Pie – Brownie Mischief

Caramel Apple Crumble Hand Pies

Posted on September 11, 2025February 12, 2026 by Mari Vasseur

Fresh apples + flaky pie crust + buttery streusel topping + caramel drizzle = a heavenly combination of autumn flavors, textures and aromas in one handheld treat. These Caramel Apple Crumble Hand Pies are irresistible and even a little addicting. They’re the perfect bake for a crisp autumn day and they go beautifully with all of the warm, cozy fall drinks from lattes to teas.

With this recipe, I’m sharing an idea I use to fill the pies with even more apples, which is cutting the top crusts a bit larger than the bottom crusts. It’s also helpful to arrange the apples on the crusts by hand which helps to avoid any air pockets.

The buttery crumb topping takes these hand pies to another level. You can add as much or as little of the crumb topping as you like. Typically I say to follow measurements strictly when baking, because it’s an exact science, but with this streusel crumb topping, go ahead and measure with your heart when topping your hand pies.

Caramel Apple Crumble Hand Pies

Fresh apple hand pies with buttery streusel crumb topping and caramel drizzle

Print Recipe

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 6 hand pies

Ingredients

Pie Crust

2 ⅔ cups (340g) all purpose flour, sifted
2 tablespoons (25g) granulated sugar
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
¼ cup (47g) vegetable shortening
¾ cup (170g) cold, unsalted butter, cubed
½ cup (118ml) ice water
1 tablespoon (15ml) apple cider vinegar

Apple Filling

3 1/2-4 cups (14 oz or 397g) peeled, sliced apples See notes below*
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon (14g) butter
6 tablespoons (75g) packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons (20g) cornstarch
¾ teaspoon cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt
1 tablespoon (15ml) apple cider or apple juice

Crumb Topping

¾ cup (96g) all purpose flour
¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
2 tablespoons (25g) packed brown sugar
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
1 pinch fine sea salt
¼ cup cold, unsalted butter, cubed

Assembly

1 ½ tablespoons (21g) butter, softened
egg wash 1 egg yolk beaten with 2 teaspoons of water
caramel sauce store bought or homemade**

Instructions

Pie Crust

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar and salt. Work in the shortening with your fingertips until it's evenly dispersed. Work in the butter until flat dime-sized pieces are formed.
In a small bowl, combine the ice water and vinegar. Sprinkle the ice water mixture over the flour mixture a little at a time and stir just until the dough comes together. You may not need all of the liquid, depending on your climate. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Fold the dough over onto itself a couple of times. Do not overwork the dough! Divide the dough into 2 equal portions and form the portions into 1/2-inch thick rectangular blocks. Wrap them with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to overnight.

Apple Filling

In a small bowl whisk the apple juice together with the cornstarch. Set aside. Toss the apples and lemon juice together in a large bowl. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. When the butter is melted and starts to sizzle add the apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Stir gently until well combined. Cook until the sugar melts and the mixture starts to bubble. Turn the heat down to medium-low and simmer until the apples soften a bit, about 2-3 minutes. Stir in the cornstarch mixture. Continue cooking until the sauce thickens, about 2 minutes. Transfer the contents of the pan to a bowl and set aside to cool to room temperature, about 20 minutes.

Crumb Topping

In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt until well blended. Work the butter into the flour mixture with your fingertips until it looks sandy with no large pieces of butter remaining. Press the mixture together to form chunks. Set aside in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Assembly

Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut out 6 rectangles measuring 3 by 4 1/2-inches for the bottoms. Cut out 6 rectangles measuring 3 1/4 by 4 3/4-inches for the tops.
Chill the cut dough rectangles in the refrigerator for 15 minutes. Meanwhile preheat the oven to 375ºF (190ºC). Place the 6 bottom pieces on the baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Brush the perimeter edges of the dough with egg wash. Top with filling to within 1/2 inch of the edges. Pinch off pieces of the softened butter and dot the tops of the filling. Place on the top pieces of dough and press the edges together to seal. Crimp the edges with a fork. Brush the pies with egg wash. Cut a 1/2-inch ventilation slit in the top of each one. Top with crumb topping, pressing it lightly to adhere.
Bake until golden brown, about 20-25 minutes. Let the pies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack. Drizzle the warm or room temperature pies with caramel sauce.

