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Blueberry Pecan Hand Pies

A stack of blueberry pecan hand pies, torn down the middle to show the juicy blueberry filling inside
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These adorable Blueberry Pecan Hand Pies are a sweet and fun summer dessert! Toasted pecans are blended into the crust for a delicious nutty flavor.

Ingredients

Units Scale

For the crust:

  • 1 cup raw pecans
  • 2 cups whole-wheat pastry flour*
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) cold, unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
  • 1/4 cup ice water, or more as needed*
  • 1 large egg, beaten with a splash of water or milk

For the filling:

  • 2 cups fresh blueberries
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions

  1. Toast the pecans: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the pecans on a large rimmed baking sheet, then place in the oven to toast for 10 minutes or until fragrant and slightly darkened, tossing once at the 5-minute mark. Remove from the oven and let cool.
  2. Make the dough: In a food processor*, pulse together the toasted pecans, flour, sugar, and salt to combine. Add the cubed butter and pulse until a coarse meal forms with a few pea-sized pieces of butter remaining. With the food processor running on low, slowly stream in the ice water, just until the dough comes together. Divide the dough in half, then shape it into two flat disks about 6″ in diameter. Wrap the disks in plastic and transfer to the fridge to chill for one hour.
  3. Make the filling: While the dough chills, combine the blueberries, cornstarch, lemon juice, sugar, and cinnamon in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring, until the juice in the bottom of the pan comes to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium and continue cooking, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes, or until the mixture starts to thicken. Allow to cool to room temperature before assembling the pies.
  4. Roll out the dough: Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Lightly flour a clean work surface, then roll out the disks of dough to 12″ rounds about 1/8″ thick. Using a 4″ biscuit cutter or the rim of a glass, cut out as many dough rounds as possible, re-rolling the dough scraps as needed.
  5. Assemble the hand pies: Place half of the dough rounds on the lined baking sheet about 2″ apart. Spoon about a tablespoon and a half of filling into the center of each dough round (I use a cookie scoop for this), then use a pastry brush to brush some of the beaten egg around the edges. Use a sharp knife to cut an X into the center of each of the remaining dough rounds. Top each filled round with a vented round, then press around the edges with a fork to seal the pies. Brush the top of each pie with the remaining beaten egg, and sprinkle with a bit more sugar.
  6. Bake the pies: Bake for 18–22 minutes, or until the pies are lightly golden brown and the bottom crusts are crisp. Remove from the oven and let cool for 20 minutes before serving. Pies will keep in an airtight container for about 3 days, and will freeze well for about a month.

Notes

  • I recommend splitting this recipe into two installments: on day 1, make the dough and the filling and stick them in the fridge overnight. On day 2, pull the dough out of the fridge about an hour before rolling it out, then roll it out, assemble, and bake.
  • No whole-wheat pastry flour? Swap it out for an equal amount of all-purpose flour.
  • You may not need all of the water, or you may need a bit more, depending on the humidity where you live. Use your judgement; the dough should come together easily when you squeeze it, but it should not be sticky or wet.
  • If you don’t have a food processor, you can make this dough in a large bowl. Finely chop the pecans with a sharp knife, then add to a bowl with the flour, sugar, and salt. Whisk to combine, then cut in the butter with two forks or a pastry blender. Use a wooden spoon or your hands to mix in the ice water until just combined.

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Find it online: https://www.emilyeatsthings.com/blueberry-pecan-hand-pies/