desserts that make everyone at the table go quiet for a minute, right before they ask for a second one. This peach hand pies recipe wraps a buttery, flaky crust around a warm spiced peach filling, then finishes with a light almond glaze. They are small enough to eat with your hands, which makes them perfect for picnics, potlucks, or an after school snack that feels a little bit fancy.
Equipment
- Large mixing bowls
- Pastry blender or a food processor
- French Rolling Pin
- Round pastry cutter set 4 to 5 inches
- Rimmed baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Silicone pastry brush
- Dinner fork for crimping
- Wire cooling rack
- Small knife for cutting slits
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 cup unsalted butter 226g, cold and cubed
- 1/2 cup ice water 120ml
For the Peach Filling
- 2 cups fresh peaches about 3-4 medium, peeled and diced
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar 65g
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 pinch salt
For Assembly and Glaze
- 1 large egg beaten, for egg wash
- 1 tablespoon water for egg wash
- 2 tablespoons turbinado sugar for topping
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2-3 tablespoons milk
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and sugar. Cut in cold butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Drizzle in ice water, one tablespoon at a time, mixing until dough holds together. Shape into two discs, wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Peel and dice peaches into 1/4 inch pieces. In a medium bowl, combine peaches with granulated sugar, brown sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, cornstarch, and salt. Let sit for 10-15 minutes, then stir again before using.
- Roll one dough disc to 1/8 inch thickness on a floured surface. Cut out 4-5 inch circles with a round cutter. Repeat with second disc, rerolling scraps once. You should have about 20 circles total.
- Place 2 tablespoons of filling in the center of half the circles. Brush edges with egg wash. Top with remaining circles, press to seal, and crimp edges with a fork. Cut 2-3 small slits in the top of each pie.
- Place assembled pies on a parchment-lined baking sheet and refrigerate for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Brush chilled pies with remaining egg wash and sprinkle with turbinado sugar. Bake for 18-20 minutes until golden brown and filling is bubbly. Cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Whisk powdered sugar, milk, and almond extract until smooth. Drizzle glaze over cooled hand pies. Let set for 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Keep butter and water as cold as possible for the flakiest crust.
- Do not overfill the hand pies, or the filling will leak out during baking.
- Seal the edges firmly with a fork so no juice escapes in the oven.
- Choose peaches that are ripe but still slightly firm; very soft peaches can make the filling too watery.
- Chill the assembled pies before baking so the butter stays solid longer in the oven.
- Swap fresh peaches for canned (drained) or frozen (thawed and patted dry) for a year-round option.
- Add a handful of blueberries or blackberries to the peach filling for a mixed fruit version.
- Use a store-bought refrigerated pie crust to save time on busy days.
- Store cooled, glazed hand pies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerate for up to 5 days.
- Freeze baked, unglazed hand pies in a single layer for up to 3 months. Reheat at 325°F for 10-12 minutes to re-crisp.
Nutrition
Serving: 1hand pieCalories: 310kcalCarbohydrates: 38gProtein: 3gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.5gMonounsaturated Fat: 4.5gCholesterol: 45mgSodium: 140mgPotassium: 85mgFiber: 1gSugar: 18gVitamin A: 8IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 2mgIron: 6mg
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