Notes

*Slice the apples about 3/8-inch thick, then cut the slices in half

**For my Homemade Caramel Sauce recipe, click here. For my Easy Caramel Sauce recipe, click here. For store bought caramel sauce, click here.

Keyword caramel apple crumble, hand pies, pie

Totoro Inspired Blueberry Tarts

Posted on January 3, 2025February 12, 2026 by Mari Vasseur

If you’re a fan of the movie, My Neighbor Totoro, you’ll love these cute little tarts with bellies full of blueberry filling. I watched this movie multiple times over my break from Christmas to New Year’s Day. 2024 was such a roller coaster, that I needed something that brings happiness and comfort. I hope these yummy little cuties will bring you happiness too!

I shared my flaky pie crust recipe below along with the filling. If you want to streamline the process, you can certainly use store bought pie crust. But I must say that that I’ve made them both ways and the homemade crust tastes so much better! You can use a 4 1/2-inch Totoro cookie cutter* to make the pies or you can use the free printable pattern** I provided below. For best results, make sure your dough is nice and cold when cutting it out. You can also use any leftover pie scraps to make tiny Chibi Totoros if you like. Brush them with egg wash and sprinkle with coarse sugar. Bake for a few minutes until light golden brown.

Totoro Inspired Blueberry Tarts

Totoro-shaped blueberry tarts with vanilla icing

Print Recipe

Course Dessert

Servings 10 tarts

Ingredients

Crust

2 ¾ cups (351g) all purpose flour
1 tablespoon (14g) sugar
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
¼ cup (46g) vegetable shortening
¾ cup (170g) cold, unsalted butter, cubed
½ cup (118ml) ice water
1 tablespoon (15ml) apple cider vinegar

Filling

2 ½ cups (312-340g) blueberries, fresh or frozen, divided
1 teaspoon lemon juice
6 tablespoons (75g) sugar
4 teaspoons (13g) cornstarch
1 dash fine sea salt
½ teaspoon pure vanila extract

Icing

1 ½ cups (180g) powdered sugar, sifted
1 ½ tablespoons (21g) unsalted butter, melted
2-3 tablespoons (30-45ml) milk
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 dash fine sea salt

Decor

1 tablespoon (11g) chopped semisweet chocolate or mini chocolate chips, melted

Instructions

Crust

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar and salt. Work the shortening into the flour mixture with your fingertips until it's evenly distributed. Work in the butter until flat, dime-size pieces are formed.
In a glass measuring cup, stir the ice water and the vinegar together. Sprinkle it over the flour mixture a little at a time, stirring the dough until it comes together. You may not need all of the liquid, depending on your climate.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Fold the dough over onto itself a few times. Do not over work the dough. Divide the dough into 2 equal portions. Use a kitchen scale for accuracy. Form the portions into disks, wrap them in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours or up to overnight.

