Why aren’t my hand pies flaky?

The most common cause is using warm ingredients. Make sure everything is cold! Then, be careful to measure accurately, and avoid overworking the pie crust.

How do you prevent hand pies from becoming soggy?

Brushing the pies with the egg wash will help create a seal, preventing them from becoming soggy. However, you want to make sure not to overfill them! About a tablespoon of filling is all you need.

Can I make savory hand pies?

Absolutely! Feel free to use any savory ingredients you like best.

Gluten Free Hand Pies - Cotter Crunch

Description

Enjoy all the flavor of your favorite pie with minimal prep time and a fraction of the work thanks to this easy gluten free hand pies recipe!

Ingredients

Units Scale

Gluten Free Pie Crust (see notes for quick alternatives and make-ahead tips)

1 1/2 cups (205-215 grams) gluten free all-purpose flour or homemade all purpose flour blend (without xanthan gum) *see notes
3/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/2 cup butter (8 Tbsp), partially frozen or very cold, cut into cubes (see notes)
3 teaspoons sugar
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
6–8 Tablespoons ice water (if living in a drier climate, 8 Tablespoons may be needed)

Filling

1/2 cup organic fruit pie filling
Optional – Egg wash (1 egg whisked with 1 Tablespoon water)
Optional raw sugar or powdered sugar

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Instructions

To prepare the pie crust, place 1 cup flour and the xanthan gum into a food processor with the blade attachment. If you don’t have a food processor, see the blog post. Sprinkle frozen butter cubes over the flour.
Cover with the remaining 1 cup flour, sugar, and salt. Pulse in short bouts until butter is broken down into small pieces, about 25 times.
Drizzle in the ice water. Mix with longer pulses for 10 to 12 seconds. The mixture will turn light yellow in color and the texture will be crumbly. Scrape down the sides with a spatula and pulse again one or two more times. Do not overwork the batter (it should be mealy with bits of butter still visible). If the dough seems too dry to shape into a ball, add 2 Tablespoons more ice water.
Transfer the mixture to a large bowl or onto a working surface. Shape the dough into a ball (again, do not overwork the batter), flatten slightly into a disc and tightly wrap with plastic wrap. Place the dough in the refrigerator to chill for an hour or overnight (see notes).
Allow the dough to rest at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes before rolling.
Preheat the oven to 400 F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
(SEE NOTES) To roll the dough, lightly flour the work surface and the rolling pin. Sprinkle a little flour on top of the dough or roll the dough between two pieces of plastic wrap.
Once rolled flat, about 1/4 to 1/8 inch, cut the dough in 5 to 6 inch circles for medium pies or 3 to 4 inches for smaller pies. A saucepan lid or tupperware lid can be used. Repeat 4 to 6 times.
Place 1 to 2 Tablespoons fruit pie filling in the center of each pie circle.
Gently fold dough almost in half over the filling, leaving ½ inch space on the bottom side edge. Fold the extra ½ inch bottom edge of the dough up over the top layer of dough. Then with wet fingers, gently crimp the edges with fingers or use the tines of a fork to seal the dough together. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet.
With a knife, cut 2 to 3 small holes in the top of each pie. Whisk the egg with water in a small bowl until thoroughly combined. Brush top of each hand pie with egg mixture and sprinkle with optional raw sugar. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until the edges are golden brown.
Cool for 10 minutes before serving. Store pies, lightly covered, at room temperature for up to 4 days.

Notes

Substitute Tips – Use a store bought gluten free pie crust mix for the homemade pie crust.

Prep Tips – The pie dough rolls out easiest between two sheets of plastic wrap. However, when cutting the dough into circles with a lid, placing the dough on a floured surface works best. Or place the rolled out dough in the freezer to firm up before cutting with the pan lid.

Baking Tips – Baking times may vary depending on the gluten free dough used.

Storage Tips – The baked hand pies can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months in an airtight container.

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Chill Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 25 to 30 minutes
Category: dessert
Method: oven
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size:
Calories: 168
Sugar: 2.2 g
Sodium: 163.3 mg
Fat: 10 g
Saturated Fat: 2.5 g
Trans Fat:
Carbohydrates: 17.8 g
Fiber: 1.3 g
Protein: 1.9 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg