Strawberry Hand Pies Glaze (Printable version)

Flaky buttery pastry filled with sweet strawberries and finished with a smooth vanilla glaze.

# What you'll need:

→ Pastry

01 - 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
03 - 1 teaspoon salt
04 - 1 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
05 - 1/2 cup ice water, plus more as needed

→ Strawberry Filling

06 - 2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and diced
07 - 1/3 cup granulated sugar
08 - 1 tablespoon lemon juice
09 - 1 tablespoon cornstarch

→ Assembly

10 - 1 egg, beaten
11 - 1 tablespoon milk

→ Vanilla Glaze

12 - 1 cup powdered sugar
13 - 2-3 tablespoons milk
14 - 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

# Directions:

01 - Whisk together flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Cut in cold butter using a pastry cutter or fingertips until pea-sized crumbs form. Gradually add ice water, mixing just until dough holds together. Divide in half, shape into disks, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
02 - Combine strawberries, sugar, lemon juice, and cornstarch in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, for 5-7 minutes until mixture thickens. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely before using.
03 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. On a floured surface, roll each dough disk to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut into 4-5 inch rounds, yielding 8-10 rounds total.
04 - Place 2 tablespoons of cooled strawberry filling in the center of half the dough rounds. Brush edges with water, top with remaining rounds, and press edges firmly to seal. Crimp edges with a fork for a decorative finish.
05 - Arrange pies on prepared baking sheet. Whisk beaten egg with milk and brush over tops. Cut small steam vents in each pie. Bake for 22-25 minutes until golden brown. Transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
06 - Whisk together powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract in a small bowl until smooth and pourable. Drizzle glaze over cooled hand pies and allow to set for 10-15 minutes before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The pastry stays incredibly flaky even after being filled, thanks to keeping everything ice-cold until the moment it hits the oven
  • You can make these ahead and freeze them unbaked, then pop them straight into the oven for fresh treats whenever company shows up
02 -
  • If your dough starts feeling soft or sticky while you're working with it, pop the whole thing back in the fridge for 10 minutes because warm dough creates tough pastry
  • The filling must be completely cold before you start assembling, or the butter in your pastry will start melting and you'll lose all those flaky layers
03 -
  • Use a ruler or measure against your hand to ensure all dough rounds are the same size, which helps them bake evenly
  • Place the baking sheet in the fridge for 15 minutes before baking if your kitchen is warm, because cold pastry creates better flaky layers

Return