Filling & Assembly

Set aside 1/2 cup of blueberries. In a medium-size saucepan, over medium heat, stir together 2 cups of blueberries and the lemon juice. Add the sugar, cornstarch and salt. Stir gently until the sugar melts and the mixture starts to bubble. Let the mixture simmer gently until thickened, about 3-5 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a shallow bowl. Stir in the reserved 1/2 cup of blueberries and the vanilla extract. Let cool to room temperature.
Preheat the oven to 375ºF (190ºCº). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut out 9-10 Totoro shapes out of each dough portion using a 4 1/2-inch Totoro cookie cutter* or cut with a paring knife using the provided pattern.** You should get 20 Totoro cut-outs out of the homemade dough, only re-rolling the dough scraps once. Store bought dough will yield about 18 cut-outs, re-rolling the scraps once. (Let the re-rolled dough scraps rest in the refrigerator until firm before cutting.) Place half of the Totoro cut-outs, about 2 inches apart, onto the baking sheets.
Brush the edges of the Totoro cut-outs with egg wash, using your finger or a small pastry brush. Place about 2 tablespoons of the filling in the center of each one. Place a second cut-out over each one. Press the edges together with your fingers, beginning at the bottom and working your way up the sides. Wipe up any excess blueberry drips with a paper towel. Crimp the edges with a small fork. Brush the pies with egg wash. Cut a small ventilation slit into the center of each tart. Bake until the crust is golden brown and the filling starts to bubble, about 23-28 minutes. (If the ears start to brown too fast, you can cover them with small pieces of aluminum foil during the last few minutes of baking.) Transfer the tarts to a cooling rack.

Icing & Decor

In a medium bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, butter, 1 tablespoon of milk, the vanilla and salt until well combined. Add additional milk as needed to achieve the desired consistency. Whisk until smooth. Spread the icing onto the bellies of the cooled Totoro tarts. Pipe dots for the eyes. When the icing has dried, you can use melted chocolate to make the eyeballs, noses and decorate the bellies.

Notes

*To find a Totoro cookie cutter, click here.

**To get the free printable Totoro pattern, click here.

Keyword pastry, pie, pocket pies, tarts

Vanilla Bean Glazed Peach Turnovers

Posted on July 10, 2024February 12, 2026 by Mari Vasseur

These pretty, portable pastries are made with fresh, juicy peaches wrapped in golden pie crust, coated with sweet vanilla bean glaze. They’re so perfect for summer picnics. This treasured recipe is one of my personal favorites from my cookbook, “Enchanted Baking.” This charming book is coming out on August 6, 2024. To preorder it here, click here.

The pie crust, which is exceptionally tender and flaky, is made with a combination of butter, for flavor and vegetable shortening, for flakiness. Make sure to use fresh, ripe peaches for the most delicious results. I added meringue powder to the glaze to give it that crisp finish we love in glazed donuts. As an extra special touch, I garnished the turnovers with pressed edible flowers. A sprinkle of dried rose petals would also be pretty.

Vanilla Bean Glazed Peach Turnovers

Fresh, juicy peaches wrapped in tender, flaky crust, coated with sweet vanilla bean glaze

Print Recipe

Servings 4 6-inch turnovers

Ingredients

Peach Turnovers

1 ½ cups (172g) all purpose flour
1 ½ tablespoons (18g) granulated sugar
⅜ teaspoon fine sea salt
2 tablespoons (24g) vegetable shortening
6 tablespoons (85g) cold, unsalted butter, cubed
1 ½ teaspoons apple cider vinegar
8 ounces (227g) peeled and sliced ripe peaches (about 1 1/2 cups of 1/4-inch (.6cm) thick slices)
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons (25g) packed brown sugar, divided
¼ teaspoon vanilla bean paste
1 teaspoon cornstarch
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
Egg wash: 1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of water
Pressed edible flowers for garnish (optional)

Vanilla Bean Glaze

½ cup (60g) powdered sugar, sifted
1 tablespoon (14g) unsalted butter, melted
½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste
½ teaspoon meringue powder (optional)
1 dash fine sea salt
1-2 tablespoons (15-30ml) whole milk

