Blueberry Hand Pies Recipe

Blueberry hand pies may just be the perfect hand held sweet. Whether you're hosting a casual party or just craving a delicious dessert, blueberry hand pies are sure to satisfy your cravings. Flaky buttery crusts bursting with fresh sweet blueberry pie filling, what is not to love!

These individual serving pies with juicy blueberry filling are not only easy to make, but are great picnic fare or scrumptious grab-and-go additions to work or school lunches. they are such a simple and convenient way to enjoy homemade blueberry pie.

How to Make Blueberry Hand Pies

Here I will walk you through the process of making a batch of blueberry hand pies, complete with step-by-step pictures. Jump down to the printable recipe card if you prefer.

The recipe makes 8 mini blueberry pies.

Prep Time: 20 mins | Cook Time: 10 mins | Bake Time: 15 mins

Ingredients you'll need

Here is everything you will need to make the blueberry hand pies.

• 1 package refrigerated pie crust (2 slabs of pie dough) If you prefer not to use store bought pie crust, use my Ultimate Pie Crust recipe. It makes a sturdy yet flaky pie crust.
• 16 ounces frozen or fresh blueberries For a more intense flavor, you can use wild blueberries.
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• ¼ cup dark brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• ⅛ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1 egg (egg wash)
• coarse sugar (sanding sugar) optional

Equipment needed: sheet pan, parchment paper or silicone liner, saucepan, 3 ½ inch round cookie or biscuit cutter and pastry brush. Plastic wrap can be used for storing or chilling the dough or pies.

Note: The pastry can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to two days or frozen for up to three weeks. You can also make the filling ahead of time and store it in the fridge or freezer until ready to use. Just assemble the little pies when ready.

Preparing the Hand Pies

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees f. Prep a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Remove the pie crust from the fridge to thaw to room temperature.

Make the Blueberry Pie Filling

In a saucepan, add the fresh or frozen berries and butter. Cook over medium heat until the blueberries release their juices.

Add in the brown sugar, vanilla extract, lemon juice and salt. Mix together until combined and the blueberries have broken down. Cook for about 8-10 minutes.

To thicken this mixture, add the cornstarch. Stir together until combined and then remove from the heat. Let the blueberry filling cool completely before placing it on pie dough, this will allow it to thicken and not make the crusts soggy.

Preparing the Pie Crusts and Shaping the Hand Pies

Use a rolling pin to roll out the pie crust dough on a clean and well-floured surface to about ⅛ to ¼ inch thick for best results. Use a pastry cutter or pizza cutter to cut out 3.5 inch circles of the pie dough. Repeat with the second dough slab in the package. Take any scraps and reroll into a dough ball, then roll out again and cut more circles. For a clean finish, use a pizza cutter or a sharp knife to trim the edges of the dough rounds as needed.

Place these circles on the prepared baking sheet. Fill the center of each circle with a large tablespoon of blueberry pie filling.

Use egg wash to baste around the edges of the dough to ensure a tight seal and prevent filling from leaking out..

Add another circle of dough on top and crimp the edges down with a fork ti create a seal. If you have larger rounds or want really small pies, use less filling and fold over like a half moon.

Cut small steam vents in the tops of the hand pies with a sharp knife. Repeat until all hand pies are made. Brush each pie with egg wash and sprinkle with coarse granulated sugar, such as turbinado sugar.

Tip: After assembling, chill the hand pies in the refrigerator or freezer before baking to help them hold their shape. If the dough becomes too warm, freeze the assembled pies for 15 minutes before baking to achieve a flaky crust. You can overlap hand pies slightly on a half sheet pan lined with parchment paper and freeze them for later use. Blueberry hand pies can be frozen solid and baked directly from the freezer. To prep ahead, wrap unbaked hand pies in plastic wrap and store them in the freezer for later use.

Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbling..

Allow the pies to cool at least 10 minutes minimum before serving. Even when the outside crust starts to feel cool enough to eat the filling will still be piping hot.

Serve as is, or ala mode with a nice scoop of vanilla ice cream. Fabulous for picnics or a special treat to finish a delicious family dinner.

Variations on the Recipe

Here are a few change-ups you may prefer when making your own batch of these easy blueberry hand pies.

• Use canned filling in place of homemade if you are pressed for time.
• Add a teaspoon cinnamon to the berries to warm the flavor up a bit.
• Dust the pies with powdered sugar after baking rather than applying the coarser type prior to placing in the oven.
• Rather than rounds you can make these as squares, triangles or half moons, use a pastry wheel or pizza cutter to cut our your crusts, just be mindful to leave enough room to crimp around the blueberry pie filling.

Storing Hand Pies

You can make these mini blueberry hand pies ahead of time if you like. Like traditional blueberry pie, they are fine out at room temperature for a day or two. If you want to store them longer, seal in an airtight container after they have cooled to room temperature, then place in the refrigerator. They will keep for 4-5 days in the fridge.

Blueberry hand pies can also be prepared ahead of time and frozen for later use. Once cooled, wrap each hand pie in plastic wrap or store in an airtight container before freezing to prevent moisture loss and freezer burn. To enjoy, thaw at room temperature or reheat in the oven.

Want to mix it up with another variety of hand pies, try my Caramel Apple Hand Pies recipe! If you are here entirely due to a blueberry craving, I do have plenty of blueberry recipes, my Blueberry Dump Cake, Blueberry Cinnamon Rolls or Blueberry Banana Oatmeal Muffins in particular are popular.