Triple Berry Hand Pies are the perfect way to put an abundant berry harvest to good use. Flaky, buttery pastry crusts are filled with juicy, sweet berries bursting with flavor.
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Really, what’s better than berry pie in the summertime? These individual mixed berry pies are the perfect summer treat.
Flaky, golden brown pastry is wrapped around the best plump, juicy berries of the season. It’s a handheld dessert that’s irresistible.
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These cute little berry pies boast all the flavor of a classic mixed berry pie, but they’re individually sized and perfect for handing out to guests or eager young hands.
These little berry pies are a perfect treat on their own and conveniently portable. Or serve them on top of a scoop of rich vanilla ice cream. Either way, you’ve got yourself the ultimate summer dessert.
Ingredients you need
For the complete list of ingredients with quantities and detailed prep and cooking instructions, please see the recipe card that appears at the end of this post.
Mixed Berry Hand Pies only require a handful of ingredients, especially if you use store-bought or pre-made pie crust. Here’s what you need:
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- The crust: I use store-bought or homemade pie crust (see the recipe notes for my basic crust recipe). You can even use a dairy-free olive oil pie crust or gluten-free pie crust.
- The berries: I use fresh blackberries, raspberries, and wild blueberries. You can use frozen berries if you don't have fresh berries available.
- Sugar: Granulated sugar adds sweetness and gives the filling structure.
- Lemon zest: A bit of lemon zest brings a bit of acid, heightening all the flavors. I love my Microplane for zesting citrus.
- Cornstarch: To thicken the filling.
- Egg: To make a wash for the crust that gives it that beautiful glossy, golden-brown finish.
- Coarse sugar: To sprinkle on top for a bit of sparkle and textural contrast.
How to Make Hand Pies with Mixed Berries
For the complete list of ingredients with quantities and detailed prep and cooking instructions, please see the recipe card that appears at the end of this post.
This triple berry pie recipe is easy to make, especially if you use store-bought pastry dough, which, frankly, is one of the most brilliant inventions in history! Here’s how to make them:
- Preheat the oven and line a couple of baking sheets with parchment paper. Beat the egg with 1 teaspoon of water.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll out the prepared pie crust to 1/8-inch thick.
- Using a round cutter 2 ½ inches in diameter, cut out 24 rounds. Arrange 12 of the rounds on the baking sheet, leaving about 1 inch of space in between.
- In a medium bowl, toss together the berries, sugar, zest, and cornstarch. You can also add a squeeze of lemon juice if you like. Spoon about 1 heaping tablespoon of filling onto the dough rounds on the baking sheets.
- Brush the edges of the dough with the egg wash.
- Top each berry-filled dough round with a second dough round, pressing around the edges to seal. Use a fork to crimp the edges.
- Brush egg wash over the tops of the pies and use the tip of a sharp knife to cut an x into the top of each pie to create a steam vent.
- Sprinkle the coarse sugar over the pies.
- Bake until the crusts are golden brown and the inside is hot, bubbling, and thick. Remove from the oven and transfer the pies to a wire rack to cool completely before serving.
More spring Desserts
After winter's rich comfort food desserts, I love the entrée of spring sweets. They're lighter, fruitier, more playful, and so fun to make—and eat. Berries are everywhere in the springtime, so I use them in as many ways as I can.
One of the simplest ways to celebrate berry season is with strawberry Tanghulu. Blueberry Mini Pies are another berry-forward dessert, and this one is perfectly sized for just two people so you're not weighed down with a pile of leftovers. Blueberry Cream Cheese Bars are perfect for taking to a potluck or your kid's school bake sale. Rhubarb cookies, blueberry clafoutis, and hamentashen are all delightful ways to celebrate spring, too.
Triple Berry Hand Pies
Robin Donovan
Ingredients
- 2 store-bought 9-inch pie crusts or equivalent quantity homemade pie crust see notes for basic recipe
- 1 cup mixed berries I used blackberries, raspberries, and wild blueberries
- ¼ cup sugar
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch or substitute all-purpose flour
- 1 large egg lightly beaten
- 1 teaspoon water or heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons coarse sugar for sprinkling
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Beat the egg with 1 teaspoon of water.
- On a well-floured surface, roll the pie dough out to 1/8-inch thick. Using a 2 ½-inch round cutter, cut out 24 rounds.
- Place 12 of the rounds on the baking sheets, leaving about 1 inch in between.
- In a medium bowl, toss together the berries, sugar, lemon zest, and cornstarch.
- Use a spoon to place about a heaping tablespoon of the berry mixture in the center of each of the 12 pie dough rounds on the baking sheets. Brush the edges with the egg wash.
- Top the filled rounds with the remaining 12 rounds, pressing the edges to seal. Use the tines of a fork to crimp the edges and make a decorative border.
- Using a pastry brush, brush the tops with egg wash and use the tip of a very sharp knife to make an x in the top of each one for a steam vent.
- Bake the hand pies for about 12 to 15 minutes, until golden brown.
- Transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool for at least 15 minutes before serving.
Notes
tablespoons) and combine with a pastry blender or fork until crumbly. Add 6 to 7 tablespoons ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until a soft, sticky dough forms. Split the dough into two halves and form each into a disc. Wrap each disk in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before rolling out and cutting. 2. If you are using large berries, you can chop them before coating in the sugar, lemon zest, and cornstarch to make the pie filling easier to work with and better incorporated. 3. To make sealing the edges of the hand pies a little easier, you can dip the tines of your fork in flour every now and then. This will keep the dough from sticking to the fork as you work around the edges. 4. Feel free to use whatever mixture of berries you like. Strawberries, black raspberries, and conventional blueberries are wonderful options too. 5. If the filling in your hand pies leaks out or erupts through the dough a little while cooking, that’s okay! They will still taste delish. I personally prefer rustic baked goods over perfectly shaped baked goods! 🙂
Wow, I never thought this would be better than it looks. I already have my berry pies, but not this tiny. So, I tried your recipe yesterday, and I was amazed at how delicious yours turned out. It’s five times better than my berry pie recipe! 😅 I will surely add this to the upcoming Christmas Eve and even New Year’s Eve to introduce it to my family.
Can these be frozen and brought out when ready to eat? I’d like to make some ahead of time and when someone is here, bring them out, thaw, and serve. Thanks!
I would freeze them before baking. Before brushing on the egg wash, place them in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet and put them in the freezer until they are fully frozen. Then transfer them to a freezer-safe, resealable plastic bag. You can then bake them from frozen, just brush with egg wash before putting them into the preheated oven and add a few minutes to the baking time.