Instructions

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar and salt. Work in the shortening with your fingertips until it's evenly dispersed. Work in the butter until flat dime-sized pieces are formed.
In a small bowl, combine 1/4 cup (59ml) of ice water and the vinegar. Sprinkle the ice water mixture over the flour mixture a little at a time and stir just until the dough comes together. You may not need all of the liquid, depending on your climate. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Fold the dough over onto itself a couple of times. Divide the dough into 4 equal portions and form the portions into disks. Cover the dough disks with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to overnight.
In a medium-size bowl, gently toss the peaches with the lemon juice. Add 1 tablespoon (13g) of brown sugar and stir to combine. Let the peaches sit for 30 minutes. Drain the excess juices from the peaches, then toss with the vanilla bean paste. Sprinkle on the cornstarch, cinnamon and the remaining 1 tablespoon (12g of brown sugar and stir gently to coat the peaches.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375ºF (190ºC). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out the 4 disks to about 1/8-inch (.3cm) thickness. Cut each one into a 6 1/4-inch round. Transfer the dough rounds to the prepared baking sheet. Spoon the peaches onto one side of the dough rounds to within 1/2-inch (1.3cm) from the edges. It's helpful to arrange the peach slices by hand. Brush the perimeter edges with egg wash using a small pastry brush or your fingertip. Fold the dough over and press the edges to seal. Crimp the edges with a fork. Brush the turnovers with egg wash. Cut two 1/2-inch (1.3cm) ventilation slits in each turnover.
Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the turnovers are golden brown and the filling starts to bubble. Transfer the turnovers to a cooling rack to cool completely. While the turnovers cool, make the vanilla bean glaze.
In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, melted butter, vanilla bean paste, the meringue powder (if using), salt and 1 tablespoon (15ml) of milk. Add additional milk if needed to reach the desired consistency.
Using a small pastry brush, brush the icing onto the cooled turnovers. When the icing is almost set, apply pressed blossoms to the tops of the pies if desired.

Notes

To find my favorite vanilla bean paste, click here.

Keyword pastry, peach turnovers, pie

Strawberry Lavender Hand Pies

Posted on May 29, 2024February 12, 2026 by Mari Vasseur

Good things are coming your way. Your first bit of good fortune today, was finding this recipe. These Strawberry Lavender Hand Pies are exceptionally delicious and delightful. The sweet strawberry filling and the buttery, flaky pie crust are perfect together. When you add the lavender icing, they become positively magical. The icing has a touch of lavender that’s just enough to add a subtle floral note. I decorated mine with lavender buds, sprigs of lavender and dried rose petals. These pretty pies are perfect for teatime or fairy picnics.

Strawberry Lavender Hand Pies

Hand held pies with sweet, fresh strawberry filling, surrounded by a buttery, flaky crust and topped with lavender icing.

Print Recipe

Course Dessert

Servings 8 pies

Ingredients

Pie Crust

2 ⅔ cups (340g) all purpose flour
2 tablespoons (25g) sugar
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
¼ cup (48g) vegetable shortening
¾ cup (170g) cold, unsalted butter, cubed
½ cup (118ml) ice water
1 tablespoon (15ml) apple cider vinegar
Egg wash: 1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon of water

Strawberry Filling

2 ½ cups (375g) chopped strawberries (1/2-inch pieces)
¼ cup (50g) sugar
1 ½ teaspoons (5g) cornstarch
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 pinch fine sea salt

Lavender Icing

¾ cup (177ml) half & half
1 teaspoon dried culinary lavender* plus extra for sprinkling
1 ¼ cups (150g) powdered sugar, sifted
1-2 drops lilac gel food coloring
1 tiny drop violet gel food coloring

Instructions

Pie Crust

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar and salt. Work the shortening into the flour mixture with your fingertips until it's evenly dispersed throughout. Work the butter into the flour mixture with your fingertips, creating flat dime size pieces.
In a small bowl, whisk the ice water and vinegar together. Sprinkle over the flour mixture a little at a time, stirring until the dough comes together. You may not need all of the liquid depending on your climate.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Fold the dough over onto itself a few times. Do not overwork the dough! Form the dough into two 4 x 5-inch rectangles. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to overnight.

Strawberry Filling

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, stir together the strawberries, sugar and cornstarch. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the strawberries release their juices and the mixture starts to bubble. Turn the heat down and simmer until thickened to a jam consistency, about 7-10 minutes. Stir in the vanilla and salt. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and allow to cool to room temperature. Set aside in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Lavender Icing

In a small saucepan, heat the half & half and the lavender over medium heat, just until bubbles form around the edges. Do not boil. Turn the heat down and simmer gently for 1 minute. Strain the lavender cream into a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour.
Place the powdered sugar in a medium bowl. Add the lavender cream a little at a time, whisking until smooth. Add more lavender cream as needed to achieve your desired consistency. Add the food coloring a little at a time, with the tip of a toothpick, until your desired shade is achieved. Whisk until smooth and well combined.

Assembly

Preheat the oven to 400ºF (200ºC). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
On a lightly floured surface, roll the pie dough to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut out sixteen 3 x 4-inch rectangles. Chill in the refrigerator for 15 minutes. Place 8 rectangles onto the baking sheet, about 2 inches apart. Brush the perimeter edges with egg wash. Top each one with about 2 tablespoons of filling. Top with the remaining rectangles. Press the edges to seal. Crimp the edges with a fork. Brush the pies with egg wash. Cut 1/2-inch ventilation slits in the top of each one.
Bake until golden brown, about 23-28 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack. Spoon or drizzle the icing over the cooled hand pies. Sprinkle with a few lavender buds.

Notes

*To find culinary lavender, click here.

Keyword pastry, pie, strawberry lavender

Harry Potter Inspired Pumpkin Pasties

Posted on September 6, 2022February 12, 2026 by Mari Vasseur

Even though the weather is warm where I live at the moment, I’m dreaming about all the delicious fall treats I’ll be baking this year. Let’s look forward to cool, crisp weather, the smell of pumpkin or apples baking, and sipping a warm mug of something spicy while we wait for our bakes to come out of the oven.

Inevitably, every fall, the Harry Potter movies come on at my house and it’s nice to have some popcorn and sweet treats to enjoy while watching the movies. And these Harry Potter Inspired Pumpkin Pasties are perfect for that! If you’ve read the Harry Potter books, you may remember the Pumpkin Pasties being mentioned. There are many interpretations out there, but I imagined them to be crispy and flaky on the outside with a sweet pumpkin filling. I included a delicious flaky pie crust recipe here, but feel free to use store bought pie dough if you want to streamline the process. I sprinkled mine with raw turbinado sugar before baking which provides a sweet delicious crunch. You can also use maple sugar or sparkling sugar. To find the sugar I used, click here. And as a magical touch, I added some edible gold star glitter. To find the edible gold stars, click here.

Pumpkin Pasties

Harry Potter inspired sweet pumpkin filled hand pies

Print Recipe

Course Dessert

Servings 12 hand pies

Ingredients

Pie Crust

2 ⅔ cup (340g) all purpose flour, sifted
2 tablespoons (25g) sugar
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
¼ cup (50g) vegetable shortening
¾ cup (170g) cold, unsalted butter, cubed
½ cup (118ml) ice water
1 tablespoon (15ml) apple cider vinegar

Pumpkin Filling

¾ cup (170g) canned pure pumpkin purée Not pie filling
⅓ cup (66g) sugar
1 large egg
2 tablespoons (30ml) heavy cream
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg preferably freshly ground

Assembly

egg wash 1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon (15ml) of water
coarse sugar

Instructions

Pie Crust

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar and salt. Work the shortening into the flour mixture with your fingertips until evenly dispersed throughout.
Work the butter into the flour mixture with your fingertips, creating flat dime size pieces.
Mix the ice water and vinegar together. Sprinkle over the flour mixture a little at a time, stirring until dough comes together. You may not need all of the water depending on your climate.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Fold the dough over onto itself a few times. Do not overwork the dough! Form the dough into two disks. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least two hours or up to overnight.

Pumpkin Filling

In a medium-size bowl, mix together the pumpkin purée, sugar, egg, heavy cream, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg until well combined.

Assembly

Preheat the oven to 400ºF (200ºC). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut the dough into twelve 5-inch* rounds, re-rolling the scraps as needed. Place the dough rounds a couple of inches apart onto the prepared baking sheets.
Place about 2 tablespoons of filling on each round, leaving a half-inch border. Apply egg wash to the edges of the rounds.
Fold the dough over and press the edges together. Crimp the edges with a fork. If any filling oozes out, wipe it up with a paper towel or it will burn.
Brush the pasties with egg wash. Cut a half-inch slit into the top of each pastie. Sprinkle with coarse sugar.
Bake until golden brown, about 18-20 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack.

Notes

*To find a 5-inch round cutter, click here.

Keyword pastry

Cherry Cutie Pies

Posted on July 15, 2022February 18, 2026 by Mari Vasseur

Cherry season is highly anticipated at my house. We love enjoying a bowl of fresh cherries during the summer. We also love fresh cherry desserts. These cute little hand pies are a family favorite. They have the most delicious fresh cherry filling, surrounded with buttery, flaky crust and topped with vanilla icing. The small size makes them perfect for sharing or taking them along in a picnic lunch. I like to make the crust and the filling the day before, which makes them come together quicker on baking day. I decorated mine with bright red maraschino cherries for the photo, but my favorite cherries to top them with are Italian-style maraschino cherries.

Cherry Cutie Pies

by Mari Vasseur

3-inch cherry hand pies with flaky crust, topped with vanilla icing

Print Recipe

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 20 hand pies

Ingredients

Pie Crust

2 ⅔ cups (340g) all purpose flour, sifted
2 tablespoons (25g) sugar
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
¼ cup (48g) vegetable shortening
¾ cup (170g) cold, unsalted butter, cubed
½ cup (118ml) cold ice water
1 tablespoon (15ml) apple cider vinegar

Cherry Filling

12 ounces (340g) fresh cherries, pitted, halved and stems removed (about 1 3/4 cups after prep)
⅓ cup (66g) sugar
1 tablespoon (10g) cornstarch
⅛ teaspoon almond extract
Egg wash: 1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of water

Icing

1 ¼ cups (150g) powdered sugar, sifted
½ teaspoon meringue powder (optional)
2-3 tablespoons (30-45ml) whole milk
¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 dash fine sea salt
Pitted cherries for garnish (optional)

Instructions

Pie Crust

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar and salt. Work the shortening into the flour with your fingertips until it's evenly dispersed throughout. Work the butter into the flour mixture, creating flat dime size pieces.
In a glass measuring cup, mix the ice water and vinegar together. Sprinkle the liquid over the flour mixture a little at a time, stirring until the dough comes together. You may not need all of the liquid depending on your climate.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Fold the dough over onto itself a couple of times. Do not overwork the dough. Divide the dough into 2 equal portions and form into disks. Wrap them in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours or up to overnight.

Cherry Filling

In a medium-sized saucepan, combine the cherries, sugar and cornstarch. Simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the cherries start to soften and the juices are thickened, about 5 minutes. Transfer the cherries to a bowl. Stir in the almond extract. Set aside to cool completely.

Icing

In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, meringue powder, 1 1/2 tablespoons (22ml) of milk, the salt and the vanilla extract. Add additional milk as needed to achieve the desired consistency. (If you decide to omit the meringue powder, you'll need less milk.)

Assembly

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to about 1/8-inch (.3cm) thickness. Cut out 20-22 3-inch (7.6cm) rounds. Transfer half of the rounds to a baking sheet, placing them about 2 inches (5cm) apart. Using a slotted spoon, place the filling onto rounds to within 1/2-inch (1.3cm) of the edges. Using a small pastry brush or your finger, apply egg wash to the edges. Top with the remaining rounds. Press the edges to seal & crimp with a fork. Brush the pies with egg wash. Cut a small x in the top of each pie.
Bake until golden, about 18-24 min. Transfer the pies to a cooling rack to cool completely. Brush icing on the cooled pies with a pastry brush. When the icing is almost set, top the pies with pitted cherries if desired.

Keyword cherry, pastry, pie

Mini Chocolate Hand Pies for Pi Day

Posted on March 14, 2017February 16, 2026 by Mari Vasseur

Pi Day is a day to celebrate mathematics, or more specifically, the ratio of a circle’s circumference to it’s diameter. While I do appreciate math for it’s precision, I also feel a bit annoyed at math for making my brain hurt! Ok, I’m sorry math. I forgive you. I do need you! How would I bake without you? So today I will celebrate math (and also my love for puns) with these tender, fudgy mini hand pies!

Since pi is all about circles, I used a 2 3/4-inch circle cutter to make round pies, but you can cut them into any shape you like. You could cut larger circles, fold them in half and call them empanadas. Rectangles are very popular with Pop Tart fans and you don’t need a special cutter, but a ruler would be helpful. I think squares would be cute, too! Whatever your shape of choice, math is always there to help!

I used a stencil to add some powdered sugar polka dots to my mini pies. I may have gone a little overboard with my circles, but who’s going to stop me? I think they look pretty cute, but If you don’t have a stencil, a sprinkle or two of powdered sugar will do just fine! Alternately, you could drizzle them with some melted white chocolate. I had a bit of white chocolate on hand, so I can confidently say, that version is yummy too!

Mini Chocolate Hand Pies

by Mari Vasseur

Mini chocolate pies with fudgy filling and a tender chocolate crust.

Print Recipe

Prep Time 45

Cook Time 25

Total Time 2 10

Course Dessert

Servings 10

Ingredients

Crust

1 ⅛ cup (142g) all purpose flour, sifted plus more for your work surface
3 tablespoons (17g) unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tablespoon (12g) granulated sugar
⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt
⅛ teaspoon baking powder
½ cup (113g) cold, unsalted butter, cubed
3 ounces (85g) cold cream cheese, cubed
3 tablespoons (45ml) cold water, divided
½ of 1 whisked egg

Filling

½ cup (85g) bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate chips *see notes
⅓ cup (107ml) sweetened condensed milk

Finishing Touches

2 tablespoons (15g) powdered sugar optional
OR 2 tablespoons (22g) melted white chocolate optional

Instructions

Crust

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, salt and baking powder until well blended.
Use a pastry cutter or your fingertips to work the butter and cream cheese into the flour mixture until it resembles pea-sized crumbs.
Add 2 tablespoons (30ml) of the cold water to the mixture. Stir gently just until the dough comes together.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Fold the dough over onto itself a couple of times. Form the dough into a disk. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 hour.

Filling

In a small microwavable bowl, melt the chocolate chips and sweetened condensed milk together in the microwave. Heat for 10-15 second bursts, stirring until smooth. Set aside to cool to room temperature.

Assembly

Preheat the oven to 375ºF (190ºC). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and remaining 1 tablespoon (15ml) water.
On lightly floured surface, roll the dough to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut out 20 rounds with a 2 3/4-inch circle cutter (or cut into desired shapes of your choice).
Place 10 dough rounds about 1 inch apart onto the prepared baking sheet. Top each with 1 tablespoon of filling.
With a small pastry brush or your finger, brush the egg mixture around the perimeter of each of the filled dough circles.
Top each with the 10 remaining dough circles. Crimp the edges together with a fork. Brush the pies with the remaining egg mixture.
Bake until the crust is crisp and browned, about 15-20 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack. Sprinkle the cooled pies with powdered sugar or drizzle with melted white chocolate.

Notes

*The chocolate chips you use depends on personal preference. Bittersweet chocolate chips give a more intense chocolate flavor, while semi-sweet chocolate chips yield a slightly sweeter finished product.

To find my favorite circle cutters click here. To find the polka-dot stencil click here.